CONCEALED-PROJECTILE FIREARM CARTRIDGES THAT INCLUDE TAGGANT-LABELED PROJECTILES

Abstract

Concealed-projectile firearm cartridges that include taggant-labeled projectiles. A concealed-projectile firearm cartridge includes a cartridge casing adapted to be loaded into a firearm configured to fire the assembled firearm cartridge, a primer and a propellant located within the casing, and at least one projectile at least partially received into the casing. The projectile includes a base material and an identifier material configured to produce an emission, which is configured to be detectable subsequent to passing through the cartridge and prior to firing of the cartridge. The identifier material is configured such that at least one characteristic of the emission is selected to correspond to the base material.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/134,478, which was filed on Mar. 17, 2015, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

FIELD

The present disclosure is directed generally to firearm ammunition, and more particularly to concealed-projectile firearm ammunition cartridges that include taggant-labeled projectiles.

BACKGROUND

Historically, lead projectiles have been utilized in cartridges for firearms. However, under certain conditions, environmental and/or wildlife regulations may preclude the use of lead as a projectile due to the toxicity thereof As examples, a bird or other animal might ingest the lead projectile, the bird or other animal that has been shot with a lead projectile might be consumed by another animal or a human, and/or the lead might act as an environmental contaminant. Thus, alternative projectile materials have been pursued.

In order for a new material to be approved for use in projectiles, the new material generally must be shown to be nontoxic and/or to have a toxicity that is below a specified threshold. In addition, the approval process also may include a requirement that the presence, nature, and/or composition of the new material be identifiable and/or detectable. For example, it may be necessary for a manufacturer who wishes to introduce, market, and/or sell a new projectile that includes the new material, or a cartridge that includes the new projectile, also to provide a mechanism via which regulatory agencies and/or law enforcement personnel may distinguish the new projectile from other, potentially or expressly unapproved, projectiles. Generally, this verification process will be performed in the field via visual inspection and/or utilizing portable and/or hand-held inspection equipment.

For exposed-projectile cartridges, such as most unjacketed rifle and/or pistol ammunition, it may be possible to directly observe the projectile, thereby permitting visual identification of the new projectiles. However, for concealed-projectile firearm cartridges, such as most shotgun shells and fully jacketed rifle or pistol ammunition, it may be difficult, or even impossible, to directly and/or visually observe the projectile, at least without damage to the concealed-projectile firearm cartridges. Thus, there exists a need for concealed-projectile firearm cartridges that include taggant-labeled projectiles.

SUMMARY

Concealed-projectile firearm cartridges that include taggant-labeled projectiles are disclosed herein. A concealed-projectile firearm cartridge is configured to be fired from a firearm and includes a cartridge casing adapted to be loaded into the firearm configured to fire the assembled firearm cartridge, a primer and a propellant located within the casing, and at least one projectile at least partially received into the casing. The projectile includes a base material and an identifier material configured to produce an emission, which is configured to be detectable subsequent to passing through the cartridge and prior to firing of the cartridge. The identifier material is configured such that at least one characteristic of the emission is selected to correspond to the base material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of examples of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, in the form of a shot shell, that may include a plurality of projectiles, according to the present disclosure, in the form of a plurality of shot pellets.

FIG. 2 is a partial fragmentary side view of examples of a projectile in the form of a shot pellet according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is another schematic representation of an example of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge including a projectile, according to the present disclosure, in the form of a jacketed bullet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE

FIGS. 1-3 provide examples of firearm projectiles 100 according to the present disclosure and/or of shot pellets 44 and/or shot shells 20 that may be, may include, and/or may utilize projectiles 100. Elements that serve a similar, or at least substantially similar, purpose are labeled with like numbers in each of FIGS. 1-3, and these elements may not be discussed in detail herein with reference to each of FIGS. 1-3. Similarly, all elements may not be labeled in each of FIGS. 1-3, but reference numbers associated therewith may be utilized herein for consistency. Elements, components, and/or features that are discussed herein with reference to one or more of FIGS. 1-3 may be included in and/or utilized with any of FIGS. 1-3 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In general, elements that are likely to be included in a given (i.e., a particular) embodiment are illustrated in solid lines, while elements that are optional to a given embodiment are illustrated in dashed lines. However, elements that are shown in solid lines are not essential to all embodiments, and an element shown in solid lines may be omitted from a given embodiment without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of examples of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10, in the form of a shot shell 20, that may include a plurality of projectiles 100, according to the present disclosure. Projectiles 100 may be in the form of a plurality of shot pellets 44. These projectiles may include and/or be projectiles 100 that are discussed in more detail herein with reference to FIG. 2. Similarly, references herein to shot pellets 44 or projectiles 100 being fired from a shotgun or other firearm may refer to the projectiles being fired from shot shell 20, or other concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10, that is loaded within the shotgun or other firearm. Additional examples of projectiles, shot shells, components thereof, and/or features thereof that may be included in and/or utilized with projectiles 100 and/or concealed-projectile firearm cartridges 10 according to the present disclosure are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,115,961, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

As used herein, the term “concealed-projectile firearm cartridge” may refer to any suitable ammunition cartridge in which one or more projectiles, which form a portion of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, cannot be visibly observed and/or inspected, at least prior to the cartridge being fired, without damaging or disassembling the cartridge. Additionally or alternatively, the term “concealed-projectile firearm cartridge” may refer to any suitable ammunition cartridge in which one or more projectiles, which form a portion of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, include an opaque external layer such that a core of the one or more projectiles cannot be visibly observed and/or inspected, at least prior to the cartridge being fired, without damaging or disassembling the cartridge. As examples, a shell, a casing, and/or a covering may coat, cover, surround, enclose, and/or otherwise obscure the one or more projectiles from visual inspection.

