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AR15.COM
6/1/2004 3:50:58 PM EDT
I was just wondering if there was anyone around taht had any experiance with electromagnetically accelerated weaponry.  (fancy way of saying a railgun)

I have been thinking of making a coilgun pistol. Somewhat similar to this one.  

http://www.pskovinfo.ru/coilgun/indexe.htm

However I plan on making some improvements. I need something with a 80-100 m/s (his is only 35 m/s) muzzle velocity. (I know thats not much compared to any real weapon, but this is for fun) If anyone has some EE experiance i would much apreciate it. I was wondering how i might get the extra muzzle velocty. More Caps (capaciters)?  Bigger Caps? Larger power source? Bigger Coil? More turns in the coil? Smaller projectile?

A few of the improvments i would like ot enacti is build the battries into the magazine and possibly change from AA's to 9volts. I would also move the coil to the back of the weapon so i could get a longer barrel length. If i can I might even go double stage, but that might be to complicated.

Alright, thanx for any imput =) hug.gif
6/1/2004 3:51:40 PM EDT
[#1]
We built one at tech under contract.  Thats about all I can say.
6/1/2004 3:54:01 PM EDT
[#2]
Just curious - but are there any ATF regulations that woudl pertain to a private citizen building a electromagnetic gun?  Does it still qualify as a firearm - or are firearms by definition lilmited to chemical propellants?



(and would it even matter, since it might fall under same rules as building your own ar or 1911 from an 80% receiver?)
6/1/2004 3:55:53 PM EDT
[#3]
Its not considered a firearm.  Even tho we were under a gov't contract, we were required to go through the permit process for weapons.  Called up the ATF, there was nothing special we had to do.
6/1/2004 3:57:17 PM EDT
[#4]
i built a real small version last year. found the plans online. It was kinda cool. would throw a steel bb about 15' with a 12 volt power source.
6/1/2004 4:08:22 PM EDT
[#5]

Quoted:
We built one at tech under contract.  Thats about all I can say.



Hahaha, alright. I would love to hear what you might recommend for the improvments. Ive always loved futuristic weaponry. So now im going to make myown =)
6/1/2004 4:08:26 PM EDT
[#6]
I'd avoid using 9v batteries.  They just flat out SUCK.  Expensive, and can't handle any current draw for any length of time before they're dead.

IIRC:
more turns  = stronger magnetic field.
more current = stronger magnetic field.
Bigger capacitors = more current delivery (assuming everything else in the circuit can handle it and it doesn't go boom on you)

Obviously, the smaller and more lightweight the projectile is, the more speed it will obtain from the magnetic pulse (less inertia to overcome).

Just playing around at school a couple years ago, we took a 30amp power supply, a few power resistors (to limit the current to right at 30 amps) and wound a bunch of wire around a pen.  That let us throw finishing nails about 25 ft.


If you want to get really fancy, you use multiple coils, triggered with the right timing that each helps accelerate the projectile.  Have fun!
6/1/2004 4:11:48 PM EDT
[#7]
Yeha, i was thinking about multiple stages, but thats way to much tinkering for me. Ill have ot take a look at how many caps ill be able to fit and such. Thanks for the recomendation about the 9volts. I might just tape 4-6 AA's together as kind of a secondary mag (great a weapon with 2 mags =\

Ok, well ill definatly keep you guys posted if you want me too.
6/1/2004 5:24:13 PM EDT
[#8]
This guy has bulit some amazing rail/gauss guns.
6/1/2004 5:56:19 PM EDT
[#9]
I saw a show on the discovery channel about a year or two ago on a rail gun they were developing for use in MBT (Main Battle Tanks)  The gun was amazing, I believe it launched a saboated aluminium projectile at such insane speeds that no armor can stop it.  The real problem was the power source for this thing, it was the size of a house.

I'll take 2.
6/1/2004 6:02:15 PM EDT
[#10]

Quoted:
This guy has bulit some amazing rail/gauss guns.



You beat me to it.  I have a friend who goes to MI Tech who has met the guy.