12.7×108mm
The 12.7×108mm cartridge is a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and anti-materiel rifle cartridge used by the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries, including Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and many others. It was invented in 1934 to create a cartridge like the German 13.2mm TuF anti-tank rifle round and the American .50 Browning Machine Gun round (12.7×99mm NATO).
| 12.7×108mm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A 12.7×108mm cartridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Heavy machine gun Anti-materiel rifle | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In service | 1935–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Used by | Soviet Union and successor states | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wars | Winter War World War II Korean War Portuguese Colonial War Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Six-Day War War of Attrition The Troubles Yom Kippur War Soviet–Afghan War Iran–Iraq War Gulf War Chechen War Iraq War War in Afghanistan Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Russo-Ukrainian War | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case type | Rimless, bottleneck | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | 12.98 mm (0.511 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | 13.95 mm (0.549 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shoulder diameter | 18.90 mm (0.744 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Base diameter | 21.75 mm (0.856 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | 21.70 mm (0.854 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rim thickness | 1.90 mm (0.075 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case length | 108 mm (4.3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall length | 147.50 mm (5.807 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case capacity | 22.72 cm3 (350.6 gr H2O) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primer type | Berdan | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum pressure | 360 MPa (52,000 psi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Test barrel length: 1000 mm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
It is used in the same roles as the NATO .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) cartridge. The two differ in bullet shape and weight, and the casing of the 12.7×108mm is slightly longer, and its larger case capacity allows it to hold slightly more of a different type of powder. The 12.7×108mm can be used to engage a wide variety of targets on the battlefield, and will destroy unarmored vehicles, penetrate lightly armored vehicles and damage external ancillary equipment (i.e.: searchlights, radar, transmitters, vision blocks, engine compartment covers) on heavily armored vehicles such as tanks. It will also ignite gasoline and—since 2019—diesel fuel (experimental "Avers" AP/I round).