A common example of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge is a shot shell, in which a housing, a casing, and/or a hull surrounds a plurality of projectiles, at least prior to firing of the shot shell. Another example of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge is a sabot cartridge, in which a sabot may at least partially, or even completely, surround one or more projectiles. A further example of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge is a jacketed bullet cartridge, in which a jacket surrounds and encloses at least the portion of a bullet core that extends from the casing of the cartridge. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the concealed-projectile firearm cartridges disclosed herein may be configured to be fired from any suitable firearm, including a rifle, a pistol, and/or a shotgun.

With reference to FIG. 1, shot shell 20 is shown including a head, or head portion, 22, a shot shell case, or casing, 14, and a mouth region 24. Shot shell 20 further includes an ignition device 15, such as primer, or priming mixture, 16, which may be configured to ignite a propellant 18, which also may be referred to as powder 18, smokeless powder 18, gun powder 18, charge 18 of the shot shell, and/or propellant charge 18 of the shot shell. Propellant 18 and primer 16 are located behind a partition 30, namely, a wad 32, which serves to segregate the propellant and the primer from the shot shell's payload 42.

Wad 32 may define and/or be described as defining a shot cup 35, which refers to a portion of the wad that generally faces toward mouth region 24 and which may be contacted by at least a portion of the plurality of projectiles 100 in the assembled shot shell 20. Wad 32 additionally or alternatively may be referred to as a shot wad 32, and it may take a variety of suitable shapes and/or sizes. Any suitable size, shape, material, and/or construction of wad 32 may be used, including but not limited to conventional wads that have been used with lead shot, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Casing 14 and head 22 additionally or alternatively may be referred to as forming a housing 12 of the shot shell. As indicated in FIG. 1, housing 12 (and/or casing 14) may be described as defining an internal chamber, internal compartment, and/or enclosed volume 28 of the shot shell. When the shot shell is assembled, at least propellant 18, wad 32, and payload 42 are inserted into the internal compartment, such as through mouth region 24. After insertion of these components into the internal compartment, mouth region 24 is sealed or otherwise closed, such as via any suitable closure 26. As an example, the region of the casing distal head 22 may be folded, crimped, or otherwise used to close mouth region 24.

Payload 42 additionally or alternatively may be referred to as a shot charge, or shot load, 42. Payload 42 typically will include a plurality of shot pellets 44. The region of shot shell 20, casing 14, and/or wad 32 that contains payload 42 may be referred to as a payload region 40 thereof.

Wad 32 defines a pellet-facing surface 33 that extends and/or faces generally toward mouth region 24 and away from head 22 (when the wad is positioned properly within an assembled shot shell). Wad 32 may include at least one gas seal, or gas seal region, 34, and at least one deformable region 36, between the payload region 40 and the propellant 18. Gas seal region 34 is configured to engage the inner surface of the shotgun's chamber and barrel to restrict the passage of gasses, which are produced when the shot shell is fired (i.e., when the charge is ignited), along the shotgun's barrel. By doing so, the gasses propel the wad, and the payload of shot pellets 44 contained therein, from the chamber and along and out of the shotgun's barrel. Deformable region 36 is designed to crumple, collapse, or otherwise non-elastically deform in response to the setback, or firing, forces that are generated when the shot shell is fired and the combustion of the propellant rapidly urges the wad and payload from being stationary to travelling down the barrel of the shotgun at high speeds.

A shot shell may include as few as a single shot pellet 44, which perhaps more appropriately may be referred to as a shot slug, and as many as dozens or hundreds of individual shot pellets 44. The number of shot pellets 44 in any particular shot shell will be defined by such factors as the size and geometry of the shot pellets, the size and shape of the shell's casing and/or wad, the available volume in the casing to be filled by shot pellets 44, etc. For example, a 12-gauge double ought (00) buckshot shell typically contains nine shot pellets having diameters of approximately 0.3 inches (0.762 cm), while shot shells that are intended for use in hunting birds, and especially smaller birds, tend to contain many more shot pellets.

Shot shell 20 and its components have been schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 and are not intended to require a specific shape, size, or quantity of the components thereof. The length and diameter of the overall shot shell 20 and its housing 12, the amount of primer 16 and propellant 18, the shape, size, and configuration of wad 32, the type, shape, size, and/or number of shot pellets 44, etc. all may vary within the scope of the present disclosure.

As discussed, shot shell 20 is designed and/or configured to be placed within a firearm, such as a shotgun, and to fire shot charge 42 therefrom. As an example, a firing pin of the firearm may strike primer 16, which may ignite propellant charge 18. Ignition of propellant charge 18 may produce gasses that may expand and provide a motive force to propel shot charge 42 from the firearm (or a barrel thereof).

As discussed in more detail herein with reference to FIGS. 1-2, projectiles 100 (and thus shot pellets 44) may include a base material 110 and an identifier material 120. Base material 110 may be selected to provide a desired mass, density, hardness, and/or one or more desired ballistic properties to projectile 100. Examples of base material 110 include lead, bismuth, tungsten, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, manganese, steel, tin, zinc, and/or mixtures and/or alloys thereof. Additional examples of base material 110 and/or identifier material 120 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,447,715 and 8,783,187, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0203477, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Identifier material 120 may be selected to provide an identifying characteristic that may be observed and/or detected when projectile 100 is incorporated into and/or forms a portion of concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10 and without requiring disassembly of or damage to the cartridge. As an example, and with reference to FIG. 1, identifier material 120 may be configured to selectively, intermittently, and/or continuously produce and/or generate an emission 140. The present disclosure is motivated by the unexpected realization that certain emissions 140 may pass through a component of concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10, such as casing 14, and may be observed and/or detected external to concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10 by a detector 162.

As a more specific example, identifier material 120 may absorb excitation electromagnetic radiation 152, which may be incident thereon and which also may pass through casing 14. Responsive to absorption of the excitation electromagnetic radiation, identifier material 120 may give off emission 140, such as in the form of emission electromagnetic radiation 142. Excitation electromagnetic radiation 152 may be produced and/or generated by an excitation source 150. As another more specific example, identifier material 120 may continuously give off or otherwise emit or produce emission 140 in the form of gamma rays 144 and/or subatomic particles 146.

