Gun barrel shrouding system

摘要

A gun barrel shrouding system is capable of significantly reducing the infrared signature of a gun barrel, without directly cooling the gun barrel. A shroud is placed around the gun barrel, but the shroud does not contact the gun barrel. Air is circulated through the shroud to cool the shroud itself, but the very hot gun barrel is only partially cooled by the air as the air exits from the shroud. Since the shroud does not contact the gun barrel, the shroud may be manufactured of a lightweight and simple design, and the recoil action of the gun barrel upon firing do not need to be compensated for by the shroud.