OT- Recoiless Rifle

[Basileus]

Bishop746 said:
If the recoilless rifle is closer to a an artillery round than a rockett than how can this weapon be termed "recoilless". Or am I reading to much into the name.

The recoilless round resembles an artillery round in rough appearance only; it functions somewhat differently. The array of holes in the propellant cartridge case vents a good deal of the expanding gases sideways into a curved chamber called the venturi. The gases are compressed by the venturi, increasing its velocity substantially (Bernoulli's principle). As the hyperaccelerated gas proceeds out the back of the weapon, it creates a force equal to the energy of the warhead leaving the front of the weapon (hence the massive backblast, usually much larger than most rocket or missile launchers). This balancing of recoil forces, one facing forward and the other backwards, means the weapon itself doesn't require a heavy mount and recoil mechanism, and many are light enough for a soldier to fire from his shoulder while standing upright. This is where the term "recoilless" comes from, the lack of recoil effects on the weapon and firer.

Basileus