The M.A.C. gun

[Akira_Commander567]

I've finally achieved one of my goals in my life. I've built a weapon that uses magnetic coils to accelerate objects to past supersonic speed. One of the defects on this weapon system is that the coils depolarize incrediably quickly, when I fire a supersonic shot, the magnets depolarize after the first shot.

[Just plain old Punisher]

huh?

If you have done something like this, I know a couple people over at DAARPA who would like to have a word or two with ya =)

[Akira_Commander567]

Why? I haven't done anything wrong........................yet. Beshides, I found the desgins on the web and I made some of my own modifications.

[Akira_Commander567]

Update, if you want to see where I got my desgin from, look at wikiapedia and type in coil gun.

[Just plain old Punisher]

oookkkkkkk.....

[F9thCenturus]

oookkkkkkk.....

Don't worry Pun.  He used Punisher Industries components, so you have total control over what he created.  :-D

*hopes the last several shipments he sold Pun were good components*

 

[Panzergranate]

All you have to do is reverse the current between shots and this will repolarise the magnets.

At least rail guns are firearms and artillery licence exempt.... for the time being....

[KBF MalaK]

 

Why would you need to repolarize an electro magnet ? Doesn't the direction of current flow thru the conductor determine the alignment of the field ? Wouldn't it be easier to simple put the projectile in backward every other shot, or simply use a new projectile ? Bullets arent re-usable you know.

Maybe I just missed something here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_gun

[Panzergranate]

It is because the electro magnet deguases itself slightly on every shot.... they all do.... it's just a law of physics that cannot be avoided....

To quote Scotty, " You cannot change the laws of physics...."

[Spartan-039]

Hhhhmmm, I thought that it was impossible to build a rail gun with our current technology, guess I was wrong. I will build one on my own soon enough, but I fear the feds will make them illegal due to the fact that you can produce them in massive quantities without regulation of the parts, just like many othjer items that they have made illegal, moonshine, many drugs, etc. They can't get their tax money from it, that's why cigarettes are legal, they make tons of money, same with acholol. 

[Spartan-039]

I'm starting to experiment with my own rail gun, the thing has been giving me all sorts of trouble. Especially when the object I use after I shoot it is no longer able to be used, even when I try fliping the object around. No luck so far with the multi-stage gun either.

[Panzergranate]

You can even fire eggs from a rail gun.... it's one of the mysteries of physics that non-ferous objects will react to a strong rapidly changing field, but not a permanent magnetic field.

The thing is to have the spacing of the coils just right plus the frequency of the pulses fed along them spot on.

One problem is the inertia effects on the projectile due to its mass.

On more recent rail gun designs, as the projectile is usually of a standard size (ball bearing), to space the "breech" end coils closer together, to overcome the inertia problem.

Illl leave out how to make the projectile spin as if fired from a rifled barrel, as you've enough problems making it shoot properly.

Try spacing the coils in linear progression from the "breech" end to the muzzle end.

[Spartan-039]

I fixed that nagging problem at last, I think there's a tad too much power in the thing, fired an iron nail, and the thing was almost like a M.A.C gun from Halo, like a lightning bolt, but the gun fried itself after that shot, everything melted. I used a too powerful energy source, I used a portable generator as the power of my experiment.

[The Postman]

You should be careful. Being only 15, if the feds catch you playing with this in anything more than paper and pencil (and maybe even then since you are probably in high school), they would make a mess of your life including "creating an infernal machine", Destructive devices and posiibly firearms charges.  If you are the shooter you claim to be, stick with target shooting until you get out of school. The National Matches are coming up soon at Camp Perry in Ohio, why don't you try that for a couple of years.

[Spartan-039]

Hey, I live in Florida, I'd could never get to Ohio, no matter how much I wanted to. Beshides, the feds won't catch me so easily, first they gotta find me. Second, they gotta catch me. I know my woods like the back of my hand. Third, how would a device I built myself be destructive, I took the thing apart, well, what was left of it apart. Beshides, my dad is a licesend gun manufacturer with an automatic licesnse, he would have it registered in his name so I wouldn't have my bacon fried by the dagum feds. The feds are the biggest deniers and cover-ups the world has seen, period.

[Nemesis]

Third, how would a device I built myself be destructive,

People build destructive devices all the time.   Its not difficult to make a lot of destructive materials and equipment.  High School students have built operating cannons for example.  (One of my high schools had 2 such cannons on display).  You are experimenting with making a weapon that has many potential dangers to  yourself and to others.

Postman is trying to be helpful to you.  Things that you do now can get you into trouble with the law and in the future that can prevent you from ever holding a decent job.  Think well on the long term consequences of what you do. 

For your "gun" what are you using as a target?  If the machine is too successful what will happen if you go through the target?  How about if the gun does not fire straight and misses the target altogether?  Are you testing indoors?  Are you prepared for an electrical fire?  Are you ready for other things that can go wrong? 

