| 12.7 × 108 mm | |
| Origin: | Soviet Union |
| Type: | Heavy machine gun Anti-materiel rifle |
| 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 Israel-Hamas War |
| Is Si Specs: | yes |
| Case Type: | Rimless, bottleneck |
| Bullet: | 12.98 |
| Neck: | 13.95 |
| Shoulder: | 18.90 |
| Base: | 21.75 |
| Rim Dia: | 21.70 |
| Rim Thick: | 1.90 |
| Case Length: | 108 |
| Length: | 147.50 |
| Case Capacity: | 22.72 |
| Primer: | Berdan |
| Max Pressure: | 360 |
| Is Si Ballistics: | yes |
| Bwunit: | gram |
| Bw1: | 48.3 |
| Btype1: | API B32 57-BZ-542 |
| Vel1: | 820-860 |
| En1: | 16240-17861 |
| Bw2: | 55.4 |
| Btype2: | API-HC BS |
| Vel2: | 820 |
| En2: | 18625 |
| Bw3: | 56.6 |
| Btype3: | API-HC BS 7-BZ-1 |
| Vel3: | 820-825 |
| En3: | 19029-19621 |
| Bw4: | 59.2 |
| Btype4: | Sniper SN 7N34 |
| Vel4: | 770-785 |
| En4: | 17549-18240 |
| Bw5: | 44.1 |
| Btype5: | Tulammo 680 gr hunting cartridge |
| Vel5: | 916-923 |
| En5: | 18501-18785 |
| Test Barrel Length: | 1000 mm |
The 12.7 × 108 mm 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).
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 × 108 mm is slightly longer, and its larger case capacity allows it to hold slightly more of a different type of powder. The 12.7 × 108 mm 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.[1] It will also ignite gasoline and—since 2019—diesel fuel (experimental "Avers" AP/I round).[2] [3]
The 12.7 × 108 mm has 22.72 ml (350 grains) H2O cartridge case capacity.
12.7 × 108 mm maximum cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).
Americans define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 18.16 degrees.
According to guidelines the 12.7 × 108 mm case can handle up to 360 MPa (52,213 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum CIP pressure to certify for sale to consumers.
Note that some WW2 bullets share designations with ones for 14.5×114mm.