Iron .50 caliber armor piercing shellNot uranium after all
Periodic Table Poster   My periodic table poster is now available!Periodic Table PosterPeriodic Table PosterPeriodic Table Poster
3D.50 caliber armor piercing shell. Not uranium after all.
I had high hopes that this rifle shell contained a depleted uranium core. But it doesn't. Analysis by x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy at the Center for Microanalysis of Materials, University of Illinois (partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under grant DEFG02-91-ER45439) revealed the following composition for the core of the shell (the cladding having been cut away on a lathe):
98.84% Iron
0.54% Molybdenum
0.47% Lead
0.16% Copper
No uranium.
Source: eBay seller accurateimage
Contributor: Theodore Gray
Acquired: 31 July, 2002
Text Updated: 29 January, 2009
Price: $10/each
Size: 2.5"
Purity: 98.84%
Iron