BULLETS, INCLUDING LEAD-FREE BULLETS, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20100175576A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nosler Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nosler Incorporated
• Inventors: Nosler, Robert, Weeks, Robert, Lake, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/509
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/78 of jackets for smallarm bullets ; Jacketed bullets or projectiles

Abstract

Bullets, including lead-free bullets with frangible cores, are described herein. In some embodiments, a bullet includes a jacket having an inner surface defining a cavity having an open end and a closed end. The bullet also includes a lead-free core positioned within the cavity and extending from the closed end to a first intermediate portion of the cavity. The core includes a plurality of particles that are compacted within the cavity to form the core. The bullet also includes a seal positioned within the cavity and extending from the first intermediate portion to a second intermediate portion of the cavity. The seal abuts the inner surface of the jacket, thereby substantially sealing off the core within the cavity. The bullet may also include a polymeric tip having a forward portion projecting forward from the open end and a rearward portion extending rearward into the cavity.

Claims

1. A lead-free bullet comprising:

a lead-free jacket having an inner surface defining a cavity, the cavity having an open end and a closed end, wherein the lead-free jacket includes copper;

a lead-free core positioned within the cavity and extending from the closed end to a first intermediate portion of the cavity, wherein the lead-free core includes a compacted plurality of particles, wherein the particles include copper, and wherein the particles, prior to compaction, have a dimension of from about 0.003 inches to about 0.038 inches, and wherein the plurality of particles are compacted within the cavity to form the lead-free core;

a light-cured adhesive positioned within the cavity and extending from the first intermediate portion of the cavity to a second intermediate portion of the cavity, the light-cured adhesive forming a seal abutting the inner surface of the lead-free jacket to substantially seal off the lead-free core within the cavity; and

a tip having a forward portion projecting forward from the open end and a rearward portion extending rearward into the cavity, wherein the tip includes polymeric material.

2. The lead-free bullet of claim 1, wherein the particles further have outer surfaces, and wherein the lead-free core further includes a layer of material positioned on at least portions of the outer surfaces of the particles.

3. The lead-free bullet of claim 2 wherein the particles comprise from about 99.5% to 99.95% of the core by weight, and wherein the layer material comprises from about 0.05% to 0.5% of the core by weight.

4. The lead-free bullet of claim 1 wherein the layer material includes zinc stearate.

5. The lead-free bullet of claim 1 wherein at least some of the particles have a substantially spherical shape prior to compaction.

6. The lead-free bullet of claim 1 wherein at least some of the particles have a substantially irregular shape.

7. A bullet comprising:

a jacket defining a cavity having a closed end and an open end;

a core positioned within the cavity and extending from the closed end to a first intermediate portion of the cavity, the core including a plurality of particles, the particles having a dimension of from about 0.003 inches to about 0.038 inches; and

a seal positioned within the cavity and extending from the first intermediate portion of the cavity to a second intermediate portion of the cavity.

8. The bullet of claim 7, further comprising a tip having a forward portion projecting forward from the open end and a rearward portion extending rearward into the cavity.

9. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the jacket includes copper.

10. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the plurality of particles are compacted within the cavity.

11. The bullet of claim 7 wherein at least some of the particles have been compacted, and wherein the at least some of the particles have a generally spherical shape prior to compaction.

12. The bullet of claim 7 wherein at least some of the particles have an irregular shape.

13. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the at least some of the particles include copper.

14. The bullet of claim 7 wherein at least some of the particles include iron.

15. The bullet of claim 7 wherein at least some of the particles include non-ferrous material.

16. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the particles further have outer surfaces and wherein the core further includes a layer positioned on at least portions of the outer surfaces of the particles.

17. The bullet of claim 16 wherein the layer includes at least one of molybdenum disulfide, graphite and zinc stearate.

18. The bullet of claim 16 wherein the layer includes a metallic coating applied through a plating process.

19. The bullet of claim 16 wherein the layer includes oxidized material.

20. The bullet of claim 16 wherein the plurality of particles form from about 85% to about 99.99% of the core by weight, and wherein the layer forms from about 0.01% to about 15% of the core by weight.

21. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes an adhesive.

22. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes a light-cured adhesive.

23. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes at least one of a heat-cured adhesive, an air-cured adhesive, and a moisture-cured adhesive.

24. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes an epoxy.

25. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes polymeric material.

