BRL-MR38-5

MEMORANDUM REPORT BRL-MR-3825

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CHANGE IN MUZZLE VELOCITY DUE TOA CHANGE IN PROPELLANT TEMPERATURE

FOR SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION

BARBARA A. WAGONER

APRIL 1990

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED.

U.S. ARMY LABORATORY COMMAND

BALLISTIC RESEARCH LABORATORY

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND

90 0, (' '

UNCLASSIFI EDREPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE o .. on. "

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April 1990 Memorandum4. TITLE AND SUITL- S. FUNONG NUMERS

Change In Muzzle Velocity Due To A Change In Propellant IL162618AH80

Temperature for Small Arms Ammunition

O. AUTHOR(S)

Barbara A. Wagoner

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADORESSES) 1. PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONREPORT NUMBER

9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADORESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING / MONITORING

Ballistic Research Laboratory AGENCY REPORT NUMBER

ATTN: SLCBR-DD-T

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5066 BRL-MR-3825

11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

12a. DISTRIBUTION /AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

1 ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 word)

*he available muzzle velocity test data for small arms ammunition were analyzed to

determine the change in muzzle velocity due to variations in propellant temperature.

This change in muzzle velocity must be quantified in order to provide range safety

data for the small arms weapon systems. This task was accomplished through the

analysis of Ball and Improved Military Rifle (IMR) propellants

14. SUBJECT TERMS I'NUMSER OF PAGES- Small Arms Amunition Range Safety Data, 21

Ball Propellant-, Muzzle Velocity, _,rs -u s- / 6 IPCE CODEImproved Military Rifle Propellant, Propellant Temperatures__

17. SECURITY ClASSWICATION IS. SECURITY CLASSIPICATION 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 20. UMITATION OF ABSTRACTOF REPORT OF THIS PAGE OF ABSTRACT

UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED SAR

NSN 7540-01-20-$SOO Standard Form 298 (Rev 2-9)

UNCLASSIFIFD --,o,. .- 19.I

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Table of ContentsPage

List of Figures. .. .. .. .. ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ..... v

List of Tables. .. .. .. .. .. .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... vii

I.Introduction. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ..... 1

11. Results. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...... 1

III. Conclusions .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... 3

References. .. .. ..... . ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ..

List of Symbols. .. .. .. .. .. ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9

Appendix. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ..... 11

Distribution List. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... ... ... .... ... .... 17

WC

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iv

List of FiguresFigure Page

1 Muzzle velocity propellant temperature factor versus propellant tempera-ture for Ball propellants ......... ............................. 4

2 Muzzle velocity propellant temperature factor versus propellant tempera-ture for IMR propellants ......... ............................. 5

3 Muzzle velocity propellant temperature factor versus propellant tempera-ture for Ball and IMR propellants ........ ....................... 6

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vi

List of TablesTable Page

1 Small Arms Ammunition Used in Data Analysis ..... ............... 1

2 Muzzle Velocity Temperature Coefficients ...... ................... 3

A-1 Ball and IMIR Propellant Muzzle Velocity Correction Factors for PropellantTemperatuie ........... ................................... 15

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viii

I. Introduction

Modifications to the firing tables for direct fire weapons are being developed to assistrange safety officials in the determination of range safety limits for a variety of nonstandardconditions. Currently, firing tables only list the range/superelevation relationship achievedunder standard conditions; therefore, a set of range correction values for nonstandardconditions are needed. These range correction values are provided for three nonstandardconditions which typically cause the largest effects, namely, changes in air density, rangewind (head or tail) and muzzle velocity.

The change in muzzle velocity is the most difficult to obtain of the three nonstan-dard conditions included in the firing table modifications. The most obvious and signifi-cant contributor to the change in muzzle velocity is the change in propellant temperature.Therefore, an effort was undertaken to establish muzzle velocity variations for nonstandardpropellant temperatures for direct fire weapon systems. For some ammunition types, muz-zle velocity data as a function of propellant temperature were easily accessible. However,the data were not readily available for small arms ammunition. Therefore, an analysis oftest results (muzzle velocities for different propellant temperatures) was conducted. Muz-zle velocity data as a function of propellant temperature between -65* F and 1600 F wereobtained from several sources 1

_5 and analyzed.

