Limited range lethal ammunition

Abstract

Disclosed is a projectile that is designed to be lethal to an average human for a predetermined time or a distance after being fired and then rendered less than lethal. The projectile can include a detonating charge and optionally a fuze wherein the detonating charge fragments the projectile to render the projectile less than lethal. The projectile can also include a mechanism to disable the fragmentation of the projectile after it strikes a target.

1 . A limited range fragmenting lethal projectile, comprising a projectile that if it does not earlier impact an object, fragments into substantially solid pieces a predetermined time or a predetermined distance after being fired and each of said pieces imparts an energy density of no more than ten J/cm 2  into an impact area. 
     
     
         2 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said energy density is no more than six J/cm 2 . 
     
     
         3 . A limited range fragmenting lethal projectile, comprising a projectile that if it does not earlier impact an object, fragments into substantially solid pieces a predetermined time or a distance after being fired and said pieces are each less than lethal to an average adult human. 
     
     
         4 . A limited range fragmenting lethal projectile, comprising a projectile that if it does not earlier impact an object, fragments into substantially solid pieces a predetermined time or distance after being fired and said pieces have an average mass of less than five grains. 
     
     
         5 . The projectile of  claim 4  wherein each piece has a mass of less than five grains. 
     
     
         6 . The projectile of  claim 4  wherein said pieces have an average mass of less than two grains. 
     
     
         7 . The projectile of  claim 6  wherein said pieces have an average mass of less than one grain. 
     
     
         8 . A limited range fragmenting lethal projectile, comprising a projectile that if it does not earlier impact an object, fragments into substantially solid pieces a predetermined time or a distance after being fired and each of said pieces are on average dictated by the equation ln(M*d)>ln(m*v 2 )−7.5; wherein:
 M=a mass of 45 kg, 
 d=the largest cross sectional dimension of said piece in cm, 
 m=the mass of said piece in g, and 
 v=the velocity of said piece in m/s. 
 
     
     
         9 . A limited range fragmenting lethal projectile, comprising a projectile that if it does not earlier impact an object, fragments into at least one hundred substantially solid pieces a predetermined time or distance after being fired. 
     
     
         10 . The projectile of  claim 9  wherein the projectile fragments into at least five hundred substantially solid pieces. 
     
     
         11 . The projectile of  claim 9  wherein the projectile fragments into at least ten substantially solid pieces for each millimeter of diameter of said projectile prior to its fragmentation. 
     
     
         12 . The projectile of  claim 11  wherein the projectile fragments into at least thirty substantially solid pieces for each millimeter of diameter of said projectile prior to its fragmentation. 
     
     
         13 . The projectile of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  8 , or  9  wherein said projectile further comprises a detonating charge. 
     
     
         14 . The projectile of  claim 13  further comprising a fuze configured and arranged to initiate said detonating charge. 
     
     
         15 . The projectile of  claim 14  wherein said fuze is initiated via the combustion of propellant used to propel said projectile. 
     
     
         16 . The projectile of  claim 14  wherein said fuze is initiated via the acceleration of said projectile at greater than ten thousand g. 
     
     
         17 . The projectile of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  8 , or  9  further comprising a mechanism to prevent the fragmentation after said projectile strikes a solid surface. 
     
     
         18 . The projectile of  claim 17  wherein said mechanism is the deformation of said projectile after said projectile strikes a solid surface. 
     
     
         19 . The projectile of  claim 17  wherein said mechanism ejects a fuze from said projectile after said projectile impacts said solid surface. 
     
     
         20 . The projectile of  claim 17  wherein said mechanism inhibits the interaction of a fuze with a detonating charge. 
     
     
         21 . The projectile of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  8 , or  9  wherein said projectile's diameter is less than thirteen and a half millimeters. 
     
     
         22 . The projectile of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  8 , or  9  wherein said projectile further comprises fracture initiating features. 
     
     
         23 . A limited range lethal projectile with solvent, comprising a projectile and a solvent;
 wherein said projectile is lethal at a range after fired from a gun and nonlethal beyond said range.   
     
     
         24 . The projectile of  claim 23  wherein the projectile further comprising a bonding agent wherein said solvent dissolves said bonding agent to render said projectile nonlethal. 
     
     
         25 . The projectile of  claim 24  further comprising a fuze configured and arranged to initiate said dissolution of said bonding agent. 
     
     
         26 . A limited range nonlethal projectile, comprising:
 a base having an aperture,   a fuze that is initiated by contact with gasified propellant that travels through said aperture,   a detonating charge whose detonation is triggered by said fuze,   a member attached to said base and partially surrounding said detonating charge;   wherein the detonation of said detonating charge fragments said member into pieces having average mass of less than two grains.   
     
     
         27 . A limited range projectile comprising:
 A first mechanism activated after the projectile is fired if the projectile does not strike an object within a predetermined time or distance and that substantially precludes such activation if the projectile strikes an object before said predetermined time or distance.   
     
     
         28 . The projectile of  claim 27  wherein the projectile is configured and arranged to be fired from a barrel by the activation of propellant that is substantially consumed when the projectile leaves the barrel. 
     
     
         29 . The projectile of  claim 28  additionally comprising a casing containing propellant adjacent said projectile.