The Shotgun In Modern Combat - Drone Defense
- Thread starter joe6167
- Start date
Its not the gun, it is the ammo and the gunner.
Why would you need to shoot down an anti-drone, drone? It isn't threatening you.
Big bore dinosaur
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- NORT OF COW.TOWN.EH
Bigger ones.. more lead = bad day fir drones..
chiappa 3barrel anyone10GA? 8GA?
Maybe a street sweeper design 8Ga 5oz loads , full of #2.
On Ukraine’s 5.56 mm Anti-Drone Cartridge
Thanks to Brave1, a video of a Ukrainian anti-drone cartridge has begun circulating online. So it seems appropriate to offer some clarification. Yes, such a Ukrainian development exists, a 5.56 NATO caliber round designed specifically for drone hunting.
Informally known as Horoshok (“Pea”), this cartridge is already in use. I’ve fired it myself and successfully taken down more than one FPV drone. In contrast, I haven’t been able to shoot down a maneuvering or high-speed FPV drone (without a warhead) using a conventional 5.56 round. Horoshok makes that possible.
Those familiar with anti-drone systems will likely recognize the concept behind the design. It uses a segmented projectile — that is, several sub-projectiles (pellets) instead of a single solid bullet.
The cartridge is compatible with all standard 5.56 platforms, with one important caveat: it must not be used with suppressors or certain types of flash hiders, as the container components risk getting stuck inside.
One of the round’s key advantages is the initial velocity of its sub-projectiles — over 800 m/s. Compared to smoothbore rounds, which average around 400 m/s, this is a major leap. And because kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity, the impact energy is nearly an order of magnitude greater. As a result, Horoshok is effective against even robust FPV drones at distances up to 50–60 meters.
However, there’s a trade-off. While a typical smoothbore cartridge might release 30–40 grams of shot, Horoshok delivers just 4–5 pellets. Which means that a single round is rarely enough to bring down a drone at range. Two rounds won’t do it either. To be effective, the shooter must create a concentrated “cloud” of shot where the drone is flying. This requires sustained, rapid fire — at least 5–6, ideally 8–10 rounds in quick succession.
And the fire must be aimed, not sprayed at random. The shooter needs to track and lead a fast, maneuvering, small target. That’s no easy task. But when done properly, the reward is a downed drone.
Still, it’s worth remembering that even a falling drone may remain dangerous: its warhead can detonate on impact. So, good cover is essential before engaging. Only if there is no alternative should one open fire. If you do, use frequent, aimed or automatic bursts, continuing to track the target until it crashes.
Horoshok is now in production and has been officially codified by the Ministry of Defense. With any luck, it will soon be standard issue for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, available alongside conventional ammunition. The prospects are encouraging.
That’s all for now on drones and countermeasures. Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel, About Weapons.
https://militarnyi.com/en/blogs/on-ukraine-s-5-56-mm-anti-drone-cartridge/