Examples of identifier material 120 include luminescent materials, phosphorescent materials, phosphors, fluorescent materials, rare earth oxides, oxysulfides, stokes materials, anti-stokes materials, lanthanum oxide, radio-luminescent materials, radioactive materials, radionuclides, and/or mixtures and/or combinations thereof. For example, identifier material 120 may include, or be, a fluorescent material configured to produce emission 140 in the form of visible light responsive to absorbing excitation electromagnetic radiation 152 in the form of infrared and/or ultraviolet light. Additionally or alternatively, identifier material 120 may include, or be, a non-metallic, or at least substantially non-metallic, substance. Additional examples of identifier material 120 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,840,029 and 8,895,158, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Further additional examples of identifier material 120 are sold by DayGlo Color Corp. of Orlando, Fla.

Regardless of the exact composition, or chemical make-up, of identifier material 120, the identifier material may be specified, selected, and/or chosen such that one or more characteristics of emission 140 is unique, or is specified to be unique, to a given base material 110. As an example, identifier material 120 may include one or more chemical compounds, examples of which are disclosed herein, that may be selected to produce and/or generate the unique emission 140. This may include utilizing a blend and/or mixture of chemical compounds, each of which may be selected to provide a certain characteristic of emission 140. As an example, the blend and/or mixture of chemical compounds may include different chemical compounds that may be selected to emit electromagnetic radiation at different frequencies. Under these conditions, the different chemical compounds may be selected such that the identifier material emits electromagnetic radiation at several different, or desired, frequencies. Additionally or alternatively, a relative proportion of each of the different compounds may be selected such that the identifier material has a target, or desired, emission intensity, or relative emission intensity, at each of the different frequencies.

Thus, detection of a given emission 140 may be utilized to identify, or to verify the identity of, the given base material 110 within the assembled shot shell or other firearm cartridge 10. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that a given identifier material 120, which may produce the given emission 140, may be selected to correspond to, or to identify, the composition of the given base material 110 and/or one or more components thereof Additionally or alternatively, it is also within the scope of the present disclosure that the composition of identifier material 120, and correspondingly emission 140 that is generated therefrom, may be selected to correspond to, or to identify, a processing and/or manufacturing characteristic of concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10. Examples of the processing and/or manufacturing characteristic include a batch number of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, a lot number of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, a manufacturer of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, a manufacturing date of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge, and/or a manufacturing date range of the concealed-projectile firearm cartridge.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, excitation source 150 and/or detector 162 may form a portion of an identification device 160. Identification device 160 may be a handheld, battery-powered, and/or portable device that may be utilized in the field by regulatory agencies and/or law enforcement personnel to detect emission 140 and thus to identify, or verify the identity of, base material 110 based thereon. Examples of such identification devices are sold by Brandwatch Technologies of Portland, Oreg.

It is within the scope of the present disclosure that excitation sources 150, detectors 162, and/or identification devices 160 that include the same may be tuned to excite emissions from a given identifier material 120 and/or to detect emissions 140 from the given identifier material 120. As an example, identification devices 160 may be configured to provide a positive/negative or go/no-go output. As a more specific example, and subsequent to detection of emission 140, identification devices 160 may be configured to provide a positive signal (such as a green light) responsive to detection of the given identifier material and to provide a negative signal (such as a red light) responsive to not detecting the given identifier material.

It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that identification devices 160 further may include one or more additional structures. As an example, identification devices 160 may include a magnet, such as a rare earth magnet, that may be utilized to detect and/or determine if base material 110 is a ferromagnetic material.

FIG. 2 is a partial fragmentary side view of examples of a projectile 100 according to the present disclosure. Projectiles 100 may be included in and/or form a portion of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10, examples of which are discussed in more detail herein with reference to FIG. 1.

As discussed, projectile 100 includes a base material 110 and an identifier material 120. Base material 110 also may be referred to herein as a bulk material 110, a primary material 110, and/or a major material 110. Identifier material 120 also may be referred to herein as a secondary material 120, a minor material 120, a taggant material 120, and/or a taggant 120.

Generally, base material 110 will comprise a majority, or major portion, of a volume and/or of a mass of projectile 100. As examples, base material 110 may comprise at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97.5%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% of the volume and/or of the mass of projectile 100. Additionally or alternatively, base material 110 also may comprise less than 100%, less than 99.99%, less than 99.9%, less than 99.5%, less than 99%, less than 98%, less than 97%, less than 96%, and/or less than 95% of the volume and/or of the mass of projectile 100.

In contrast, identifier material 120 may comprise a minority, or minor portion, of the volume and/or of the mass of projectile 100. As examples, identifier material 120 may comprise at least 0.001%, at least 0.01%, at least 0.1%, at least 0.5%, or at least 1% of the volume and/or of the mass of projectile 100. Additionally or alternatively, identifier material 120 also may comprise less than 10%, less than 9%, less than 8%, less than 7%, less than 6%, less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2%, less than 1%, less than 0.5%, less than 0.1%, and/or less than 0.01% of the volume and/or of the mass of projectile 100.

Identifier material 120 may be included in projectile 100 and/or incorporated into projectile 100 in any suitable manner. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates examples of a plurality of manners in which identifier material 120 may be included in projectile 100 and/or incorporated into projectile 100, and identifier material 120 may be included in projectile 100 and/or incorporated into projectile 100 by any appropriate subset and/or combination of such manners. As an example, and as illustrated in cutaway view in the right-hand side of FIG. 2, identifier material 120 may include, be, and/or form a portion of a coating 130 that covers and/or coats a portion (majority or minority), substantially all, or all of base material 110. Under these conditions, base material 110 also may be referred to herein as a core 110 of projectile 100. Coating 130 may be applied over core 110 and/or may be coated onto core 110 subsequent to formation of core 110.

