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m-1a1 abrams gun

earlwellmanearlwellman Member Posts: 645 ✭✭✭✭
edited September 2005 in Ask the Experts
I was watching history channel and they said the m1-a1 uses a 120 mm smoothbore canon. That seemed odd to hear. Why wouldn't it be rifled?
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    kingjoeykingjoey Member Posts: 8,636
    edited November -1
    Rifling wears out quickly on something of that size and power. I seem to remember them being able to generate higher velocities with the smoothbore as well

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    rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    The velocities at which the 120mm sabot round travels at, heat generated, and it's weight would just wear out the rifling quickly. The smoothbore will last for a long long time. It is higher velocity and more accurate with the saboted fin stabalized rounds than with the traditional cannon shell.

    It also allows for more and different types of rounds to be fired like guided shells like the XM943 120mm Tank Round- Smart Target Activated Fire and Forget (STAFF) round.

    There is also in limited use a type of canister shot that can be fired from the 120mm for anti-personnel close range effect. Much like a gigantic shotgun it just sprays a huge area with small shot that will wipe out lots of foot soldiers in large groups.

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    kingjoeykingjoey Member Posts: 8,636
    edited November -1
    quote:There is also in limited use a type of canister shot that can be fired from the 120mm for anti-personnel close range effect. Much like a gigantic shotgun it just sprays a huge area with small shot that will wipe out lots of foot soldiers in large groups.



    That sounds absolutely evil[}:)]

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    rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    Yea, you don't want to be anywhere near an M1 Abrams if you aren't considered "friendly". With some of the new ammunition in development for it it is getting an effective beyond visual range kill capability soon.

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    11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,588 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The primary tank killer round is a fin stabilized discarding sabot- just think of a dart of steroids- OK? Rifling would spin the dart- which would NOT make it more accurate- and on impact you want a round that is NOT spinning- but boring straight ahead.

    No- not a taker- retired grunt that learned enough about the Abrams to admire it![8D]

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    ThrockmortonThrockmorton Member Posts: 814 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Food for thought,and be aware that I am faaaaaaaaaaaar from being an expert on ANYTHING!! :)
    but if the problem is the rifleing wearing out all guns of heavy caliber/etc would be smoothebores,no?? even the huge guns on battlewagons have rifeling,and didn't the old warbirds have rifleing in their .50's??
    Just curious what ya think.

    Throckmorton SASS #23149
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    sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The reason for the smoothbore is for velocity increase. I'm with throckmorton on that one. We had rifled cannon's mounted in our M60 tanks for a lot of years. All the heavy artillery still has rifling. The stabilized fins are accurate and the smoothbore increases velocity. A great combination for a tank. However when shooting 14 or more miles away it is better to have rifling to accurately stabilize generic projectiles.
    Incidentally, an 81mm mortar(M252A2) which can fire up to three miles away gets its accuracy from stabilized fins. Only half of that distance is considered accurate enough for close work though. Point being for long range accuracy you need rifling. -Just some food for thought.

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    kingjoeykingjoey Member Posts: 8,636
    edited November -1
    A lot of the decision was based on rounds-before-overhaul figures, the smoothbore works better and lasts longer on a tank that is likely going to fire a lot of rounds

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    rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    Oh I forgot to add that the spin induced by rifled barrels reduces the effectiveness of kinetic energy rounds and the effectivness of shaped charge warheads.

    Under wartime conditions rifled barrels needed to be rebored every 400-500 rounds. Smoothbore barrels can handle 5x as many rounds before they need rebored or replaced. Also the smooth bore creates less pressure and higher velocities than it's rifled counterpart.

    And yes, while large artillery like the 155mm cannons still use rifled barrels they do so because the warhead is larger, if it were a smooth bore firing a saboted round the warhead would have to be smaller, and thus, have a reduced blast radius reducing it's maximum effect.

    As for accuracy between the two, with todays ammunitions for both the smooth bore and rifled cannons, accuracy isn't a deciding factor in choosing either. Modern fin stabalized rounds are very accurate and they can accomodate guided munitions as well as short range anti personnel rounds.

    If you have to go with anything, go smoothbore, or go home. [:D]

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