Ammunition articles and methods for making the same
AssigneeCarolina PCA, LLC
InventorsWayne S. Foren, Joshua Kratky, Gary Smith, David Jackson, Norton Gallego
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making an ammunition article and associated ammunition article is provided. The ammunition article is interchangeable with standard ammunition articles and to operate in standard chambers of standard weapons systems and of the type having a casing including a sidewall that defines a casing volume within. The method includes determining a desired propellant charge volume for a given ammunition article, determining a thickness of the casing sidewall such that the casing volume substantially corresponds to the desired propellant charge volume, and forming the casing having the determined thickness.
Claims19
A method of making an ammunition article, comprising:
- providing a projectile having at least one portion that defines a texturing, wherein the texturing extends from a rear facing portion of the projectile to a medial portion of the projectile;
- determining a desired propellant charge for the projectile in order to achieve one or more characteristics, the one or more characteristics including a subsonic ammunition fire for the projectile;
- selecting a core pull having at least one dimension corresponding to a dimension of a desired propellant charge volume corresponding to the subsonic ammunition fire for the projectile;
- injection molding a polymer material in a mold around the core pull and a portion of the projectile to form a casing, the injection molding covering the texturing, wherein the portion of the projectile forward of the casing neck is free of texturing, the texturing being provided for projectile pull tension and for preventing a dielock condition when the texturing is injection molded around;
- and
- removing the core pull to define a propellant charge cavity within the casing, the propellant charge cavity having a volume corresponding to the desired propellant charge volume.
A method of making a subsonic ammunition article comprising:
- providing a projectile defining a texturing around a circumferentially extending portion thereof, wherein the texturing extends from a rear facing portion of the projectile to a medial portion of the projectile;
- determining an internal diameter and shape of a casing to hold a propellant charge that will produce a subsonic discharge for the projectile in a casing of a predetermined length;
- providing a core pull having an outer diameter and shape equal to the determined internal diameter and shape of the casing cavity;
- injection molding a polymer based material around the core pull in a mold to form the casing having the determined inner diameter and shape, the injection molding covering the texturing, wherein the portion of the projectile forward of the casing neck is free of texturing, the texturing being provided for projectile pull tension and for preventing a dielock condition when the texturing is injection molded around;
- and
- removing the core pull to reveal the propellant cavity within the casing.
A subsonic ammunition article having an integrally formed casing wherein an interior facing surface of the casing forms a casing volume made by the process of:
- providing a projectile defining a texturing around a circumferentially extending portion thereof, wherein the texturing extends from a rear facing portion of the projectile to a medial portion of the projectile;
- determining an internal diameter and shape of a casing cavity to hold a propellant charge that will produce a subsonic discharge for the projectile in a casing of a predetermined length;
- providing a core pull having a diameter and shape equal to the determined internal diameter and shape of the casing cavity;
- injection molding a polymer based material around the core pull in a mold to form the casing having the determined inner diameter and shape wherein the entire casing is made from the same injection molding step, the injection molding covering the texturing, wherein the portion of the projectile forward of the casing neck is free of texturing, the texturing being provided for projectile pull tension and for preventing a dielock condition when the texturing is injection molded around;
- and
- removing the core pull to reveal a propellant charge cavity within the casing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.