Polymer jacketed powder core projectile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12379194-B2
Application number	US-202418628634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2024
Priority date	Aug 6, 2021
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A method is disclosed for coating a projectile for use in an ammunition cartridge. A polymer jacket is applied to an undersized projectile core of a first standard caliber to bring the outer dimensions of the jacketed projectile into compliance with those of a second, larger caliber projectile. The polymer jacket coating may produce a non-uniform outer diameter of the polymer jacketed projectile and may include a plurality of circular cavities defined therein. The polymer-jacketed projectile may be a bullet for pistol or rifle ammunition, or a pellet, or shot for use in a shotgun shell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polymer jacketed projectile, comprising:
an undersized core having a first diameter and a first length, wherein the first diameter is equal to a standard diameter for a first caliber projectile and wherein the first length is equal to a standard length for the first caliber projectile;
a jacket covering an outer surface of the undersized core and made from polymer, wherein the jacket forms a second outer diameter and a second outer length, wherein the second outer diameter is equal to a standard diameter for a second caliber projectile and wherein the second outer length is equal to a standard length for the second caliber projectile; and
wherein the polymer jacketed projectile has a weight unequal to a standard weight of the second caliber projectile.

2. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the undersized core is formed from one or more metal powders.

3. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 2 , wherein the metal powder is a high density tungsten metal powder.

4. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 2 , wherein the metal powder further comprises one or more fillers.

5. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 4 , wherein the filler is an aluminum filler material.

6. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the first caliber projectile is a 7 mm caliber projectile and wherein the second caliber projectile is a .308 caliber projectile.

7. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the undersized core has a first end defining an ogive region and a second opposite end with a boat tail.

8. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 7 , wherein the jacket has an ogive region corresponding to the ogive region of the undersized core and a boat tail corresponding to the boat tail of the undersized core.

9. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the jacket forms a hollow point at a tip-end of the projectile.

10. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the jacket forms a rounded nose at a tip-end of the projectile.

11. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the projectile comprises a pellet.

12. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the projectile comprises a ball.

13. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the jacket comprises an upper jacket and a lower jacket joined together at a jacket joint.

14. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 13 , wherein the jacket joint extends fully around a circumference of the polymer-jacketed projectile.

15. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the weight of the polymer-jacket projectile is less than the standard weight of the second caliber projectile.

16. The polymer-jacketed projectile of claim 1 , wherein the undersized core has a density greater than a density of lead.

17. A method for manufacturing a polymer-jacketed projectile, comprising:
preforming an undersized core from one or more metal powders by metal injection molding, wherein the undersized core has a first diameter and a first length which are equal to a standard diameter and standard length for a first caliber projectile; and
molding a jacket, composed of one or more polymers, over the undersized core to form a polymer jacket, wherein the polymer jacket has a second diameter and a second length which are equal to a standard diameter and a standard length for a second caliber projectile, wherein the polymer-jacketed projectile has a weight unequal to a standard weight of the second caliber projectile.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the preforming step further comprises placing the undersized core in a first die to form a boat tail.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the preforming step further comprises placing the undersized core in a second die to form an ogive region.

Assignees

• True Velocity Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Beal Harold F

Classifications

• F42B12/82

  reducing friction · CPC title

• F42B5/025

  characterised by the dimension of the case or the missile · CPC title

• B22F3/225 Primary

  by injection molding · CPC title

• B29K2705/08

  Transition metals · CPC title

• B29C70/72

  Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components {(B29C70/742 takes precedence)} · CPC title