Wasn't sure where to put this, so please don't tear me apart

Some of you might not be old enough to remember me, but I am sure there are still some old timers around that do.

While Carbandia the nation no longer exists, I have returned to NS with a new name.

Now for the actual question that this thread is about.

Simply put, is going down in tank gun caliber a really bad idea, or is the loss in hitting power workable around?

Would love to hear any and all opinions on the subject.
Carb

Quick edit: Not thinking about anything drastic, just down to somewhere between 120 and 115mm

When you say going down to 120mm do you mean from 125mm soviet or NS grade supertank?

Because unless you want to penetrate ”supertanks" 120mm or 115 should do fine.

And to up the penetration you can do the BS everybody else does and just slap on ETC if that rocks your boat...


Might I ask why you want to do such a slight reduction in caliber? (Other than being original)

Originality mostly, and also might get a slight increase in the rate of fire.

Down from 122's, actually, as that was what the Carbandian tanks used.

The difference between 122, 120, and 115 is probably too small to notice in any practical situation.

You could go as low as 110mm and still be competitive if what i can recall from the tanknet thread on the british 110mm gun is correct and not misinterpreted make belive on my behalf.

I know you better than to take anything you quote as make belive unless you specifically state it as such, mate.

I know you better than to take anything you quote as make belive unless you specifically state it as such, mate.

I do actually have a bad habit of misremebering stuff when i haven't read my soruces for a while.

Anyway stuff on the british 110mm gun pojects if anyone is interested:

http://208.84.116.223/forums/index.php?sho...&hl=110mm&st=40

I know you better than to take anything you quote as make belive unless you specifically state it as such, mate.

I do actually have a bad habit of misremebering stuff when i haven't read my soruces for a while.

Anyway stuff on the british 110mm gun pojects if anyone is interested:

http://208.84.116.223/forums/index.php?sho...&hl=110mm&st=40

As do I mate, as do I. Bookmarked that for a more thourough read through later, as I still love to read stuff like that.

Only thing I can think of a tank-gun losing at current RL-sizes is the ability to fire nuclear shells at supertanks.

And there are far cheaper ways to kill supertanks than that.

Nah I'm not aiming for anything too ambitios this time around.

Much as with the Merkúr I am aiming for a creditable MBT that I can claim as my own as opposed to either a rl design or a imported one.

This would be true if caliber was the only thing that determined power, yes.

This would be true if caliber was the only thing that determined power, yes.

If you hold all else equal, my statement stands.

This would be true if caliber was the only thing that determined power, yes.

It's a range of 7mm diameter. Even assuming this is all in cone size for a HEAT warhead, this makes for a roughly 5cm difference in RHa penetration between 115mm and 122mm, with a good cone material.
With an APFSDS, it's going to be a difference amounting to maybe a handful of 10m/s', due to how sub-bore the penetrator will be on some compared to others.

Obviously, what I take it you're referring to is the cartridge used to launch, but obviously these will change. It's not what's being referred to, I believe.

Prae helped me work out some rough pen values for my 117mm gun and the results were perfectly acceptable to me(LRP type rounds) and HEAT simply is what it is.

I use 90mm, 117mm, 126mm so I dont believe youre losing anything significant by picking an odd number.

A RRoan points out there is more to pen power of a round than caliber.
And as NE points out even if all other things are equal the difference is nominal.

Just one more question guys..

ETC yes or no? While it would drive the price tag (and the tanks weight) up considerably, it would also make up for the loss in hitting power.