Round of rifle ammuniton and method for making same

Abstract

A round of gun ammunition including a projectile adapted to be propelled from the gun at a subsonic velocity. The round includes a case containing a quantity of gun powder therein, but not filling the case. A projectile projects into the body portion of a case to a location proximate the gun powder. A disc having a circumference substantially matching the inner circumference of the body portion of the case at the level of the gun powder within the case is interposed between the gun powder and the proximal end of the projectile within the case to provide a barrier against movement of gun powder toward the open end of the case. In one embodiment, a further disc is interposed between the disc and the proximal end of the projectile to filter out gun powder particles which may escape past the barrier disc. A method for the manufacture of the round of gun ammunition is disclosed.

1 . A round of gun ammunition including a projectile adapted to be propelled from the gun along a trajectory to a target at a subsonic velocity comprising 
 (a) an elongated generally cup-shaped case having a body portion, a partially closed trailing end which houses a primer, and a necked-down portion adjacent an open leading end thereof,    (b) a quantity of gun powder disposed within and incompletely filling said body portion of said case,    (c) an elongated projectile having distal and proximal opposite ends residing in said necked down portion of said case with said distal end thereof projecting outside said leading end of said case and with said proximal end therefor extending inwardly of said case, said proximal end of said projectile including a generally planar face disposed substantially perpendicular to the length of said elongated projectile, said proximal end of said projectile terminating inside said body portion of said case with its face disposed proximate said quantity of powder,    (d) a disc formed of readily flammable material, having first and second opposite and generally parallel faces and being of a circumference essentially equal to the inner circumference of said body portion of said case at the location of the level of said quantity of gun powder, disposed within said case between said quantity of powder and said face of said proximal end of said projectile, said disc defining a barrier against the flow of said gun powder past said disc.    
   
   
       2 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 1  and including a further disc, having distal and proximal opposite faces, disposed within said body portion of said case and between said disc and said adjacent face of said proximal end of said projectile, said further disc being of a fibrous material having a plurality of tortuous passageways defined through the thickness thereof which serve to filter and capture within said disc individual particles of gun powder which may escape past the barrier defined by said disc.  
   
   
       3 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 1  wherein said disc is resiliently flexible.  
   
   
       4 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 1  wherein said disc comprises paper stock.  
   
   
       5 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 4  wherein said disc is of a first thickness centrally thereof and of a second and lesser thickness in the circumferential margin thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 5  wherein said first thickness centrally of said disc is about 0.14 inch and said second and lesser thickness in the circumferential margin thereof is about 0.10 inch thick.  
   
   
       7 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 3  wherein said further disc comprises natural non-woven fibers.  
   
   
       8 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 7  wherein the weight of said disc is between about 0. 10 and about 0. 16 grains.  
   
   
       9 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 2  wherein said distal face of said further disc is disposed contiguous said disc and said proximal face of said further disc is proximate said proximal face of said proximal end of said projectile disposed within said body portion of said case.  
   
   
       10 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 1  wherein said gun powder is fast burning.  
   
   
       11 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 1  wherein said projectile includes a body portion intermediate its distal and proximal ends, said distal end of said projectile defines an ogive, and said projectile is tapered from a first and minimum diameter at its proximal end to a second and greater diameter adjacent the transition of said body portion of said projectile to said ogive of said projectile.  
   
   
       12 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 11  wherein the difference between said first and second diameters of said tapered projectile is about 0.00030 inch.  
   
   
       13 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 12  wherein said round is suitable for firing from a gun of 5.56 mm caliber.  
   
   
       14 . The round of gun ammunition of  claim 1  and including a separator interposed between said disc and said proximal face of said proximal end of said projectile.  
   
   
       15 . A method for the manufacture of gun ammunition including a projectile adapted to be propelled from the gun along a trajectory to a target at a subsonic velocity comprising the steps of 
 (a) loading a gun ammunition case having an open end with a quantity of gun powder to a level less than the volumetric capacity of said case,    (b) inserting into said open end of said case an elongated projectile having distal and proximal opposite ends, said distal end of said projectile projecting from said open end of said case and said proximal end of said projectile projecting inwardly of said case and terminating proximate said gun powder disposed within said case,    (c) disposing a disc within said case and intermediate said gun powder and said proximal end of said projectile, said disc having a circumference approximately equal to the internal diameter of said case at the location of the level of said gun powder within said case and which functions as a barrier against the movement of gun powders therepast.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  and including the step of interposing a further disc within said case intermediate said disc and said proximal end of said projectile, said further disc being of a disparate material from said disc.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said disc is resiliently flexible.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said disc comprises wet-laid cellulosic fibers.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said disc comprises paper.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said disc is of a first thickness generally centrally thereof and of a second, and lesser, thickness at the circumferential margin thereof, said circumferential margin being of a density greater than the density of said disc generally centrally thereof.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said further disc comprises air-laid natural fibers.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said natural fibers comprise cotton fibers.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said case includes a substantially closed end adapted to receive a primer, an opposite open end, and a body portion intermediate said closed and open ends of said case, said case including a necked-down portion intermediate said body portion and said open end including the further steps of disposing a portion of said projectile between its opposite ends within said necked-down portion of said case, and anchoring said projectile within said stepped-down portion against movement relative to said necked-down portion.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 16  and including the step of interposing a separator between said disc and said proximal face of said proximal end of said projectile within said case.