[Spartan-039]

I have a target range outside, beshides, if I miss, it'll be hitting miles upon miles of woods. No onewould be hurt, beshides, I'm not building another until I finish fixing bugs in other pieces of equipment I have. Until then, I'll be postponening any futher development into this weapon system.

[Panzergranate]

Building a home brew lawnmower can be classed as creating "an infernal machine".... especially given that most of us would opt for a big block V8 from something.

Hey, at 14 I was making high powered crossbows out of RC glider launching catapult elastic with 6 uinch nails as projectiles..... maximum range was 300 yards....

Then there were the home brew explosives....

Didn't have X-Box or Playstation when I t'were lad.... had to make our own fun in them days.... etc.

Iron nails as rail gun projectiles eh?? I'd try using ball bearings, as that's the usual lab projectile for the job due to stability, hardness, etc.

Put it this way.... if you manage to shoot someone with a railgun, you'll be the first person to be tried for using one in this way.

[Spartan-039]

You have no idea how badly I've been tempted to give my younger brothers an untimley end.

[Panzergranate]

The dilemma must be which one is most annoying, so should be shot first.

If you want to be lauded as the greatest inventor of all time, win a Nobel Peace Prize, be worshiped, etc...... invent a remote control that works on children.

It MUST have buttons and functions like "whinge Mode Off", "Mute", "Behave", "Stay Clean", "Sleep Mode On", "Tidy Room Mode", etc.

Such a device is sorely needed, like, yesterday....

After that, a remote control for women..... similar buttons and functions such as "Whinge Mode Off", etc. but also "Start Row Mode Off", "PMS Mode Off", "Horny Mode On", "Fetch me a Beer", "Mute", "Yak on Phone Mode Off", etc.

[Spartan-039]

I don't want that Nobel Peace prize, that is something I don't want, I just like to make weaponry.

[Panzergranate]

Come up with a rail gun capable of downing a deer, that's as light as a normal rifle and you'll be onto a winner.

The problem with percussion weapons is that gunsmiths and ballistics scientists reckon that 6,900 Feet per Second is about the maximum velocity attainable, due to the laws of physics. The current most powerful rifle is the Styer Manlicher M2000 anti-attack helicoptor rifle at 6,800 Feet per Second.

A rail gun, however, isn't limited by the laws of physics regarding explosive gas expansion in a gun barrel, so much higher velocities are possible.... which is why the various millitaries show such a great interest.

[Spartan-039]

Thanks, I've been thinking about making one, you know, for hunting. But I'm postponening any testing until winter.

[Panzergranate]

Try bunching the "breech" end coils closer together with increasing spacing as you move towards the muzzle end and you should see an improvement.

How are you chronographing the velocities??

One way is to measure the impact on a target. Using a "pendulum" type target at a set distance will allow you to guage various improvents or modifications that you make.

The target is simply a pivoted "spoon" type object with a pencil attached that will mark on a suitably positioned piece of paper to give a recordable reference.

[Spartan-039]

I'm waiting for any real testing with real prototype until winter for testing on deer. But I'm going to be making some hand-held versions.

[Bonk]

This fellow has been at it for a number of years now:

Sam Barros' PowerLabs!

I like his dremel+CD and microwave experiments, creative and entertaining fellow.

[Spartan-039]

I've been thinking of getting some styrofoam and gas to make some natural nalpalm, I've been itching to do this and I'm a huge pyro.

[Bonk]

Myself, If I were to tinker with weapons research and had the money, I'd be looking at benchtop (ultimately handheld) antiparticle storage. Most of the radioisotopes required would require licensing, but I find a strange attraction to building a storage device that can never be tuned off without devastating effects. A deadman switch of sorts. In a large version it has incredible potential for devastation, energy storage and manipulation. I have some theories on energy storage, gravity, the "missing matter" of the universe, interstellar communication and extraterrestrial intelligence.

The energy corresponding to the mass defect of nuclear reactions pales in comparison to the total conversion of mass to energy in antiparticle annihilation events.

It's probably a good thing I do not have the budget and resources. Though it could also be the key to stepping out of the loop of the "human condition".

[Spartan-039]

I prefer weapons, not something that stoes antiparticle that can destroy the world as we know it.

[F9thCenturus]

Myself, If I were to tinker with weapons research and had the money, I'd be looking at benchtop (ultimately handheld) antiparticle storage. Most of the radioisotopes required would require licensing, but I find a strange attraction to building a storage device that can never be tuned off without devastating effects. A deadman switch of sorts. In a large version it has incredible potential for devastation, energy storage and manipulation. I have some theories on energy storage, gravity, the "missing matter" of the universe, interstellar communication and extraterrestrial intelligence.

The energy corresponding to the mass defect of nuclear reactions pales in comparison to the total conversion of mass to energy in antiparticle annihilation events.

It's probably a good thing I do not have the budget and resources. Though it could also be the key to stepping out of the loop of the "human condition".

If I gave you a hundred bucks and the resources of an army of evil felines, would you build me such a device??  Purely for a hobby you know.