Maximum range of 14.5mm KPV?

[backbencher]

What is the maximum range (not maximum effective) range of the Soviet/Russian 14.5mm KPV/ZPU machine gun, and what is your source for the information?

Yes, I have Googled, but some of the answers are not making sense.

 

[rcmodel]

Most report it to be 4,000 meters, which translates roughly to about 2.5 miles.

Assuming the ballistic coefficient of all the different bullet designs it could shoot are not designed for maximum range?
And assuming the muzzle velocity is about 3,200+ FPS?
And instead, the bullet in question was designed for maximum effective armor piercing, AP incendiary, etc, and not maximum long range un-aimed flight??

Sounds likely.

My source of information is a WAG.

rc

 

[SDC]

A lot of the answer to this question depends on factors that change, depending on exactly where you try it (density/altitude, humidity, direction of fire, specific cartridge being fired, etc.) but the quick 'n easy ballistics calculator at http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmdist-5.1.cgi says you should expect a maximum range of more than 9200 yards (8430 metres) at an angle of 36 degrees.

 

[backbencher]

Thanks folks.

 

[alsaqr]

but the quick 'n easy ballistics calculator at http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmdist-5.1.cgi says you should expect a maximum range of more than 9200 yards (8430 metres) at an angle of 36 degrees.

Thats about right. Can't find my military surface danger zone diagram for the 14.5mm. The maximum range of the 14.5 mm is greater than the .50 BMG.

For .50 caliber ball the maximum range is 6,500 meters.
For .50 caliber SLAP the maximum range can exceed 10,000 meters, depending on altitude.

For the .50 caliber BMG see figure 4-1, page 25: AR-385-63.

www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/p385_63.pdf