# United States Navy Tests Magnetic Railgun

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-navy-tests-magnetic-railgun/436756>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 8, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-navy-tests-magnetic-railgun/436756 "2008-02-08T02:34:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-navy-tests-magnetic-railgun/436756/1 "2008-02-08T02:34:45Z")

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No, it ain’t mounted on the Galactica.

[http://www.livescience.com/technology/080201-electromagnetic-record.html](http://www.livescience.com/technology/080201-electromagnetic-record.html)

> [@](#):
>
> The railgun, as it is called, will ultimately fire a projectile more than 230 miles (370 kilometers) with a muzzle velocity seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7) and a velocity of Mach 5 at impact.
> 
> The railgun has been a featured weapon in many science fiction universes, such as the new “Battlestar Galactica” series. It has also achieved newfound popularity among the 20-something-and-under generation for its devastating ability to instantaneously shoot a “slug” through walls and through multiple enemies in video games such as the “Quake” series of first person shooters.
> 
> The Navy’s motivation? Simple destruction.
> 
> The railgun’s high-velocity projectile will destroy targets with sheer kinetic energy rather than with conventional explosives.

The link has video of the test.

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**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-navy-tests-magnetic-railgun/436756/2 "2008-02-08T02:45:43Z")

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[Tuckerfan beat you to it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=454670&highlight=navy)

Sounds like maybe a solution without a problem.

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**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-navy-tests-magnetic-railgun/436756/3 "2008-02-08T02:48:39Z")

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\<mod\>

See **levadrakon** ’s link for more railgun fun.

Let’s close this one.

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