Bullet

• US 6,182,574 B1
• Filed: 05/17/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory J. Giannoni
• Original Assignee: Gregory J. Giannoni
• Inventors: Giannoni, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US09/313,503
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 120/501, 120/507-511, 120/514-519, 420/430, 752/48
• US Class Current: 102/516
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/34 expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type

Abstract

A projectile designed to be fired from firearms. The projectile has a generally conically shaped jacket having a forward tip, rear base, a body portion, and a central axis. The jacket is formed of a first metal. Located inside the jacket is a generally conically shaped penetrant which is formed of a second metal. The penetrant is formed with a forward tip, a rear base, a body portion, and a central axis. The tip of the penetrant is positioned substantially adjacent the tip of the jacket with their longitudinal axis being aligned. Finally, a core, which is formed of a third metal, fills the jacket and is located about the tip, body, and base of the penetrant. The third metal has a hardness less than that of the first and second metals while the second metal has a hardness greater than that of the first metal. This arrangement causes the projectile to disintegrate upon striking a target with the penetrant breaking through the jacket and the core causing them to expand and decelerate while the penetrant retains its shape and continues to pass through the target. The rear portion of the jacket body includes a shoulder defining an enlarged radial portion which extends along said body to the base. This enlarged radial portion comprises that area of the casing engaged by barrel rifling when the projectile passes through the barrel. The shoulder is located to generally be aligned with the base of the penetrant.

Claims

1. A projectile for being fired from firearms comprising:

a generally cylindrical shaped jacket formed of a first metal of a first hardness, said jacket having a generally conical front end, an open flat tip, a base, a body portion, an interior, and a central axis;

a generally cylindrical shaped penetrant formed of a second metal having a second hardness greater than said first hardness, said penetrant having a generally conical tip, a base, a body, and a central axis, said penetrant being located within said interior of said jacket with said tip being positioned substantially in alignment with said open flat tip with said central axis of said jacket and said penetrant aligned;

a core formed of a third metal having a hardness less than said first hardness and said second hardness, said core filling said jacket interior to a point below said tip of said penetrant and said open flat tip forming a generally cup-shaped exposed exterior, said core being located about said body, and beneath said base of said penetrant;

whereby,

upon striking a target said projectile easily expands said jacket and said core adjacent said open flat tip, said penetrant breaking out of said jacket to pass through said target while said core and jacket expand and remain in said target.

2. The projectile of claim 1 wherein said second metal comprises an alloy of between 25% and 75% powdered tungsten and between 25% and 75% powdered bismuth compressed into a solid.

3. The projectile of claim 1 wherein said second and third metals each have a specific gravity with the specific gravity of said second metal being greater than the specific gravity of said third metal.

4. The projectile of claim 1 wherein said second metal comprises an alloy formed primarily of powdered tungsten combined with at least one of powdered tin, copper and bismuth and compressed into a solid.

5. The projectile of claim 1 wherein said jacket increases in thickness from said open flat tip toward said base.

6. The projectile of claim 1 wherein said jacket includes longitudinally extending circumferentially arranged slits which extend from said open flat tip toward said base.

7. The projectile fo claim 1 wherein said third metal comprises a mixture tungsten and bismuth.

8. The projectile of claim 1 wherein said first, second, and third metals comprise no lead.

9. A lead-free projectile for being fired from firearms comprising:

a generally cylindrically shaped jacket having a generally conical tip, a body, and a closed base forming an interior, said jacket being formed of copper;

an elongated generally cylindrically shaped penetrant having a generally conical tip, a body, and a base, said penetrant being located within said jacket with said penetrant tip being adjacent said jacket tip and said penetrant base being vertically spaced from said jacket base, said penetrant being formed of an alloy including powdered tungsten and powdered bismuth compressed into a solid; and

,

a core formed of an alloy including powdered tungsten and powdered bismuth and at least one of powdered tin and powdered copper compressed into a solid, said core filling said jacket interior encasing at least said penetrant body and penetrant base.