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 a primer, which ignited primer 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 insensitive munitions (IM) primer for use with major caliber gun systems, including an elongate housing, a tube, an ignition assembly, and a booster assembly. The elongate housing has a proximal end and a distal end. The tube has a first end coupled within the distal end of the elongate housing. The ignition assembly is located within the proximal end of the housing. The booster assembly is located within the elongate housing adjacent the ignition assembly and including a booster holder providing a cylindrical structure defining an internal bore in which a first burst disk resides and is mechanically restrained by a booster disk lock.

The present invention provides a method of making a subsonic ammunition having a polymeric casing body having 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 at least 10% less than the open internal volume of a standard casing of equivalent caliber; and a primer insert positioned in the body base and in communication with the propellant chamber.

A casing for use in a cartridge for a firearm comprises a sleeve portion and a base portion, where the base has cannelure comprised of curving surfaces. In a casing embodiment, a sleeve has cylindrical portion with a mouth for holding a bullet and an opposing end radially-running bulkhead. A nipple extends from the bulkhead and into a passageway of the base, thereby securing the sleeve to the base. The sleeve bulkhead preferably has at least one circumferential wave and contacts a distal end surface of the base, which may be planar or conical. The cannelure is characterized by a continuously curving groove bottom, a maximum groove depth diameter that is 60 to 80 percent of the base outside diameter, and a volume that is 20 to 43 percent of the volume of a like base which has no cannelure.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a polymeric ammunition having a metal injection molded primer insert.

The present invention provides a method of making a subsonic ammunition having a polymeric casing body having 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 at least 10% less than the open internal volume of a standard casing of equivalent caliber; and a primer insert positioned in the body base and in communication with the propellant chamber.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge and methods of making and using the same. The cartridge includes a substantially cylindrical insert connected to a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body. The substantially cylindrical insert includes a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface, a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, and a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface. The substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body includes a substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end and a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end connected by a powder chamber, wherein the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end contacts the substantially cylindrical coupling element.

An explosive downhole tool includes a housing having an upper housing part on one side of a window section and a lower housing part on an opposite side of the window section. An explosive charge is provided within the housing for at least one of cutting and expanding the wall of the tubular. The outer surface of at least one of the upper and lower housing part is rounded so as to be devoid of corners. The rounded surface eliminates the presence of sharp corners that may catch on restrictions or protrusions in a wellbore so that the downhole tool is more easily conveyable within a wellbore. Another explosive downhole tool includes fins extending from the housing. The fins have a height that decreases in a direction away from the housing. The shape of the fins enables the downhole tool to be more easily conveyable within the wellbore.

The present invention provides a primer insert for use in a polymeric ammunition cartridge includes a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a extraction flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface; a coupling element that extends from the bottom surface, wherein the substantially cylindrical coupling element is adapted to receive a polymer overmolding; a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, wherein the primer recess comprises a recess bottom and a circular recess side wall; a primer flash aperture through the recess bottom that extends through the bottom surface, wherein the primer flash aperture is adapted to receive a polymer overmolding to form a flash hole; and a groove in the primer recess positioned around the primer flash aperture adapted to receive a polymer overmolding, wherein the groove extends at least partially over the bottom surface and at least partially over the circular recess side wall and the groove is adapted to receive polymer over the bottom surface and at least partially over the circular recess side wall.

A firearm ammunition cartridge comprises a case having a substantially tubular body portion, an open leading end, and a trailing end defining a primer port. An insert is received within the case and extending along the body portion. The insert has an exterior surface conforming to an interior surface of the body portion and a central cavity extending along an axial dimension of the insert. The central cavity opens to the primer port at the trailing end of the case and to a leading end of the insert. A quantity of gunpowder is disposed within the central cavity, and a projectile is received and retained within the leading end of the case. The gunpowder is confined to a chamber comprising at least a portion of the central cavity between said case trailing end and the projectile.