EXPANDING SUBSONIC PROJECTILE AND CARTRIDGE UTILIZING SAME

• US 20160216090A1
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lehigh Defense, LLC (Wilson's Gun Shop, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lehigh Defense, LLC (Wilson's Gun Shop, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fricke, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,631,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/34 expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/025 characterised by the dimension of the case or the missile

Abstract

An expanding subsonic projectile has a body having an ogive of greater than about 8 calibers. The body at least partially defines a hollow bore and a hydrostatic ram disposed proximate a first end of the bore.

Claims

1. An expanding subsonic projectile comprising:

a body comprising an ogive of greater than about 8 calibers, wherein the body at least partially defines a hollow bore; and

a hydrostatic ram disposed proximate a first end of the bore.

2. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the ogive is in a range from about 8 calibers to about 13 calibers.

3. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the ogive is in a range from about 10 calibers to about 13 calibers.

4. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the ogive is about 10.59 calibers.

5. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of discrete petals, wherein each petal is separated from an adjacent leaf by a slot defined by the body.

6. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 5, wherein the body comprises three petals.

7. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 6, wherein the body comprises four petals and the slots disposed between the petals are disposed about an axis of the body at about 0 degrees, about 90 degrees, about 180 degrees, and about 270 degrees.

8. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile is adapted to expand greater than about 2 calibers when the projectile is discharged from a firearm at a subsonic speed into a wet target.

9. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the hydrostatic ram is adapted to move axially within the bore when the projectile is discharged from a firearm at a subsonic speed into a wet target.

10. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises a monolithic construction.

11. The expanding subsonic projectile of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic ram comprises a leading diameter and the bore comprises a bore diameter smaller than the ram diameter.

12. A cartridge comprising:

a casing;

a primer disposed at a first end of the casing;

a projectile disposed at a second end of the casing, wherein the projectile comprises;

a body comprising an ogive of greater than about 8 calibers, wherein the body at least partially defines a hollow bore; and

a hydrostatic ram disposed proximate an open end of the bore.

13. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the hydrostatic ram comprises a face and the face is set back from the open end of the bore.

14. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the body comprises a body length and the bore comprises a bore depth about one-third of the body length.

15. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the hydrostatic ram is adapted to move axially within the bore when the projectile is discharged from a firearm at a subsonic speed into a wet target.

16. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the projectile is adapted to expand greater than about 2 calibers when the projectile is discharged from a firearm at a subsonic speed into a wet target.

17. The cartridge of claim 14, wherein the body comprises a plurality of adjacent petals, wherein adjacent petals at least partially define a slot therebetween.

18. The cartridge of claim 17, wherein each slot defines a radius extending from the bore to an outer surface of the body.

19. The cartridge of claim 18, wherein the slot defines a slot length and wherein the bore depth is about two-thirds of the slot length.

20. The cartridge of claim 19, wherein the slot length is about one-half of the body length.