Beat Vogelsanger, Ulrich Schdeli, Urs von Mhlenen, and Dominik Antenen
(Conference Abstract Reference Number #15931)
Nitrochemie 2013
Contents
Introduction
Conventional Small Calibre Propellants
Challenges / New Requirements
The Solution Nitrochemie Small-Calibre Propellants
Examples
EI Propellant for Lead-Free
Ammunition
Improved Stability
C4 Propellants for Highest
Performance
Summary and Conclusions
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Cylindrical
1-perforated
Propellant Formulation
Performance Potential:
Chemical/ballistic Stability:
Cylindrical 7/19-perforated
high
very high
Single Base
low
high
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Double Base
high
low
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Increased Performance
Higher performance to increase penetration of body armour
Need for propellant performance higher than with ball powder
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Propellant Geometry
1-perforated Cylinders intermediate progressivity
4-perforated Cubic "C4" (absolutely new grain geometry)
high progressivity + high gravimetric density
Non-toxic Formulation
All formulations are already REACh-compatible (no DNT, DBP, .)
Also other toxic components have been replaced (e.g. DPA)
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100
SS 109 (Lead /
Ball Powder)
80
NM 229 (lead-free /
Ball Powder)
60
40
20
0
NH3 HCN
CO
Toxic Gases
Pb
Cu
Zn
10
100
80
60
40
20
0
NH3 HCN
CO
Toxic Gases
Pb
Cu
Zn
Sb
Ba
11
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100%
1000
99%
99.5%
C4-SB
C4-EI
980
960
94.5%
940
920
900
Ball
Powder
EI
Standard
Gravimetric density and thus maximum charge weight in the bullet for cubic
propellants C4-SB and C4-EI is much higher than for standard EI (cylinder
1-perforated); and almost equal as for Ball Powder
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14
Spherical
Increased Progressivity
Maximum of closed
bomb diagram is
measure of
progressivity
Cylindrical
1-perforation
Cylindrical
7-perforations
15
16
Reaching the required peak port pressures (ppp) is often difficult, in particular
at cold this is no problem with C4-propellants; they show high ppp
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17
C4-SB
Switzerland
308 Win
Germany
(5.56mm)
C4-EI
C4 Cubic wins the Game !
UK
5.56mm
Scandinavia
5.56mm
USA
7.62mm +
Commercial
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Aschau, Germany
Wimmis, Switzerland
Nitrochemie 2013