Gauss gun do it yourself at home. The legendary gauss gun with your own hands. Methods for increasing efficiency

Every fan of science fiction is familiar with electromagnetic weapons. Such technologies are depicted as a combination of mechanical, electronic and electrical components. But what does such a weapon look like in real life, does it have even the slightest chance of existence?

Technological features

The Gauss rifle is interesting to researchers for several features at the same time. The implementation of this technology will avoid heating weapons. Consequently, its rapid-fire qualities will increase to previously unknown limits. Moreover, the embodiment of technological ideas into reality will make it necessary to abandon cartridge cases, which will greatly simplify shooting.

By default, the Gauss rifle can shoot thin narrow projectiles with the highest penetrating power. The acceleration of the cartridge in this case is absolutely independent of the diameter.

For the functioning of the weapon, recharging with an electric current is sufficient. As for the known schemes, there are practically no moving elements in their structure.

Shooting principle

Currently, the weapon remains at the development stage. According to the idea, it should shoot with iron cartridges. However, unlike firearm counterparts, shells are set in motion not by the pressure of powder gases, but by the influence of a magnetic field.

In fact, the Gauss rifle works according to a rather primitive principle. Along the barrel is a series of electromagnetic coils. Cartridges are loaded from the magazine mechanically. One of the coils pulls up the charge. As soon as the cartridge reaches the middle of the barrel, the next coil is activated, due to which it is accelerated.

Sequential placement along the barrel of an arbitrary number of coils theoretically allows you to instantly disperse the projectile to unimaginable speeds.

Advantages and disadvantages

The electromagnetic rifle in theory has advantages that are unattainable for any other known weapon:

the ability to select the speed of the projectile;
lack of sleeves;
execution of absolutely silent shots;
little return;
high reliability;
wear resistance;
functioning in airless, in particular outer space.

Despite a fairly simple principle of operation and a simple design, the Gauss rifle has some drawbacks that create barriers to its use as a weapon.

The main problem is the low efficiency of electromagnetic coils. Special tests show that only about 7% of the charge is converted into kinetic energy, which is not enough to set the cartridge in motion.

The second difficulty is the significant consumption and long-term accumulation of energy by capacitors. Together with the gun, you will have to carry a fairly heavy and voluminous power source.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that in modern conditions there are practically no prospects for implementing the idea as small arms. A positive shift in the right direction is possible only in the case of the development of powerful, autonomous and at the same time compact sources of electric current.

Prototypes

Currently, there is not a single successful example of the creation of highly effective electromagnetic weapons. However, this does not interfere with the development of prototypes. The most successful example is the invention of the engineering bureau Delta V Engineering.

The developers' 15-charger device allows for fairly high-speed firing, releasing 7 rounds per second. Unfortunately, the penetrating power of the rifle is only enough to break glass and cans. The electromagnetic weapon weighs about 4 kg and fires 6.5 mm caliber bullets.

To date, the developer has not yet been able to achieve success in overcoming the main drawback of the rifle - the extremely low starting speed of the projectiles. Here, this figure is only 43 m / s. If we draw parallels, then the muzzle velocity of a cartridge fired from an air rifle is almost 20 times higher.

Invention of Gauss in computer games

In sci-fi games, the electromagnetic gun is perhaps the most powerful, rapid-fire and truly deadly weapon. It's funny, but the bulk of the special effects are uncharacteristic of this invention.

The most striking example is the pistol and Gauss rifle, which are available to the characters of the cult series of Fallout games. Like the real prototype, the virtual weapon functions on the basis of charged electromagnetic particles.

In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. the Gauss gun has a low rate of fire, which is close to the qualities of real-life prototypes. At the same time, the weapon has the highest power. According to the description, the gun operates on the basis of the energy of anomalous phenomena.

The Master of Orion games also allow the player to equip spaceships with Gauss cannons. Here, the weapon fires electromagnetic projectiles, the damage strength of which does not depend on the distance to the target.

Nov 19, 2014

First, the Science Debate editors congratulate all gunners and rocketmen! After all, today is November 19 - the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery. 72 years ago, on November 19, 1942, the counteroffensive of the Red Army during the Battle of Stalingrad began with the most powerful artillery preparation.

That is why today we have prepared for you a publication dedicated to guns, but not ordinary ones, but Gauss guns!

A man, even becoming an adult, remains a boy in his soul, only his toys change. Computer games have become a real salvation for respectable uncles who did not finish playing the “war game” in childhood and now have the opportunity to catch up.

In computer action movies, there are often futuristic weapons that you will not find in real life - the famous Gauss cannon, which can be planted by some crazy professor or can be found by chance in a secret chronicle.

Is it possible to get a Gauss gun in real life?

It turns out that it is possible, and to do this is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Let's rather find out what a Gauss gun is in the classical sense. The Gauss Cannon is a weapon that uses the method of electromagnetic mass acceleration.

