Lead-free rimfire projectile

• US 10,222,183 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timothy G. Smith
• Original Assignee: Timothy G. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Timothy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/057,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20160258724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 102514, 102516, 102519
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/102 Metallic powder coated with organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2003/023 Lubricant mixed with the metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2301/10 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2302/45 Others, including non-metals
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/02 Compacting only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/03 Press-moulding apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/10 Sintering only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1035 Liquid phase sintering
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/16 in successive or repeated steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/106 Tube or ring forms
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/0425 Copper-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 9/02 with tin as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/42 Streamlined projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/02 Driving bands; Rotating bands F42B14/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/00 Manufacture of ammunition; Dismantling of ammunition; Apparatus therefor F42B5/188 takes precedence; manufacturing processes for hollow charges F42B1/036; manufacture of blasting cartridge initiators F42B3/195
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/32 for rim fire

Abstract

A projectile includes a nose portion with a tapered proximal portion and a rounded distal portion, an end of the tapered proximal portion having a first diameter. The projectile has a body portion substantially cylindrical in shape having a second diameter. A first end of the body portion is adjacent to the tapered proximal portion of the nose portion. The projectile has a heel portion substantially cylindrical in shape having a third diameter. A first end of the heel portion is adjacent to a second end of the body portion. The second diameter is greater than the third diameter. The projectile also has a depression defined in a second end of the heel portion. A rimfire ammunition and a method of manufacturing a projectile are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A projectile comprising:

a nose portion comprising a tapered proximal portion and a rounded distal portion, an end of the tapered proximal portion having a first diameter;

a body portion substantially cylindrical in shape having a second diameter,

wherein a first end of the body portion is adjacent to the tapered proximal portion of the nose portion;

a heel portion substantially cylindrical in shape having a third diameter, wherein a first end of the heel portion is adjacent to a second end of the body portion, wherein the second diameter is greater than the third diameter; and

a depression defined in a second end of the heel portion,

wherein the projectile comprises particles of a first metal and particles of a second metal and the particles of the first metal are bonded to the particles of the second metal by intermetallic compounds comprising the first metal and the second metal.

2. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile is lead-free.

3. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the first metal is copper.

4. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the second metal is zinc or tin.

5. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises 89-90 weight % copper and 9.5-10 weight % tin, based on the total weight of the projectile.

6. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile has a density of 7-8 g/cm³.

7. The projectile of claim 1, wherein a maximum depth of the depression is 40-135% of a length of the nose portion.

8. The projectile of claim 1, wherein a maximum diameter of the depression is at least 33% of the third diameter.

9. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the first diameter is 1-30% smaller than the second diameter.

10. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the third diameter is 1-20% smaller than the second diameter.

11. The projectile of claim 1, wherein a length of the heel portion is 10-30% of a length of the body portion.

12. The projectile of claim 1, wherein a length of the nose portion is 90-220% of a length of the body portion.

13. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the particles of the first metal and the particles of the second metal have a particle size of 10-300 μ

m.

14. A projectile comprising:

a nose portion comprising a tapered proximal portion and a rounded distal portion, an end of the tapered proximal portion having a first diameter;

a body portion substantially cylindrical in shape having a second diameter, wherein a first end of the body portion is adjacent to the tapered proximal portion of the nose portion;

a heel portion substantially cylindrical in shape having a third diameter, wherein a first end of the heel portion is adjacent to a second end of the body portion, wherein the second diameter is greater than the third diameter; and

a depression defined in a second end of the heel portion,

wherein the projectile comprises metallic particles that are connected by bonds formed by compression, where the bonds are formed by atoms that have moved into the vacancies between particle boundaries.

15. The projectile of claim 14, wherein the projectile is lead-free.

16. The projectile of claim 14, wherein the metallic particles comprise copper or a copper-based alloy.

17. The projectile of claim 16, wherein the copper-based alloy comprises-zinc or tin.

18. The projectile of claim 14, wherein the projectile comprises 89-90 weight % copper and 9.5-10 weight % tin, based on the total weight of the projectile.

19. The projectile of claim 14, wherein the projectile has a density of 7-8 g/cm³.

20. The projectile of claim 14, wherein the metallic particles have a particle size of 10-300 μ

m.