.50 Impaler

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The .50 Impaler (12.7×43mmRB) is a rebated-rimmed, straight-walled rifle cartridge. Several weapons that normally chamber 7.62×51mm possess conversion kits to fire the .50 Impaler round. A standard 32-round MA5 casket magazine can hold up to thirteen .50 Impaler rounds, while a 72-round drum magazine can hold up to thirty .50 Impaler rounds.
==History==
The .50 Impaler was initially developed in the 2400s as a big game hunting cartridge for civilians. Before the , .50 Impaler barrels and bolts had existed for the , although were not adopted by the for standard use. Within a decade after the invaded , manufacturers of a few that possessed existing infrastructure to mass-produce .50 Impaler ammunition began producing conversion kits for several standard-issue UNSC 7.62×51mm infantry weapons to chamber the .50 caliber cartridge, such as the , so that their paramilitary forces could use the powerful small arms ammunition against their more-technologically-advanced adversaries.
==Cartridge dimensions==
The .50 Impaler consists of a 12.7 mm bullet in a straight-walled case that has the relatively short length of 43 mm. The bullet of the .50 Impaler cartridge, however, is rather long, bringing the overall length of the cartridge equal to that of the 7.62×51mm's overall length of approximately 71 mm.
==Cartridge types==
===Full metal jacket flat nose===
The .50 Impaler full metal jacket flat nose (FMJFN) cartridge possesses a 49-gram (750-grain) bullet with a tungsten core and a copper full metal jacket. Instead of having a pointed tip, the flat nose bullet, as its name indicates, instead has a flat front, which enables the projectile to maintain a straight path through flesh and bone, as pointed bullets often deviate in flight when traveling through multiple layers of solid material. The .50 Impaler FMJFN cartridge had already been in use by civilians to defend against large dangerous fauna since the 2400s.
===Subsonic===
===Saboted light armor penetrator===
The 12.7×43mmRB saboted light armor penetrator (SLAP) cartridge consists of an 8mm 21-gram (320-grain) depleted uranium penetrator encased in a durable polymer sabot. When fired, the sabot detaches from the penetrator soon after the leaving the barrel. Compared to the standard 7.62×51mm M118 AP, the 12.7×43mmRB SLAP possesses a slightly higher muzzle velocity due to having a somewhat larger case capacity that allows the cartridge to hold more propellant, and the projectile possesses a marginally greater sectional density. Being made of depleted uranium, the 12.7×43mmRB SLAP is able to "self-sharpen," allowing it to more effectively penetrate heavy infantry and light vehicle armor, whereas tungsten has a tendency to fracture on impact. Depleted uranium's pyrophoricity that provides an incendiary effect also allows the 12.7×43mmRB SLAP round to potentially ignite flammable substances such as vehicle fuel and live ammunition, making the 12.7×43mmRB SLAP round particularly effective in the anti-materiel role.
Category:Weapons