Can someone explain how this works? (HEAT Shell)

The Ender · August 2014

This is more or less just for my own curiosity:

This is a HEAT shell I drew based on a number of references... and I don't understand how the warhead is supposed to work?

From what I understand, the casing comes off after it's fired, and the big black warhead then becomes a fin-stabilized projectile. Why does it have that long, blunt stick at the front? Since it's delivering a shaped charge, shouldn't the point of impact be wedge-shaped instead?

Pantshandshake · August 2014

You're missing a key internal component, which would be a cone behind that grey band up in the front. I don't know what they are these days, but I believe a lot of Russian HEAT rounds used copper. The explosive turns that cone (the narrow end would be facing towards the rear of the shell) into a jet of molten metal, which is what does most of your penetration.

There was a mythbusters where you can see this in action. Hang on while I find it...
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/rpg-101.htm
In the show, they had a camera angle from the other side, but in this one, right around 2:30, on the left of the screen, you can sort of see the jet coming out of the back of the trailer.

The Ender · August 2014

Looking at a cross-section, I see what you mean.

Why does the cone-shaped charge liner point towards the explosive payload rather than towards the target?

Pantshandshake · August 2014

As the charge detonates, it hits the pointy end of the cone, which makes the jet of molten metal focused. If the cone faced the other way, I think you'd end up with molten metal coming out in sort of a diffused blob, which wouldn't really work against what these shells were made for.

I'm sure there's a word for this, and knowing these forums Bowen will show up with the math.