Gauss Bullet Options?

Anaraxes · 10-28-2016, 07:16 PM

Aren't long, skinny things like arrows and tank penetrators and gauss needles also more stable with fins than they would be from spinning anyway? Long things get more leverage around their center of mass from the fins than stubby things when the tail swings out of line, while conversely their gyroscopic stability is lower because they don't have as much of their mass far from the center axis of rotation. Rifling's better for stubby bullets -- or spherical ones -- as those shapes have the opposite characteristics.

10-28-2016, 07:16 PM	#13
Anaraxes Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: Gauss Bullet Options? Aren't long, skinny things like arrows and tank penetrators and gauss needles also more stable with fins than they would be from spinning anyway? Long things get more leverage around their center of mass from the fins than stubby things when the tail swings out of line, while conversely their gyroscopic stability is lower because they don't have as much of their mass far from the center axis of rotation. Rifling's better for stubby bullets -- or spherical ones -- as those shapes have the opposite characteristics.