The design of this formidable weapon is based on a solenoid - a cylindrical winding of wires, where the length of the wire is many times greater than the diameter of the winding. When an electric current is applied, a strong magnetic field will appear in the cavity of the coil (solenoid). It will pull the projectile into the solenoid.

If at the moment when the projectile reaches the center, the voltage is removed, then the magnetic field will not prevent the body from moving by inertia, and it will fly out of the coil.

We assemble a Gauss gun at home

In order to create a Gauss gun with our own hands, we first need an inductor. Carefully wind the enameled wire onto the bobbin, without sharp bends, so as not to damage the insulation in any way.

The first layer, after winding, fill with superglue, wait until it dries, and proceed to the next layer. In the same way, you need to wind 10-12 layers. We put the finished coil on the future barrel of the weapon. A cap should be put on one of its edges.

In order to get a strong electrical impulse, a capacitor bank is perfect. They are able to release the stored energy for a short time until the bullet reaches the middle of the coil.

You will need a charger to charge the capacitors. There is a suitable device in photographic cameras, it serves to produce a flash. Of course, we are not talking about an expensive model that we will dissect, but disposable Kodak will fit.

In addition, in addition to charging and a capacitor, there are no other electrical elements in them. When disassembling the camera, be careful not to get an electric shock. Feel free to remove the battery clips from the charger, unsolder the capacitor.

Thus, you need to prepare approximately 4-5 boards (more can be done if the desire and possibilities allow). The question of choosing a capacitor forces you to make a choice between the power of the shot and the time it takes to charge. A large capacitance of the capacitor requires a longer period of time, reducing the rate of fire, so a compromise will have to be found.

The LED elements installed on the charging circuits signal by light that the required charge level has been reached. Of course, you can connect additional charging circuits, but do not overdo it so as not to inadvertently burn the transistors on the boards. In order to discharge the battery, for safety reasons, it is best to install a relay.

We connect the control circuit to the battery through the shutter button, and the controlled circuit is connected to the circuit, between the coil and the capacitors. In order to make a shot, it is necessary to supply power to the system, and, after a light signal, load the weapon. Turn off the power, aim and shoot!

If the process captivated you, and the power received is not enough, then you can start creating a multi-stage Gauss gun, because it should be just that.

We present a circuit of an electromagnetic gun on a NE555 timer and a 4017B chip.

The principle of operation of the electromagnetic (Gauss-) gun is based on the rapid sequential operation of the electromagnets L1-L4, each of which creates an additional force that accelerates the metal charge. The NE555 timer sends pulses to the 4017 chip with a period of approximately 10 ms, the pulse frequency is signaled by LED D1.

When the PB1 button is pressed, the IC2 microcircuit sequentially opens transistors from TR1 to TR4 with the same interval, in the collector circuit of which electromagnets L1-L4 are included.

To make these electromagnets, we need a copper tube 25 cm long and 3 mm in diameter. Each coil contains 500 turns of 0.315mm enamelled wire. Coils must be made in such a way that they can move freely. A piece of a nail 3 cm long and 2 mm in diameter acts as a projectile.

The gun can be powered both from a 25 V battery and from an AC mains.

By changing the position of the electromagnets, we achieve the best effect, from the figure above it can be seen that the interval between each coil increases - this is due to an increase in the speed of the projectile.

This, of course, is not a real Gauss gun, but a working prototype, on the basis of which it is possible, by strengthening the circuit, to assemble a more powerful Gauss gun.

Other types of electromagnetic weapons.

In addition to magnetic mass accelerators, there are many other types of weapons that use electromagnetic energy to function. Consider the most famous and common types of them.

Electromagnetic mass accelerators.

In addition to "gauss guns", there are at least 2 types of mass accelerators - induction mass accelerators (Thompson coil) and rail mass accelerators, also known as "rail guns" (from the English "Rail gun" - rail gun).

The operation of the induction mass accelerator is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. A rapidly increasing electric current is created in a flat winding, which causes an alternating magnetic field in the space around. A ferrite core is inserted into the winding, on the free end of which a ring of conductive material is put on. Under the action of an alternating magnetic flux penetrating the ring, an electric current arises in it, creating a magnetic field of the opposite direction relative to the winding field. With its field, the ring begins to repel from the winding field and accelerates, flying off the free end of the ferrite rod. The shorter and stronger the current pulse in the winding, the more powerful the ring flies out.

Otherwise, the rail mass accelerator functions. In it, a conductive projectile moves between two rails - electrodes (from which it got its name - a railgun), through which current is supplied.

The current source is connected to the rails at their base, so the current flows, as it were, in pursuit of the projectile and the magnetic field created around the current-carrying conductors is completely concentrated behind the conductive projectile. In this case, the projectile is a current-carrying conductor placed in a perpendicular magnetic field created by the rails. According to all the laws of physics, the Lorentz force acts on the projectile, directed in the direction opposite to the rail connection point and accelerating the projectile. A number of serious problems are associated with the manufacture of a railgun - the current pulse must be so powerful and sharp that the projectile would not have time to evaporate (after all, a huge current flows through it!), but an accelerating force would arise that accelerates it forward. Therefore, the material of the projectile and the rail should have the highest possible conductivity, the projectile should have as little mass as possible, and the current source should have as much power as possible and less inductance. However, the peculiarity of the rail accelerator is that it is capable of accelerating ultra-small masses to super high speeds. In practice, rails are made of oxygen-free copper coated with silver, aluminum bars are used as projectiles, a battery of high-voltage capacitors is used as a power source, and before entering the rails, they try to give the projectile as much initial speed as possible, using pneumatic or gunshot guns.

