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12.7 × 108 mm

The 12.7×108mm cartridge is a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and anti-materiel rifle cartridge used by the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries, as well as China, Iran, and North Korea. It was invented in 1934 to create a cartridge like the German 13.2mm TuF anti-tank rifle round and the American .50 Browning Machine Gun round (12.7×99mm NATO).

It is used in the same roles as the NATO .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) cartridge. The two differ in bullet shape and weight, and the casing of the 12.7 × 108 mm is slightly longer, and its larger case capacity allows it to hold slightly more of a different type of powder. The 12.7 × 108 mm can be used to engage a wide variety of targets on the battlefield, and will destroy unarmored vehicles, penetrate lightly armored vehicles and damage external ancillary equipment (i.e.: searchlights, radar, transmitters, vision blocks, engine compartment covers) on heavily armored vehicles such as tanks. It will also ignite gasoline and—since 2019—diesel fuel (experimental "Avers" AP/I round).

Cartridge dimensions

The 12.7 × 108 mm has 22.72 ml (350 grains) H<sub>2</sub>O cartridge case capacity.

12.7 × 108 mm maximum cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).

Americans define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 18.16 degrees.

According to guidelines the 12.7 × 108 mm case can handle up to 360 MPa (52,213 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum CIP pressure to certify for sale to consumers.

Cartridge types

Soviet and Russian 12.7 × 108 mm types

Б-30 (B-30)
First version of 1930. Armor-piercing () bullet weighing and long with hardened steel core. Replaced by B-32.
БЗТ (BZT)
Pre-WW2 armor-piercing incendiary () tracer. Replaced by BZT-44.
Б-32 (B-32) (GRAU# 57-BZ-542, 7-BZ-2)
Steel-cored bullet. Main type in use. Penetrates NATO medium-hard RHA from at 0° when fired out of DShKM. Penetrates 2P steel from at 0° when fired out of NSV-12.7. First produced 1936; named after the B-32 7.62×54mmR ammunition of 1932.
БС-41 (BS-41)
API bullet weighing and long with a cemented carbide (Re8 WC-Co) core. Produced in small quantities at the beginning of WWII for the 12.7 mm Sholokhov anti-tank rifles (PTRSh-41).
БЗТ-44 (BZT-44) (GRAU# 57-BZT-542)
APIT with brighter tracer, usually used with B-32. Complemented by BZT-44M (GRAU# 57-BZT-542M) of 2002 with subdued tracer.
БЗФ-46 (BZF-46)
API bullet with (white) phosphorus (). Aircraft MG round.
БС (BS) (GRAU# 7-BZ-1)
API bullet with cemented carbide (VK8 WC-Co, commonly called a "cermet" in Russian) core, developed in 1972. Ballistics also similar to B-32.
/ MDZ (GRAU# 7-3-2)
Immediate-action incendiary. Used in belt with B-32 and BZT-44(M).
12,7 1СЛ (12.7 1SL) (GRAU# 9-A-4012)
12,7 1СЛТ (12.7 1SLT) (GRAU# 9-A-4427)
Tandem / duplex cartridge with two bullets inside, in normal and tracer versions. Developed 1985 for use by helicopter against soft targets.
12,7СН (12.7SN) (GRAU# 7N34)
Sniper cartridge (FMJ; AP). Bullet weighs and travels at ~. Bullet consists of hardened tool steel tip and lead body. Able to defeat lightly-armored vehicles at and RHA at . Entered production in the 2000s.
12.7 Blank (GRAU# 7H1)
12.7 UCH Dummy (GRAU# 7H2)

Note that some WW2 bullets share designations with ones for 14.5×114mm.

Use

Anti-tank and anti-materiel rifles

Heavy machine guns

See also

References

Further reading

  • Борцов А.Ю. "Пятилинейный", Мастер-ружье issue 110, May 2006, pp.&nbsp;56–62

External links