In recent years, great strides have been made regarding the identifica
tion of the dominant loads that cause beam type vibrations of cannons
during ballistic operation. These motions infringe upon shot accuracy
because at projectile disengagement, the muzzle's kinematic state may
compromise the projectile's intended flight path. This is particularly
relevant to coil gun loading, which, unlike gas launch, applies the r
ecoil load to the muzzle end of the barrel instead of the breech. This
effectively places the barrel in a state of columnar compression duri
ng the launch cycle that may exacerbate structural vibrations known as
gun ''whip.''