Coating 130 may be a continuous or discontinuous coating that may cover and/or coat any suitable portion of an outer surface 114 of base material 110. Thus, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that at least a portion of outer surface 114 may be visible and/or exposed through coating 130. Alternatively, it is also within the scope of the present disclosure that base material 110 may be completely, or at least substantially completely, encapsulated by coating 130. Coating 130, when present, may include additional materials, properties, and/or functions. As an example, coating 130 may be or include one or more coatings that are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0318403, which has been incorporated by reference herein.

When projectiles 100 include coating 130, the coating may be applied to base material 110 in any suitable manner. As an example, coating 130 may be sprayed onto base material 110. As another example, coating 130 may be sprinkled or otherwise deposited onto outer surface 114 of base material 110. As yet another example, coating 130 may be sprinkled or otherwise deposited onto an adhesive and/or encapsulating layer that coats outer surface 114 of base material 110. As another example, coating 130 may be flowed into contact with base material 110 via a carrier fluid, with the carrier fluid subsequently being evaporated to leave the coating adhered to the base material.

As another example, and as indicated in dashed lines in the left-hand side of FIG. 2, identifier material 120 may include and/or be a domain 116 within base material 110. As an example, base material 110 and identifier material 120 may be mixed and/or combined during formation of projectile 100. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that domain 116 may include and/or define any suitable shape and/or size. As an example, identifier material 120 may include a plurality of particles that may be mixed and/or combined with base material 110. As another example, identifier material 120 may be melted into, dissolved within, and/or alloyed with base material 110, producing relatively smaller, or even atomic-scale, domains 116. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that projectile 100 may be formed such that domains 116 preferentially segregate to and/or toward an outer surface 104 of projectile 100. Such a conformation may increase an intensity of emissions that may be generated from identifier material 120 and/or may decrease a mass of identifier material 120 that may be needed to produce a desired intensity for the emissions.

Projectile 100 may include and/or define any suitable shape, cross-sectional shape, and/or outer perimeter. As an example, projectile 100 may define a circular, or at least substantially circular, cross-sectional shape. Additionally or alternatively, the projectile also may define a spherical, or at least substantially spherical, shape and/or outer surface 104. When projectile 100 defines a circular cross-sectional shape and/or a spherical outer surface, a size of the projectile may be characterized by a diameter 102 thereof

While FIG. 2 illustrates a circular cross-sectional shape for projectile 100, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that the projectile additionally or alternatively may define a different, regular or irregular, cross-sectional shape. Similarly, projectile 100 also may define any suitable outer surface 104, including any suitable cylindrical, cuboid, and/or irregular outer surface. Accordingly, FIG. 2 additionally or alternatively may be described as schematically illustrating a projectile 100 with such a non-circular shape. When projectile 100 defines a non-spherical outer surface, the size of the projectile may be characterized by an effective diameter 102. As used herein, the term “effective diameter” may refer to a diameter of a sphere that defines the same volume as a volume of projectile 100. Additionally or alternatively, the term “effective diameter” may refer to a diameter of a smallest sphere that circumscribes the volume of projectile 100, and/or may refer to a diameter of a largest sphere that can be inscribed within the volume of projectile 100.

Examples of diameters 102 and/or effective diameters 102 for projectiles 100 according to the present disclosure include diameters and/or effective diameters of at least 0.25 millimeters (mm), at least 0.5 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 1.5 mm, at least 2 mm, at least 2.5 mm, at least 3 mm, and/or at least 3.5 mm. Additionally or alternatively, projectile 100 may include a diameter and/or an effective diameter of less than 15 mm, less than 12.5 mm, less than 10 mm, less than 9 mm, less than 8 mm, less than 7 mm, less than 6 mm, less than 5 mm, and/or less than 4 mm.

It is within the scope of the present disclosure that projectile 100 may be formed in any suitable manner. As examples, projectile 100 may be formed by drawing (including, but not limited to, redrawing a rod or wire), casting, and/or extruding. As additional examples, a shape, final shape, or finished shape of projectile 100 may be defined by heading, swaging, and/or rolling.

Base material 110 may be selected to provide a target, desired, and/or selected ballistic property for projectile 100. As an example, base material 110 may be selected to have at least a threshold density. This may permit projectile 100 to travel a desired distance when fired from a firearm, to maintain at least a threshold velocity at a specified distance from the firearm, and/or to maintain at least a threshold impact force at the specified distance from the firearm. Examples of threshold densities according to the present disclosure include threshold densities of at least 7 grams/cubic centimeter (g/cc), at least 7.25 g/cc, at least 7.5 g/cc, at least 7.75 g/cc, at least 8 g/cc, at least 8.25 g/cc, at least 8.5 g/cc, at least 8.75 g/cc, and/or at least 9 g/cc.

As another example, base material 110 additionally or alternatively may be selected to have a hardness that is less than an upper hardness threshold and/or greater than a lower hardness threshold. This may permit firing of the projectile from a given firearm without damage to the firearm (such as to an inner surface of a barrel of a shotgun or other firearm) and/or may produce a desired level of deformation of the projectile upon being fired from the firearm. As an example, and when projectile 100 is a shot pellet 44, a plurality of which are contained in a shot shell and configured to be fired from a shotgun, deformation of the plurality of shot pellets during firing of the shotgun may produce a specified and/or desired shot pattern diameter and/or shot string length at a given distance from the shotgun.

