14.5×114mm

14.5×114 mm

14.5×114mm cartridge.
Type Anti-tank 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 war in Afghanistan, War on Terror, 2011 Libyan civil war, and many other conflicts
Production history
Designed 1939
Specifications
Bullet diameter 14.88 mm (0.586 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
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
59.7 g (921 gr) MDZ HEI 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) 29,850 J (22,020 ft·lbf)
60 g (926 gr) ZP Inc.-T 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) 30,000 J (22,000 ft·lbf)
64 g (988 gr) B-32 API 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) 32,000 J (24,000 ft·lbf)
64.4 g (994 gr) BS AP 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) 32,200 J (23,700 ft·lbf)
66.5 g (1,026 gr) KKV 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) 33,250 J (24,520 ft·lbf)
Test barrel length: 1350mm (53 inches)
Source(s): Post WWII Ammunition Russian Ammunition Page

The 14.5×114mm (.57 Cal) is a heavy machine gun and anti-materiel rifle cartridge used by the Soviet Union, the former Warsaw Pact, modern Russia, and other countries.

It was originally developed for the PTRS and PTRD anti-tank rifles, but 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.

Cartridge dimensions

The 14.5×114mm 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 and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions.

14.5×114mm maximum cartridge dimensions. All dimensions in millimeters (mm).

Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 22.50 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 455 mm (1 in 17.91 in), 8 grooves, Ø lands = 14.50 mm, Ø grooves = 14.95 mm.

According to the official guidelines the 14.5×114 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 certify for sale to consumers.

Ammunition types

B-32 API projectile on the left, hardened steel core aside. Tip is black with a thin red band below. On the right, BZT API-T projectile with dark red tip and a wide red band below; hardened steel core and tracer cup on its right. Both jackets and the tracer cup are made from copper-washed steel. Between the cores and the jackets there would be a layer of lead.

Cartridges use lacquered steel cases and a percussion primer. Some countries also use brass cartridge cases. The propellant consists of 28.8 g smokeless powder with seven tubes, designated as 5/7NA powder. Two different versions of bullet series are known, the earlier had a conventional bullet jacket with boat-tail. These had a long engraving portion that caused considerable barrel wear. The newer bullet types have a smaller engraving portion with a rounder boat-tail and were used from about 1957 on.

14.5×114mm ammunition has been manufactured in Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, and the former Czechoslovakia. Of special note are the new Chinese armor-piercing types:[2]

Chambered weapons

Anti-materiel rifles

Machine guns

Other

See also

References

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 14.5x114.

External links

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