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Arms Room Update.

By The Armorer on April 16, 2008 | | Comments (24)

I think I owe the Gunnies something... and what the heck, there's an Easter Egg (in the computer software sense) in there, too.

One of these things is not like the other!

And for those recoiling in shock and horror - anything you see in that picture is legal where I live, in the condition it's in - which means things that look like full-auto, aren't. They're either deactivated/dummies or semi-auto. Which means, for example, that Carl Gustav in there has a bore-sized hole in the barrel (thoughtfully cut so that the cheek pad covers it) and that PIAT was removed from the NFA list years ago, and transfers as a Class 1 firearm - just like a rifle. The recent scary story from Florida notwithstanding (last bit in this post here), your chances of finding shootable ammunition for a PIAT are effectively zero. The hosers in Florida who were "firing" their PIAT into the lake were probably thinking the firing pin (which is huge, and is *also* the recoil mechanism) was "spring-launching" whatever they were launching for projectiles. Which, based on my experiments with tennis balls, means about 50 feet. With something as light as a tennis ball. Heh. I've even asked around the people I know who have some idea of what's available on the international market for things like this... and live ammo for a PIAT isn't on the list. Hence why the Feds took it off the NFA list, lo those many years ago.

The artillery projectiles in the picture are all inert, too. Nothing at the Castle explodes. We live there for heavens sakes, and have cats! Aside from being illegal without some serious documentation, it's just dumb to have a risk like that. Want to guarantee the Fire Department will show up and roast marshmallows while your house burns? Tell 'em you've got live artillery rounds in there. Or hand grenades. Lose your home *and* go to jail. Good luck with the insurance company, too.

Want to spend a longer time in jail? *Don't* tell 'em. Then you'll really get to spend some quality time with scary men who see you as their Marilyn Monroe.

Same pic, larger format - click here.

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24 Comments

By fdcol63 on April 16, 2008 9:08 AM
Set phasers on stun. LOL
 
By Pogue on April 16, 2008 9:26 AM
What, no phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range?
 
By kat-missouri on April 16, 2008 9:27 AM
Double post (you that is) But, when do I get a private tour?
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 9:30 AM
No, they were different posts. You didn't look closely. 8^ ) One was entitled "Arsenal Update," the other "Arms Room Update."
 
By david on April 16, 2008 10:05 AM
I have a question...My Mom just passed away- I am paying for a funeral. My Dad brought home from the War a Polish Lugar 1935; Radom. Would this be worth much? Thanks, Pastor Dave in West Texas
 
By ry on April 16, 2008 10:28 AM
Okay, everyone sees the ST thing, but is that a APFSDS round next to the white jacketed round in the middle on top of the dsiplay case?
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 10:34 AM
Ry - no, that's a HEAT round, next to the white round, which is an illumination round, by the way. Pastor Dave - I'll send you an email.
 
By Fishmugger on April 16, 2008 10:35 AM
John...how many elves do you have helping you keep all that stuff clean?? Or do you just tie a Swiffer to the cats tail and chase is around the room?
 
By Casey Tompkins on April 16, 2008 10:45 AM
Pogue, what you see is what he's got. :) Actually, I think that owning a non-demilled phaser is legal, despite the Federation's very liberal/restrictive ray-gun laws. Several cases in interstellar court were thrown out when defense lawyers cited James T. "I'll do whatever I want to, so bite me" Kirk's entire career. It would take less time to cite the times he didn't break the law... So it's become an unofficial tradition in some quarters of the Federation to support the law by breaking it at every opportunity. Depending on the law, natch. :)
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 10:47 AM
Ry - I bet you *not* everybody sees that ST thing. Fishmugger - there's 7 cats, that's a thought! Actually in the New Castle, it has been much easier to keep things clean. In the auld Castle, there were several locations which seemed to be dust attractors. Thus far, the air flow in the Arms Room has not produced much dust. I get more gunk on the carpet from walking in from the back yard than I get dust, so keeping things in order hasn't been a problem. But I've not gone through a full summer yet, either, when the dust issue may be more severe than thus far. Weapons which get a regular workout have a light coat of oil. Those which don't, and their finishes support it, have been waxed, so they stay nice and shiny (if appropriate) and the dust just wipes away with a shop rag.
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 11:36 AM
Oh, and Kat? All you have to do is drive out here. Just call ahead to make sure we're home. Ry will be out visiting in two weeks, btw. We could convene a mini-blogmeet.
 
By ry on April 16, 2008 12:16 PM
Yup. Slave labor. John finally got his humongo hands around my scrawny neck and the only way to get out of the elvish rope(it burnsss ussssss) was to do yardwork. About the round, okay, but it is it fin stabilized? In the little amount(very little) of lit I've actually read about this type of thing it's not real clear if APFSDS is the same as High Explosive Anti-Tank. They look the same to me(thin rod on the front), so are they the same?
 
