Guy makes his own handheld railgun (video)

Posted on Tuesday, October 20 2015 @ 14:38 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck

David Wirth has created his very own handheld railgun. Made partially from 3D-printed components, the massive gun uses parallel electrodes to fire an aluminium or graphite "armature" bullet at a speed of up to 900km/h (560mph).

The device weighs 9kg (20 pounds), it houses six capacitors and delivers 1,800 joules of energy per shot. An Arduino Uno R3 board is used to monitor charging levels, temperature and other factors.

The test shots with graphite and aluminum projectiles were far less lethal than a regular gun, as you can see in the videos below. Nevertheless, the aluminum "bullet" still put a half-inch dent in the steel-backed plywood target, and the graphite projectile "probably just vaporized," according to the Wirth.

Via: Engadget

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Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.

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