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….hit a hard target like a tank? If an API round hit’s the ground, desert, or whatever “soft” surface does it “explode” or just bury itself into the ground?

Good question Dice and one that I don't think can be answered for each and every round. The API doesn't explode, at least that is my understanding of how it works. The HEI round explodes. It arms at about 30 feet from the muzzle and detonates when it contacts a hard surface. How hard it has to be to start the chain of events for actual detonation I don't know.

I guess it to answer your question, they could any of the things you said, too many parameters to calculate to know definitely what any single round will/would do.

I think this calls for a road trip to one of the ranges with a metal detector.

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

Got one within 15 miles of my house.

i'm guessing at the velocity, when the shell impacts the windshiled will crumple hitting the DU and causing it to ignite?

Interesting….what made me wonder was the video of the brit troops. Man I’ve seen hundreds of videos of the GAU-8A firing but, that was the first one I’ve see, and heard, from the receiving end. You can see the HEI (I think) going off but it sounded like gaps in the explosions so I assume that was the API??? I don’t know but it gave me a new found respect for the Avenger, terrifying weapon to be sure!

I don't think the DU would ignite on a \"soft\" target would it? I'm sure it would damn sure go through anything short of a few inches of steel without taking a breath.

I believe that if an HEI round hit in anything harder than water, with the Muzzle velocity of that round, it'd almost surely go off. However, just as there are Dud grenades, there can also be Dud 30mm projectiles.

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Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

API rounds do not explode, they have no explosive in them. HEI rounds will, as described here, explode when they hit almost anything, as long as the angle and density is enough to make the fuze function.

The Brit film was all HEI.

Coach

Thanks Coach.

API (in the form of CM) is almost never shot on a range. Usually when that happens it's a career-changing mistake.

Only two DU targets in the US I know of, one at Nellis and one at Yuma.

Coach