A piece of information appeared on the Internet about problems with ammunition 30×165 mm for 30 mm automatic guns 2A42. Specifically, it is the more advanced 3UBR8 APDS-T ammunition and possibly the 3UBR11 APFSDS-T ammunition.

Russian BMPs, such as the BMP-2 and BMP-3, are designed to be capable and effective in combat situations. They are equipped with advanced fire control systems, stabilizers, and targeting mechanisms to enhance accuracy and engagement capabilities. Additionally, the ammunition used in these vehicles is designed to meet specific ballistic requirements and provide reliable and accurate performance.

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According to the found patent RU 2 781 472 C1, the 2A42 gun cannot accurately fire 3UBR8 ammunition. During the tests, it turned out that at a distance of 100 m, the scatter of the ammunition was about 1 m or more from the point of aim. This can lead to a lack of accurate fire against armored targets. The most likely cause of the problems is the impact of the plastic shoe on the muzzle brake.

The problem was solved only after drilling the muzzle brake by about 1-2 mm. This does not affect the accuracy of the full-caliber armor-piercing ammunition 3UBR6 APBC-T, leaving it at an acceptable level.

These problems may explain why large-scale use of 3UBR8 ammunition in BMP-2 and BMD-2 vehicles has not been observed. This ammunition can be used without problems in 2A72 guns that do not have muzzle brakes.

About 3UBR6

The following types of armor-piercing ammunition are used for the 2A42 and 2A72 family of guns, the main type being the 3UBR6 APBC-T full caliber round, with a muzzle velocity of about 970 m/s, capable of penetrating about 20 mm of homogeneous, rolled steel armor inclined at an angle of 60° to 700 m.

The subcaliber 3UBR8 APDS-T [spin stabilized] projectile has a muzzle velocity of 1120 m/s and penetrates about 25 mm of homogeneous, rolled steel armor, also inclined at 60°, at a distance of 1500 m known as the 3UBR11. Its parameters are currently unknown but are probably higher than those of older types.

The question that needs to be asked is, have the Russians implemented the mentioned muzzle brake modification on a larger scale? If not, this means that a significant fleet of BMP-2 and BMD-2 vehicles must use older types of ammunition.