concept for a semi auto rocket/grenade launcher

[crazy white guy]

i was walking through my local hardware store when i came across a box of brass fipe fitting thats looked exactly like large bullet cartridges. That got me thinking about grenade launchers. If you look at the design of the m16's under barrel launcher, you can see that it used grenades that are propelled by a cartridge charge as if they were a bullet.

If a shoulder fired grenade launcher were to use a revolver type feed like the CAW launcher uses, it would be able to fire semi automatically with the same accuracy that a single shot would have. A flaw i can see with my idea is that the launcher would have to have a perfectly balanced and machined feed system or you will blow up your face before you saw that something was wrong. This means that A well made one can be used for quite a while but a one-time-use would take a lot of effort to make.

I cant see any obvious fixes to the chamber/feed balance problem that wouldn't require a CNC or a lathe. If you were to do something as simple as welding six tubes together to make a chamber, it would warp and deform. I was thinking a set of plates could be made that would ensure that the cylinders would hold the shells perfectly in place to be welded or connected in some way.

The shells would have a very simple design. The cartridge would be a simple shell that had all the primers and igniters in it. The rocket/grenade would be the same shape as a normal bullet but with a tail on it that would form into a spiral control device. Another option would be to have no cartridge and have all the propelling charges within the rocket as with the RPG's. The last idea for grenades is to have a cylindrical magazine that has all the shells and grenades in it.

A good scenario for the use of these is if someone were to takeover a building that must be defended, A group of soldiers armed with a few of these weapons and rifles could destroy many soldiers and vehicles without very much cost for heavy weapons.

Do you think that these could be made cheaply and effectively or is it a lost cause?

[Th0r]

May I link you to the thread entitled eBooks on Weaponry?

http://rorta.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1442

This has been done before... Regarding a budget, the question is what is the purpose? Just a bit of fun? Or something else?

You might want to look at a "Spud Gun" [The cannon not the toy] if it just a bit of fun... If it something else there are eBooks for a reason ;)...

[crazy white guy]

i don't have a purpose for it. I thought of it for a fun idea to try

a situation it might be good for is like

a small group of people take over a building and are being assaulted by police vehicles. You cant take the time to reload while your being shot at so you have your six-shot-launcher to take out two or three cars before they have a chance to advance or your shit

[davey_crockshit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkor_MGL

like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepperbox

this concept solves your chamber/barrel alignment issue but at the cost of greatly increased weight.

illegal as hell, but theoretically possible.

i remember reading the ragnar benson book listed in the other thread. it seemed plausible. the only thing was that his design would not work with military 40mm rounds. those are spin armed, his designs are all smoothbores. there are 37mm flares and smoke shells that are available at least in the u.s. these are legal and these would probably work in a launcher like those described assuming the breech were strong enough. i seem to remember that you are in canada. the laws there might be different. something like this would be big, bright, and loud and would probably attract a lot of attention to say nothing of the massive fire hazard. keep that in mind.

[crazy white guy]

the milkor you posted is almost exactly what i was thinking but with more power and accuracy

[Th0r]

Another thread I dragged out on the topic of 37 Millimetre Grenade Launchers...

I don't know if it is any use but it might be worth a look.

http://rorta.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37

[hamster]

Originally Posted by crazy white guy

a small group of people take over a building and are being assaulted by police vehicles. You cant take the time to reload while your being shot at so you have your six-shot-launcher to take out two or three cars before they have a chance to advance or your shit

I think what you are mentioning is a concept of an AGS grenade launcher




Blow back operated, semi automatic, effective up to 800 meters with 1400 being max range.
Simple construction, and a low weight of only 20lbs plus tripod and ammo, it would be alot easier to construct then some of the fail prone hand held models.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK0pHsoZXug

enjoy

you can barely make out the simple construction here