Hunting bullet with reduced environmental lead exposure

• US 5,127,332 A
• Filed: 10/07/1991
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OLIN Corporation
• Original Assignee: OLIN Corporation
• Inventors: Corzine, Alan J., Eberhart, Gerald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US07/772,183
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 102/501, 102/507-510, 102/514-517
• US Class Current: 102/509
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/34 expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type

Abstract

A controlled expanding small caliber bullet is disclosed which comprises a unitary metal body of generally H shaped cross section having an ogival nose portion, a cylindrical heel portion behind the nose portion, and an integral transverse partition therebetween. The nose portion has an empty hollow point formed by a forwardly open central blind bore. The heel portion has a rearwardly opened cavity filled with a dense material such as lead. The cavity is closed behind the lead core by a solid disk crimped into mechanical engagement with the heel portion of the metal body.

Claims

1. A controlled expanding small caliber bullet comprising:

a unitary metal body of generally H shaped axial cross section having an ogival nose portion, a generally cylindrical heel portion behind said nose portion and an integral partition therebetween along a central axis therethrough;

said nose portion having an empty hollow point formed by a rearwardly extending forwardly open completely empty central blind bore having axially parallel flat internal sidewalls;

said heel portion having a rearwardly open cavity therein filled with a dense material more dense than said metal body, said cavity being closed by a solid disk positioned axially behind said dense metal material in engagement with said metal body.

2. The bullet according to claim 1 wherein said blind bore in said nose portion has a polygonal radial cross section.

3. The bullet according to claim 2 wherein said bore has a square radial cross section.

4. The bullet according to claim 1 wherein said metal body is a copper alloy and said dense metal is lead.

5. The bullet according to claim 1 wherein said heel portion further comprises said disk having a flange portion in interference relation with a rim of said heel portion so as to enclose and secure said dense material within said body.

6. The bullet according to claim 5 wherein said disk has a .radially outward extending annular flange engaging an inwardly crimped annular rim of said heel portion to lock said dense material and said disk to said metal body.

7. The bullet according to claim 5 wherein said metal body is a copper alloy and said dense metal is tungsten.

8. The bullet according to claim 7 wherein said disk has an outwardly extending annular flange engaging an inwardly crimped annular rim of said heel portion to lock said dense material and said disk to said metal body.

9. The bullet according to claim 8 wherein said dense material is a solid body of powdered tungsten particles.

10. A controlled expanding small caliber bullet comprising:

a unitary metal body of generally H shaped axial cross section having an ogival nose portion, a generally cylindrical heel portion behind said nose portion and an integral partition therebetween along a central axis therethrough;

said nose portion having an empty hollow point formed by a rearwardly extending forwardly open completely empty central blind bore, said blind bore having axially flat internal sidewalls and a polygonal radial cross section;

said heel portion having a rearwardly open cavity therein filled with a dense material more dense than said metal body, said cavity being closed by a solid disk positioned axially behind said dense metal material and crimped into mechanical engagement with said metal body, said disk having a flange portion in interference relation with a rim of said heel portion so as to enclose and secure said dense material within said body.

11. The bullet according to claim 10 wherein said bore has a square radial cross section.

12. The bullet according to claim 11 wherein said metal body is a copper alloy and said dense metal is lead.

13. The bullet according to claim 12 wherein said disk is made of the same metal as said body.

14. The bullet according to claim 13 wherein said disk further comprises a central raised portion having a thickness the same as the rim crimped onto said flange portion so as to form a smooth transverse rear end surface on said bullet.