The present invention relates generally to steel compositions, methods of manufacturing the compositions and using the compositions to produce rimfire ammunition cartridges. The steel compositions for use in the rimfire cartridges are processed through cold-rolling and annealing steps to create suitable physical properties.

The rifle system comprises a rifle and an ammunition round for operation with the rifle. The high pressure ammunition round further comprises a cartridge case having an outer wall wherein prior to firing of the ammunition round, the outer wall geometry of the cartridge case is devoid of features configured for interfacing with a mechanical extractor. The rifle further comprising a barrel chamber which fully supports a chambered cartridge case and a rear extraction mechanism for extracting a spent cartridge case through the rear of the barrel chamber.

The rifle system comprises a rifle and an ammunition round for operation with the rifle. The high pressure ammunition round further comprises a cartridge case having an outer wall wherein prior to firing of the ammunition round, the outer wall geometry of the cartridge case is devoid of features configured for interfacing with a mechanical extractor. The rifle further comprising a barrel chamber which fully supports a chambered cartridge case and a rear extraction mechanism for extracting a spent cartridge case through the rear of the barrel chamber.

A method and apparatus for truing a cartridge case with an apparatus including a frame defining a chamber and having a central axis, and a cartridge sleeve defining a cartridge passage with a passage surface for engaging the exterior surface of the body of the case, and a tool extending along the central axis of the frame with a tip end extending into the chamber. The frame may include a tool mandrel portion configured to mount the tool on the frame, and a sleeve mandrel portion configured to mount the cartridge sleeve on the frame. The sleeve mandrel portion may permit the cartridge sleeve and a cartridge case mounted thereon to translate with respect to the frame along the central axis of the frame, the sleeve mandrel portion permitting the cartridge sleeve and a cartridge case mounted thereon to rotate about the central axis with respect to the frame.

Disclosed herein is an ammunition cartridge that is nearly 50% shorter and weighs 30% less than a conventional cartridge firing the same projectile. The ammunition cartridge has a generally cup-shaped case with a closed bottom or rearward end having a rearward diameter and an open top end having a forward diameter that is greater than rearward diameter. A side wall extends between a periphery of the close rearward end and the top open end. A top plate is attached about the periphery of the top end of the cup-shaped case. The top plate extends over a portion of the open end of the cup-shaped case. The top plate further includes a raised annular neck defining aperture aligned with the centerline axis of the cup-shaped case. The raised annular neck defines an aperture configured to receive a projectile (e.g., bullet, tracer, etc.).

Stoppage-inducing ammunition cartridges have a case having a rear head surface, a circumferential extractor groove forward of the rear head surface, a body portion forward of the circumferential extractor groove defining a case axis perpendicular to the rear head surface, and a forward mouth, a primer received in the case, a propellant within the case, a bullet received in the forward mouth, and the circumferential extractor groove being defined in part by a rear extractor surface angularly disposed with respect to a plane perpendicular to the case axis, such that an extractor adapted to engage a groove surface perpendicular to the case axis will have limited effect at extracting the cartridge from a firearm chamber after discharge. The rear extractor surface may be a frustoconical surface. The rear extractor surface may be a tapered surface acutely angled with respect to the case axis.

Stoppage-inducing ammunition cartridges have a case having a rear head surface, a circumferential extractor groove forward of the rear head surface, a body portion forward of the circumferential extractor groove defining a case axis perpendicular to the rear head surface, and a forward mouth, a primer received in the case, a propellant within the case, a bullet received in the forward mouth, and the circumferential extractor groove being defined in part by a rear extractor surface angularly disposed with respect to a plane perpendicular to the case axis, such that an extractor adapted to engage a groove surface perpendicular to the case axis will have limited effect at extracting the cartridge from a firearm chamber after discharge. The rear extractor surface may be a frustoconical surface. The rear extractor surface may be a tapered surface acutely angled with respect to the case axis.

The present invention relates generally to steel compositions, methods of manufacturing the compositions and using the compositions to produce rimfire ammunition cartridges. The steel compositions for use in the rimfire cartridges are processed through cold-rolling and annealing steps to create suitable physical properties.

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite an optical sensitive mix, which ignited optical sensitive mix may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite an optical sensitive mix, which ignited optical sensitive mix may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.