The World's Largest Shotgun
Strategypage

December 15, 2003: One reason M-1 tanks are still frequently used for combat operations in Iraq is because they have a new shotgun type shell for use against hostile infantry. The XM1028 shell holds 1100 10mm tungsten balls that are propelled out of the gun barrel and begin to disperse. The tungsten projectiles are lethal at up to 700 meters. The official, "… requirement is to defeat equal to or greater than 50% of a 10 man squad with 1 shot and equal to or greater than 50% of a 30 man platoon with 2 shots." Production of the shell began last year, with up to 30,000 shells (costing over $3,000 each) to be produced. Some 2,000 shells have been produced so far, with another 3,000 being built in 2004 and 5,000 in the year after that. In Iraq, the M-1 tank rolls down the road with an XM1028 round loaded and the gunner looking through his sight for potential targets. If attackers do pop up, a hail of 10mm projectiles can be fired at them in seconds. At night, the XM1028 is even more lethal, for many hostile Iraqis still don't realize that the thermal sight on the M-1 makes people clearly visible at night to the gunner, especially if they are carrying AK-47s or RPG launchers. The Iraqis still tend to bunch up, which allows one XM1028 round to wipe out entire teams of hostile fighters. The M-1 using the XM1028 shell is the world's largest shotgun.

XM1028 120mm Canister Tank Cartridge
The Tank Cartridge, 120mm, Canister, XM1028, is a tank round comprised of 1150 (est.) tungsten balls, which are expelled upon muzzle exit. There is no fuse on this round. While the dispersion pattern increases with range as the velocity of the balls decreases, the dense tungsten balls are used to minimize the velocity fall-off. This program responds to the USFK urgency of need signed by the CINC in Dec ‘99. RAPT Initiative Funding to be used for 6.0M in FY02 to accelerate development by one year earlier than previously planned.

This round meets urgent CINC, USFK requirements to provide effective rapid lethal reaction against massed assaulting infantry armed with hand held anti-tank and automatic weapons at close range (500 meters or less) thereby improving survivability. Additionally, this round will significantly increase the tank’s lethality and enhance the tank crew’s survivability. This additional capability will give the Abrams Tank the ability to survive RPG ambushes and to fully support friendly infantry assaults.
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PULL!!

I wonder if they have tried shooting skeet with that thing




PULL!!!!



KABOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!

nice, but I'm curious as to why they went with tungsten instead of steel or lead, deformation issues perhaps?

Good for pass shooting helo's  

Quoted: nice, but I'm curious as to why they went with tungsten instead of steel or lead, deformation issues perhaps?

For use on waterfowl

Does Dillon make dies for these? This sure is a candidate for some reloading!

(costing over $3,000 each)

I need a SBR version!

Dupe....I remember seeing this on here a LONG time ago.

John

Quoted: nice, but I'm curious as to why they went with tungsten instead of steel or lead, deformation issues perhaps?

Think that's why tungsten is more popular for waterfowl applications where lead shot is a no-go.

Quoted: Does Dillon make dies for these? This sure is a candidate for some reloading! (costing over $3,000 each)

semi combustable casing, all thats left is the rim and a flash tube

Tungsten doesn't deform like lead (much harder) but has about the same if not greater density (weight).  Harder and heavier = less loss of velocity and better penetratrion.

I wonder how much a value-pak of these at Wal-Mart would cost.....

Nothing new here. Cannister shot was one of the deadliest weapons around for 400 years.

Quoted: nice, but I'm curious as to why they went with tungsten instead of steel or lead, deformation issues perhaps?

Tungsten is VERY dense - nearly twice as dense as lead.   That means nearly twice the weight of metal in the same space.  (Think about tungsten guide rods in competition handguns.)

They used tungsten instead of lead for much the same reason that bullets are made from lead and not aluminum - for the same size, heavy objects as less affected by air resistance than light objects.

TC:  "Gunner, canister!  Infantry on the road ahead!"

Gunner:  "Identified!"

Loader:  "Canister is UP!"

TC:  "FIRE!"

Gunner:   "ON THE WAY!"

BOOM!  Gawd...I love them tankers!

tank tagged

Not something that is advertised, but 120mm cannister comes from IAI.
Yet another benefit of being on Israel's side.

Whatever happended to good ol' flechettes?  You could probably pack in more, but they're going to cost more to produce.

Quoted: Whatever happended to good ol' flechettes?  You could probably pack in more, but they're going to cost more to produce.

I thought they were declared a no-go for anti-personnel use.

can we get a link?

Looks like it might work for terrorist crowd control in Iraq.
hotgun.gif

Well???

What are we waitng for??

Next time a bunch of them are protesting in the streets, waving their AKs and RPGs over their heads...

Commence fire!

Quoted: Quoted: Whatever happended to good ol' flechettes?  You could probably pack in more, but they're going to cost more to produce. I thought they were declared a no-go for anti-personnel use.

I thought they dropped it 'cause it didn't cause enough damage compared to pellets.

Hmm... what choke would be good for jihadists and muslim insurrectionists?

At the risk of showing my tank ignorance; are the current Abrahams tank barrels smooth bore?

Quoted: At the risk of showing my tank ignorance; are the current Abrahams tank barrels smooth bore?

The 120s are. The 105s are rifled.

The buck is going to be more accurate and longer ranged. The fleshettes deform and lose velocity fast due to low weigh.

S.O.

Quoted: nice, but I'm curious as to why they went with tungsten instead of steel or lead, deformation issues perhaps?

Penetration, maybe?

Quoted: Nothing new here. Cannister shot was one of the deadliest weapons around for 400 years.

Well, it's a new version of an old idea...

Old idea (Cannister) plus new technology (TIS (Thermal Imaging Sight (or System)) and ballistic computer) -> one devastating weapon....

That TIS works in the daytime, too... If it gives off heat, the M1 gunner can see it, even through some forms of cover (smoke, light woods, thin walls, etc)... On the M1A2, the TC has his own independant thermal viewer that can be used to locate targets for the gunner...

Quoted: Whatever happended to good ol' flechettes?  You could probably pack in more, but they're going to cost more to produce.

Same reason no one uses flechettes in shotguns...

Not as effective, and you can pack in more ball-shot anyway, as it is more compact...