Sabot

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Sabot

A sabot (: "saybow", or : "sabbow") is a device used in a firearm

Firearm

A firearm is a tool that projects either single or multiple projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion. The firing is achieved by the gases produced through rapid, confined combustion of a propellant....
or cannon

Cannon

A cannon is any tubular piece of artillery, that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile over a distance....
to fire a projectile

Projectile

A projectile is any object propelled through space by the exertion of a force, which ceases after launch. In a general sense, even a Football or baseball may be considered a projectile....
, such as a bullet

Bullet

A bullet is a hard projectile propelled by a firearm, Sling , or air gun and is normally made from metal. A bullet does not contain explosives, but damages the intended target by tissue or mechanical disruption through impact or penetration....
, that is smaller than the bore

Caliber

The term caliber designates the inside diameter of a tube, the diameter of a solid wire or rod, or a measurement of the length of a gun relative to its diameter....
diameter.

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Encyclopedia

A sabot (: "saybow", or : "sabbow") is a device used in a firearm

Firearm

Cannon

A cannon is any tubular piece of artillery, that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile over a distance....
to fire a projectile

Projectile

Bullet

Caliber

The term caliber designates the inside diameter of a tube, the diameter of a solid wire or rod, or a measurement of the length of a gun relative to its diameter....
diameter. The term is also applied to a battery stub case, a device used similarly to make a small electrical battery

Battery (electricity)

In electronics, a battery or voltaic cell is a combination of one or more electrochemical cell Galvanic cells which store chemical energy that can be converted into electric potential energy, creating electricity....
usable instead of a larger

List of battery sizes

Battery size generally refers to the shape, voltage, and terminal layout of a battery. Thus the term "size" has become interchangeable with "type"....
one.

Since a strong seal is needed to trap propellant

Propellant

A propellant is a material that is used to move an object. This will often involve a chemical reaction. It may be a gas, liquid, Plasma , or, before the chemical reaction, a solid....
gasses behind the projectile, and keep the projectile centered in the barrel, something is needed to fill the gap between projectile and barrel, which is the role of the sabot. Firing a small size projectile wrapped in a sabot raises the muzzle velocity of the projectile. Made of some lightweight material (usually plastic in smallbore guns, and aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white and ductile member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al; its atomic number is 13....
- and, in earlier times, wood or paper mache - in cannon), the sabot usually consists of several pieces held in place by the cartridge or a loose connection. When the projectile is fired, the sabot blocks the gas, and accelerates the projectile down the barrel. When the sabot reaches the end of the barrel, the shock of hitting still air pulls the parts of the sabot away from the projectile, allowing the projectile to continue in flight.

Sabots are used to fire the flechettes that form anti-armour kinetic energy penetrator

Kinetic energy penetrator

A kinetic energy penetrator is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives and uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target....
s.

For reasons why a smaller diameter projectile is desirable, see external ballistics

External ballistics

External ballistics is the part of the science of ballistics that deals with the behaviour of a non-powered projectile in flight. External ballistics is frequently associated with firearms, and deals with the behaviour of the bullet after it exits the barrel and before it hits the target....
and terminal ballistics

Terminal ballistics

Terminal ballistics, a sub-field of ballistics, is the study of the behavior of a projectile when it hits its target. It is often referred to as stopping power when dealing with human or other living targets....
.

Sabot-type shotgun slugs were marketed in the U.S. starting in about 1985. When used with a rifled slug barrel

Slug barrel

A slug barrel is a barrel for a shotgun that is designed primarily to fire shotgun slug....
, they offer vastly improved accuracy compared to traditional shotgun slugs. They are now legal for hunting

Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing living animals for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to law....
in most states.

The name "sabot" comes from a French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
word for wooden shoes traditionally worn in some European countries, also called clogs

Clog (shoe)

The word clog, as applied to footwear, has these meanings:#A type of shoe or sandal made predominantly out of wood.#A type of heavy boot or shoe with leather sides and uppers and typically thick wooden soles....
.

Types of sabots

Cup sabot

A cup sabot merely supports the base and rear end of a projectile. When the sabot and projectile exit the muzzle of the gun, air pressure on the sabot forces the sabot to release the projectile.

Expanding cup sabot

Used typically in small arms (most commonly muzzleloader

Muzzleloader

A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the bullet and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the firearm muzzle of the gun . This is distinct from the more popular modern design of breech-loading firearms....
s), an expanding cup sabot has a one piece sabot surrounding the base and sides of a projectile. Upon firing, when the sabot and projectile leave the muzzle of the gun, centrifugal force from the rotation of the projectile and sabot opens up the segments surrounding the projectile, releasing it.

Base sabot

A base sabot has a one piece base which supports the bottom of the projectile, and separate pieces that surround the sides of the projectile and center it.

The base sabot has better and cleaner sabot/projectile separation than cup or expanding cup sabots, but is more expensive since more pieces are involved.

Spindle sabot

A spindle sabot uses a set (usually two) of matched rings which have a center section in contact with a long projectile, front sections which center that projectile in the barrel, and a rear section which both centers the projectile and seals propellant gases.

Spindle sabots are the standard western type armor piercing ammunition type. Two and three piece spindle type sabots are shown in the illustrations at the top of this article.

Shotgun slug

Shotgun slug

A shotgun slug is a heavy lead projectile, usually with pre-cut rifling, intended for use in a shotgun and often used for hunting large game. The first effective shotgun slug was introduced by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1898, and his design remains in use today....
s often use a cast plastic

Plastic

Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic chemistry solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products....
sabot similar to the spindle sabot. Shotgun sabots in general extend the full length of the projectile and are designed to be used in rifled barrels.

Ring sabot

A ring sabot uses the rear fins on a long projectile to help center the projectile, and the multi-piece sabot forms only a single thin ring around the projectile near the front, sealing gases from escaping past it and centering the front of the projectile.

Because the rear fins have to have the same diameter as the gun bore, they typically are larger than is optimum for flight performance.

Several Soviet and current Russian design armor piercing sabot projectiles use ring sabots.

Sabot

Types of sabots

Cup sabot

Expanding cup sabot

Base sabot

Spindle sabot

Ring sabot

See also

External links