Steyr IWS 2000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Steyr IWS 2000 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-materiel rifle |
| Place of origin |  Austria |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Steyr Mannlicher |
| Manufacturer | Steyr Mannlicher |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 18 kg (39.7 lb) |
| Length | 1,800 mm (70.9 in) |
| Barrel length | 1,200 mm (47.2 in) |
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| Cartridge | 15.2 mm (0.6 in) Steyr Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) |
| Action | Long recoil Rotating bolt |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,450 m/s (4,757 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 1000 m (pierces 40 mm of armour) |
| Feed system | 5-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | 10x Telescopic sight |
The Steyr IWS 2000 is an Austrian semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle, produced by Steyr Mannlicher. IWS stands for Infantry Weapon System. It is actually a smoothbore, like many modern tank guns, not a true rifle.
The first design for the IWS2000 was called the Steyr AMR (Anti-Materiel Rifle), but was later changed to the IWS. It fires a 15.2 mm armor piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot round, and is the first man-portable rifle to use this type of ammunition.
Its unusual futuristic design influenced the conception of the Morretti SR4, a fictitious sniper rifle in the 2006 video game Battlefield 2142
[edit] Mechanism
This rifle is based on a nine-and-three-quarter inch long recoil mechanism. This is a mechanism usually used on shotguns due to its recoil dampening effect. Such a system is necessary when firing the heavy 15.2 mm Steyr APFSDS. This design allows for better recoil distribution over a longer period of time. Another interesting function of this weapon is the movement of the barrel itself. When firing the barrel recoils into a shock absorbing hydro-pneumatic sleeve much like those found on a LG 1 Mark II 105 mm Howitzer. The IWS 2000 also uses a remarkable multi-baffle muzzle break to distribute muzzle energy and further reduce recoil, similar to the ones used on D-30 2A18M 122 mm Towed Howitzers. The entire rifle body is made up of a combination of high tension plastics and super light polymers to increase manageability and cut down on weight. The smoothbore barrel is easily detached and packed away for increased mobility.
[edit] The projectile
The projectile is a 15.2 mm APFSDS round which is highly unusual in small arms. This type of round is almost exclusively used in tank or anti-tank rounds. The round was designed specifically for the IWS 2000. It contains either a tungsten carbide or depleted uranium armor piercing penetrator that is capable of penetrating over 40 mm of rolled homogeneous armor at a range of 1000 m, as well as causing considerable damage behind the target with secondary fragmentation. The cartridge is a unique design including a plastic case with a steel head as well as a plastic sabot shell around the penetrator.