II. Results

The muzzle velocity data used in this analysis were gathered on a variety of smallarms ammunition which use Ball and IMR type propellants. Table 1 is a listing of thespecific small arms ammuniton presented in this report.

Table 1. Small Arms Ammunition Used in Data Analysis

Ammunition Type Propellant Type

5.56mm NATO, M193 Ball

6mm Remington (Commercial) Ball and IMR

7mm Remington Magnum (Commercial) Ball and IMR

.308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO, Commercial) Ball and IMR

.340 Weatherby Magnum (Commercial) IMR

25mm, HEI-T, M792 Ball

30mm, IIEDP, M789 Ball

1

A iii zzle velocity propellant temperature factor, , was determined and plottedas a function of propellant temperature for the two propellant types (Ball and IMR)

wh re,:

.1Il = muzzle velocity at a given propellant temperature

lIVSTD = standard muzzle velocity at a propellant temperature of 70'F.

A least squares fit was then used to determine the muzzle velocity propellant temperaturecoefficient as a function of propellant temperature for each propellant type. Figures 1 and2 graphically display the muzzle velocity data and the least squares fits for the Ball andIMR propellants. respectively. Since these fits proved to be very similar and their overallspread at each propellant temperature was similar, the muzzle velocity data for both theBall and IMR propellants were combined and one muzzle velocity propellant temperaturecoefficient was determined. Figure 3 shows the combined muzzle velocity data and leastsquares fits for Ball and IMR propellants. The muzzle velocity propellant temperaturecoefficients were determined as follows:

AliV- 1 + a(PT - 70°F) (1)

or,

AlV = [1 + a(PT - 70°F)] ,AIV TD (2)

where:

a = muzzle velocity propellant temperature coefficient,

PT = propellant temperature (OF)

and the change in muzzle velocity with respect to propellant temperature (, is

SMV-PT = a MVSTD

(3)6PT

As deternined by the least squares fitting technique, the muzzle velocity propellanttemperature coefficients (a), their standard deviations (o>,) and the root mean square errors(IEIMS) of the fits are provided in the following table. The fits match the observed datapoints with root means square errors of no more than 1.4 percent.

Table 2. M'luzzle Velocity Temperature Coefficients

Propellant Type a a, ERIS(1/ 0 F) (1/ 0 F)

Ball .000408 .000010 .014

IMR .000373 .000026 .011

Ball and IMR .000405 .000010 .013

The original expectation was that projectiles fired with the Ball and IMR propellantswould show a significantly different change in muzzle velocity due to propellant tempera-ture. A statistical analysis of the fits to determine if they had the same slopes, indicatedthat there were significant differences between the two. However, the data base for theBall propellant is much larger than that of the IMR propellant, with data located at thetwo extremes beyond the data available for the IMR propellant, affecting the outcome ofsuch a comparison. Testing the means of the two propellants, where data existed for bothpropellant types, indicated that there is no significant differences between the mean values

- ) at those temperatures.

From a practical standpoint, one fit combining both propellant types would be moredesirable. To determine if one fit would be adequate, a comparsion was made betweenthe delta muzzle velocities obtained using the fits for the respective propellants and thecombined fit for a small sample of projectiles using Ball and IMR propellants . That is, aco)mparison was made between the delta muzzle velocity obtained using the Ball propellantfit and the combined fit; and a comparison was made using the IMR propellant fit andthe combined fit. Although the differences between the IMR fit and the combined fitwere higher than that of the Ball fit and the combined fit, the differences are within oneround-to-round standard deviation in muzzle velocity.

III. Conciusions

The muzzle veloci'y propellant temperature coefficients determined by the least squaresfitting techniques and subsequent analysis indicated very similar trends for the Ball andIMR type propellants. Therefore, one muzzle velocity propellant temperature coefficientcan be used to determine the change in muzzle velocity for nonstandard propellant tem-peratures for the small arms ammunition using the Ball and IMR type propellants.