Examples of upper hardness thresholds according to the present disclosure include upper hardness thresholds of less than 95 Brinell, less than 90 Brinell, less than 85 Brinell, less than 80 Brinell, less than 75 Brinell, less than 70 Brinell, less than 65 Brinell, less than 60 Brinell, less than 55 Brinell, less than 50 Brinell, less than 45 Brinell, and/or less than 40 Brinell. Examples of lower hardness thresholds according to the present disclosure include lower hardness thresholds of greater than 15 Brinell, greater than 20 Brinell, greater than 25 Brinell, greater than 30 Brinell, greater than 35 Brinell, greater than 40 Brinell, and/or greater than 45 Brinell.

As discussed, base material 110 may include and/or be copper; however, copper is not required to form or be included in all base materials 110 according to the present disclosure. The inclusion of copper within (and/or as) base material 110 may represent an improvement in ballistic properties over several of the lead alternatives that are discussed herein. As an example, a hardness of pure copper may be approximately 35 Brinell. This relatively low hardness may permit firing a projectile that includes copper from a firearm, such as a shotgun, at relatively high velocities (such as velocities in excess of 1450 feet/second or 440 meters/second) without damage to the barrel of the shotgun and/or without requiring a specialized wad and/or a specialized shot cup to provide additional protection for the barrel.

In addition, this relatively low hardness also may permit a desired amount of deformation, or flattening, of the projectiles upon being fired from the firearm. This projectile deformation may increase a spread of a plurality of projectiles that may be fired from the shotgun. Thus, and even though a density of copper is approximately 20% lower than a density of lead, copper projectiles may be designed that approach the shot pattern, shot penetration, and/or shot trail of lead projectiles, which may represent a significant improvement in ballistic performance over many lead alternatives.

Furthermore, copper also may be less expensive and/or more readily available than other lead alternatives and/or may be domestically sourced. This may permit more economical manufacture of projectiles that include copper when compared to many lead alternatives. As an example, market prices for bismuth and tungsten have increased much more significantly over the past 10-20 years than market prices for copper.

When base material 110 includes copper, the copper may comprise any suitable fraction, proportion, and/or percentage of base material 110. As examples, the copper may comprise at least 50 weight percent (wt %), at least 55 wt %, at least 60 wt %, at least 65 wt %, at least 70 wt %, at least 75 wt %, at least 80 wt %, at least 85 wt %, at least 90 wt %, at least 95 wt %, at least 97.5 wt %, and/or at least 99 wt % of the base material. As additional examples, the copper may comprise less than 100 wt %, less than 99 wt %, less than 98 wt %, less than 97 wt %, less than 96 wt %, less than 95 wt %, less than 92.5 wt %, less than 90 wt %, less than 87.5 wt %, less than 85 wt %, less than 82.5 wt %, and/or less than 80 wt % of the base material.

FIG. 3 illustrates an additional example of a concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10 according to the present disclosure. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, concealed-projectile firearm cartridge 10 takes the form of a jacketed bullet cartridge 50, which includes a projectile 100 in the form of a bullet core 52 that is at least substantially covered by a jacket 54. Bullet core 52 includes base material 110 and identifier material 120. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that bullet cartridge 50 may take any suitable shape and/or configuration, such as those known in the art for conventional bullet cartridges.

Bullet cartridge 50 also includes a case, or casing, 14. Casing 14 includes a cup 56 and defines an internal volume in which propellant 18 is located. Bullet cartridge 50 additionally includes ignition device 15, such as primer 16, which may be configured to ignite propellant 18. Casing 14, primer 16, and propellant 18 may be of any suitable materials, as is known in the art of firearms. Bullet cartridge 50 is configured to be loaded into a gun, such as a handgun, rifle, or the like, and upon firing, discharges projectile 100 at high speeds and with a high rate of rotation due to rifling within the firearm's barrel. Although illustrated in FIG. 3 as a centerfire cartridge, in which primer 16 is located in the center of a base of casing 14, bullets according to the present disclosure may also be incorporated into other types of cartridges, such as a rimfire cartridge, in which the casing is rimmed or flanged and the primer is located inside the rim of the casing.

As illustrated, projectile 100 may include a bullet core 52 with a protective coating, or jacket, 54. In such an embodiment, projectile 100 may be referred to as a jacketed bullet, and jacket 54 may be described as at least substantially, if not completely, enclosing bullet core 52. Thus, jacket 54 may obscure bullet core 52 (or at least an internal portion of projectile 100 that extends from casing 14 of the assembled bullet cartridge). Jacket 54 thus may prevent direct physical observation of bullet core 52 and/or base material 110 thereof prior to the bullet cartridge being fired.

However, and as discussed, the presence of identifier material 120 may permit an identification device to uniquely identify base material 110 based upon emissions from the base material that may be detected by the identification device, as discussed herein. For example, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, identifier material 120 may absorb excitation electromagnetic radiation 152, which may be incident thereon and which also may pass through jacket 54. Responsive to absorption of the excitation electromagnetic radiation, identifier material 120 may give off or otherwise emit emission 140, such as in the form of emission electromagnetic radiation 142. Excitation electromagnetic radiation 152 and/or emission 140 may pass through jacket 54 of bullet cartridge 50. Excitation electromagnetic radiation 152 may be produced and/or generated by excitation source 150. Excitation source 150 and/or detector 162 may form a portion of identification device 160, as discussed herein.

Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of concealed-projectile firearm cartridges that include taggant-labeled projectiles are described in the following enumerated paragraphs:

A1. A concealed-projectile firearm cartridge configured to be fired from a firearm, the firearm cartridge comprising:

a cartridge casing adapted to be received into the firearm;

a primer and a propellant located within the casing; and

at least one projectile at least partially received into the casing;

wherein the at least one projectile includes a base material and an identifier material configured to provide an identifying characteristic.

A2. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A1, wherein the identifying characteristic is selected to correspond to the base material.

A3. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A2, wherein the identifying characteristic includes an emission, and wherein the identifier material is configured to selectively, intermittently, and/or continuously produce and/or generate the emission.

A4. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A3, wherein the identifier material is incorporated into the base material.