By Charodey on April 16, 2008 12:48 PM
About the round, okay, but it is it fin stabilized? In the little amount(very little) of lit I've actually read about this type of thing it's not real clear if APFSDS is the same as High Explosive Anti-Tank. They look the same to me(thin rod on the front), so are they the same?
Not the same at all. APFSDS stands for Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding SABO. The projectile is a solid chunk of depleted uranium and much smaller than the bore of the cannon from which it is fired. It has rings around it of the same dimension as the cannon bore so that it can be fired and these fall away once it has been fired. (That is the "Discarding" part of the acronym.) Thus is is a VERY high speed projectile made of very hard material enabling it to be armor piercing. The thin rod on the front is the actual round that goes down range. HEAT, as you can tell from the acronym, is a high explosive shape charge round. The thin rod on the front of this round is the fuse that ignites the shape charge just before the main body of the round impacts. This causes a spear of hot plasma from the explosion to be what actually penetrates the armor. And Yes, it is fin stabilized as the shape of the round is not very aerodyanic.
 
By Charodey on April 16, 2008 12:49 PM
About the round, okay, but it is it fin stabilized? In the little amount(very little) of lit I've actually read about this type of thing it's not real clear if APFSDS is the same as High Explosive Anti-Tank. They look the same to me(thin rod on the front), so are they the same?
Not the same at all. APFSDS stands for Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding SABO. The projectile is a solid chunk of depleted uranium and much smaller than the bore of the cannon from which it is fired. It has rings around it of the same dimension as the cannon bore so that it can be fired and these fall away once it has been fired. (That is the "Discarding" part of the acronym.) Thus is is a VERY high speed projectile made of very hard material enabling it to be armor piercing. The thin rod on the front is the actual round that goes down range. HEAT, as you can tell from the acronym, is a high explosive shape charge round. The thin rod on the front of this round is the fuse that ignites the shape charge just before the main body of the round impacts. This causes a spear of hot plasma from the explosion to be what actually penetrates the armor. And Yes, it is fin stabilized as the shape of the round is not very aerodynamic.
 
By Charodey on April 16, 2008 12:50 PM
Oops, sorry about the double post.
 
By wolfwalker on April 16, 2008 12:52 PM
Only one easter egg? I thought I saw two. What's the thing on top of the case, next to the shovel? Rusty colored pipe-shaped thing, looks kinda like a mace or a morning star.
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 1:17 PM
Wolfwalker - it is a trench mace. But since that's a real, seen-service weapon, it's not an Easter Egg in the sense the phaser is. Ry - heh. You volunteered, boyo. Dincha hear the Drill Sergeant say "You'll be sorreeeeeee!" in the background? Charodey - welcome to the Castle Echo. No worries. Just a small technical quibble - sabot. It's not an acronym itself. Ry - I'll show you one when you get here. When you look at an APFSDS, you're looking at a sub-caliber dart with a bore-diameter carrier that peels away after it leaves the muzzle, effectively concentrating the power of all the power of the gun on a much smaller cross-section of projectile. The spike protruding from a HEAT round contains the fuzing element, being carried just far enough in front of the cone of explosive so that the optimum jet of plasma will be formed by the shaped charge when the round impacts. I'll show you that, too.
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 2:22 PM
Oh. I forgot to add this to the post! I'm terribly bitter and I think I'll go thump my bible under the crucifix upstairs. Oh, please, people. Outta the gutter!
 
By Fishmugger on April 16, 2008 3:12 PM
John, A good friend and I are planning to take a trip to Normandy and Bastogne this SEP, coming back with a one day stop over in London. Which Meuseum do you recomend in London? Royal Artillery? We want to see lots of guns and stuff. A lounge crawl is already on the agenda. If anyone else has a suggestion, I'm flexible.
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 16, 2008 4:03 PM
Well, the Imperial War Museum is *always* a good choice, as is Firepower, the new name of the Woolwich Rotunda museum. Hard to say. And if you have the time - go to the HMS Belfast *and* the Tower Armouries.
 
By Fishmugger on April 16, 2008 4:20 PM
10-4 roger. My friend has been last year with some 101 Vets. Jack and John of the recent book fame. My friend wants to go back with less tour control. If I can convince him London would be better maybe we can stretch it there. This is my first trip so I'm super ready for all the tourist places. He can show me many not so tourist places. One is the farm where Winters and team took out the howitzers. They also make some kind of hard cider. Thanks John.
 
By kat-missouri on April 16, 2008 9:13 PM
Oh, and Kat? All you have to do is drive out here. Just call ahead to make sure we're home. Ry will be out visiting in two weeks, btw. We could convene a mini-blogmeet.
Oh..goody. I get to pound him in person? I'll definitely come out for that.
 
By Justthisguy on April 16, 2008 10:49 PM
Hmm, "took it off the NFA list..." I've seen some fairly good drawings of PIAT projectiles. I betcha we could make a nerf version, with propellant but no bursting charge, which would be fun to shoot like a spud gun. Of course, I want a younger and more limber person than I to cock the thing for the first shot.
 
By Murray on April 17, 2008 3:51 PM
Try a croquet ball. They don't slow down as fast as tennis balls.