(this subject is near and dear to a close friend’s heart (and trigger finger) so I thought I would explain what it actually is for readers who aren’t familiar with it)
From Wikipedia;
Canister shot (or case-shot) was a kind of anti-personnel ammunition used in cannons. It was similar to grapeshot in which the canister round’s effect is similar to that of a giant shotgun shell. Canister shot has been used since the advent of gunpowder-firing artillery in Western armies; however, canister (or case) shot saw particularly frequent use on land and at sea in the various wars of the 18th and 19th century.
….
The canister round is also known as a case (hence the alternative name of case shot sometimes used for canister shot) and is still used today in modern artillery, particularly in the main armament of tanks. The effect is to turn a large-calibre gun on an armoured fighting vehicle into a giant shotgun. This can be used against enemy infantry even when in proximity to friendly armoured vehicles. The most recent use has been in the 120mm main gun on the American M1 Abrams tank.
So basically – the cannister/case round – is a ‘super-sized’ shotgun shell. And it is extremely effective in dealing w/ massed infantry trying to attack tanks (or light structures/barriers).
Cannister/Case shot
More information is available on the current Cannister round the US Military uses – in this GlobalSecurity.org article.
loading...
loading...