In addition to mass accelerators, electromagnetic weapons include sources of powerful electromagnetic radiation such as lasers and magnetrons.

Everyone knows the laser. It consists of a working body, in which an inverse population of quantum levels by electrons is created during a shot, a resonator for increasing the range of photons inside the working body, and a generator that will create this very inverse population. In principle, an inverse population can be created in any substance, and in our time it is easier to say what lasers are NOT made of.

Lasers can be classified according to the working fluid: ruby, CO2, argon, helium-neon, solid-state (GaAs), alcohol, etc., according to the mode of operation: pulsed, cw, pseudo-continuous, can be classified according to the number of quantum levels used: 3-level , 4-level, 5-level. Lasers are also classified according to the frequency of the generated radiation - microwave, infrared, green, ultraviolet, x-ray, etc. The laser efficiency usually does not exceed 0.5%, but now the situation has changed - semiconductor lasers (GaAs-based solid-state lasers) have an efficiency of over 30% and today can have an output power of up to 100 (!) W, i.e. comparable to powerful "classical" ruby or CO2 lasers. In addition, there are gas-dynamic lasers that are least similar to other types of lasers. Their difference is that they are capable of producing a continuous beam of enormous power, which allows them to be used for military purposes. In essence, a gas-dynamic laser is a jet engine, in which there is a resonator perpendicular to the gas flow. The incandescent gas leaving the nozzle is in a state of population inversion.

It is worth adding a resonator to it - and a multi-megawatt photon flux will fly into space.

Microwave guns - the main functional unit is the magnetron - a powerful source of microwave radiation. The disadvantage of microwave guns is their excessive danger of use even compared to lasers - microwave radiation is well reflected from obstacles and in the case of shooting indoors, literally everything inside will be exposed to radiation! In addition, powerful microwave radiation is deadly for any electronics, which must also be taken into account.

And why, in fact, precisely the "gauss gun", and not Thompson disk launchers, railguns or beam weapons?

The fact is that of all types of electromagnetic weapons, it is the gauss gun that is the easiest to manufacture. In addition, it has a fairly high efficiency compared to other electromagnetic shooters and can operate at low voltages.

At the next level of complexity are induction accelerators - Thompson disk throwers (or transformers). Their operation requires slightly higher voltages than conventional Gaussians, then, perhaps, lasers and microwaves are the most complex, and in the very last place is the railgun, which requires expensive structural materials, impeccable calculation and manufacturing accuracy, an expensive and powerful source energy (a battery of high-voltage capacitors) and many other expensive things.

In addition, the gauss gun, despite its simplicity, has an incredibly large scope for design solutions and engineering research - so this direction is quite interesting and promising.

DIY microwave gun

First of all, I warn you: this weapon is very dangerous, use the maximum degree of caution in the manufacture and operation!

In short, I warned you. And now let's start manufacturing.

We take any microwave oven, preferably the most low-powered and cheapest.

If it is burned out, it does not matter - as long as the magnetron is working. Here is its simplified diagram and internal view.

1. Lighting lamp.
2. Ventilation holes.
3. Magnetron.
4. Antenna.
5. Waveguide.
6. Capacitor.
7. Transformer.
8. Control panel.
9. Drive.
10. Rotating tray.
11. Separator with rollers.
12. Door latch.

Next, we extract this same magnetron from there. The magnetron was developed as a powerful generator of electromagnetic oscillations in the microwave range for use in radar systems. Microwave ovens have magnetrons with a microwave frequency of 2450 MHz. The operation of the magnetron uses the process of electron movement in the presence of two fields - magnetic and electric, perpendicular to each other. A magnetron is a two-electrode lamp or diode containing an incandescent cathode that emits electrons and a cold anode. The magnetron is placed in an external magnetic field.

Do-it-yourself Gauss gun

The magnetron anode has a complex monolithic structure with a system of resonators necessary to complicate the structure of the electric field inside the magnetron. The magnetic field is created by coils with current (an electromagnet), between the poles of which a magnetron is placed. If there were no magnetic field, then the electrons emitted from the cathode with practically no initial velocity would move in the electric field along straight lines perpendicular to the cathode, and all would fall on the anode. In the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field, the trajectories of electrons are bent by the Lorentz force.

Used magnetrons are sold at our radio bazaar for 15 ye.

This is a magnetron in the cut and without a radiator.

