Enhanced performance ammunition

Abstract

This invention relates to a combination of a gun having a rifled barrel and a round of enhanced performance ammunition, and to a projectile for use in the combination. The invention is especially, but not exclusively related to a projectile with a nominal calibre, for use in a rifled barrel, the projectile comprising: an elongate metal core, a ceramic tip with a Vickers Hardness greater than said metal core, said ceramic tip abutted with one end of the elongate metal core, wherein a deformable jacket or deposited coating, surrounds the elongate metal core and ceramic tip, such that said jacket or coating defines the nominal calibre of said projectile.

Claims

1. A projectile with a nominal calibre, for use in a rifled barrel, the proj ectile comprising: an elongate metal core; a ceramic tip with a Vickers Hardness greater than said elongate metal core, said ceramic tip abutted with one end of the elongate metal core; and a deformable jacket or coating that surrounds the elongate metal core and the ceramic tip, such that said deformable jacket or coating defines the nominal calibre of said projectile; wherein said deformable jacket or coating defines an inner cavity in the proj ectile, and the ceramic tip is in a range of from 5 to 25% of a fill volume of the inner cavity.

2. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the elongate metal core is selected from one of lead, steel, tungsten, an alloy of tungsten, or tungsten carbide.

3. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic tip is an inorganic compound of a metal, non-metal, or metalloid.

4. The projectile according to claim 3, wherein the ceramic tip is an oxide, non-oxide, or composite cermet.

5. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the Vickers hardness of the ceramic tip is greater than 550HV.

6. The projectile according to claim 5, wherein the Vickers hardness is greater than 1000 HV.

7. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic tip is formed by additive layer manufacture, solidification of molten salts, chemical synthesis, sintering, and/or isostatic pressing.

8. The projectile according to claim 4, wherein the ceramic tip is selected from one or more oxides of alumina and/or zirconia, or one or more non-oxide carbides and/or nitrides.

9. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic tip has a physical or chemical bond to the elongate metal core.

10. The projectile according to claim 9, wherein the physical or chemical bond comprises fusion, adhesive, plasma deposition, and/or additive layer manufacture.

11. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic tip is less than 10% of the fill volume of the inner cavity.

12. The projectile according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic tip has a first end which engages with the elongate metal core and a second end which has a taper with respect to the first end.

13. The projectile as claimed in claim 1, wherein said deformable jacket or coating forms the outer diameter of said projectile and is substantially equal to an internal diameter of the barrel defined by lands of rifling in the rifled barrel, and wherein during firing of the projectile the lands of the rifling in the rifled barrel deform the deformable jacket or coating such as to impart spin on the projectile.

14. The projectile as claimed in claim 13, wherein upon firing deformation of the deformable jacket or coating is configured to provide the projectile with an interference fit with the lands of the rifling so as to provide effective obturation by restricting or preventing the escape of propellant gases past the projectile via grooves between the lands of the rifling.

15. The combination of a gun having a rifled barrel and a round of ammunition as defined in claim 1; wherein the rifled barrel comprises rifling grooves which are separated by rifling lands extending helically along a length of the barrel; the projectile having an outer diameter substantially equal to or less than an internal diameter of the barrel defined by the rifling lands, and wherein during firing of the projectile the deformable jacket or coating is deformed by the rifling lands of the barrel into the rifling grooves.

16. A projectile with a nominal calibre, for use in a rifled barrel, the projectile comprising: an elongate metal core; a ceramic tip with a Vickers Hardness greater than said elongate metal core, said ceramic tip having a first end which engages with the elongate metal core and a second end which has a taper with respect to the first end; and a deformable metal jacket that surrounds the elongate metal core and the ceramic tip, such that said deformable jacket defines the nominal calibre of said projectile, wherein said deformable metal jacket defines an inner cavity in the projectile, and the ceramic tip is in a range of from 5 to 25% of a fill volume of the inner cavity, wherein during firing of the projectile lands of rifling in the rifled barrel deform the deformable metal jacket so as to impart spin on the projectile, and wherein during firing of the projectile the deformable metal jacket is deformed into the grooves of the rifling in the barrel.

17. The projectile according to claim 16, wherein: the elongate metal core includes lead, steel, tungsten, an alloy of tungsten, or tungsten carbide; the ceramic tip includes an oxide comprising alumina, an oxide comprising zirconia, a non-oxide carbide, or a non-oxide nitride; and the Vickers hardness of the ceramic tip is greater than 550HV.

