The most powerful airgun
Part 2
by Tom Gaylord
The most powerful CO2 gun I know about is a cannon named CO2Much, built by Mike Chilco. It shoots a 3,123-grain cylindrical lead slug that's 1.12-inches in diameter (112 caliber). That is almost twice the size of the largest elephant rifle bullet known, which was a Holland 4-bore that weighs 4 ounces. It registered 395 f.p.s. through a Oehler 35P chronograph, which gives a muzzle energy of 1,082 foot-pounds.
It's a cannon, but CO2Much is the record-holder for powerful CO2 airguns.
A 7-ounce lead bullet shot from a long barrel is where the power comes from.
The gun weighs 16.5 pounds and has to be supported on a rest because it's too long for a man to hold comfortably. It kicks like a .50 BMG. It is smoothbore and only "barn-door" accurate at 50 yards. However, due to the mass of the bullet, if you were hit by it it would likely tear a hole clear through you or tear off a limb, like the Civil War cannons often did, when soldiers reached out to touch them and they bounced past.
posted by Tom Gaylord @ 6:16 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
good to see you have some time to devote here. looks like I have some to catch up on.
Thanks for your continued contibutions to the sport.
turtle
turtle,
I'm trying to keep this blog fresh along with everythijg else.
Tom
How did he do it and why?
I don't understand part of your question. How did he do it? I don't know what you are asking.
The "why" is easy. He did it because he wanted to see what was possible. Two years before this, he built a pump up pneumatic shoothbore that used a novel new dumbbell-shaped slug. It was so accurate that big-bore maker Gary Barnes immediately began making the same type of slugs for all his big bores.
People like Mike Chilko are the ones who advance the science of any field.
How did he get CO2, a limited pressure gas, to push that huge slug out the muzzle at a decent velocity?
He didn't invent that "dumbell" shaped slug, those things have been used in shotguns back in the 60s, at least, maybe before then by the French, I think. I can't remember if it was Elmer Keith's writings or maybe Jack O'Conner who had written about it.
Okay, now I understand.
First the slug. You are correct. The French Balle Blondeau was the same thing and exhibited remarkable accuracy for not being rifled. In fact, it was stabilized the same way a pellet is, by high drag on the tail.
Second, it doesn't take high pressure to achieve high velocity. A vintage rifle that only has 600 psi can push a 50 caliber ball above 700 f.p.s., if the barrel is long enough. The secret is a long barrel for lots of accelleration time. Then the valve must stay open a long time to provide a continuous flow of gas.
Tom
This blog is well worth bookmarking, for this entry alone.
Although the weapon is huge and unwieldy, it's primary advantage has got to be that it's relatively quiet compared to a conventional large calibre firearm.
Any idea how loud this thing is?
CO2 Much is about 131 dB, measured at 10 feet, 90 degrees to the muzzle. That's less than a .22 long rifle and more than a Career 707.
Tom
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