Now you need to find out how to power it. The diagram shows that the required glow is 3V 5A and the anode is 3kV 0.1A. The indicated power values are applicable to magnetrons from weak microwaves, and for powerful ones they can be somewhat larger. The magnetron power of modern microwave ovens is about 700 watts.

For the compactness and mobility of the microwave gun, these values can be somewhat reduced - if only generation occurs. We will power the magnetron from a converter with a battery from a computer uninterruptible power supply.

Passport value 12 volts 7.5 amperes. A few minutes of fighting should be enough. The magnetron glow is 3V, we get it using the LM150 stabilizer microcircuit.

It is desirable to turn on the glow a few seconds before turning on the anode voltage. And we take kilovolts to the anode from the converter (see diagram below).

Power for the glow and P210 is supplied by turning on the main toggle switch a few seconds before the shot, and the shot itself is fired with a button that supplies power to the master oscillator on the P217's. The transformer data is taken from the same article, only the secondary Tr2 is wound with 2000 - 3000 turns of PEL0.2. From the resulting winding, the change is fed to the simplest half-wave rectifier.

A high-voltage capacitor and a diode can be taken from the microwave, or if not replaced by 0.5 microfarad - 2kV, diode - KTs201E.

For the directionality of the radiation, and cutting off the reverse lobes (so that it does not hook itself), we place the magnetron in the horn. To do this, we use a metal horn from school bells or stadium speakers. In extreme cases, you can take a cylindrical liter can of paint.

The entire microwave gun is placed in a housing made of a thick pipe with a diameter of 150-200 mm.

Well, the gun is ready. You can use it to burn out the on-board computer and alarms in cars, burn out the brains and TVs of evil neighbors, hunt for running and flying creatures. I hope you never launch this microwave tool - for your own safety.

Compiled by: Patlakh V.V.
http://patlah.ru

ATTENTION!

Gauss gun (gauss rifle)

Other names: gauss gun, gauss gun, gauss rifle, gauss gun, booster rifle.

The gauss rifle (or its larger variant, the gauss gun), like the railgun, is an electro-magnetic weapon.

Gauss gun

At the moment, combat industrial designs do not exist, although a number of laboratories (mostly amateur and university) continue to work hard on the creation of these weapons. The system is named after the German scientist Carl Gauss (1777-1855). With what fright the mathematician was awarded such an honor, I personally cannot understand (I cannot yet, or rather I do not have the relevant information). Gauss had much less to do with the theory of electromagnetism than, for example, Oersted, Ampère, Faraday or Maxwell, but, nevertheless, the gun was named after him. The name stuck, and therefore we will use it.

Operating principle:
A Gauss rifle consists of coils (powerful electromagnets) mounted on a barrel made of dielectric. When current is applied, the electromagnets for some brief moment are turned on one after the other in the direction from the receiver to the muzzle. They take turns attracting a steel bullet (a needle, a dart or a projectile, if we talk about a cannon) towards them and thereby accelerate it to significant speeds.

Weapon Advantages:
1. No cartridge. This allows you to significantly increase the capacity of the store. For example, a magazine that holds 30 rounds can load 100-150 bullets.
2. High rate of fire. Theoretically, the system allows the acceleration of the next bullet to begin even before the previous one has left the barrel.
3. Quiet shooting. The very design of the weapon allows you to get rid of most of the acoustic components of the shot (see reviews), so shooting from a gauss rifle looks like a series of subtle pops.
4. Lack of unmasking flash. This feature is especially useful at night.
5. Low return. For this reason, when fired, the barrel of the weapon practically does not lift up, and therefore the accuracy of the fire increases.
6. Reliability. The gauss rifle does not use cartridges, and therefore the question of poor-quality ammunition immediately disappears. If, in addition to this, we recall the absence of a trigger mechanism, then the very concept of “misfire” can be forgotten like a nightmare.
7. Increased wear resistance. This property is due to the small number of moving parts, low loads on components and parts during firing, and the absence of combustion products of gunpowder.
8. The possibility of using both in open space and in atmospheres that suppress the combustion of gunpowder.
9. Adjustable bullet speed. This function allows, if necessary, to reduce the speed of the bullet below the sound. As a result, characteristic pops disappear, and the gauss rifle becomes completely silent, and therefore suitable for secret special operations.

Weapon Disadvantages:
Among the shortcomings of Gauss rifles, the following are often mentioned: low efficiency, high energy consumption, high weight and dimensions, long capacitor recharge time, etc. I want to say that all these problems are due only to the level of modern technology development. In the future, when creating compact and powerful power sources, using new structural materials and superconductors, the Gauss gun can really become a powerful and effective weapon.

In literature, of course fantastic, William Keith armed the legionnaires with a gauss rifle in his Fifth Foreign Legion cycle. (One of my favorite books!) It was also used by the militarists from the planet Klisand, which brought Jim di Grizzly in Garrison's novel "Revenge of the Stainless Steel Rat." They say Gaussianism is also found in books from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, but I have only read five of them. I didn't find anything like that, but I won't speak for others.

