Sub-caliber ammunition

A Kinetic energy penetrator, an example of a Sub-caliber round.

A Sub-caliber round is a round which diameter is inferior to the barrel diameter.

Because the round does not shut the chamber close, an expendable part (called a sabot) is required to expand the diameter to the full barrel width of the firing gun.

The most used sub-caliber rounds are flechettes and Kinetic energy penetrator tank shells.