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US 11,378,368 B2Granted
Reduced drag projectiles
AssigneeVista Outdoor Operations LLC
InventorsBryan P. Peterson, Richard Hurt, David M. Laska, Drew L. Goodlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cartridge comprising an elongate rifle bullet with a plurality of circumferential grooves having overmolded polymer therein defining embedded polymer rings. The cartridge further having a case and propellant. The polymer rings have an outer surface that is flush with, that is, conforming to the outer surface of the body. The polymer may have be selected to have a favorable coefficient of friction with respect to the barrel. The bands offering reduction of the metal to metal contact between the bullet and the barrel while not diminishing the ballistic coefficient of the bullet.
Claims24
A low caliber ammunition cartridge, comprising:
- a case comprising a base portion and a case wall extending forward from the base portion to a forward edge of the case wall defining a case cavity and a forward case mouth;
- propellant disposed inside the case cavity for producing a quantity of propellant gas;
- the base portion of the case further comprising a primer housing and a priming material disposed inside the primer housing for igniting the propellant;
- a projectile secured in the mouth of the case, the projectile comprising:
- a unitary projectile body integrally formed from a unitary piece of metal, the body comprising:
- an exterior surface,
- a tail portion,
- a forward nose portion comprising a forward facing edge,
- a unitary barrel engaging portion extending between and unitary with the nose portion and the tail portion,
- the body comprising an interior surface defining a central cavity extending rearwardly from the forward facing edge,
- the unitary barrel engaging portion comprising at least one first circumferential groove, each of the at least one first circumferential grooves having an overmolded band therein comprising an outer surface, said outer surface is flush with the exterior surface of the projectile body, the overmolded band further comprising a polymer.
8 more elements
A low caliber ammunition cartridge, comprising:
- a case comprising a base portion and a case wall extending forward from the base portion to a forward edge of the case wall defining a case cavity and a forward case mouth;
- propellant disposed inside the case cavity for producing a quantity of propellant gas;
- a primer housing disposed in a hole defined by the base portion of the case, and a priming material disposed inside the primer housing for igniting the propellant;
- a projectile secured in the mouth of the case, the projectile comprising:
- a unitary projectile body comprising
- an exterior surface,
- a tail portion,
- a forward nose portion comprising a nose tip, and
- a unitary barrel engaging portion extending between and unitary with the nose portion and the tail portion,
- the unitary barrel engaging portion comprising at least one first circumferential groove, each of the at least one first circumferential grooves comprising an overmolded band therein with an outer surface, said outer surface is flush with the exterior surface of the projectile body
- the projectile body comprising a central cavity comprising a core member comprising a forward facing surface, and the central cavity further comprising an interior surface, the forward facing surface and the interior surface defining a forward portion of the central cavity,
- the projectile further comprising a tip member extending through the opening, the tip member comprising a distal portion extending forward of the opening and a proximal portion extending rearward of the opening, the proximal portion of the tip member comprising a tip retention radius extending between a central longitudinal axis and a tip retention surface of the proximal portion of the tip member, the tip retention radius increasing as the proximal portion of the tip member extends rearward from the opening to the forward facing surface of the core member.
9 more elements
A low caliber ammunition cartridge, comprising:
- a case comprising a base portion and a case wall extending forward from the base portion to a forward edge of the case wall defining a case cavity and a forward case mouth;
- propellant disposed inside the case cavity for producing a quantity of propellant gas;
- the base portion of the case further comprising a primer housing and a priming material disposed inside the primer housing for igniting the propellant;
- a projectile secured in the mouth of the case, the projectile comprising:
- a unitary projectile body integrally formed from a unitary piece of metal, the unitary projectile body comprising an exterior surface,
- a tail portion,
- a forward nose portion comprising a forward facing edge, and
- a unitary barrel engaging portion extending between and integrally formed from a unitary piece of metal with the nose portion and the tail portion,
- the body comprising an interior surface defining a central cavity extending rearwardly from the forward facing edge,
- the unitary barrel engaging portion comprising at least one first circumferential groove, each of the at least one first circumferential grooves having an overmolded band therein comprising an outer surface, said outer surface has substantially the same radius as the exterior surface of the projectile body, the overmolded band further comprising a polymer.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.