Polymer ballistic tip pellets

• US 6,526,893 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gamo Outdoor USA Incorporated (Gamo Outdoor), Predator International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lee T. Phillips, Thomas R. May
• Inventors: Phillips, Lee T., May, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US09/770,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 102/501, 102/507-510, 102/514-519
• US Class Current: 102/508
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/745 the core being made of plastics; Compounds or blends of plastics and other materials, e.g. fillers
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/10 Air gun pellets ; Ammunition for air guns, e.g. propellant-gas containers

Abstract

Soft lead pellets with hard polymeric tips for use in air guns and the like are disclosed. The lead pellets have forward pointed tip portions made from a hard polymeric material. Tip portions are employed in three different configurations including a hollow and solid heads. The hard tip in each of the pellets enables the pellet when fired from an air gun to pierce the fur and skin of small game animals, for example, before the lead portions of the head and skirt portions begin to deform, imparting shock to the surrounding soft tissue, and shattering bone. The disclosed pellets provide both accuracy due to the ballistic tip, and power from the weight of the soft lead.

Claims

1. A polymeric ballistic tip pellet for use as ammunition in an air or gas powered gun, comprising:

a forward head portion formed from a deformable metallic material, said head portion having a bottom base opposite a top front-end;

a rearward frusto-conical skirt portion, formed of a deformable metallic material, joined to said head portion at said base, said skirt portion having a hollow tapering cavity coaxial with said head portion extending downward and outward to a bottom annular terminus, said annular terminus having a maximum diameter complimentary to an inner bore of a gun barrel providing a seal therein; and

a sharply pointed, solid conical tip formed from a hard polymeric material, said tip being attached to said base of said head portion and protruding forwardly from said front-end, an annular cavity formed in said forward head portion surounding said conical tip, such that said tip enables said pellet to pierce for and skin of small game animals before said head and skirt portions begin to deform, imparting shock to surrounding soft tissue and shattering bone.

2. The polymeric ballistic tip pellet as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said head portion having a forward frusto-conical section concentric to said tip, said section extending downward and outward to said base; and

said base having a rearward frusto-conical section extending upward and outward from said skirt, abutting said forward frusto-conical section at their respective maximum radius, such that when fired from an air gun, said tip cuts a pilot hole on impact with small game animals allowing said pellet to penetrate deep into tissue delivering a terminable shock effect.

3. The Polymeric ballistic tip pellet as set forth in claim 2, wherein a means for fastening said tip to said base is comprised of a cylindrical shaft attached to said conical tip adjacent said point extending axially into a hollow recess of said base, and retained therein by a frictional fit.

4. The polymeric ballistic tip pellet as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for fastening also includes an adhesive material applied to the cylindrical shaft.