A5. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A4, wherein the at least one projectile is obscured from visual inspection by the cartridge casing.

A6. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A5, wherein the cartridge casing completely encloses the at least one projectile.

A7. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A6, wherein the identifying characteristic may be observed and/or detected when the at least one projectile is incorporated into the firearm cartridge without requiring disassembly of, firing of, or damage to the firearm cartridge.

A8. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A7, wherein the firearm is a rifle, a pistol, and/or a shotgun.

A9. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A8, wherein the cartridge casing includes a shot shell housing and/or a bullet jacket.

A10. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A9, wherein the firearm cartridge is a shot shell; wherein the casing defines an internal chamber; wherein the casing includes a mouth portion and a head portion, the mouth portion and the head portion being positioned on opposing ends of the casing; wherein the shot shell includes a wad positioned within the internal chamber of the casing; wherein the at least one projectile includes a plurality of shot pellets positioned within the internal chamber of the casing; and further wherein the wad separates the plurality of shot pellets from the primer and the propellant.

A11. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A9, wherein the firearm cartridge is a bullet cartridge, wherein the at least one projectile is a single projectile in the form of a bullet adapted to be fired from a firearm having a barrel with rifling.

A12. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A11 wherein the emission is configured to be detectable subsequent to passing through the cartridge casing and prior to firing of the firearm cartridge.

A13. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A12, wherein the emission is configured to be detectable by a detector.

A14. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A13, wherein the identifier material is configured to produce and/or generate the emission subsequent to absorbing an excitation electromagnetic radiation.

A15. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A14, wherein the excitation electromagnetic radiation is produced and/or generated by an excitation source.

A16. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A15, wherein the excitation source and/or the detector form a portion of an identification device.

A17. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A16, wherein the identification device is a handheld, battery-powered, and/or portable device that is configured to detect the emission.

A18. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A16-A17, wherein the identification device is configured to provide a positive signal responsive to detection of a given identifier material and/or to provide a negative signal responsive to not detecting the given identifier material.

A19. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A16-A18, wherein the identification device includes a magnetic material.

A20. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A19, wherein the emission includes an emission electromagnetic radiation, a gamma ray, and/or a subatomic particle.

A21. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A20, wherein the identifier material includes a luminescent material, a phosphorescent material, a phosphor, a fluorescent material, a rare earth oxide, an oxysulfide, a Stokes material, an anti-Stokes material, lanthanum oxide, a radio-luminescent material, a radioactive material, a radionuclide, and/or mixtures and/or combinations thereof.

A21.1. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A21, wherein the identifier material includes a fluorescent material configured to emit visible light responsive to absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light.

A21.2. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A21-A21.1, wherein the identifier material includes a fluorescent material configured to emit visible light responsive to absorbing infrared (IR) light.

A21.3. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A21-A21.2, wherein the identifier material is at least substantially non-metallic, optionally fully non-metallic.

A22. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A21.3, wherein the identifier material is configured such that one or more characteristics of the emission is unique and/or specified to be unique to the base material.

A23. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A22, wherein the emission is configured to correspond to and/or identify a composition of at least a portion of the base material.

A24. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A3-A23, wherein the emission is configured to correspond to and/or identify a processing characteristic and/or a manufacturing characteristic of the firearm cartridge.

A25. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A24, wherein the processing and/or manufacturing characteristic includes a batch number of the firearm cartridge, a lot number of the firearm cartridge, a manufacturer of the firearm cartridge, a manufacturing date of the firearm cartridge, and/or a manufacturing date range of the firearm cartridge.

A26. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A20-A25, wherein the emission includes the emission electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the identifier material includes a plurality of identifier components that are configured to produce respective emission components of the emission electromagnetic radiation at respective different emission frequencies.

A27. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A26, wherein a relative proportion of each of the components of the plurality of components is selected such that the emission electromagnetic radiation has a predetermined relative emission intensity at each respective emission frequency.

A28. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A27, wherein the base material includes lead, bismuth, tungsten, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, manganese, steel, tin, zinc, and/or mixtures and/or alloys thereof.

A29. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A28, wherein the base material comprises a majority of a volume and/or a mass of the at least one projectile.

A30. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A29, wherein the base material comprises at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97.5%, at least 99%, less than 100%, less than 99.99%, less than 99.9%, less than 99.5%, less than 99%, less than 98%, less than 97%, less than 96%, and/or less than 95% of a total volume and/or mass of the at least one projectile.

A31. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A30, wherein the base material has a base material density that is at least 7 g/cc, at least 7.25 g/cc, at least 7.5 g/cc, at least 7.75 g/cc, at least 8 g/cc, at least 8.25 g/cc, at least 8.5 g/cc, at least 8.75 g/cc, and/or at least 9 g/cc.

A32. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A31, wherein the base material has a base material hardness that is greater than 15 Brinell, greater than 20 Brinell, greater than 25 Brinell, greater than 30 Brinell, greater than 35 Brinell, greater than 40 Brinell, greater than 45 Brinell, less than 95 Brinell, less than 90 Brinell, less than 85 Brinell, less than 80 Brinell, less than 75 Brinell, less than 70 Brinell, less than 65 Brinell, less than 60 Brinell, less than 55 Brinell, less than 50 Brinell, less than 45 Brinell, and/or less than 40 Brinell.

A33. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A32, wherein the base material includes copper, and further wherein the proportion of copper in the base material is at least 50 wt %, at least 55 wt %, at least 60 wt %, at least 70 wt %, at least 75 wt %, at least 80 wt %, at least 85 wt %, at least 90 wt %, at least 95 wt %, at least 97.5 wt %, at least 99 wt %, less than 100 wt %, less than 99 wt %, less than 98 wt %, less than 97 wt %, less than 96 wt %, less than 95 wt %, less than 92.5 wt %, less than 90 wt %, less than 87.5 wt %, less than 85 wt %, less than 82.5 wt %, and/or less than 80 wt %.