As for my personal work, in my new novel "Marauders" I presented the Tula-made Gauss carbine "Metel-16" to my main character Sergei Korn. True, he owned it only at the beginning of the book. After all, the main character is all the same, which means that he is entitled to a more impressive gun.

Oleg Shovkunenko

Reviews and comments:

Alexander 12/29/13
According to item 3 - a shot with a supersonic bullet speed will be loud in any case. For this reason, special subsonic cartridges are used for silent weapons.
According to item 5, the recoil will be inherent in any weapon that shoots "material objects" and depends on the ratio of the masses of the bullet and the weapon, and the momentum of the force accelerating the bullet.
According to claim 8 - no atmosphere can affect the combustion of gunpowder in a sealed cartridge. In outer space, firearms will also shoot.
The problem can only be in the mechanical stability of weapon parts and lubricant properties at ultra-low temperatures. But this issue is solvable, and back in 1972, test firing in open space from an orbital gun from the military orbital station OPS-2 (Salyut-3) was carried out.

Oleg Shovkunenko
Alexander is good that you wrote.

To be honest, I made a description of the weapon based on my own understanding of the topic. But maybe something was wrong. Let's go through the points together.

Item number 3. "Silence of firing."
As far as I know, the sound of a shot from any firearm consists of several components:
1) The sound or better to say the sounds of the operation of the weapon mechanism. These include the impact of the striker on the capsule, the clang of the shutter, etc.
2) The sound that creates the air that filled the barrel before the shot. It is displaced by both the bullet and the powder gases seeping through the cutting channels.
3) The sound that the powder gases themselves create during a sharp expansion and cooling.
4) Sound generated by an acoustic shock wave.
The first three points do not apply to Gaussianism at all.

I foresee a question about the air in the barrel, but in a Gaussian rifle, the barrel does not have to be solid and tubular, which means that the problem disappears by itself. So point number 4 remains, just the one you, Alexander, are talking about. I want to say that the acoustic shock wave is far from the loudest part of the shot. Silencers of modern weapons practically do not fight it at all. And yet, firearms with a silencer are still called silent. Therefore, the Gaussian can also be called noiseless. By the way, thank you so much for reminding me. I forgot to mention among the advantages of the gauss gun the ability to adjust the speed of the bullet. After all, it is possible to set a subsonic mode (which will make the weapon completely silent and intended for covert actions in close combat) and supersonic (this is for real war).

Item number 5. "Virtually no recoil."
Of course, there is also a return on gassovka. Where without her?! The law of conservation of momentum has not yet been canceled. Only the principle of operation of a gauss rifle will make it not explosive, as in a firearm, but, as it were, stretched and smooth, and therefore much less noticeable to the shooter. Although, to be honest, this is just my suspicions. So far, I have not fired from such a gun :))

Item number 8. "The possibility of using both in outer space ...".
Well, I didn’t say anything at all about the impossibility of using firearms in outer space. Only it will need to be redone in such a way, so many technical problems to solve, that it’s easier to create a gauss gun :)) As for planets with specific atmospheres, the use of a firearm on them can really be not only difficult, but also unsafe. But this is already from the section of fantasy, in fact, which your obedient servant is engaged in.

Vyacheslav 05.04.14
Thank you for an interesting story about weapons. Everything is very accessible and laid out on the shelves. Another would be a shemku for greater clarity.

Oleg Shovkunenko
Vyacheslav, I inserted the schematic, as you asked).

interested 22.02.15
"Why a Gaus rifle?" - Wikipedia says that because he laid the foundations of the theory of electromagnetism.

Oleg Shovkunenko
First, based on this logic, the aerial bomb should have been called the "Newton's Bomb", because it falls to the ground, obeying the Law of universal gravitation. Secondly, in the same Wikipedia, Gauss is not mentioned at all in the article “Electromagnetic interaction”. It is good that we are all educated people and remember that Gauss deduced the theorem of the same name. True, this theorem is included in the more general equations of Maxwell, so here Gauss seems to be in the span again with "laying the foundations of the theory of electromagnetism."

Eugene 05.11.15
The Gaus Rifle is a coined name for the weapon. It first appeared in the legendary post-apocalyptic game Fallout 2.

Roman 11/26/16
1) about what Gauss has to do with the name) read on Wikipedia, but not electromagnetism, but Gauss's theorem, this theorem is the basis of electromagnetism and is the basis for Maxwell's equations.
2) the roar from the shot is mainly due to the sharply expanding powder gases. because the bullet is supersonic and after 500m from the barrel cut, but there is no rumble from it! only a whistle from the air cut by the shock wave from the bullet and that's it!)
3) about the fact that they say there are samples of small arms and it is silent because they say the bullet there is subsonic - this is nonsense! when any arguments are given, you need to get to the bottom of the issue! the shot is silent, not because the bullet is subsonic, but because the powder gases do not escape from the barrel there! read about the PSS pistol in Vic.

