Low Velocity Bullet for Pistols and other Handguns
A low velocity bullet has an elongated body with a forward end, opposed rear end and intermediate cylindrical portion between. In the forward end, there is a preset cavity designed to receive a resilient nose element made from an elastomer or other rubber-like material. Unlike prior flat-tipped bullets for high speed rifles, the elastomer in the forward end of this bullet is intentionally raised for protruding outwardly beyond the forward body end. Preferably, the lower end to the bullet head is folded and crimped to the bullet body.
The present invention relates to firearms ammunition, i.e. the cartridge and/or bullet for a gun. More particularly, this invention relates to bullets for use with pistols and other handguns, said bullets having improved expansion characteristics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSeveral rifles employ “rimfired” cartridges which do not have a central primer. They require a sharp pinch of the rim to discharge, or center fired cartridges with broad flat noses. Blunt, rounded nose bullets may be employed with rifles, but they are generally regarded as more risky than flat nosed bullets.
For applications other than rifles, it is important for some applications to employ bullets having an expansion capability. An expanding bullet is more effective at disabling or stopping the intended target. For hunting, this means a more lethal, humane effect on game. For self-defense, police, and military applications, it means that an attacker is more readily incapacitated, ending the attack.
One common type of expanding bullet is a hollow point bullet. This has a central cavity or opening at the bullet's nose. That cavity facilitates the hollow forward end flaring outward on impact to create a broader profile. It is more disruptive of tissue and provides increased effectiveness. Hollow-point bullets have certain disadvantages, however. The amount by which the bullet expands is critical. If the bullet under-expands, it has less disruptive effect leading to reduced stopping power, and may over penetrate the target. An over-expanded round delivers all its energy to the target but has limited penetration. That, in turn, diminishes the bullet's intended effectiveness against its target.
If an attacker wears heavy clothing like denim or leather, material may clog up the bullet's hollow point and prevent (or at least substantially reduce) expansion.
Other problems with conventional hollow point bullets is that an off-axis impact on a hard surface like sheet metal or glass can cause the hollow point leading edge to bend, closing it up and preventing expansion on eventual target impact.
It is known to have the tip of pistol bullets employ a round plastic ball that partially fills a bullet's cavity. They're meant to prevent clogging with clothing material and facilitate expansion. While providing some benefits, there remains a need to generate more effective and controlled expansion of bullets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a bullet having an elongated body with a forward end, opposed rear end and intermediate cylindrical portion between. In the bullet's forward ends, there is a preset cavity designed to receive a resilient nose element made from an elastomer or other rubber-like material. Unlike prior bullets for high speed rifles, this bullet employs a forward end with an intentionally raised (and NOT flat-faced) elastomer protrusion that extends outwardly beyond the forward end of the body.
In addition, the bullet of this invention employs a novel bullet head connection wherein its pinwheel-like sides at the lower head end are rolled or folded over before being crimped down to hold the bullet body together and keep it from falling apart from force and/or velocity.
Further features, advantages and objectives of this invention will become clearer when reviewing the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention is directed to a low velocity bullet for a pistol or other handgun. It is not intended for the higher velocities required for most long range rifles. It is primarily a self-defense bullet as it is meant to successfully penetrate the thick clothing sometimes worn by an aggressive attacker. The bullet of this invention can penetrate such clothing without clogging. Furthermore, because of the filled hollow cavity configuration of this bullet, it is more likely to “open” properly and stay on a truer course/path for its intended (secondary) target even when the nose of said bullet has to first impact an exterior (primary) target like some unforeseen wood, metal or other material situated ahead of the intended target.
Referring now to
On a preferred basis, there is included a plurality of slits 20 extending downwardly and inwardly from bullet top 16. These slits 20 serve as pre-designated expansion points or regions from which the bullet will eventually “open” (as per frame B of
Towards the bottom of bullet 10, i.e. its preferred base 18 should preferably include a crimping region 22, where metal for making the body of bullet 10 proper is essentially folded over, onto itself. There, region 22 holds the overall base 18 together and provides means for applying pressure (forces) from the bullet bottom up and along its upper sides 14. Beneath that crimped region 22 is a typical shell casing 24 that terminates in a rimmed lower edge 26.
