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From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: How Hot is HEAT ?
Message-ID: <12930@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 9 Jan 90 02:20:21 GMT
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From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
Everything I've read about HEAT munitions says or implies that
the copper liner, which is compressed by the shaped charge into
a small-diameter penetrator, is melted in the process.

On the other hand, in a conversation with someone who really should
know, I was once told that this is not the case; the copper remains
solid, at least until it contacts the armor.

Given the time frame of the jet formation, I could believe that
there'd be insufficient heat transfer to melt the copper from the
heat of the explosion.   More likely, I think, the tremendous deformation
of the liner might melt it; and it seems likely that, if not alread molten,
the copper would be liquified during penetration.

Can anyone confirm or deny the molten status of the penetrator before
contact with the armor ?


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