Range Report smoothbore question

[Unknown]

I realize that many of the projectiles fired out of the Abrams tank's smoothbore gun have fins, or some other means to stabilize them. I'm also aware that statute prohibits smoothbore firearms (other than shotguns) for civilians.

If smoothbore works so well for the Abrams gun, why aren't any makers of shoulder fired weapons making smoothbore shoulder firearms for the military? It seems that someone, somewhere should have done research to find out that if the smoothbore works so well for the Abrams. why then, can't a shoulder fired weapon benefit from the same technology? Surely, some miniature finned, sabot projectile could be designed.

 

[Redmanss]

If I had to venture a guess, I would say cost. I can only imagine how much per shot that would run, and the machinery to produce consistent miniature deploying fins.

 

[Unknown]

I figured if Remington spent the money to come up with the (now defunct I think) electronic priming rifle, someone should be able to come up with a 30 caliber sabot containing a 5.56 finned projectile. There has to be a reason no one has done this, I'm just curious what the reason is.

 

[damoncali]

Spin stabilized bullets are insanely cheap to manufacture - you just punch out hunks of metal. Building lots of tiny fin stabilized bullets would be difficult, precise work and very expensive. And there have been some saboted sporting rounds in the past. Not sure if they still make them. I think they were called "accelerators" or something like that (can't recall the brand - Remington, maybe?), and if memory serves, they used a small sabot in a 30-06 round. According to the gun rags, they worked, but were lacking in accuracy relative to a normal varmint rifle.