RE: Re[5]: Metal Storm (Long-ish)

> I guess so. AFAIK, (and somebody with better knowledge may perhaps
correct
> me) a 203 mm grenade is about the largest that a man can lift, and
that is
> without the charge. 155 mm are rather smaller but still hard work and,
> again, grenade and charge are separate. I don't see a metal-storm like
> artillery system that relies on the ammo being man-handled. It might
be
> possible to make one with an autoloader.
> Another possible issue is that, AFAIK, artillery, especially
> howitzers still
> use variable charges to vary their range (or am I out-of-date here?)
>

	Seven years ago (when I got out of the arty business) they still
used
variable strength charges as well as various types of powder to get the
range required (hell...you could strap a rocket-assist to rounds as
well).
They do have autoloading howitzers in the US...don't know how common
they
are though.

	The 155mm is easy to lift by yourself (and if it isn't when you
start it
soon will be).	In my prime I could lug two 155's from one gun to
another.
<sigh>	We had one monster in my unit who could carry four 155mm rounds
(one
finger per eye-hole).  Dumb as a stump, semi-alchoholic, but strong as
hell.

	A single 203mm, on the other hand, *could* be hefted by the
*stronger* guys
but your typical chump still required a buddy to haul it around.

Damo