RIFLE CARTRIDGE WITH IMPROVED BULLET UPSET AND SEPARATION

• US 20180209768A1
• Filed: 01/21/2018
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Cartridge Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Bryan P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,551,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/22 Projectiles of cannelured type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/46 Streamlined nose cones; Windshields; Radomes F42B12/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/367 Projectiles fragmenting upon impact without the use of explosives, the fragments creating a wounding or lethal effect practice or training projectiles disintegrating upon impact F42B8/14; projectiles of high-explosive type with fragmentation-hull construction F42B12/22
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/78 of jackets for smallarm bullets ; Jacketed bullets or projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/025 characterised by the dimension of the case or the missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/067 Mounting or locking missiles in cartridge cases F42B5/18 takes precedence

Abstract

A rifle cartridge with a bullet has desirable penetration capabilities and controlled separation of components upon terminal impact. In embodiments of the invention, the bullet comprises a forward component, a lead core, and a copper jacket. The lead jacket having a leading edge portion that extends to the cylindrical mid portion. The forward component may have a forward pointed ogive portion, a cylindrical mid portion, a mid ogive portion, and a pair of cylindrical portions separated by an annular groove. The jacket having a cannelure at the annular groove and the casing upper lip crimped into the cannelure.

Claims

1. A rifle cartridge comprising a cartridge casing with a mouth and an interior, propellant in the interior of the cartridge casing, and a bullet secured in the mouth of the cartridge casing, the bullet having a length to maximum diameter aspect ratio of 3.5:

1.0 or greater, the bullet comprising;

a forward component made of a first material, the forward component having a forward ogival portion with a forward ogival surface, the forward ogival portion terminating at a forward tip, a mid ogival portion rearward of the forward ogival portion, the mid ogival portion having a mid ogival surface, the mid ogival surface distinct from and having a different ogival curvature from that of the forward ogival surface, a mid cylindrical portion adjoining the mid ogival portion, the mid cylindrical portion having a mid cylindrical surface, and a rearward cylindrical portion distinct from and rearward of the mid cylindrical portion, the rearward cylindrical portion having a rearward cylindrical surface separated from the mid cylindrical portion by an annular recess, the forward ogival portion, the mid ogival portion, the mid cylindrical portion, and rearward cylindrical portion all unitary with one another;

a jacket formed of a second metal comprising copper and defining a cup, the forward component seated in the cup, the jacket having a cannelure therein extending around the jacket and positioned adjacent the annular recess;

a lead core positioned rearwardly of the jacket;

the casing having a forward lip positioned at the cannelure in the jacket.

2. The rifle cartridge of claim 1 wherein the forward component has a juncture portion position between the forward ogival portion and the mid ogival portion, the juncture portion having a juncture portion surface joining the forward ogival surface to the mid ogival surface.

3. The rifle cartridge of claim 2 wherein the juncture portion surface is cylindrical.

4. The rifle cartridge of claim 3 wherein the lead core has at least two axially aligned portions with a separation plane therebetween.

5. The rifle cartridge of claim 1, where in the jacket has a thickness that reduces forwardly and wherein the rearward cylindrical portion has less of a diameter than the mid cylindrical portion accommodating a thicker jacket at the rearward cylindrical portion.

6. The rifle cartridge of claim 1, wherein the annular recess between the rearward cylindrical portion and the mid cylindrical portion has a radius that extends the entire longitudinal length of the annular recess and extend entirely circumferentially around the forward component.

7. The rifle cartridge of claim 6 wherein the recess is at least 0.025 inches deep with respect to the mid cylindrical portion surface.

8. The rifle cartridge of claim 1, wherein the jacket has a leading edge portion that is positioned proximate the juncture between the forward cylindrical portion surface and the mid ogival portion surface of the forward component.

9. The rifle cartridge of claim 3 wherein the leading edge portion and the cylindrical mid portion define a forward facing annular recess that facilitates opening of the jacket upon impact with a target.

10. The rifle cartridge of claim 1 wherein the casing and bullet is conformingly sized as a 300 BLK cartridge.

11. A rifle bullet having an aspect ratio of bullet length to bullet maximum diameter of at least 3.5 to 1.0, the bullet comprising:

a forward unitary component formed of generally non-malleable material, the forward unitary component having a forward tapering portion with a forward tip and a rearwardly positioned annular groove;

a lead core engaging the forward unitary component, the core formed of a material more malleable than the forward component, the lead core having at least two discrete core members; and

a jacket that encompasses the cores and tapers conformingly around the tapering portion of the forward component, the jacket having a leading edge spaced rearwardly from the forward tip of the bullet and having a taper opposite that of the tapering portion of the forward component, thereby providing an annular concave scoop facilitating upset of the jacket upon impact with a fluidic target, the jacket further having a cannelure positioned at the rearwardly annular groove.

12. The rifle bullet of claim 11 wherein the forward tapering portion comprises two ogival portions, each ogival portion having a different ogival curvature, the two ogival portions meeting at a transition portion,

13. The rifle bullet of claim 11 wherein the forward component partially contained in a jacket, the forward component having forward cylindrical surface rearward of a forward ogival surface, a mid cylindrical surface separated from the forward cylindrical surface, a rearward cylindrical surface separated from the mid cylindrical surface.

14. The rifle bullet of claim 11, further comprising a casing and propellant, the bullet seated in a mouth of the casing with the propellant in the casing, wherein the casing and bullet is conformingly sized as a 300 BLK cartridge.

16. The rifle bullet of claim 11, further comprising a casing and propellant, the bullet seated in a mouth of the casing with the propellant in the casing, wherein the casing and bullet is conformingly sized as a 300 BLK cartridge.

17. The rifle bullet of claim 11 wherein the forward component comprises two ogival portions, each ogival portion having a different ogival curvature, the two ogival portions meeting at a transition portion,

18. The rifle bullet of claim 17, wherein the jacket thickens rearwardly and wherein the jacket has a forward edge that with the forward component defines an annular scoop.

19. The rifle bullet of claim 18 wherein the annular scoop has a radial width of 0.007 to 0.022 inches.

15. A rifle bullet with a forward component partially contained in a jacket, the forward component, when viewed in cross section having a forward longitudinally extending first convex region, a longitudinal first concave region adjoining and rearward of the first convex region, a second convex region rearward of and adjoining the first concave region, a second concave region rearward of and adjoining the second convex region, and a third convex region rearward of and adjoining the second concave region;

the jacket having a cannelure positioned at the second concave region of the forward component.