AP = Armor piercing

Panzergranate. Ger for a WWII projectile used against armor plate, or an AP (armor-piercing) projectile. According to Stettbacher (Ref), they were of one piece construction with a solid, sharp nose. They were effective against softer armor, but not against hardened steels Ref Stettbacher (1948), 401... 

Many other weapons utilizing hollow charges were designed and used in WWII, such as HE and AP (armor-piercing) shells, demolition charges, land and sea mines, torpedoes, etc. These weapons played a very important part in WWII. For example, in Ref 22, pp 11-16, are described various Amer demolition charges employed during WWII. They are now probably obsolete... 

Ammonium Picrate (AmmPicr), Dunnite or Explosive D, was standardized in the US as a bursting charge for AP (Armor-Piercing) shells (Ref 64, p 2-3). Its prepn and properties are described in Ref 70, pp 136—39, where it is stated that AmmPicr was first prepd in 1841 by Marchand and in 1869 used by Brugbre in admixture with K nitrate as a proplnt. Used as an HE after 1900 (See also 1841)... 

WWII at Picatinny Arsenal contd Ba nitrate 63.0, Mg pdr 34.3 binder-fuel 2.7%. It was used in 47-mm AP (Armor-piercing) Shell (Ref 28, p 322)... 

Abbreviations AP Armor-piercing HE High-explosive HV Hyper velocity MB Monoblock Inc Incendiary... 

Dunn, B. W. (1860-1936). Colonel, US Ordnance Dept. Introduced Ammonium Pi-crate for loading AP (armor-piercing) projectiles. This expl became known as 11 Explosive D or 11 Dunnite . Col Dunn also constructed one of the modem impact test machines designed to determine sensi tiviry of expls by means other than an actual firing test so as not to risk destroying a gun if an explosive is too sensitive Refs 1) VanGelder Schlatter (1927), pp 373 942 2) Army Ordnance 16, 364 (May-... 

Bullets, Armor-Piercing(AP), Armor-Piercing -lncendiary(AP ), Armor-Piercing-Incendiary Tracers(APIT) and Ball Bullets, See under BULLETS... 

AP (armor-piercing), HEAT (hyper-velocity antitank), HEP (high explosive plastic), etc. Ammunition serving to defeat concrete is known as A/C (anticoncrete)... 

Sheflite. Brit WWII expl, same as US 70/30 Tridite (qv), contg 70% PA and 30% 2,6-Dinitro-phenol (DNPh). It was used to cast load AP (armor piercing) bombs and shells. Its properties were yellow cream colored solid d 1.62g/cc mp 83° ballistic strength, 91% TNT brisance, 38.5g sand crushed vs 43.0g for TNT expl temp, 300-15° impact sensitivity, PicArsn app with 2kg wt, 14" vs 14" for TNT rifle bullet impact, 0 to 20% detonations from impact of. 30 cal bullet fired froma90 distance stability, compatibility of metals, sol and toxicity, same as PA (Ref 1)... 

HE Projectile provided with booster system Detonatore AD Alto Esplosivo AP — Armor-Piercing (Perforanti) API — Armor-Pie rcing-Incendiary EP — Hollow Charge with Base Fuze EPS — Hollow Charge incorporating a nose fuze... 

Note All ammos listed are standard production lead core bullets. Protection from AP (armor piercing)rounds require the metal inserts used in section V. 

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