Oleg Shovkunenko
Roman, are you by chance a relative of Gauss? Painfully zealously you defend his right to this name. Personally, I don't care, if people like it, let there be a gauss gun. As for everything else, read the reviews for the article, where the issue of noiselessness has already been discussed in detail. I can't add anything new to this.

Dasha 12.03.17
I write science fiction. Opinion: ACCELERATION is the weapon of the future. I would not attribute to a foreigner the right to have primacy in this weapon. Russian ACCELERATION FOR SURE WILL ABOVE the rotten west. It's better not to give a rotten foreigner the RIGHT TO CALL A WEAPON BY HIS SHITTING NAME! The Russians are full of their wise men! (undeservedly forgotten). By the way, the Gatling machine gun (cannon) appeared LATER than the Russian SOROKA (rotating barrel system). Gatling simply patented an idea stolen from Russia. (We will henceforth call him Goat Gutl for this!). Therefore, Gauss is also not related to accelerating weapons!

Oleg Shovkunenko
Dasha, patriotism is certainly good, but only healthy and reasonable. But with the gauss gun, as they say, the train left. The term has already taken root, like many others. We will not change the concepts: the Internet, the carburetor, football, etc. However, it is not so important whose name this or that invention is named, the main thing is who can bring it to perfection or, as in the case of a gauss rifle, at least to a combat state. Unfortunately, I have not yet heard about serious developments of combat gauss systems, both in Russia and abroad.

Bozhkov Alexander 26.09.17
All clear. But can you add articles about other types of weapons?: About the thermite gun, electric gun, BFG-9000, Gauss crossbow, ectoplasmic machine gun.

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DIY Gauss Pistol

Despite its relatively modest size, the Gauss pistol is the most serious weapon we have ever built. Starting from the earliest stages of its manufacture, the slightest carelessness in handling the device or its individual components can lead to electric shock.

Gauss gun. The simplest circuit

Be careful!

The main power element of our gun is an inductor

Gauss gun x-ray

Location of contacts on the charging circuit of a Kodak disposable camera

Having a weapon that even in computer games can only be found in a mad scientist's laboratory or near a time portal to the future is cool. To watch how people indifferent to technology involuntarily fix their eyes on the device, and avid gamers hastily pick up their jaw from the floor - for this it is worth spending a day assembling a Gauss gun.

As usual, we decided to start with the simplest design - a single-coil induction gun. Experiments with multi-stage acceleration of the projectile were left to experienced electronics engineers who were able to build a complex switching system on powerful thyristors and fine-tune the moments of sequential switching of coils. Instead, we focused on the possibility of preparing a dish with ingredients that are widely available. So, to build a Gauss cannon, first of all you have to go shopping. In the radio store you need to buy several capacitors with a voltage of 350-400 V and a total capacity of 1000-2000 microfarads, an enameled copper wire with a diameter of 0.8 mm, battery compartments for the Krona and two 1.5-volt type C batteries, a toggle switch and a button. Let's take five disposable Kodak cameras in photographic products, a simple four-pin relay from a Zhiguli in auto parts, a pack of straws for cocktails in “products”, and a plastic pistol, machine gun, shotgun, rifle or any other gun that you want in “toys”. want to turn into a weapon of the future.

We wind on a mustache

The main power element of our gun is an inductor. With its manufacture, it is worth starting the assembly of the gun. Take a piece of straw 30 mm long and two large washers (plastic or cardboard), assemble them into a bobbin using a screw and nut. Start winding the enameled wire around it carefully, coil by coil (with a large wire diameter, this is quite simple). Be careful not to sharply bend the wire, do not damage the insulation. After finishing the first layer, fill it with superglue and start winding the next one. Do this with every layer. In total, you need to wind 12 layers. Then you can disassemble the reel, remove the washers and put the coil on a long straw, which will serve as a barrel. One end of the straw should be plugged. The finished coil is easy to test by connecting it to a 9-volt battery: if it holds a paper clip, then you have succeeded. You can insert a straw into the coil and test it as a solenoid: it should actively draw a piece of paper clip into itself, and even throw it out of the barrel by 20–30 cm when it is pulsed.

We dissect values

A capacitor bank is the best suited for generating a powerful electrical impulse (in this opinion, we are in solidarity with the creators of the most powerful laboratory railguns). Capacitors are good not only for their high energy capacity, but also for the ability to give up all the energy in a very short time before the projectile reaches the center of the coil. However, the capacitors need to be charged somehow. Fortunately, the charger we need is in any camera: the capacitor is used there to form a high-voltage pulse for the flash ignition electrode. Disposable cameras work best for us, because the capacitor and "charger" are the only electrical components they have, which means getting the charging circuit out of them is a breeze.

Disassembling a disposable camera is the stage where you should start to be careful. When opening the case, try not to touch the elements of the electrical circuit: the capacitor can retain a charge for a long time. Having gained access to the capacitor, first of all close its terminals with a screwdriver with a dielectric handle. Only then can you touch the board without fear of getting an electric shock. Remove the battery clips from the charging circuit, unsolder the capacitor, solder the jumper to the contacts of the charge button - we will no longer need it. Prepare at least five charging boards in this way. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks on the board: you can connect to the same circuit elements in different places.

