Can You Shoot a Gun in Space?

[archer]

Interesting Read...

http://gizmodo.com/can-you-shoot-a-gun- ... socialflow

[bennedose]

All rockets are guns - they are "reaction motors".

The article fails to mention that the reaction imparted on the astronaut may make him float away out of control and it is best for him to be attached in some way to an even larger mass like the space station itself. Even then there will be a small change in the velocity and direction of the space station. Best not to use a gun in space. Use RPGs.

[Mark]

Interesting article. Not only can you fire a gun in space but you can fire them under water as well.

[timmy]

The thing with shooting underwater is that the weight of the water in the barrel is added to that of the bullet, and there may be other factors that tend to increase chamber pressures. Given the margin of safety in a proof load, this may not be too unsafe, but I don't think I'd care to try it.

[brihacharan]

Very interesting topic...
Is it the reason why "Harpoons" are used to shoot underwater than guns?
Briha

[Rijo Joseph]

What about spring/nitro air guns can we shoot it in space !!!!

[ckkalyan]

Intriguing idea!

What about spring/nitro air guns can we shoot it in space !!!!

An even more intriguing idea!

[bennedose]

What about spring/nitro air guns can we shoot it in space !!!!

Nice idea.

If you cock a spring piston in a vacuum then the chamber will remain a vacuum and have no air. When you shoot the piston will bang against the end of the receiver but the pellet will not go anywhere.

[xl_target]

The thing with shooting underwater is that the weight of the water in the barrel is added to that of the bullet, and there may be other factors that tend to increase chamber pressures. Given the margin of safety in a proof load, this may not be too unsafe, but I don't think I'd care to try it.

Another consideration is that when water fills up the firing pin channel, it can impede the forward motion of the pin resulting in a soft primer strike, sometimes failing to set off the primer.
Some manufacturers made "cups" available to special forces to alleviate this problem. Here are some aftermarket cups for Glock pistols:


http://www.kingglock.com/Detail.aspx?PR ... 6&CAT=4311

Another thing to consider is that water is not compressible and in some long guns, water in the bore can act like an obstruction causing the barrel to rupture when the gun is fired.

[youtube][/youtube]
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun ... roy-barrel

I'm in agreement with Tim; I'm not willing to try these experiments with any of my guns.

[TwoRivers]

I have one concern with that article, the use of an "explosive" as a propellant. Wish people who undertake to write about such things would know the difference between explosives and propellants. But that would be hoping for to much.

[timmy]

Very interesting topic...
Is it the reason why "Harpoons" are used to shoot underwater than guns?
Briha

When I was a kid, I remember watching a diving show where they were down with sharks. The divers had poles about 2 meters long and with a shotgun barrel device on the end. They would whack the end of the barrel on the shark's back behind the head and it would kill the shark almost instantly. (These were large sharks.) These things were loaded with just one shotgun shell. I don't know how they were kept dry, but that would not be a big problem.

Unlike the diver's spear gun, I suppose they found it necessary to kill the shark immediately. However, they had to get above the shark -- they didn't "shoot" them until they were above and behind, so the thing didn't seem very flexible as a self-defense weapon. I don't recall what the show was about (I was only a little kid) but I do recall wondering what the point of killing the sharks was.

Of course, in those days, sharks, like wolves and grizzly bears, were in the category of "evil" animals. I expect that this was a denial that only people do evil (like senselessly killing sharks), not animals.

In the "old days," I remember spear guns being powered by giant rubber bands. Newer ones, at least the ones on 007 movies, seemed to have CO2 cartridges to power the spear (if the movies can be taken at face value) I haven't studied these things, but I suppose the spear has something to do with being able to cause significant damage to a lot of tissue without destroying it (like a broadhead arrow).

It's an interesting question, though!

[xl_target]

When I was a kid, I remember watching a diving show where they were down with sharks. The divers had poles about 2 meters long and with a shotgun barrel device on the end. They would whack the end of the barrel on the shark's back behind the head and it would kill the shark almost instantly. (These were large sharks.) These things were loaded with just one shotgun shell. I don't know how they were kept dry, but that would not be a big problem.

Unlike the diver's spear gun, I suppose they found it necessary to kill the shark immediately. However, they had to get above the shark -- they didn't "shoot" them until they were above and behind, so the thing didn't seem very flexible as a self-defense weapon. I don't recall what the show was about (I was only a little kid) but I do recall wondering what the point of killing the sharks was.

A "bang stick" works using the propellant gasses to kill the Shark, Alligator, etc.
The cartridge must be fired when it is in contact with the skin of the animal to be effective.
Of course the projectile may do some damage but it is the force of the propellant gasses entering the body that do that most damage.
Designed to use commonly available cartridges, the cartridge (in its chamber) is usually at the end of the long stick that contacts the animal.

Metallic cartridges are lacquered at each end to keep them dry and shotgun shells can be sealed in a condom.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerhead

[ckkalyan]

Very pertinent and interesting information xl_target, thanks for sharing!

[Rijo Joseph]

@ xl_target

[Hammerhead]

Metallic cartridges are lacquered at each end to keep them dry and shotgun shells can be sealed in a condom.

Another thing, any or most propellents can be washed with simple water and will not deteriorate in short periods. Only the primer gets "DUD". Seen it, read it and tried it myself. Not talking about cordite or black powder but most rifle powders.