A powder compaction device is disclosed. The device has a drive motor operable connected to a compaction rod that moves through a loading platform to a cartridge holding platform. A powder loading station is positioned below the loading platform and above the cartridge holding platform. The compaction rod moves through the powder loading station, which loads a predetermined volume of propellant powder into one or more reliefs defined in the compaction rod. The cartridge holding platform has a removable cartridge fixture designed to receive an ammunition cartridge to be loaded and compacted with propellant powder. The propellant powder is released into the cartridge fixture from the reliefs as the compaction rod passes a funnel defined at an upper end of the fixture. After releasing the powder, the compaction rod continues into an interior chamber of the fixture to compact the powder contained therein.

A device for depositing paste patterns on the surface of the channel of a tube, the device comprising a frame supporting a first mechanical assembly for holding, positioning and moving the tube, and a second mechanical assembly for extruding paste for depositing said paste patterns, the assemblies cooperating with one another.

Herein described is a small caliber ammunition production loading machine with a novel measuring location and device. The machine will load one cartridge at a time and is referred to as a ‘single-out” machine (see FIG. 1). The machine will be similar in nature to existing loading machines with the following key novel aspects: a) The cartridge overall length (OAL) will be measured both as an overall dimension which is industry standard and also at a key datum location on a bullet's ogive. Measuring to a repeatable datum point on the bullet's ogive gives a more accurate representation of the cartridge's ballistic ability.

A high strength polymer-based cartridge having a first end; a neck disposed at the first end and a shoulder disposed below the neck to form a bottleneck cartridge. A second end is opposite the first end and an insert is engaged to the second end. A propellant chamber is formed between the shoulder and the insert and has a volume. An extension extends from the neck opposite the shoulder and a cap is formed on the extension, partially sealing the propellant chamber.

A high strength polymer-based cartridge having a first end; a neck disposed at the first end and a shoulder disposed below the neck to form a bottleneck cartridge. A second end is opposite the first end and an insert is engaged to the second end. A propellant chamber is formed between the shoulder and the insert and has a volume. An extension extends from the neck opposite the shoulder and a cap is formed on the extension, partially sealing the propellant chamber.

A powder dispensing device is provided including a housing; a hopper sized and shaped to engage the housing to form a reservoir; a first barrel in fluid communication with the reservoir via one or more first apertures and having a first internal diameter; a second barrel in fluid communication with the reservoir via one or more second apertures and having a second internal diameter, wherein the first internal diameter is greater than the second internal diameter; at least one motor coupled to the first barrel and the second barrel, the at least one motor configured to rotate the first barrel and the second barrel; a scale electrically coupled to a scale plate, the scale plate disposed on the housing and below the first barrel and the second barrel; and a user interface in electrical communication with the at least one motor and the scale, the user interface configured to receive a user-input.

Among other things, a digitally controlled actuator has a connector for coupling to a drive mechanism of an existing hand-driven cartridge reloader, to actuate a series of processing cycles of the reloader in which supplies of components are subjected to successive mechanical processing steps to produce reloaded cartridges ready for use. There are sensors associated with the actuator and the reloader to (a) acquire digital information that is indicative of a state of progress of each of the processing cycles and of conditions of the reloader related to the production of the reloaded cartridges, and (b) deliver the digital information to a digital controller for controlling the processing cycles of the reloader. The digital controller is connected to receive the digital information from the sensors and to control automatic operation of the reloader in successive processing cycles to produce reloaded cartridges without requiring human intervention.

Apparatus, systems, devices, methods and computer program products are configured to package products using automated movement of components that fill, then clip bags in a manner that is particularly suitable for packaging blasting powder and/or explosives in shot bags.

A fully automated, integrated, end-to-end synchronized and compact manufacturing system produces polymer or metal case ammunition. Manufacturing stations support case assembly, sealing (gluing/welding), final product inspection, cartridge packaging or binning, and loading. Station modularity facilitates rapid changeover to accommodate ammunition of differing calibers. Sensors and apparatus may be provided to place a manufacturing cell in a wait state until all components or materials are received in a preferred orientation for proper assembly. The system may join and use multipart cases, each including a lower portion with a head end attached thereto and at least one upper portion having a necked-down transition to the open top end. Elevator feeders, vibratory bowl feeders, and robotic pick-and-place feeders may be used to deliver components for assembly.

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