Tagging of bullets with luminescent materials

Abstract

This invention is an identifiable bullet having a slug made from an unsintered powdered metal composite core and a luminescent taggant mixture. The luminescent taggant mixture portion of the slug serves as an identifying agent that can be traced to the manufactured origin of the bullet thereby providing a means for matching the identity of a post-fired bullet with the identity of a pre-fired bullet manufacturer.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An identifiable bullet comprising; 
 a bullet slug further comprising; 
 an unsintered powdered metal composite core,  
 a luminescent taggant mixture, and  
   a slug jacket.    
     
     
         2 . A bullet according to  claim 1  wherein said unsintered powdered metal composite core is selected from at least one of the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten carbide, tantalum, aluminum, bismuth, copper, tin, and zinc.  
     
     
         3 . A bullet according to  claim 1  wherein said luminescent taggant mixture is selected from at least one of the group consisting of Europium (Eu), Terbium (Tb), Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), Dysprosium (Dy), Gadolinium (Gd), Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm), Cerium (Ce), Preseodymium (Pr), Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), Holmium (Ho), Yttrium vanadate, Magnesium fluorogermanate, Yttrium aluminum garnet, and Barium orthophosphate.  
     
     
         4 . A bullet according to  claim 3  wherein the phosphor component of said taggant mixture is in the range of approximately 0.01% to 5% by weight.  
     
     
         5 . A bullet according to  claim 1  wherein said slug jacket is a copper alloy.  
     
     
         6 . A bullet according to  claim 1  wherein said slug further comprises a pure metal insert.  
     
     
         7 . A bullet according to  claim 1  wherein said core consists essentially of 57% by weight tungsten and 43% by weight tin.  
     
     
         8 . A method for identifying bullets comprising the steps of; 
 compressing a bullet slug comprising unsintered powdered metal composite core and a luminescent taggant mixture into a slug jacket,    fragmenting said slug,    analyzing slug fragments for a fluorescence spectra specific to said mixture,    determining the identity of said bullet using said fluorescence spectra, and    matching the identity of said bullet with the identity of a bullet manufacturer.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein said unsintered powdered metal composite core is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten carbide, tantalum, aluminum, bismuth, copper, tin, and zinc.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein said luminescent taggant mixture is selected from at least one of the group consisting of Europium (Eu), Terbium (Tb), Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), Dysprosium (Dy), Gadolinium (Gd), Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm), Cerium (Ce), Preseodymium (Pr), Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), Holmium (Ho), Yttrium vanadate, Magnesium fluorogermanate, Yttrium aluminum garnet, and Barium orthophosphate.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the phosphor component of said taggant mixture is in the range of approximately 0.01% to 5% by weight.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein said slug jacket is a copper alloy.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein said bullet slug further comprises a pure metal insert.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein said core consists essentially of 57 wt % tungsten and 43 wt % tin.