Fastest Round?

[jakk280rem]

5278 fps. in a .22-243 Middlestead with a 30gr. bullet
5130 fps. in a .22-250 Ackley Improved with a 35gr. bullet

Holy Toledo!

 

[saturno_v]

Keep in mind that about 6500 fps is the theoretical physical limit of chemical propellants but the practical real life limit is much lower.

Outside the realm of traditional powder propelled projectiles, as far as I know we reached muzzle velocities of well in excess of 30.000 fps in lab tests with various techniques (railguns, light gas guns, etc...)

 

[nitetrane98]

5000fps? I could of sworn that while watching a show on the Military channel, they mentioned the muzzle velocity from a tank's muzzle (don't know what size/model), as being over 5,000fps with a sabot round.

I never heard an exact number taught for the 105mm rifled cannon on the old M60 series guns but "a mile a second" was mentioned a lot. That, of course, would put it in the 5k fps neighborhood. Service ammo was reputed to be faster than the TP blue stuff. I only fired service HEAT round once and it did kick somewhat harder. I think the HEAT round round would be hard pressed to make 5k. It was fun to shoot the old HEP rounds. Big and slow, they went out like an off speed breaking ball. As I recall, the HEP reticle on the M105D telescope was curved.
A little thread drift, sorry.

 

[IndianaBoy]

 

[General Geoff]

.17 Flintstone Super Eyebunger

 

[kwelz]

22/250 in my experience.

 

[DEFOXER]

I think the 'super eyebunger was an ozzie round...

Although I dont think it was ever loaded commercially the 22-06 reached the high 4k's.
Dont forget the Euro rounds too - the necked down 8x57 Mauser aka 5.6x57 probably has enough case capacity to reach up there without being so severely over bore as with the '378 (probably had a 36 inch bbl)

 

[Jaws]

Rheinmetall L55 120 mm gun on Leopard 2A6


http://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/index.php?fid=1449&lang=3&pdb=1

The L55 gun can fire any standard 120mm round. Especially with the sixth generation of KE ammunition – the DM 53/DM 63 – the L55 results in substantially improved KE performance. Thanks to the longer barrel, it attains a muzzle velocity of over 1,750 m/s with the DM 53/DM 63; this ensures that the Leopard 2 will remain effective against future tanks.

1750m/s. that's over 5700fps!!!!

 

[MachIVshooter]

I could of sworn that while watching a show on the Military channel, they mentioned the muzzle velocity from a tank's muzzle (don't know what size/model), as being over 5,000fps with a sabot round.

Nearly 6k, actually, with the 120mm on our Abrams and the British Challenger. Smoothbore has a decided advantage in achieving maximum velocity. Unfortunately, fin stabilization does not work well for small arms, so we're stuck with the lower velocities resulting from the friction of rifled bores.

 

[Jaws]

The new L55 gun on the newer Leopard tanks, also installed in the new South Korean Black Panther K2 tank , is the best tank gun out there right now.
It added 1500m practical range over their older L44 gun that it replaces. The L44 is the 120mm smooth bore that was installed in the Leopard2 in 1979. The same gun that was retrofited in the Abrams in 1985 to replace the 105mm.

The gun on the Challenger is rifled and pushes 1,534 m/s with the APFSDS L23 round.
The Brits already installed the better L55 in the Challanger 2 for testing and may replace their rifled 120mm L30A1 CHARM gun with the L55...if they can get the money.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

I believe there is a member here that built various highspeed rounds necked down from a .50 browning, for a graduate engineering project. I believe his .22 -.50 would spin apart upon leaving the barrel but he was able to achieve exceptional velocities with other bullets.

I am not sure that any of these would compete with 120mm smoothbore cannon. But if we are talking about military weapons why not go with an ICBM, they re-enter the atmosphere at 4,000 m/s or thereabouts.

 

[wyocarp]

The Varmint Express by Hornady
204 Ruger 32 gr. V-Max
4225 fps muzzle velocity