Critical to the improvements expected from this new bullet design, there is provided a rubber-like, racquetball type material 30 intentionally fed/inserted into the hollow cavity of nose region 12. More importantly, this “filler” is kept to a raised level or bump (as seen in
The aforementioned elastomeric material intentionally flattens out to the bullet's edges upon compression. In fact, with a raised elastomer surface, more than is observed with any preceding flat-tipped version, this material causes the overall bullet design to open up more consistently like that of a pinwheel, or cutting blade to a household blender. This same material causes the bullet to purposefully slow on impact for more consistent bullet body “opening” while knocking down the power levels from typical bullet firing. Finally, as this protruding portion of polymer extends outwardly beyond the typical top of an otherwise flat-tipped bullet, it provides greater resistance to clogging from an attacker's outer clothing while giving the overall bullet greater target accuracy and firing range.
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The preceding discussion discloses and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A low velocity bullet comprising an elongated body with a forward end, an opposed rear end and an intermediate cylindrical portion between, said forward end defining a hollow cavity into which is inserted a resilient elastomer of such quantity as to substantially fill said hollow cavity and, thereafter, protrude outwardly beyond and above an uppermost surface of said forward end.
2. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said resilient elastomer exceeds said uppermost surface so as to create a raised bump of elastomer.
3. The bullet of claim 2 wherein an uppermost surface of said raised bump is substantially planar.
4. The bullet of claim 1 wherein a lowermost edge to the forward end has a lipped region that is folded onto itself for connecting the forward end to the opposed rear end.
5. The bullet of claim 4 wherein the lowermost edge to the forward end is also partially crimped onto itself.
6. The bullet of claim 1 which further includes a plurality of slits, each slit extending downwardly from an uppermost surface of the forward end.
7. The bullet of claim 6 wherein said sidewall is angled.
8. The bullet of claim 6 wherein said sidewall is curved.
9. A low velocity bullet comprising an elongated body with a forward end, an opposed rear end and an intermediate cylindrical portion therebetween, said forward end defining a cylindrical hollow cavity into which is inserted a resilient elastomer that fills said cavity and protrudes outwardly beyond and above in a dome-like shape.
10. The bullet of claim 9 wherein said dome-like shaped elastomer ends in a substantially planar uppermost surface.
11. The bullet of claim 9 wherein a lowermost edge to the forward end has a lipped region that is folded onto itself for connecting the forward end to the opposed rear end.
12. The bullet of claim 11 wherein the lowermost edge to the forward end is also partially crimped onto itself.
13. The bullet of claim 9 which further includes a plurality of slits, each slit extending downwardly from an uppermost sidewall surface of the forward end.
14. The bullet of claim 13 wherein said sidewall surface is angled.
15. The bullet of claim 13 wherein said sidewall surface is curved.
16. A low velocity bullet comprising an elongated body with a forward end, an opposed rear end and an intermediate cylindrical portion therebetween, an uppermost surface of the forward end having a plurality of slits extending downwardly from a sidewall to said uppermost surface, said forward end defining a cylindrical hollow cavity into which is inserted a resilient elastomer that protrudes upwardly and outwardly beyond said cavity in a raised manner that terminates in a substantially planer uppermost surface.
17. The bullet of claim 16 wherein a lowermost edge to the forward end has a lipped region that is folded onto itself for connecting the forward end to the opposed rear end.
18. The bullet of claim 17 wherein the lowermost edge to the forward end is also partially crimped onto itself.
19. The bullet of claim 16 wherein said sidewall is angled.
20. The bullet of claim 16 wherein said sidewall is curved.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 24, 2012
Publication Date: Jan 30, 2014
Inventor: Christopher A. Mekus (Bradford, PA)
Application Number: 13/557,129