Abstract: Apparatus for forming, from a generally conical billet, a hollow forging of desired wall thickness having a generally conical portion tapering to a smaller cylindrical extension, the inner and outer surfaces of the conical portion having minor predetermined and spatially related devisions from purely conical configurations, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a die having a concave conical configuration, with a cylindrical extension at the smaller end, to conform to the desired external configuration of said forging; a punch having a convex conical configuration to conform to the desired configuration of the inner surface of the conical portion of the forging; and means mounting the punch for movement coaxially into the die from the larger end thereof, to an extent which determines the wall thickness of the forging.

Abstract: The method of manufacture of a sabot component which comprises the steps of evering an aluminum workpiece from bar stock, upsetting the workpiece in a first die, by axial force, to constitute a first preform having a desired uneven mass distribution along the axis thereof, hot forging the first preform in a second die, by transverse force, to constitute a second preform having an unsymmetrical mass distribution transverse to the axis thereof, hot forging the second preform in a third die, by transverse force, to constitute a stamping having apposed unsymmetrical formed surfaces, solution heat treating the stamping to a "W" condition, freezing the stamping to render its metalography dormant, cold forging the stamping in the third die, artificially aging the stamping to a "T8" condition, trimming the stamping in a fourth die, and annodizing the trimmed stamping.