Jacketed boat-tail bullet

• US 7,150,233 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OLIN Corporation
• Original Assignee: OLIN Corporation
• Inventors: Eberhart, Gerald Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bergin, James S.
• Application Number:
  US10/832,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20070000404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 102/514, 102/515, 102/516, 102/517, 102/518, 102/519
• US Class Current: 102/516
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/78 of jackets for smallarm bullets ; Jacketed bullets or projectiles

Abstract

A bullet includes at least a mid core and a rear core in tandem alignment. The hardness of the mid core is greater than the hardness of the rear core. A jacket envelops both the mid core and the rear core. The jacket has a generally cylindrical sidewall, which is in contact with the mid core, and a boat-tail, which is in contact with the rear core. The rear core is substantially contained within the boat-tail. The mid core and the rear core may be substantially lead-free. In one embodiment, the bullet includes a front core in tandem alignment with the rear core and in contact with a nose portion of the jacket. In another embodiment, the mid core extends from the nose portion of the bullet to the boat-tail.

Claims

1. A bullet comprising:

a front core;

a one-piece mid core that includes a substantially monolithic, non-tubular construction, the front core in tandem alignment with the mid core;

a rear core in tandem alignment with the mid core, the hardness of the mid core is greater than the hardness of the rear core;

a jacket enveloping the front core, the mid core and the rear core, the jacket having a nose portion, the front core being positioned adjacent to the nose portion;

an angularly indented rear portion forming a boat-tail; and

a generally cylindrical sidewall disposed between the nose portion and the angularly indented rear portion, wherein the generally cylindrical sidewall is in contact with the mid core and the boat-tail is in contact with the rear core, the rear core being substantially contained within the boat-tail.

2. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the mid core and the rear core are substantially lead-free.

3. The bullet of claim 2, wherein the mid core has a weight of about 38 grains and is formed from:

a high-density constituent material selected from the group of tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, and ferro-tungsten;

a second, lower-density constituent consisting of either a metallic matrix material or a plastic matrix material; and

wherein the rear core has a weight of about 4.3 grains and is formed from tin or a tin base alloy.

4. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the rear core substantially fills the boat-tail.

5. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the front core is formed from steel.

6. The bullet of claim 5, wherein the mid core has a weight of about 30 grains and is formed from:

a high-density constituent material selected from the group of tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, and ferro-tungsten;

a second, lower-density constituent consisting of either a metallic matrix material or a plastic matrix material; and

wherein the rear core has a weight of about 4.3 grains and is formed from tin or a tin base alloy.

7. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the mid core is formed from:

a high-density constituent material selected from the group of tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, and ferro-tungsten; and

a second, lower-density constituent consisting of either a metallic matrix material or a plastic matrix material.

8. The bullet of claim 7, wherein the metallic matrix material is selected from the group consisting of:

tin, zinc, iron, copper, and mixtures or alloys of one or more of the foregoing.

9. The bullet of claim 7, wherein the plastic matrix material is selected from the group consisting of:

phenolics, epoxies, dialphthalates, acrylics, polystyrenes, polyethylene, or polyurethanes.

10. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the mid core is formed from one of:

copper, bismuth, tin, gold, silver, pewter, bronze, and mixtures or alloys including one or more of the foregoing.

11. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the mid core is formed from an organic polymer filled with a metal.

12. The bullet of claim 1, wherein the rear core has a Brinell hardness less than about 50.

13. The bullet of claim 12, wherein the rear core is formed from tin or a tin base alloy.

14. The bullet of claim 12, wherein the rear core is formed from one of:

copper, zinc, tin, and mixtures or alloys including one or more of the foregoing.

15. The bullet of claim 1, wherein a transition point between the generally cylindrical sidewall and the boat-tail is formed by a rebate in the generally cylindrical sidewall.