Setting priorities

Capacitor capacitance selection is a matter of compromise between shot energy and gun loading time. We settled on four 470 microfarad (400 V) capacitors connected in parallel. Before each shot, we wait for about a minute for the LEDs on the charging circuits to signal that the voltage in the capacitors has reached the prescribed 330 V. You can speed up the charging process by connecting several 3-volt battery compartments to the charging circuits in parallel. However, it should be borne in mind that powerful "C" type batteries have excess current for weak camera circuits. To prevent the transistors on the boards from burning out, there should be 3-5 charging circuits connected in parallel for each 3-volt assembly. On our gun, only one battery compartment is connected to the "charges". All others serve as spare magazines.

Defining security zones

We would not advise anyone to hold a button under their finger that discharges a battery of 400-volt capacitors. To control the descent, it is better to install a relay. Its control circuit is connected to a 9-volt battery through the release button, and the controlled circuit is connected to the circuit between the coil and the capacitors. The schematic diagram will help to assemble the gun correctly. When assembling a high-voltage circuit, use a wire with a cross section of at least a millimeter; any thin wires are suitable for the charging and control circuits.

When experimenting with the circuit, remember that capacitors can have a residual charge. Discharge them with a short circuit before touching them.

Summing up

The shooting process looks like this: turn on the power switch; waiting for the bright glow of the LEDs; we lower the projectile into the barrel so that it is slightly behind the coil; turn off the power so that when fired, the batteries do not take energy on themselves; aim and press the release button. The result largely depends on the mass of the projectile. With the help of a short nail with a bitten off hat, we managed to shoot through a can of energy drink, which exploded and flooded half the editorial office with a fountain. Then the cannon, cleared of sticky soda, launched a nail into the wall from a distance of fifty meters. And the hearts of fans of science fiction and computer games, our weapon strikes without any shells.

Compiled by: Patlakh V.V.
http://patlah.ru

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Having a weapon that even in computer games can only be found in a mad scientist's laboratory or near a time portal to the future is cool. Watching how people indifferent to technology involuntarily fix their eyes on the device, and avid gamers hastily pick up their jaws from the floor - for this it is worth spending a day assembling a Gauss gun.

As usual, we decided to start with the simplest design - a single-coil induction gun. Experiments with multi-stage acceleration of the projectile were left to experienced electronics engineers who were able to build a complex switching system on powerful thyristors and fine-tune the moments of sequential switching of coils. Instead, we focused on the possibility of preparing a dish with ingredients that are widely available. So, to build a Gauss cannon, first of all you have to go shopping. In the radio store you need to buy several capacitors with a voltage of 350-400 V and a total capacity of 1000-2000 microfarads, an enameled copper wire with a diameter of 0.8 mm, battery compartments for the Krona and two 1.5-volt type C batteries, a toggle switch and a button. Let's take five disposable Kodak cameras in photographic products, a simple four-pin relay from Zhiguli in auto parts, a pack of straws for cocktails in “products”, and a plastic pistol, machine gun, shotgun, shotgun or any other gun that you want in “toys”. want to turn into a weapon of the future.

We wind on a mustache

The main power element of our gun is an inductor. With its manufacture, it is worth starting the assembly of the gun. Take a piece of straw 30 mm long and two large washers (plastic or cardboard), assemble them into a bobbin using a screw and nut. Start winding the enameled wire around it carefully, coil by coil (with a large wire diameter, this is quite simple). Be careful not to sharply bend the wire, do not damage the insulation. After finishing the first layer, fill it with superglue and start winding the next one. Do this with every layer. In total, you need to wind 12 layers. Then you can disassemble the reel, remove the washers and put the coil on a long straw, which will serve as a barrel. One end of the straw should be plugged. The finished coil is easy to test by connecting it to a 9-volt battery: if it holds a paper clip, then you have succeeded. You can insert a straw into the coil and test it in the role of a solenoid: it should actively draw a piece of paper clip into itself, and even throw it out of the barrel by 20–30 cm when it is pulsed.

Having mastered the simple single-coil circuit, you can try your hand at building a multi-stage gun - after all, this is how a real Gauss gun should be. Thyristors (powerful controlled diodes) are ideal as a switching element for low-voltage circuits (hundreds of volts), and controlled spark gaps for high-voltage circuits (thousands of volts). The signal to the control electrodes of thyristors or spark gaps will be sent by the projectile itself, flying past the photocells installed in the barrel between the coils. The moment of turning off each coil will depend entirely on the capacitor that feeds it. Be careful: an excessive increase in capacitance for a given coil impedance can lead to an increase in the pulse duration. In turn, this can lead to the fact that after the projectile passes the center of the solenoid, the coil will remain on and slow down the movement of the projectile. An oscilloscope will help you to track and optimize the moments of switching on and off of each coil in detail, as well as to measure the speed of the projectile.

