Grooved projectiles

• US 4,718,348 A
• Filed: 05/16/1986
• Issued: 01/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John E. Ferrigno
• Original Assignee: John E. Ferrigno
• Inventors: Ferrigno, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tudor, Harold
• Application Number:
  US06/863,788
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 102/430, 102/438, 102/439, 102/501, 102/520-523, 244/3.23
• US Class Current: 102/439
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/24 with inclined grooves
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/42 Streamlined projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 7/04 of pellet type

Abstract

Projectiles for use in shells for shotguns and other smooth bore weapons are teardrop-shaped having a blunt hemispherical nose portion and an elongate tail portion tapering smoothly from a junction with the nose portion to a relatively sharp tip. The outer surface of the nose portion is provided with radiating curved grooves for imparting in-flight spin to the projectile so as to stabilize it in flight. The projectiles may be used in a shell case singly to provide a relatively large caliber slug or alternatively small caliber projectiles may be used in elongate stacks in a shell case to provide a form of buckshot.

Claims

1. A shell for use in a shotgun or other smooth bore weapon comprising a shell case including an explosive charge in back of projectile means located in a forward end portion of the case, wherein the projectile means comprises plural individual projectiles arranged in at least one stack extending lengthwise of the case, each projectile being substantially teardrop-shaped having a substantial hemispherical relatively blunt nose portion facing the forward end of the case, an elongate tail portion tapering smoothly from a junction with the nose portion to a relatively sharp tip, and a depression in the nose portion, the projectiles being stacked with the tip of one projectile located in the depression of the projectile therebehind, the projectiles being stacked in plural columns with partition means therebetween forming, in conjunction with the case, elongate compartments snugly receiving the respective columns of stacked projectiles.

2. A shell for use in a shotgun or other smooth bore weapon comprising a shell case including an explosive charge in back of projectile means located in a forward end portion of the case, wherein the projectile means comprises plural individual projectiles arranged in at least one stack extending lengthwise of the case, each projectile being substantially teardrop-shaped having a substantial hemispherical relatively blunt nose portion facing the forward end of the case, an elongate tail portion tapering smoothly from a junction with the nose portion to a relatively sharp tip, and a depression in the nose portion, the projectiles being stacked with the tip of one projectile located in the depression of the projectile therebehind, said shell case including partition means extending radially and longitudinally thereof to form a plurality of elongated compartments, each of said compartments including a stack of projectiles extending lengthwise in end-to-end relation therein, said depression in the nose portion of each projectile being inwardly tapered to closely receive the tapered tip of the tail portion of an adjacent projectile, the nose portion of each projectile including circumferentially spaced curved surface grooves radiating from said depression substantially to the junction of the nose portion with the tail portion to impart spin to the projectile when expelled from the shell case, the transverse cross-sectional area of each projectile at its largest area being substantially equal to the distance between surfaces defining the compartment which engage the projectile whereby the projectiles will be snugly received in the compartments for accurate guidance and stabilization when expelled therefrom, the transverse cross-sectional area of engagement between the tapered tail portion and the depression being substantially less than the largest cross-sectional area of the nose portion and spaced inwardly from the partition means.