How good would a M1 be without computerized targeting system?

[95th Rifleman]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

When I attended the gunner course at Ft. Knox, we were briefed on the actual performance of the current antitank rounds. In the course of the brief, the actual performance of the TPDS round was included, it will penetrate frontal armor on T-55/T-62 tanks under 500 meters.

Hmm from a Twilight war perspective wouldn't TPDS be a valid alternative to SABOT and HEAT for use against things like BTRs and BMPs?

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by 95th Rifleman

Hmm from a Twilight war perspective wouldn't TPDS be a valid alternative to SABOT and HEAT for use against things like BTRs and BMPs?

It was always there to be used against light armored vehicles.

The chief issues with TPDS, is that its peak performance falls off rapidly over 500 meters. And the quaility control of the penetrator is not as exact. Shooting a standard NATO tank target, it was considered to be good performance if the TPDS round hits within 1-meter of the aiming point. That's a lot of error when engaging a real life vehicle, just enough to insure that the round may fail to penetrate or bounce off. The service rounds are made to a higher standard, I have seen tanks shoot groups as tight as 8 inches with warshots.

[Panther Al]

The accuracy of warshots always surprised me when we got them issued to us when we arrived in country - enough so we really wanted to take the time and spend the ammo to really find out how much, alas we never got the chance.

[dragoon500ly]

We did a live fire for a group of visting congressmen and their familes. And got to use warshots to do it!

A certain Senator who was rather well known for his abilities with a bottle and an intern made the comment that the M-1 couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and that the program should be killed and the money spent elsewhere (I'm assuming in his district so his drunken arse could be reelected again, but I degress).

We decided to show off. A standard NATO tank target was set up at 1,500 meters. All twelve tanks of the troop would speed down the course road and make a hard right turn. At some point in the turn, the tower would raise the target and we would engage.

Twelve tanks down range, twelve APDSFSDU rounds later, we took the congressmen down range and let them look at the results. All twelve rounds were within a 32-inch circle, dead center of the target.

Of course, we were accused of replacing the target before the delegation got downrange and the pukes went back to their hotel to drink, eat and harass the female members of the staff.

It was damn impressive shooting and was a feat that I saw repeated several times as the crews got more familier with the M-1.

[Mohoender]

Strange! As someone with afinity to the bottle, he should have loved tanks.

[dragoon500ly]

Well, if you are hinting that a US Senator would be a world class drunk and womanizer.....

Then I have to agree with you!!!!!