A34. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A33, wherein the identifier material comprises at least 0.001%, at least 0.01%, at least 0.1%, at least 0.5%, at least 1%, less than 10%, less than 9%, less than 8%, less than 7%, less than 6%, less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2%, less than 1%, less than 0.5%, less than 0.1%, and/or less than 0.01% of a total volume and/or mass of the at least one projectile.

A35. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A34, wherein the at least one projectile includes a coating configured to cover and/or coat at least a portion of an outer surface of the base material.

A36. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A35, wherein the coating includes the identifier material.

A37. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A35-A36, wherein the coating includes a solvent residual.

A38. The firearm cartridge of paragraph A37, wherein the solvent residual includes the identifier material.

A39. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A37-A38, wherein the solvent residual includes water, white oil, lacquer thinner, paint thinner, propylene glycol, isopropyl alcohol, and/or a residue thereof.

A40. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A35-A39, wherein the coating is configured such that at least a portion of the outer surface is visible and/or exposed through the coating.

A41. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A35-A40, wherein the coating is configured such that the base material is completely, or at least substantially completely, encapsulated by the coating.

A42. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A35-A41, wherein the coating includes a plurality of sequentially applied layers.

A43. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A35-A42, wherein the coating includes a corrosion inhibitor.

A44. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A43, wherein the at least one projectile has a cross-sectional shape that is circular, or at least substantially circular.

A45. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A44, wherein the outer surface of the at least one projectile has a surface shape that is spherical, or at least substantially spherical.

A46. The firearm cartridge of any of paragraphs A1-A45, wherein the at least one projectile has a diameter that is at least 0.25 mm, at least 0.5 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 1.5 mm, at least 2.5 mm, at least 3 mm, at least 3.5 mm, less than 15 mm, less than 12.5 mm, less than 10 mm, less than 9 mm, less than 8 mm, less than 7 mm, less than 6 mm, less than 5 mm, and/or less than 4 mm.

B1. A method of manufacturing a projectile that includes a base material and an identifier material, the method comprising:

providing the base material; and

adding the identifier material to the base material;

wherein the identifier material is configured to selectively, intermittently, and/or continuously produce and/or generate an identifying emission configured to correspond to the base material.

B2. The method of paragraph B1, wherein the adding the identifier material to the base material includes incorporating the identifier material into the base material.

B3. The method of any of paragraphs B1-B2, wherein the method further includes applying a coating to the base material.

B4. The method of paragraph B3, wherein the applying the coating includes sequentially applying a plurality of coating layers.

B5. The method of any of paragraphs B3-B4, wherein the applying the coating is performed prior to the adding the identifier material.

B6. The method of any of paragraphs B3-B5, wherein the applying the coating is performed subsequent to the adding the identifier material.

B7. The method of any of paragraphs B3-B6, wherein the adding the identifier material includes the applying the coating, and further wherein the coating includes the identifier material.

B8. The method of any of paragraphs B3-B7, wherein the coating includes a corrosion inhibitor.

B9. The method of any of paragraphs B3-B8, wherein the coating includes a solvent.

B10. The method of paragraph B9, wherein the solvent includes water, white oil, lacquer thinner, paint thinner, propylene glycol, and/or isopropyl alcohol.

B11. The method of any of paragraphs B9-B10, wherein the method further includes removing at least a portion of the solvent from the base material.

B12. The method of any of paragraphs B9-B11, wherein the identifier material is soluble in the solvent.

B13. The method of any of paragraphs B3-B12, wherein the coating is the coating of any of paragraphs A35-A46.

C1. A projectile according to any of paragraphs A1-A46 and/or paragraphs B1-B13.

D1. A method of manufacturing a firearm cartridge, the method comprising:

providing at least one projectile according to paragraph C1;

inserting the at least one projectile into a cartridge casing;

inserting a primer and a propellant into the cartridge casing; and

closing the cartridge casing such that the at least one projectile, the propellant, and the primer are operatively sealed within the cartridge casing.

D2. The method of paragraph D1, wherein the firearm cartridge is a shot shell; wherein the at least one projectile is a plurality of shot pellets; and wherein the method further includes inserting a wad into the casing such that the wad separates the plurality of shot pellets from the primer and the propellant.

D3. The method of paragraph D1, wherein the at least one projectile is a single bullet, and wherein the method further includes jacketing the bullet with a jacketing metal.

As used herein, the term “and/or” placed between a first entity and a second entity means one of (1) the first entity, (2) the second entity, and (3) the first entity and the second entity.

Multiple entities listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same manner, i.e., “one or more” of the entities so conjoined. Other entities may optionally be present other than the entities specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those entities specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” may refer, in one embodiment, to

A only (optionally including entities other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including entities other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other entities). These entities may refer to elements, actions, structures, steps, operations, values, and the like.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more entities should be understood to mean at least one entity selected from any one or more of the entity in the list of entities, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every entity specifically listed within the list of entities and not excluding any combinations of entities in the list of entities. This definition also allows that entities may optionally be present other than the entities specifically identified within the list of entities to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those entities specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) may refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including entities other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including entities other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other entities). In other words, the phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” may mean A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, A, B and C together, and optionally any of the above in combination with at least one other entity.

In the event that any patents, patent applications, or other references are incorporated by reference herein and (1) define a term in a manner that is inconsistent with and/or (2) are otherwise inconsistent with, either the non-incorporated portion of the present disclosure or any of the other incorporated references, the non-incorporated portion of the present disclosure shall control, and the term or incorporated disclosure therein shall only control with respect to the reference in which the term is defined and/or the incorporated disclosure was present originally.

