30 mm caliber

30 mm rounds

The 30 mm caliber is a standard size of heavy machine gun (specifically autocannon) ammunition used by NATO forces and former Warsaw Pact nations. The round itself has a length in the range of 8 to 12 inches (200 to 305 mm) while the projectile is 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm) in length.

Usage

Unlike its cousin the 25 mm round, the 30 mm is not typically an anti-personnel round. Instead, the 30 mm round is generally either an anti-materiel or anti-armor round. It is capable of taking out targets ranging from armored vehicles and Main Battle Tanks to fortified bunkers.

The DU penetrator of a 30 mm round

The U. S. Military uses 30 mm weapons in their A-10 Thunderbolt II, AH-64 Apache, LAV-25, EFV, and as a standard ship-based munition in the upcoming Mark 46 autocannon.

30 mm caliber weapons

*the American Hughes M230 Chain Gun
*the American GAU-8 Avenger
*the British Royal Small Arms Factory ADEN cannon
*the British RARDEN high velocity gun
*the French GIAT 30 revolver cannon
*the French GIAT DEFA 550 revolver cannon
*the French GIAT M781 autocannon
*the German Mauser/Rheinmetall RMK30 recoilless cannon
*the Russian Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1
*the Russian Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2
*the Russian Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30 rotary cannon
*the Swiss Oerlikon KCB

Types of 30 mm ammunition

30 mm ammunition generally comes in three varieties: Armor Piercing, High explosive, and Training rounds. Armor Piercing and High Explosive cartridges usually also possess incendiary characteristics.

See also

*25 mm caliber
*Caliber
*5.56 mm caliber
*7.62 mm caliber
*.50 BMG
*List of cartridges (weaponry), pistol and rifle

External links

*FAS: 30 mm Ammunition
*ATK Products: M230
*ATK Products: M230LF
*French Autocannons