The present invention provides a subsonic ammunition cartridge including a polymeric casing body comprising a generally cylindrical hollow polymer body having a body base at a first end thereof and a mouth at a second end to define a propellant chamber; a propellant insert positioned in the propellant chamber to reduce the internal volume of the propellant chamber, wherein the propellant chamber has an internal volume that is between 25 and 80% less than the open internal volume of a standard casing of equivalent caliber; and a primer insert positioned at the body base and in communication with the propellant chamber.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to manufacturing an insert-molded expanding projectile. Aspects of the disclosure include locating a portion of a projectile body within a converging tip mold, the projectile body including a metal jacket extending from a tail portion to a nose portion and surrounding an interior solid core. The metal jacket and nose portion may be tapered in a forward direction to an annular forward edge defining an opening to an undercut interior cavity. Melted polymer may be injected into the converging tip mold and allowed to cool thereby forming a polymer tip having a main portion forward of the opening and a tip retention portion filling the undercut interior cavity and having a shape corresponding to the undercut interior cavity to retain the polymer tip in place.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to manufacturing an insert-molded expanding projectile. Aspects of the disclosure include locating a portion of a projectile body within a converging tip mold, the projectile body including a metal jacket extending from a tail portion to a nose portion and surrounding an interior solid core. The metal jacket and nose portion may be tapered in a forward direction to an annular forward edge defining an opening to an undercut interior cavity. Melted polymer may be injected into the converging tip mold and allowed to cool thereby forming a polymer tip having a main portion forward of the opening and a tip retention portion filling the undercut interior cavity and having a shape corresponding to the undercut interior cavity to retain the polymer tip in place.

The present invention includes a powder compaction device comprising a loading platform positioned above a lower platform; a compaction rod aperture positioned in the loading platform; a vertical tube positioned in communication with the compaction rod aperture; a compaction rod positioned in the compaction rod aperture and extending through the compaction rod aperture, wherein the compaction rod comprises one or more reliefs having a powder volume; a drive motor in communication with the vertical tube and connected to the compaction rod to move the compaction rod through the compaction rod aperture; a first funnel-shaped device positioned below the loading platform, wherein the first funnel-shaped device comprises a first funnel aperture, wherein the first funnel aperture aligns with the compaction rod aperture to move the compaction rod through the compaction rod aperture and the first funnel aperture; an adaptor platform secured to the lower platform and aligned with the compaction rod aperture; an ammunition cartridge fixture slidably secured in the adaptor platform, wherein the ammunition cartridge fixture comprises a funnel-shaped opening, an interior cartridge shaped void, and a funnel aperture connecting the funnel-shaped opening to the interior cartridge shaped void, wherein the funnel aperture is aligned with the compaction rod aperture and the first funnel aperture to accommodate the compaction movement of the compaction rod; an ammunition cartridge positioned in the ammunition cartridge fixture; a powder reservoir positioned in communication with the first funnel-shaped device to transport powder to the first funnel-shaped device; a compaction controller in communication with the drive motor and one or more sensors to control the direction of the motor to control the direction of movement of the compaction rod and the force applied to the compaction rod to control the compaction of the powder; and a powder metering controller in communication with the gate and one or more second sensors to control the amount of powder delivered and he powder is despised.

A procedure for producing a warhead with controlled fragmentation includes manufacturing an inner shell and filling it with an explosive substance. The procedure further includes providing a net around the outer surface of the inner shell as well as depositing a material on and around the net. A warhead is produced by the procedure and includes an inner shell. A material applied to the warhead comprises weak points for guided fragmentation of the deposited material upon detonation of the warhead.

The present invention provides polymer ammunition having a primer insert having: a top surface; a bottom surface opposite the top surface; a coupling element that extends from the bottom surface, wherein the coupling element comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface comprises: a transition region that transitions from the bottom surface to a second segment wherein the transition region has a radius of from 0.02 to 0.2; a first segment extending from the second segment and terminates at a tip, wherein the first segment has a first segment distance from 0.02 to 0.18 inches and the second segment has a second segment distance from 0.02 to 0.18 inches, wherein the second segment has a second segment angle from +3 to −3 degrees relative to the first segment angle and the first segment has a first segment angle from +6 to −6 degrees from perpendicular to the top surface; a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface; a primer flash aperture positioned in the primer recess through the bottom surface; and a flash aperture groove in the primer recess and positioned around the primer flash aperture and adapted to receive a polymer overmolding through the primer flash aperture.

The present invention provides polymer ammunition having a primer insert having: a top surface; a bottom surface opposite the top surface; a coupling element that extends from the bottom surface, wherein the coupling element comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface comprises: a transition region that transitions from the bottom surface to a second segment wherein the transition region has a radius of from 0.02 to 0.2; a first segment extending from the second segment and terminates at a tip, wherein the first segment has a first segment distance from 0.02 to 0.18 inches and the second segment has a second segment distance from 0.02 to 0.18 inches, wherein the second segment has a second segment angle from +3 to −3 degrees relative to the first segment angle and the first segment has a first segment angle from +6 to −6 degrees from perpendicular to the top surface; a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface; a primer flash aperture positioned in the primer recess through the bottom surface; and a flash aperture groove in the primer recess and positioned around the primer flash aperture and adapted to receive a polymer overmolding through the primer flash aperture.

A method and tooling for forming a cartridge case blank comprising backward extruding a tube from a length of wire stock in multiple backward extrusion steps with progressive tooling to obtain an intermediate blank that can be finish drawn without a preceding annealing step and which if otherwise not subjected to multiple backward extrusion steps, would require annealing prior to finish drawing to avoid tearing.

A method and tooling for forming a cartridge case blank comprising backward extruding a tube from a length of wire stock in multiple backward extrusion steps with progressive tooling to obtain an intermediate blank that can be finish drawn without a preceding annealing step and which if otherwise not subjected to multiple backward extrusion steps, would require annealing prior to finish drawing to avoid tearing.

A bullet-seating die for precisely loading a bullet into a cartridge case is disclosed. In embodiments, the bullet die comprises: a die body; a bullet-nose-alignment stem configured to engage and center a front end of a bullet within the die body before and after bullet seating begins; a bullet-seating-depth-adjustment screw adjustable to control seating depth of the bullet in a cartridge case; a bullet-seating collet configured to surround an ogival portion of the bullet that will engage the rifling when the loaded cartridge is fired; a bullet-seating collet bushing configured to positively center the bullet-seating collet in the die body; a case-shoulder-alignment bushing configured to positively center a front end of the cartridge case, the bullet-nose-alignment stem, and the bullet-seating collet bushing along the axis of the die body during bullet seating; and a case-base-alignment bushing configured to positively center a base of the cartridge case in the case-shoulder-alignment bushing.