Re: OT: Repeatably lobbing "projectiles"

On Sun, 24 Nov 2024 14:36:33 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:
>
[...]

Couldn't the plunger be "polystyrene cup shaped" so it stays behind
for reuse, automatically?

>
No - because the cup has to be in contact with the projectile to
maintain its shape while it is accelerated up the barrel.  That means
the air pressure must be behind the cup.
>
The cup could be stopped rapidly at the mouth of the gun by some sort of
obstruction, but that would risk damaging it and/or fouling the
projectile.

That problem was solved long ago with a discarding sabot:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armour-piercing_discarding_sabot>
<https://www.google.com/search?q=discarding+sabot&udm=2>
which allows a long thin projectile to be launched from a barrel
without having the projectile tumble or become deformed. 
--
Jeff Liebermann                 jeffl@cruzio.com
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Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
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