Stalin's Organ Posted April 22, 2001 Share Posted April 22, 2001 I know AP doesn't do a lot of damage, but the Russians used a lot of APHE - a small bursting charge in an AP round. I have never heard of any effect of APHE on "soft" targets, but I'd imagine it would have slightly more than straight AP shot. Anyone care to comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Username Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 AP, with and without HE filler, was fired at small reinforced targets like bunkers. The kinetic energy of 12 pounds of steel moving supersonic slamming into your bunker isnt something that is trivial. Drop a ten pound weight on your foot; bet it hurts. The ejecta from the impact would be very disconcerting. Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stalin's Organ Posted April 23, 2001 Author Share Posted April 23, 2001 Thanks for the reply user, but I think you miss the point. A bunker IMO is not a "soft" target, and AP is appropriate to use agaisnt it. Currently in CMBO a tank gun that has run out of HE can sometimes use AP against infantry - and occasionally scores a kill, presumably some poor chap with a 3" hole through him from a direct hit. My question is whether the small HE filler in APHE hakes it more useful vs infantry than straight AP shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Username Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 I am not talking about a concrete bunker. I am talking about a earthen type. I was in the mil and when digging in you slowly evolve the position up. Basically it goes as follows: 1. Make a shell scrape. 2. Get a REAL foxhole a few feet deep. 3. Those with automatic weapons, get some overhead cover. Start with whatever you can. 4. Fill sandbags. Make overhead cover to support them. This allows you to fire while under fire. 5. Dig INTO the earth walls. This gives some protection from heavy payload. Reinforce the walls. So "soft" targets like these are still very vulnerable to solid AP shot. But if you are talking about shooting infantry moving in the open then more or less forget it. Take out one guy and be happy for your luck. Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stalin's Organ Posted April 23, 2001 Author Share Posted April 23, 2001 I wasn't talking about concrete - any form of bunker is a "hard" target IMO - even the ones you described which were also de rigour when I was in the infanry!! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Ridgeway Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 The charge in AP-HE ala APCBC is relatively tiny when compared to say 75mm M48 HE or 105mm HE. In addition the fuse in AP-HE in theory is very robust (i.e. it is designed to penetrate a couple inches of hardened steel before activating the HE charge. I wouldn’t expect properly functioning AP-HE to just burst when impacting soft to medium stiff ground, a tree, or personal. As already indicated High velocity spalling from AP-HE penetrating into enclosed spaces (bunkers, building etc) presumably would be potentially dangerous to any personal in that enclosed space. But than I could be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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