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.

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 cartridge assembly that includes a non-lethal projectile and a carrier configured for retaining and launching the non-lethal projectile. The carrier includes a housing including a combustion chamber, at least one escape aperture, a primer, and a case connected to the housing. The case encases the non-lethal projectile. The case and the housing collectively define a launch chamber that is fluidly connected to the at least one escape aperture. The launch chamber is configured for launching the non-lethal projectile out of the case. The at least one escape aperture is configured for metering pressurized gas from the combustion chamber to the launch chamber for launching the non-lethal projectile.

The present invention provides a two piece and a three piece primer insert for ammunition piece. Each of the individual pieces may be formed by punching, pressing, stamping, molding, milling, coining, or by additive manufacturing. The individual pieces may be joined by clinching, pressing welding soldering, sintering, adhesive gluing, staking, and iterative addition by forming one piece into another piece.

The present invention provides an ammunition having a metal injection molded projectile and a polymer cartridge case comprising a polymer ammunition cartridge comprising a bottom portion and a top portion that enclose a propellant chamber, wherein the bottom portion comprises a primer recess in communication with a primer flash hole that extends into a propellant chamber and the top portion comprises a projectile aperture; a primer inserted into the primer flash hole aperture; a propellant at least partially filling the propellant chamber; and a metal injection molded projectile frictionally fitted in the projectile aperture, wherein the metal injection molded projectile comprises a nose extending essentially symmetrically to a shoulder, and an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base.

The present invention provides polymer ammunition, ammunition cartridge, ammunition case, and portions thereof having traditional and non-traditional cartridge shapes or profiles.

The present invention provides a polymer ammunition cartridge 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 a method of forming a chamber in a firearm wherein the chamber is adapted to fit a polymer ammunition cartridge comprising the steps of: providing a barrel blank; providing a reamer having the dimensions of the desired polymer ammunition cartridge, wherein the reamer comprising a reamer profile corresponding to an ammunition cartridge having a reduced neck height comprising: a shortened neck having a projectile aperture, wherein the shortened neck is reduced by 25-100% of the neck height of a standard cartridge neck; a shoulder extending from the shortened neck to a cartridge side wall; and wherein the cartridge side wall extends from the shoulder to the base to form an interior propellant chamber; wherein the base comprises an extraction ring, a primer recess positioned in the base in communication with the propellant chamber through a flash hole that extends from the primer recess into the propellant chamber; contacting the reamer with the barrel blank to form a reamed barrel having a chamber having the corresponding profile that mates to the reamer profile; removing the reamer from the reamed barrel.

The present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge comprising: a three piece primer insert; a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body extending about the three piece primer insert, wherein the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body comprises: a substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end coupling element at a first end of the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body opposite a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end connected by a powder chamber, wherein the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element and covers an circumferential surface of the primer flash hole aperture; and a substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end upper portion comprising a bullet-end coupling element connected to the substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end coupling element opposite a projectile aperture adapted to engage a bullet.

The present invention provides polymer ammunition, ammunition cartridge, ammunition case, and portions thereof having traditional and non-traditional cartridge shapes or profiles.