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ScimtrSCIMTR was an experimental military shotgun ammunition created in the 1970s. It was a variation on flechette ammunition but instead of containing a bundle of tiny needle-like steel darts, the cartridge contained a stack of razor-edged stamped sheet-metal arrow shapes designed to fly aerodynamically. It was considered to be very promising (in terms of lethality and effective range) but prohibitively expensive to manufacture, so it has never been mass-produced. SCIMTR was part of the Close Assault Weapon System (CAWS) program, which investigated ~20mm smoothbore weapons (basically combat shotguns) designed to be effective to ranges of 150 meters against combatants wearing body armor. Flechettes, with their high sectional density, were ideal for penetrating rigid or soft composite armor, but the wounds caused by the tiny darts were considered insufficient to disable an enemy combatant, as the tiny hole would quickly clot and cause no bleeding. The SCIMTR darts had the same sectional density as flechettes, but the wide, flat shape of the SCMITR produced a larger, more disabling wound. Since the SCIMTR darts were stamped from sheet metal, they had only 2 fins, which is not enough to provide stability. To overcome this, the fins are twisted slightly, and thus cause the dart to spin when flying. It is this spin, rather than the fins themselves, which stabilize the dart.
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