Firing the infamous NTW 20mm

This video shows Groot Mamba, a reader of the blog, rapidly firing the NTW 20mm rifle. Groot is firing the 20X82mm round, which is, in a sense, a "20mm Short" round. When firing a projectile that can carry a high explosive warhead, kinetic energy is not necessarily required against soft targets because energy can be delivered with the chemical payload - hence the lower powered cartridge.

Groot says that the larger, and more common, 20x110mm round is nicer to fire because the muzzle brake is more effective.

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Steve Oct 21st 2009 rifles Tags: , , , 10 Comments

10 Responses to “Firing the infamous NTW 20mm”

  1. Groot Mambaon 22 Oct 2009 at 2:31 am link comment

    All most as much fun as launching an Anvil…

  2. Steveon 22 Oct 2009 at 2:32 am link comment

    Groot, ROFL

  3. Matt Groomon 22 Oct 2009 at 3:02 am link comment

    I’ll load it, you shoot it.

  4. Clodboyon 22 Oct 2009 at 3:20 am link comment

    A shame they didn’t use the “Prawn” target from District 9 :D

  5. Tomon 22 Oct 2009 at 4:55 am link comment

    Those are non-restricted in Canada, but a FAL is prohibited. Crazy eh?

  6. Daniel E. Watterson 22 Oct 2009 at 12:07 pm link comment

    You have to realize that the 20×82mm was designed to shoehorn into the existing Mauser MG151 design, originally chambered for the 15×96mm cartridge. The MG151 automatic cannon was widely used by the Luftwaffe during WW2, and was popular enough that its production resumed after the war.

    FWIW: There are three distinct, non-interchangeable cartridges that fit the description 20×110mm. These are the Oerlikon, Hispano-Suiza, and US Navy Mk 100-series. The Oerlikon cannon was widely used as anti-aircraft guns on USN ships in WW2, while the Hispano-Suiza cannon was used on US and British aircraft during the same time frame and beyond. After they were replaced by other designs, the surplus US Hispano aircraft guns were recycled for use in USN and US Coast Guard deck mountings and served until they were replaced by the 25×137mm Bushmaster cannon. The post-war USN Mk 100-series was a lengthened version of the 20×102mm cartridge used by the USAF in the M39 and M61 cannon. The 20×110mm USN was used in the Mk 11 and the Mk 12 aircraft cannon. Later USN aircraft used the M61 instead.

    As the USN has surplus 20×110mm Hispano ammunition, NSWC-Crane has previously solicited an anti-materiel rifle chambered for the cartridge. I know that they bought samples from NTW and Truvelo.

  7. Steveon 22 Oct 2009 at 12:24 pm link comment

    Daniel, I did not realize the cartridge went back that far.

    I think the NTW uses the Hispano.

  8. Lanceon 22 Oct 2009 at 4:17 pm link comment

    Looks like over kill a 50 BMG will do fine as a rifle.

  9. Groot Mambaon 03 Nov 2009 at 12:06 am link comment

    Steve it uses the 20 x 82 (in video), 20 x 110 and the 14.5 x 114
    We tested it in the 20 x 102 Vulcan as well. Only a few shots

    Later
    GM

  10. Steveon 03 Nov 2009 at 12:07 am link comment

    Groot, thanks for the info.

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