Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!space From: Carter@RED.RUTGERS.EDU (_Bob) Newsgroups: net.space Subject: rail guns Message-ID: <8601162033.AA16124@s1-b.arpa> Date: Thu, 16-Jan-86 15:30:00 EST Article-I.D.: s1-b.8601162033.AA16124 Posted: Thu Jan 16 15:30:00 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jan-86 00:46:33 EST References: Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 21 From: Paul Dietz It might be an interesting project to build, at home, a small railgun or coil gun powered by some of those large capacitors found in computer power supplies. A 100 milligram mass could be accelerated to 10 km/sec with just 15 kilojoules of energy (at 33% efficiency). Don't aim it at anything valuable. (I take no responsibility for the results if someone actually tries this...) Is there an appropriate description of such a small railgun anywhere in the literature? Just what physical principles do you have in mind? Are you speaking of what amounts to a linear motor only, or do you also mean a device that would collapse the rails (and their associated fields) with a linear chemical explosion as well? If the latter, it would be advisable to consult the law governing explosive devices. Things that go bang are regulated everywhere and completely illegal in many places. Even a purely magnetic railgun would probably be a "firearm" under the laws of my state. _B