High density cartridge and method for reloading

Abstract

A cartridge ( 10 ), constructed in accordance with the principles of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and configured for use in a firearm (not shown), such as a traditional 12-gauge shotgun, broadly includes a shell ( 12 ), powder ( 14 ) housed within the shell ( 12 ), wadding ( 16 ) separating the powder ( 14 ) within the shell ( 12 ), and high density, non-toxic, non-steel shot ( 18 ) received within the wadding ( 16 ). The high density shot ( 18 ) includes a plurality of pellets ( 44 ), each including tungsten ( 46 ) and presenting a density between about sixteen and nineteen grams per cubic centimeter. Each of the pellets ( 44 ) present a uniform, smooth spherical shape. The high density shot ( 18 ) is a non-toxic, non-steel shot that patterns well even at long range applications while providing the desired lethality without the need for relatively large payloads.

1 . A cartridge comprising: 
 a body;    shot housed within the body and including a plurality of pellets; and    powder operable to propel the shot out of the body when ignited, each of said pellets including tungsten and presenting a density of at least about  16  grams per cubic centimeter.    
   
   
       2 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of said pellets being sintered.    
   
   
       3 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 2 , 
 each of said pellets being ground.    
   
   
       4 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 3 , 
 each of said pellets presenting a volume defined by the equation V=(4Πr 3 )/3±three percent, wherein V=volume of the pellet and r=the radius of the pellet.    
   
   
       5 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 4 , 
 each of said pellets presenting a diameter within ±0.002 inches of the diameter of each other pellet.    
   
   
       6 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 3 , 
 each of said pellets being polished.    
   
   
       7 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 6 , 
 each of said pellets presenting a surface smoothness of between about 125 and 016 on the rms scale.    
   
   
       8 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of said pellets including nickel.    
   
   
       9 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 8 , 
 each of said pellets including iron.    
   
   
       10 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 9 , 
 said tungsten comprising at least about ninety percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       11 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 10 , 
 said nickel comprising at least about three percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       12 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 11 , 
 said iron comprising at least about one percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       13 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said tungsten comprising about ninety-five percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       14 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of said pellets presenting a density of about 17.8 grams per cubic centimeter.    
   
   
       15 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said body being formed at least primarily from plastic.    
   
   
       16 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 15 , 
 said body presenting a length of at least about two inches.    
   
   
       17 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 16 , 
 said length being less than three inches,    said shot presenting a weight of about one and one-quarter ounces.    
   
   
       18 . The cartridge as claimed in  claim 17 , 
 said powder being configured to propel the shot out of the body at about thirteen hundred feet per second when ignited while generating a recoil force of less than thirty-five foot-pounds.    
   
   
       19 . A method of reloading a cartridge comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing powder in a shell;    (b) isolating the powder within the shell; and    (c) placing shot in the shell,    said shot including a plurality of pellets wherein each of said pellets includes tungsten and presents a density of at least about 16 grams per cubic centimeter.    
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 step (b) including the step of placing a wad in the shell after the powder is placed and before the shot is placed.    
   
   
       21 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 step (b) further including the steps of placing at least one additional wad in the shell after the first-mentioned wad has been placed.    
   
   
       22 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said shell being formed at least primarily from plastic and being about two and three-quarter inches in length.    
   
   
       23 . The method as claimed in  claim 22 , 
 step (b) including the step of placing at least about three-quarter inch of wad between the powder and the shot.    
   
   
       24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23   step (a) including the step of placing at least about 35 grains gunpowder in the shell,    step (c) including the step of placing about one and one-quarter ounces of shot in the shell.    
   
   
       25 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 each of said pellets being sintered, ground, and polished.    
   
   
       26 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 each of said pellets including nickel and iron.    
   
   
       27 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , 
 said tungsten comprising at least about ninety-five percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       28 . The method as claimed in  claim 27 , 
 said nickel comprising at least about three percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       29 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , 
 said iron comprising at least about one percent of the weight of each pellet.    
   
   
       30 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , 
 each of said pellets presenting a density of less than about 19 grams per cubic centimeter.    
   
   
       31 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 at least one of the steps (a), (b), or (c) being performed using an automated reloading machine.