Fire a gun on the moon?

[Scutter01]

 

[shibumiseeker]

Your right, If our train starts to reach the speed of light your ball may become heavier and the distance would contract.

Relativistic effects happen no matter the speed differential as long as it's above zero. Whether you can measure it is a whole different matter, but just because you can't measure it doesn't mean it doesn't exist

 

[Scutter01]

Science education in this country is abysmal. Luckily, American Idol's numbers are still doing pretty good.

 

[JettaKnight]

The scene at 2:50 shows it's possible.
Gotta love Nazis on the moon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX2cS8wvQHI

 

[Scutter01]

The scene at 2:50 shows it's possible.
Gotta love Nazis on the moon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX2cS8wvQHI

That movie was fantastic. It completely lived up to the trailers for it.

 

[match14]

Although gunpowder/cordite contains its own oxidizer I still don't think a flintlock would work due to the fact that the flint striking mechanism has no oxigen so I don't think it would provide a spark for the gun power in the flash pan. Anything percusion lock and later ought to work I think.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Although gunpowder/cordite contains its own oxidizer I still don't think a flintlock would work due to the fact that the flint striking mechanism has no oxigen so I don't think it would provide a spark for the gun power in the flash pan. Anything percusion lock and later ought to work I think.

This is true, a flintlock would not work.

 

[eldirector]

Although gunpowder/cordite contains its own oxidizer I still don't think a flintlock would work due to the fact that the flint striking mechanism has no oxigen so I don't think it would provide a spark for the gun power in the flash pan. Anything percusion lock and later ought to work I think.

The flint striking steel does not need oxygen to create a spark. The spark is simply hot metal flakes shaved off. That heat ignites the powder.

As mentioned up-thread, the issue to overcome is the extreme cold, especially for the flintlock. Would the spark be cooled before it could ignite the powder? In a modern cartridge, would the primer still detonate when struck, or would it be too cold?

 

[shibumiseeker]

Science education in this country is abysmal. Luckily, American Idol's numbers are still doing pretty good.

It's threads like these that amaze me at how many people, many of whom can cite popular culture trivia like a trained sociologist, don't have the very basic framework upon which to understand the world around them.

I mean, I'm glad some of them are asking questions as that's how you learn things, but when you get the ones that build an entire explanation based on a lack of that framework and then get their feathers ruffled with the explanation won't stand, it boggles the imagination.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The flint striking steel does not need oxygen to create a spark. The spark is simply hot metal flakes shaved off. That heat ignites the powder.

Oh no, the spark you see is the metal oxidizing. While the metal particles are hot due to the strike, they aren't hot enough or contain enough mass to hit the ignition temperature of the powder. The heat from the strike and the sudden exposure of unoxidized surface and increased surface area is what causes the metal to ignite (in the presence of air).

 

[eldirector]

Oh no, the spark you see is the metal oxidizing. While the metal particles are hot due to the strike, they aren't hot enough or contain enough mass to hit the ignition temperature of the powder. The heat from the strike and the sudden exposure of unoxidized surface and increased surface area is what causes the metal to ignite (in the presence of air).

Oops... I learned something today. Just Googled that after I posted. After reading this article (Flint and Steel: What Causes the Sparks? | Survival Topics) I had a giant . Duh, I knew that.

 

[rockhopper46038]

There is a classic Sci Fi short story about an exchange of gunfire between a US lunar base and a Russian lunar base. I won't ruin it here, but it's a humorous story about unintended consequences.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Oops... I learned something today. Just Googled that after I posted. After reading this article (Flint and Steel: What Causes the Sparks? | Survival Topics) I had a giant . Duh, I knew that.

I like pyrophoric materials

Dilbert comic strip for 06/10/1996 from the official Dilbert comic strips archive.

 

[calcot7]

The biggest problem with firing a gun on the moon, I'm afraid, is getting there. So unless you are an asstronaught I guess you are just going to have to be happy with firing a gun, at the moon.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The biggest problem with firing a gun on the moon, I'm afraid, is getting there. So unless you are an asstronaught I guess you are just going to have to be happy with firing a gun, at the moon.

It only costs a couple billion bucks give or take.

 

[snowrs]

Relativistic effects happen no matter the speed differential as long as it's above zero. Whether you can measure it is a whole different matter, but just because you can't measure it doesn't mean it doesn't exist

Fundamental difference between an Engineer and those pesky scientists. In my world pi ends.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Fundamental difference between an Engineer and those pesky scientists. In my world pi ends.

In my world pi are round.

Mathematicians are the worst though.

 

[snowrs]

In my world pi are round.

Mathematicians are the worst though.

Agreed, them and brand new college grads. Still so fresh and shiny!

 

[threefiftyfour]

There is a classic Sci Fi short story about an exchange of gunfire between a US lunar base and a Russian lunar base. I won't ruin it here, but it's a humorous story about unintended consequences.

this post is useless without a link to the story

 

[Mark 1911]

Yes, I would like to fire a gun on the moon. Since Air France is no longer flying the SSTs, this would be a great alternative. Where do I sign up? This was a great idea, thanks for inviting all the folks here on INGO. How many people are going so far?

Please update post with pertinent date and location of departure and return, times, ticket price, etc...

P.S. Do you know if there is a 1000 yard range there? I would like to bring the 300 ultra.