26. The bullet of claim 25 wherein the polymeric material includes at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyoxymethylene and urethane.

27. The bullet of claim 25 wherein the seal is compacted, and wherein the seal has a substantially spherical shape prior to compaction.

28. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes a gasket.

29. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal includes at least one of foam, neoprene, ethylene propylene diene M-class (EPDM), polyurethane, urethane, silicone, and a rubber compound.

30. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the seal prevents ingress into the core of foreign material entering through the open end of the cavity.

31. The bullet of claim 7 wherein the jacket has a nose section, and a tail section having a generally annular base, wherein the generally annular base defines the open end of the jacket, and wherein the second intermediate portion of the cavity is proximate to the generally annular base.

32. The bullet of claim 31 wherein the tail section is crimped to form the generally annular base.

33. A bullet comprising:

a lead-free jacket having a tail section with a base, an intermediate section extending from the tail section, a nose section having an ogived outer surface extending from the intermediate section to a terminus, an opening at the terminus, and an inner surface defining a cavity extending from the opening to the base;

a lead-free core positioned within the cavity, the lead-free core extending from the base to an intermediate portion of the cavity, and the lead-free core including

a plurality of compacted metal granules having outer surfaces, the metal granules, prior to compaction, having a dimension of from about 0.003 inches to about 0.038 inches; and

a layer on at least portions of the outer surfaces of the metal granules.

34. The bullet of claim 33, further comprising a tip in the opening having a forward portion projecting forward from the opening and a rearward portion extending rearward into the cavity.

35. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the tip has a style that includes one of a spitzer style, a semi spitzer style, and a round nose style.

36. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the jacket includes copper.

37. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the jacket includes copper 210 alloy.

38. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the plurality of metal granules are compacted within the cavity.

39. The bullet of claim 33 wherein at least some of the metal granules have a substantially spherical shape prior to compaction.

40. The bullet of claim 33 wherein at least some of the metal granules have an irregular shape.

41. The bullet of claim 33 wherein at least some of the metal granules include iron.

42. The bullet of claim 33 wherein at least some of the metal granules include carbon steel.

43. The bullet of claim 33 wherein at least some of the metal granules include non-ferrous material.

44. The bullet of claim 33 wherein at least some of the metal granules include copper.

45. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the layer includes at least one of molybdenum disulfide, graphite and zinc stearate.

46. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the layer includes a metallic coating.

47. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the layer includes oxidized material.

48. The bullet of claim 33 wherein the intermediate portion of the cavity is a first intermediate portion of the cavity, and wherein the bullet further comprises a seal positioned within the cavity, the seal extending from the first intermediate portion of the cavity to a second intermediate portion of the cavity, the seal abutting the inner surface of the lead-free jacket to substantially seal off the lead-free core within the cavity.

49. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal includes a light-cured adhesive.

50. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal includes at least one of a heat-cured adhesive, an air-cured adhesive, and a moisture-cured adhesive.

51. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal includes polymeric material.

52. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal includes polymeric material, wherein the seal is compacted, and wherein the seal has a substantially spherical shape prior to compaction.

53. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal includes a gasket.

54. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal includes at least one of foam, neoprene, ethylene propylene diene M-class (EPDM), polyurethane, urethane, silicone, and a rubber compound.

55. The bullet of claim 48 wherein the seal prevents ingress into the lead-free core of foreign matter that enters the cavity through the opening at the terminus.

56. A method of manufacturing a bullet, the method comprising:

disposing a lead-free core within a cavity of a lead-free jacket, the lead-free core including a plurality of particles, the particles having a dimension of at least approximately 0.003 inches to approximately 0.038 inches; and

positioning a seal proximate to the lead-free core, the seal preventing ingress into the lead-free core of foreign matter.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising contouring a nose portion of the lead-free jacket to have an ogived outer surface, wherein the nose portion has a generally annular terminus defining an opening to the cavity, and wherein the seal prevents ingress into the lead-free core of foreign matter entering via the opening.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein the lead-free jacket includes a tail section, and wherein the method further comprises forming at the tail section a generally annular base defining an opening

59. The method of claim 56, further comprising forming the lead-free jacket.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein forming the lead-free jacket includes forming a lead-free jacket that includes copper.

61. The method of claim 56, further comprising forming the lead-free core.

62. The method of claim 56 wherein the particles further have outer surfaces, and wherein the outer surfaces of the particles are at least partially covered by layer material.

