Inertial projectile having a breakable pre-penetrator

An improved inertial projectile arrangement for a barrel type weapon comprising a subcaliber penetrator projectile, which penetrator has a pre-penetrator portion with a nose point, a main penetrator portion, a large length diameter ratio and a high density, and having a segmented sabot of predetermined mass which sabot detaches itself from the penetrator in the form of at least two sabot segments, which sabot and penetrator being axially coextensive over a predetermined axial length forming a connection zone, the peripheral surface of the penetrator and inner peripheral surface of the sabot having surface irregularities which coact with each other to form form-locking means between the sabot and penetrator, the penetrator having a plurality of fracture zones for achieving an intended breakup of the penetrator upon impact at said fracture zones, the improvement comprising,

• a predetermined number of said fracture zones forming a part of said form-locking means, said pre-penetrator portion having a transfer frusto-conical portion having a maximum diameter and minimum diameter which adjoins the fracture zone most distant from the nose point of the prepenetrator portion at one end of its axial extent where it has the maximum diameter and the main penetrator portion at its other axial extent where it has the minimum diameter.