Lead-free cartridge component and cartridge comprising same

Abstract

An offensive charge intended for the manufacture of a cartridge for firing with a firearm does not contain lead. It is made of multiple projectiles ( 10 ), in which the projectiles are formed of at least two substantially spherical pellets ( 5 ) connected to one another by a metal connecting wire ( 6 ) of fixed predetermined length, the pellets being made of an alloy containing tin and antimony. A cartridge containing such projectiles, and a method for the mass-production of these lead-free projectiles are also described.

1 . An offensive charge intended to manufacture a cartridge for shooting with a firearm made up of multiple projectiles ( 10 ) formed by at least two substantially spherical pellets ( 5 ) connected to one another by a metal connecting wire ( 6 ) with a fixed predetermined length, wherein said pellets are made from an alloy comprising tin and antimony. 
     
     
         2 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) is 99% made up of tin and antimony. 
     
     
         3 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) comprises from 90% to 98% tin. 
     
     
         4 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) comprises from 2% to 10% antimony. 
     
     
         5 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) further comprises no more than 1% of a third metal. 
     
     
         6 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy ( 5 ) is made up of 94.5% tin, 5% antimony and 0.5% copper. 
     
     
         7 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting wire ( 6 ) between two pellets ( 5 ) is a brass wire with a length comprised between 0.5 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The offensive charge according to  claim 1 , wherein the projectile ( 10 ) comprises two connected pellets ( 5 ) with a diameter smaller than or equal to 4 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A cartridge for shooting with a firearm, comprising a cartridge case ( 1 ) in which a propulsive charge ( 2 ) and an offensive charge ( 3 ) are found separated by a wad ( 4 ), wherein said offensive charge is according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge according to  claim 9 , wherein the offensive charge contains between 50 and 200 projectiles ( 10 ), formed by pellets ( 5 ) connected in pairs. 
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing an offensive charge according to  claim 1 , which comprises the following steps:
 pouring the alloy containing tin and antimony into a polymer matrix, comprising two separable molds, i.e., an upper one including a central orifice and a lower one ( 11 ), between which an array of branched channels ( 13 ) is arranged extending along a substantially radial orientation from said central upper orifice and each ending with a spherical cavity ( 14 ),   separating the molds and recovering the clusters of substantially spherical pellets connected to one another by a wire ( 6 ).   
     
     
         12 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the spherical cavities ( 14 ) of the matrix have a diameter smaller than or equal to 4 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the adjacent cavities between which notches ( 15 ) are formed are arranged at a distance from one another comprised between 0.5 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The offensive charge according to  claim 2 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) comprises from 90% to 98% tin. 
     
     
         15 . The offensive charge according to  claim 2 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) comprises from 2% to 10% antimony. 
     
     
         16 . The offensive charge according to  claim 3 , wherein the alloy of the pellets ( 5 ) comprises from 2% to 10% antimony. 
     
     
         17 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 12 , wherein the adjacent cavities between which notches ( 15 ) are formed are arranged at a distance from one another comprised between 0.5 mm and 10 mm.