Re: [FT] Railgun Goals

Thomas Barclay wrote:
>Andrew wrote:
>>     A discarding sabot made of the appropriate materials allows the
most
>> efficient "push" to the projectile, regardless of what the projectile
is
>> made of. Which is why they are used. A short, large diameter barrel
is
>> easier to manufacture and aim than a long, thin barrel.
>Agreed. But I think you'll agree also that a railgun (by nature)
>requires such a long thin barrell. And the pressure accelerating the
>round is not an expanding fuel air mixture such as in a CPR (HV) gun,
>but instead is either gravitic acceleration or electromagnetic
>acceleration. I'm not sure the sabot has as much use.
    Ah, but you misunderstand the nature of the sabot. It's designed to
be
easy to drive along the barrel while holding the penetrator. That's so
the
penetrator can be designed solely to penetrate the target. The sabot
divides
the problem into two parts.
    Of course, if you've got projected gravitic accleration at 10 to
1000
Gs, you don't really need a sabot, projectile or barrel. Just call the
system a tractor or pressor beam.

Andrew Martin
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