63. The method of claim 56, further comprising compressing the lead-free core within the cavity.

64. The method of claim 56 wherein positioning the seal includes positioning the seal proximate to the lead-free core after disposing the lead-free core within the cavity.

65. The method of claim 56 wherein positioning the seal proximate to the lead-free core includes positioning an adhesive proximate to the lead-free core, wherein the adhesive includes at least one of a light-cured adhesive, a heat-cured adhesive, an air-cured adhesive, and a moisture-cured adhesive.

66. The method of claim 56, further comprising curing the seal.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein curing the seal includes exposing the seal to light.

68. The method of claim 56 wherein positioning the seal proximate to the lead-free core includes positioning polymeric material proximate to the lead-free core.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the polymeric material includes a polymer ball.

70. The method of claim 68, further comprising compressing the polymeric material within the cavity.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein compressing the polymeric material within the cavity includes compressing the polymeric material within the cavity at an ambient temperature.

72. The method of claim 56, further comprising attaching a tip to the nose portion.

73. The method of claim 56 wherein the plurality of particles is a first plurality of particles, and further comprising screening a second plurality of particles to produce the first plurality of particles.

74. The method of claim 56 wherein the particles have outer surfaces, and wherein the method further comprises positioning a layer of material on at least portions of the outer surfaces of at least some of the particles.

75. A bullet comprising:

a body having an opening and a surface at least partially defining a cavity, the cavity extending from the opening to a closed end at an intermediate portion of the body; and

sealing material positioned on at least a portion of the surface, wherein

the sealing material has a solid state,

the sealing material previously had a non-solid state, and

the sealing material prevents foreign matter that enters the cavity through the opening from contacting the at least portion of the surface.

76. The bullet of claim 75 wherein the body includes a jacket and a core, and wherein at least one of the jacket and the core have the surface that at least partially defines the cavity.

77. The bullet of claim 76 wherein the core includes multiple metal particles.

78. The bullet of claim 77 wherein the multiple metal particles have a dimension of from about 0.003 inches to about 0.038 inches.

79. The bullet of claim 76 wherein the core includes metal powder.

80. The bullet of claim 76 wherein the core is a unitary piece of material.

81. The bullet of claim 75 wherein the body is a unitary piece of material.

82. The bullet of claim 75 wherein the sealing material includes an adhesive.

83. The bullet of claim 82 wherein the adhesive includes a light-cured adhesive.

84. The bullet of claim 75 wherein the sealing material includes a sealant.

85. The bullet of claim 75 wherein the sealing material includes at least one of an adhesive and a sealant, wherein the body includes a tail section having a generally annular base, and wherein the generally annular base defines the opening.

86. A bullet comprising:

a body having an opening and a surface at least partially defining a cavity, the cavity extending from the opening to a closed end at an intermediate portion of the body; and

means for sealing at least a portion of the surface, wherein

the means for sealing has a solid state,

the means for sealing previously had a non-solid state,

the means for sealing is positioned on the at least portion of the surface, and

the means for sealing does not close the opening.

87. The bullet of claim 86 wherein the body includes a jacket and a core, and wherein at least one of the jacket and the core have the surface that at least partially defines the cavity.

88. The bullet of claim 87 wherein the core includes multiple metal particles.

89. The bullet of claim 87 wherein the core includes metal powder.

90. The bullet of claim 87 wherein the core is a unitary piece of material.

91. The bullet of claim 87 wherein the means for sealing includes an adhesive.

92. A method, comprising:

applying sealing material having a non-solid state to a bullet, wherein the bullet has an opening and a surface at least partially defining a cavity, the cavity extending from the opening to a closed end at an intermediate portion of the body, and wherein applying sealing material to the bullet includes applying sealing material to at least a portion of the surface via the opening; and

changing the non-solid state of the sealing material to a solid state, wherein the sealing material in the solid state does not close the opening.

93. The method of claim 92 wherein applying sealing material to the at least portion of the surface includes applying an adhesive to the at least portion of the surface, and wherein changing the non-solid state of the sealing material to a solid state includes curing the adhesive.

94. The method of claim 92 wherein applying sealing material to the at least portion of the surface includes applying a light-cured adhesive to the at least portion of the surface, and wherein changing the non-solid state of the sealing material to a solid state includes curing the light-cured adhesive by exposure to light.