guess one could also use a cut down rifle as a line launcher...
guess one could also use a cut down rifle as a line launcher...
Not trying to be nasty here, as I don't know what training Royal Engineers get in physics these days, but your buddy's theory defies Newton's Second and Third Laws of Motion. Personally I would side with Sir Issac on this one. When a bullet is fired from a bolt action rifle, there is a force applied to the bullet (from the propellant exploding) and an equal and opposite force (Newton's 3rd Law) acting on the gun itself. What stops the gun from flying back at the same speed the bullet is that it has more mass. According to Newton's 2nd Law, F=ma (force = mass x acceleration), and therefore, as the force applied to gun and bullet is the same, with the tiny bullet the acceleration is huge, but much smaller for the more massive gun (and firer's body). Obviously, reducing the barrel and butt (and any other part of the gun) will reduce the overall mass of the gun and increase it's acceleration when a round is fired. Right? Cut-down guns kick more because they obey the laws of physics.
Why not? Because you couldn't just please yourself what weapons you carried. Trench warfare in WW1 wasn't a free-for-all in the style of an 80s movie with Stallone or Arnie in it. Trench fighting and raiding were planned exercises by a professional army. Even for trench raids, a plan was written out, equipment was issued, men were briefed and the action was carried out. Afterwards men were debriefed and reports written. Furthermore, revolvers were issued to Other Ranks throughout the war, both as a personal issue, and as special issues (for trench raids etc). Issue of weapons wasn't based on social class, it was based on what you required for the task you were undertaking. Here is an extract from a trench raid plan from 1917 which lays out the weapons and ammunition carried by the raiding party:
As with most of these things, a mix of riflemen with bayonets and men armed with grenades (bombers) were used. Interestingly, the only weapon assigned to the grenade men was a knobkerrie (a.k.a. the 'trench club'). The whole thing can be read here: Story of a Trench Raid', carried out by the 16th Welch - Boesinghe | First World War Poetry Digital Archive
Revolvers were actually a lot cheaper than Lee-Enfield rifles. In 1915, the cost of an SMLE Mk III to the British Army was £5 10s, whereas a Webley Mk VI was £3 4s 6d
I don't know what this gun is or was, but in my opinion, unless it was intended to fire a mortar or launcher or something, it would surely just be a danger to the soldier carrrying it and the men around him? I can't believe any officer would allow a thing like that to be used by a man under his command.
Rob
Gents let me add 2 p into convo of broken wrist. It's not complitly true. Just like I have mentioned before cut-down Mosin's rifles were used for more that 80 years in Russia and around.
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What about a relic made to look nice????????????. Cheers Terry.
IMHO a genuine weapon made to be carried concealed by a partisan/resistance fighter.
Regards, Lars
I would have to disagree. I feel the shorter barrel would reduce recoil, pressure has less time to build up behind the round, hence reducing recoil. That’s why artillery and tank barrels have muzzle breaks; this releases the pressure behind the round before it exits the barrel, reducing recoil. It’s simple ballistics. The longer the barrel, the higher the muzzle velocity, pressure behind the round has more time to build up, hence increasing recoil. It’s all to do with Newton’s Laws of Motion, " to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”
Good point and true. It's the weight that reduced recoil. I would still imagine that this contraption must deliver quite a kick.
Regards, Lars
Hi,
Yes weight does play a part, or one should say “mass ", forces are exerted on mass. It takes a certain amount of energy to move a certain amount of mass, i.e. in recoil. Force=mass multiplied by acceleration. Another one of Newton’s Laws if I remember correctly!! My Mechanical Engineering days are a long time ago!!!
Thats one reason why they didnt fit an 88mm to a panzer 3/4 !
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