As used herein the terms “adapted” and “configured” mean that the element, component, or other subject matter is designed and/or intended to perform a given function. Thus, the use of the terms “adapted” and “configured” should not be construed to mean that a given element, component, or other subject matter is simply “capable of” performing a given function but that the element, component, and/or other subject matter is specifically selected, created, implemented, utilized, programmed, and/or designed for the purpose of performing the function. It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that elements, components, and/or other recited subject matter that is recited as being adapted to perform a particular function may additionally or alternatively be described as being configured to perform that function, and vice versa.

As used herein, the phrase, “for example,” the phrase, “as an example,” and/or simply the term “example,” when used with reference to one or more components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods according to the present disclosure, are intended to convey that the described component, feature, detail, structure, embodiment, and/or method is an example of components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the described component, feature, detail, structure, embodiment, and/or method is not intended to be limiting, required, or exclusive/exhaustive; and other components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods, including structurally and/or functionally similar and/or equivalent components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods, are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The firearm cartridges, projectiles, and methods disclosed herein are applicable to the firearm and ammunition fields.

It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, when the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations that are directed to one of the disclosed inventions and are novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A concealed-projectile firearm cartridge configured to be fired from a firearm, the firearm cartridge comprising:

a cartridge casing adapted to be received into the firearm;

a primer and a propellant located within the casing; and

at least one projectile at least partially received into the casing;

wherein the at least one projectile includes a base material and an identifier material configured to produce an emission, wherein the emission is configured to be detectable subsequent to the emission passing through the cartridge casing and prior to firing of the firearm cartridge; and further wherein the identifier material is configured such that at least one characteristic of the emission is selected to correspond to the base material.

2. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the at least one projectile is obscured from visual inspection by the cartridge casing.

3. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the firearm cartridge is a shot shell; wherein the casing defines an internal chamber; wherein the casing includes a mouth portion and a head portion, the mouth portion and the head portion being positioned on opposing ends of the casing; wherein the shot shell includes a wad positioned within the internal chamber of the casing; wherein the at least one projectile includes a plurality of shot pellets positioned within the internal chamber of the casing; and further wherein the wad separates the plurality of shot pellets from the primer and the propellant.

4. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the emission is an emission electromagnetic radiation, and further wherein the identifier material is configured to produce the emission electromagnetic radiation subsequent to absorbing an excitation electromagnetic radiation.

5. The firearm cartridge of claim 4, wherein the identifier material includes a plurality of identifier components configured to produce respective emission components of the emission electromagnetic radiation at respective different emission frequencies.

6. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the identifier material includes at least one of a luminescent material, a phosphorescent material, a phosphor, a fluorescent material, a rare earth oxide, an oxysulfide, a Stokes material, an anti-Stokes material, lanthanum oxide, a radio-luminescent material, a radioactive material, a radionucleotide, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

7. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the emission is configured to correspond to at least one of a composition of at least a portion of the base material, a processing characteristic of the firearm cartridge, and a manufacturing characteristic of the firearm cartridge.

8. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the base material includes at least one of lead, bismuth, tungsten, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, manganese, steel, tin, zinc, and mixtures and alloys thereof.

9. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the identifier material comprises less than 0.1% of a total mass of the at least one projectile.

10. The firearm cartridge of claim 1, wherein the at least one projectile includes a coating that includes at least one coating layer and that is configured to cover at least a portion of an outer surface of the base material.

11. The firearm cartridge of claim 10, wherein the coating includes the identifier material.

12. The firearm cartridge of claim 10, wherein the coating includes at least one of a solvent, a residue of a solvent, and a corrosion inhibitor.

13. The firearm cartridge of claim 3, wherein the identifier material includes a fluorescent material configured to produce an emission electromagnetic radiation subsequent to absorbing an excitation electromagnetic radiation; wherein the excitation electromagnetic radiation includes at least one of infrared and ultraviolet light; and wherein the emission electromagnetic radiation includes a frequency configured to correspond to a composition of at least a portion of the base material.

14. A method of manufacturing a firearm cartridge with at least one projectile that includes a base material and an identifier material, the method comprising:

manufacturing at least one projectile that includes a base material and an identifier material, the manufacturing including: providing the base material; and adding the identifier material to the base material; wherein the identifier material is configured to produce an identifying emission; and further wherein the identifier material is configured such that at least one characteristic of the emission is selected to correspond to the base material;

inserting the at least one projectile into a cartridge casing;

inserting a primer and a propellant into the cartridge casing; and

closing the cartridge casing such that the at least one projectile, the propellant, and the primer are operatively sealed within the cartridge casing.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the emission is an emission electromagnetic radiation, and further wherein the identifier material is configured to produce the emission electromagnetic radiation subsequent to absorbing an excitation electromagnetic radiation.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifier material includes at least one of a luminescent material, a phosphorescent material, a phosphor, a fluorescent material, a rare earth oxide, an oxysulfide, a Stokes material, an anti-Stokes material, lanthanum oxide, a radio-luminescent material, a radioactive material, a radionucleotide, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the adding the identifier material to the base material includes incorporating the identifier material into the base material.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further includes applying a coating to the base material, wherein the coating includes at least one coating layer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the coating includes at least one of a solvent and a corrosion inhibitor.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the adding the identifier material includes the applying the coating, and further wherein the coating includes the identifier material.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the coating includes a first coating layer that includes the corrosion inhibitor and a second coating layer that includes the solvent; wherein the solvent includes an alcohol; wherein the applying the coating includes applying the first coating layer prior to the adding the identifier material and further includes applying the second coating layer subsequent to the adding the identifier material; wherein the adding the identifier material includes applying a powder that includes the identifier material to the base material; and wherein the manufacturing further includes evaporating at least a portion of the solvent subsequent to the applying the second coating layer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the identifier material includes a fluorescent material configured to produce an emission electromagnetic radiation subsequent to absorbing an excitation electromagnetic radiation; wherein the excitation electromagnetic radiation includes at least one of infrared and ultraviolet light; and wherein the emission electromagnetic radiation includes a frequency configured to correspond to a composition of at least a portion of the base material.