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References

1. Piddington, MI.J., "Comparison of the Exterior Ballistics of the M193 Projectiles WhenLaunched From 1:12 in. and 1:14 in Twist Rifles," BRL-MR-1943, ITS Army Ballis-tic Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, October 1968 (AD844934).

2. Hagel, B., "Game Loads and Practical Ball:- s for the American Hunter,"Alfred A.Knopp, Inc., New York.

3. Private communication between Mr. Charles Abel, US Army Materiel Systems Anal-ysis Activity, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland and Mr. William Chase, US ArmyBallistics Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland in 1982 concern-ing Qualification Test of 30mm, M789, HEDP Ammunition at Yuma Proving Ground,Yuma, Arizona.

4. G. Steier, "First Partial Report Preproduction Test (PPT)of 25-MM, Ammunition,Second Source," Material Testing Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland,APG -MT-5997 (VOLUME I), July 1984.

5. R.J. Carey, "Vol I Final Report Preproduction Test - Government (PPT-G) of 25-mm,M790 Series Ammunition, Third Source," Material Testing Directorate, AberdeenProving Ground, Maryland, APG -MT-5997 (VOLUME I), July 1984.

7

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List of Symbols

Symbol Definition Unit

a Muzzle velocity propellant temperature coefficient 1/°F

AMV Change in muzzle velocity m/s

MV Muzzle velocity at a given propellant temperature m/s

MVSTD Standard muzzle velocity at a temperature of 700 F m/s

6MV Change in muzzle velocity with respect to6PT

propellant temperature m/s/0 F

PT Propellant temperature ° F

9

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10

APPENDIX

APPLICATIONS

11

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12

APPENDIX. APPLICATIONS

The muzzle velocity for a given projectile is determined in the following manner:

Given:

Cartridge 30mm, HEDP, M789

MIVsTD 805 m/s

Propellant temperature 1600 F

From equation [3], Section II, the change in muzzle velocity with respect to propellantI 5,%I I

tcniperature (p -) is determined by:

6PTaVVTI I = aMVsTD

= 0.000405 * 805

= .326

therefore,

AMV = .326 * (PT - 700F)

= .326 * (160 - 70)

= +29.3 m/s

where AMV is the change in muzzle velocity due to a propellant temperature of 1600 F.

MV16 0 oF = 805 + 29.3

- 834.3 m/s

13

Or, by substituting directly into equation [2], Section II:

Al'1"60°F = [1 + 0.000405 * (160 - 70)] * 805

- 834.3 m/s

Muzzle velocity correction factors for various propellant temperatures are provided inTable A-1. These tabular values are obtained by solving equation [1] Section II, for thepropellant temperature of interest. Using this table, muzzle velocity for a given cartridgecan be deternined as follows:

Given:

Cartridge 30mm, HEDP, M789

MVSTD 805 m/s

Propellant temperature 1600 F

From Table 1, the muzzle velocity correction factor for a propellant temperature of 1600F is 1.0364, implying a 3.64% increase over the muzzle velocity at 700 F.

MV160F = 1.0364 * MVSTD

= 1.0364 * 805

= 834.3 m/s

14

Table A-1.Ball and IMR Propellant Muzzle Velocity Correction Factors for Propellant Temperature

TEMPERATURE MUZZLE VELOCITY TEMPERATUREOF CORRECTION OF

PROPELLANT FACTOR PROPELLANT

0 F 0°C

-70 .9433 -56.7-60 .9474 -51.1-50 .9514 -45.6-40 .9554 -40.0-30 .9595 -3-4.4-20 .9636 -28.9-10 .9676 -23.30 .9716 -17.810 .9757 -12.220 .9798 -6.730 .9838 -1.140 .9878 4.450 .9919 10.060 .9960 15.670 1.0000 21.180 1.0040 26.790 1.0081 32.2100 1.0122 37.8110 1.0162 43.3120 1.0202 48.9130 1.0243 54.4140 1.0284 60.0150 1.0324 65.6160 1.0364 71.1170 1.0405 76.7

15

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