Abstract: A reverse taper jacketed bullet has a tubular jacket in the form of a continuous wall defining a cavity and a one-piece core disposed in the jacket cavity. The jacket has opposite heel and mouth portions and an intermediate portion interconnecting the heel and mouth portions. The jacket wall is thicker at the intermediate portion than at either the heel or mouth portion thereof so as to define a reverse taper configuration along the intermediate and heel portions which bulges inwardly at the intermediate portion interior relative to the heel portion interior. The reverse taper configuration provides an inside diameter at the jacket intermediate portion that is less than at the jacket heel portion and in such manner produces a constriction that interlocks the lead core and jacket together. The reverse taper configuration of the jacket wall is formed in final draw step by insertion of a punch having an hour glass shaped or reverse taper configured end portion into an elongated predrawn cup.

Abstract: A small caliber armor-piercing bullet is described in which a case hardened steel nosed lead projectile is utilized to help reduce projectile fragmentation at impact.