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To: Prodigal Son
Are the tubes rifled?
143 posted on 11/03/2003 12:16:28 PM PST by Jack Black
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To: Jack Black
The 4.2 inch mortar tube is rifled, yes. Interestingly, the 4.2 inch mortar round also has corresponding lands and grooves that must be mated up properly with the ones in the tube (a process called indexing). It is very common to see a new mortarman (in his haste to get away from the tube after letting go the round) get the round stuck by not indexing the round properly.

But not all 4.2 inch rounds have the lands and grooves. The illumination rounds for example have none and are dropped straight down the tube while the HE rounds (because of the grooves) spiral down the tube slowly.

The others I mentioned are smooth bore.

147 posted on 11/03/2003 12:31:52 PM PST by Prodigal Son
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