We dissect values

The famous railgun from the Quake games takes first place in our ranking by a wide margin. For many years, mastery of the “rail” has distinguished advanced players: the weapon requires filigree shooting accuracy, but in the event of a hit, a high-speed projectile literally tears the enemy to pieces.

Disassembling a disposable camera is the stage where you should start to be careful. When opening the case, try not to touch the elements of the electrical circuit: the capacitor can retain a charge for a long time. Having gained access to the capacitor, first of all close its terminals with a screwdriver with a dielectric handle. Only then can you touch the board without fear of getting an electric shock. Remove the battery clips from the charging circuit, unsolder the capacitor, solder the jumper to the contacts of the charge button - we won't need it anymore. Prepare at least five charging boards in this way. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks on the board: you can connect to the same circuit elements in different places.

The exclusion zone sniper gun takes second prize for realism: based on the LR-300 rifle, the electromagnetic accelerator sparkles with numerous coils, characteristically hums when capacitors are charged, and strikes the enemy to death at colossal distances. The flash artifact serves as a power source.

Setting priorities

The location of the contacts on the charging circuit of a Kodak disposable camera. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks: each wire of the circuit can be soldered to the board in several convenient places.

Defining security zones

In one of the most popular strategy games, Global Security Council (GDI) foot soldiers are equipped with powerful anti-tank railguns. In addition, railguns are also installed on GDI tanks as an upgrade. In terms of danger, such a tank is about the same as a Star Destroyer in Star Wars.

Summing up

Ogame is a multiplayer space strategy in which the player will feel like the emperor of planetary systems and wage intergalactic wars with the same living opponents. Ogame has been translated into 16 languages, including Russian. The Gauss Cannon is one of the most powerful defensive weapons in the game.

Hello. Today we will build a Gauss gun at home using parts that are easily found in local stores. Using capacitors, a switch, and a few other parts, we'll create a launcher capable of electromagnetically launching small nails up to about 3 meters away. Let's get started!

Step 1: Watch the video

Watch the video first. You will study the project and see the gun in action. Read on for more detailed assembly instructions for the Gauss Gun.

Step 2: Gathering the necessary materials

For the project you will need:

8 large capacitors. I used 3,300uF 40V. The key here is that the lower the voltage, the less danger, so look for options around 30 - 50 Volts. When it comes to capacity, the more, the better.
One circuit breaker for high currents
One coil of 20 turns (I twisted mine with 18awg wire)
Copper sheet and/or thick copper lead

Step 3: Glue the Capacitors

Take the capacitors and glue them together so that the positive terminals are closer to the center of the glue. Glue them first in 4 groups of 2 pieces. Then glue two groups together, resulting in 2 groups of 4 capacitors. Then put one group on top of the other.

Step 4: Assembling the Capacitor Group

The photo shows what the final design should look like.

Now take the positive terminals and connect them to each other and then solder to the copper plate. A thick copper wire or sheet can serve as an overlay.

Step 5: Soldering the copper pads

Use directed heat if necessary (a small industrial hair dryer), heat up the copper plates and solder the capacitor terminals to them.

The photo shows my group of capacitors after completing this step.

Step 6: Solder the negative terminals of the capacitors

Take another thick conductor, I used an insulated copper lead with a large cross section, removing the insulation from it in the right places.

Bend the wire so that it covers the entire distance of our group of capacitors as efficiently as possible.

Solder it in the right places.

Step 7: Prepare the Projectile

Next, you need to prepare a suitable projectile for the coil. I wound my spool around the bobbin. I used a small straw as a muzzle. Therefore, my projectile must enter the straw. I took a nail and cut it to a length of about 3 cm, leaving the sharp part of it.

Step 8: Find the right switch

Then I had to find a way to dump the charge from the capacitors onto the coil. Most people use rectifiers (SCR) for such needs. I decided to take it easy and found a high current switch.

There are three current ratings on the switch: 14.2A, 15A, and 500A. My calculations showed a maximum force of about 40A at a peak lasting about a millisecond, so it should have worked.

THE NOTE. Do not use my switching method if your capacitors are larger. I tried my luck and it worked, but you don't want the switch to explode because you ran 300A through a 1A switch.

Step 9: Winding the Coil

We have almost finished assembling the electromagnetic gun. Time to wind the coil.

I tried three different coils and found that about 20 turns of 16 or 18 awg insulated wire worked best. I used an old bobbin, wound some wire around it, and threaded a plastic straw inside, sealing one end of the straw with hot glue.

Step 10: We assemble the device according to the scheme

Now that you have prepared all the pieces, put them together. If you have any problems, follow the diagram.

Step 11: Fire Safety

Congratulations! We made the Grass cannon with our own hands. Use a charger to charge your capacitors up to near maximum voltage. I charged my rig at 40V to 38V.

Load the projectile into the tube and press the button. The current will go to the coil and it will shoot a nail.

BE CAREFUL! Even considering that this is a low-current project, and that it will not kill you, but still such a current can harm your health. The second photo shows what will happen if you accidentally connect plus and minus.