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Heavy machine gun and anti-material rifle cartridge From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 14.5 × 114 mm (.57 calibre) is a heavy machine gun and anti-materiel rifle cartridge used by the Soviet Union, the former Warsaw Pact, modern Russia, and other countries.
14.5 × 114 mm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() A 14.5×114 mm cartridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Anti-tank rifle, anti-materiel rifle, heavy machine gun | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of origin | Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Service history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In service | 1941–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Used by | Soviet Union and successor states | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wars | WWII, Soviet–Afghan War, War on Terror, 2011 Libyan civil war, Syrian Civil War and many other conflicts | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Production history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Designed | 1939 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Case type | Rimless, bottleneck | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bullet diameter | 14.88 mm (0.586 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Land diameter | 14.50 mm (0.571 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Neck diameter | 16.5 mm (0.65 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Shoulder diameter | 25.50 mm (1.004 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Base diameter | 26.95 mm (1.061 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Rim diameter | 26.95 mm (1.061 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Rim thickness | 2.5 mm (0.098 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Case length | 114 mm (4.5 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Overall length | 155.80 mm (6.134 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Case capacity | 42.53 cm3 (656.3 gr H2O) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Rifling twist | 455 mm (1 in 17.91 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum pressure | 360 MPa (52,000 psi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Test barrel length: 1350 mm (53 inches) Source(s): Post WWII Ammunition Russian Ammunition Page |
It was originally developed for the PTRS and PTRD anti-tank rifles, and was later used as the basis for the KPV heavy machine gun that formed the basis of the ZPU series anti-aircraft guns that is also the main armament of the BTR series of armoured personnel carriers from the BTR-60 to the BTR-80 and for heavy anti-materiel sniper rifles.
The 14.5 × 114 mm has 42.53 ml (655 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt-action rifles, semi-automatic rifles, and heavy machine guns alike, under extreme conditions.
14.5×114 mm maximum cartridge dimensions. All dimensions in millimetres (mm).
Americans define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 = 22.5 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 455 mm (1 in 17.91 in), 8 grooves, ⌀ lands = 14.50 mm, ⌀ grooves = 14.95 mm.
According to the official guidelines, the 14.5 × 114 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 C.I.P. pressure to be certified for sale to consumers.
Cartridges use lacquered steel cases and percussion primers. Some countries also use brass cartridge cases. The propellant consists of 28.8 g (1.02 oz) smokeless powder with seven tubes, designated as "5/7NA powder". Two different versions of bullet series are known, the earlier has a conventional bullet jacket with a boat-tail. These have a long engraving portion that causes considerable barrel wear. The newer bullet types have a smaller engraving portion with a rounder boat-tail and were used from about 1957 onward.
The cartridge has been manufactured in Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, and the former Czechoslovakia. There are new Chinese armour-piercing types:[5]
Anti-materiel rifles
Machine guns
Other
In addition, the Ukrainian "Horizon's Lord" sniper rifle fires a 12.7 × 114 HL round made by necking down a 14.5 × 114 mm cartridge case to accept a 12.7 mm / .50 BMG bullet.[10]