over the cliff, onto the rocks.: Amphibious Glocks

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Amphibious Glocks

Bullets don't travel well in water. They slow down, veer off course, don't hit the target. Guns don't behave well under water either, even if you do find a way to keep your powder dry, there are still other problems to overcome.

But it's not that Glocks can be modified for use underwater that's scary, after all, modifying them for the purpose reduces their killing power. What's needed is a whole new weapon, one that shoots liquid bullets, and the military is busy working on it. Lucky us.

If you're geek enough, you can read the actual patent here.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...: The Russians have a Spetnats [Special Forces] weapon that fires effectively through water. It's a simple matter of bullet design, not simply modifying the firearm to protect it from the water.

Firing ice bullets is a very old device in a murder mystery.; Monday, June 11, 2007 6:57:00 PM
daveto said...: You tell me what they should be doing with all that found money(?)

But you know, water ain't that tough. We were building a support for our dock a few years back, and for some reason we had to do some hammering in of some really big nails under water. So we kind of had a bet, could you do it, or not? Answer: yes (slo-mo kinda thing, but enough to get the job done).; Monday, June 11, 2007 9:49:00 PM
hipparchia said...: bryan:

i knew somebody would call me on it if i led with the modified-gun angle, rather than the modified-bullet angle, but if the wired author can do it, so can i.

i have to admit that i was surprised that a sharp-pointed tip was worse than one with a duller point, but i have computer programs that do all my modelling for me these days, and no longer have to remember what little fluid dynamics i once learned.

outside of enjoying a good murder mystery, i'm just plain disgusted by the fact that we keep coming up with new and better ways to kill, main, stun, injure, and torture people. and animals.; Monday, June 11, 2007 10:50:00 PM
hipparchia said...: syd:

if i smash my thumb in slo-mo does it hurt less?

sure, even a landlubber gun with landlubber bullets can be given the metaphorical equivalent of scuba gear and be effective, if only less so. my impression: the military isn't satisfied with that. it wants an underwater sniper rifle.

as for the money, they could send some my way. they're going to need turkish translators soon enough. then again, i'd rather translate them over here, than translate them over there, and i remember about as much turkish as i do fluid dynamics, so maybe it wouldn't such a good use of taxpayer money. not that i think it's being well-spent right now.

anyways, we don't need no steenkin ay-rab-ic, we're goin to eye-ran.; Monday, June 11, 2007 11:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...: The Russian did the design work for a high speed torpedo, and then figured out that it would work for bullets.

The problem with high speed rifle bullets is that they are designed to tumble to increase the impact when they strike the target. Military weapons are actually designed to wound, rather than kill, because a wounded enemy usually ties up extra people to care for him. Snipers are the only people who carry weapons specifically designed to kill.; Tuesday, June 12, 2007 7:37:00 PM
hipparchia said...: erk.

i think i liked it marginally better when i thought they were all designed to kill. really. i am absolutley creeped out by the new microwaves; Wednesday, June 13, 2007 1:50:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Combat is not a laboratory, there are too many variables that can't be controlled or anticipated. All of these so-called non-lethal weapons can be lethal under the right conditions.

Oh, Ai iz in ur comintz to annoi u.; Wednesday, June 13, 2007 8:20:00 PM
hipparchia said...: hehe! ur annoince iznt werkin lik u plannd.

you've prompted me to do some more internet surfing on bullets, which has just provided me with more ammunition for my upcoming rant on gun culture.; Wednesday, June 13, 2007 9:54:00 PM
Keifus said...: At my last job, I had to sit through a(n irrelevant) seminar on radar safety. There've been a few swabbies that've been cooked by standing in front of the dish. Cataracts are a more common hazard. ("If you feel hot, move.")

Interested in a rant about gun culture, especially from the pov of parts south.

K

bacnsb: bacon sub, (mmmm).; Thursday, June 14, 2007 6:38:00 AM
hipparchia said...: bacon sub? you sure you didn't fudge that one?

cooked by your own radar dish?! that gives a whole new meaning to friendly fire.; Thursday, June 14, 2007 8:50:00 PM
Keifus said...: my first thought was a chemical compound.

I can't imagine that being unintentionally microwaved is a pleasant way to go.

[Oh, and we totally improvised with teh fish recipe too. went something like: cook white beans in stock till super-tender. Process, adding stock till you get the consistency of mashed potatoes. Season and poach fish--tuna we recalled--in what's left of the broth with some grapefruit juice added. Add fresh basil last minute, and garnish with basil too.]

tvncirln: cerulean television ("the sky was the untroubled blue of a tv set tuned to a dead channel..."); Friday, June 15, 2007 5:03:00 AM
hipparchia said...: mmmm. sounds delicious.

very funny: i read this comment after i responded to the one above [on incessant barking]. todays strip: this is where we keep the fish.; Friday, June 15, 2007 11:26:00 PM