18. A projectile with a nominal calibre, for use in a rifled barrel, the projectile comprising: an elongate metal core; a ceramic tip with a Vickers Hardness greater than said elongate metal core, said ceramic tip having a first end which engages with the elongate metal core and a second end which has a taper with respect to the first end; and a deformable metal coating that surrounds the elongate metal core and the ceramic tip, such that said deformable metal coating defines the nominal calibre of said projectile, wherein said deformable metal coating defines an inner cavity in the projectile, and the ceramic tip is in a range of from 5 to 25% of a fill volume of the inner cavity, wherein during firing of the projectile lands of rifling in the rifled barrel deform the deformable metal coating so as to impart spin on the projectile, and wherein during firing of the projectile the deformable metal coating is deformed into the grooves of the rifling in the barrel.

19. The projectile according to claim 18, wherein: the elongate metal core includes lead, steel, tungsten, an alloy of tungsten, or tungsten carbide; the ceramic tip includes an oxide comprising alumina, an oxide comprising zirconia, a non-oxide carbide, or a non-oxide nitride; and the Vickers hardness of the ceramic tip is greater than 550HV.

20. A projectile with a nominal calibre, for use in a rifled barrel, the projectile comprising: an elongate metal core; a ceramic tip with a Vickers Hardness greater than said elongate metal core, said ceramic tip abutted with one end of the elongate metal core; and a deformable jacket or coating that surrounds the elongate metal core and the ceramic tip, such that said deformable jacket or coating defines the nominal calibre of said proj ectile; wherein the ceramic tip has a physical or chemical bond to the elongate metal core, the physical or chemical bond comprising fusion, adhesive, plasma deposition, and/or additive layer manufacture.

Description

(1) The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a elongate metal core and ceramic tip; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows the projectile shown in FIG. 1, with a jacket thereon

(4) FIG. 3 shows, in section, the jacketed projectile and part of the cartridge case located in the chamber of a gun having a rifled barrel and ready for firing.

(5) As shown in FIG. 1, a small arms core 1 comprising an elongate metal core 2 and ceramic tip 3 comprising an elongate cylindrical core 3, an ogival portion 5, and a rearwardly located boat tailed portion 4.

(6) The ogival portion 5 abuts the elongate cylindrical core 2, at a point of intersection 11. The point of intersection 11 is the point where the elongate cylindrical core has substantially parallel sides.

(7) The boat tail section 4 abuts the elongate cylindrical core 2, at the rear edge 12.

(8) The elongate metal core 2 is of elongate form and may preferably be cold formed from steel having a Vickers Hardness of at least 550, more preferably 570 HV. It can subsequently be given a heat treatment to provide the desired hardness or other physical properties. Alternatively it may be lead.

(9) Because of the substantial hardness of the ceramic tip 3, the projectile is highly effective at penetration of targets such as titanium/Kevlar body armour. Moreover, the high hardness also serves to minimise ablation of the projectile tip profile, thus further contributing to its effectiveness in target penetration.

(10) FIG. 2 show the projectile 20 which comprises the elongate metal core 21 and ceramic tip 23 (as exemplified in FIG. 1), with a jacket 22, located thereon. The jacket 22 has a thickness 24, selected to provide the desired outer diameter for the nominal calibre of the gun, from which it is to be fired.

(11) When the elongate metal core 21, ceramic tip 23 and deformable jacket 22 passes from the gun chamber into the rifled part of the barrel, by virtue of its outer diameter 25, the jacket 22 is deformed by the lands of a rifled barrel. The outer diameter 25 of the jacket material 22 should be substantially equal to the diameter of any rifling grooves (not shown).

(12) In the arrangement shown, the elongate metal core 21 and ceramic tip 23, is covered by the jacket 22, which is extruded over the elongate metal core 21 and ceramic tip, and creates a cavity 26. The cavity 26 may be empty, filled with inert powder or completely filled by the ceramic tip.

(13) Therefore, despite the hardness of the elongate metal core 21, (if selected from a high hardness steel), and especially the ceramic tip 23, barrel wear from this factor is minimised.

(14) It will be evident to the skilled addressee that all of these factors reducing the engraving force will also result in reduced barrel wear, higher muzzle velocity, and hence increased lethality and accuracy.

(15) The optimum design parameters for the projectile according to the invention can be determined by those skilled in the art, based on the teaching contained herein.

(16) The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to small arms ammunition.

(17) As shown in FIG. 3, in use the round of ammunition comprising the assembled primed and filled (shown in part) cartridge case 33, together with a projectile 31 are fired from a gun having a rifled barrel 34, in the conventional manner, i.e. by chambering the round within the gun chamber 35, and arranging for the primer cap (not shown) to be struck by a firing pin.

(18) When the elongate metal core 31 and ceramic tip 39 and associated jacket 32 passes from the gun chamber into the rifled part of the barrel, by virtue of its greater diameter, the jacket 32 becomes engraved by the rifling 37. The diameter of the elongate metal core 31 and ceramic tip 39 and associated jacket 32 should preferably be substantially equal to or less than the diameter of the rifling grooves 38.

(19) The jacket 32 is of a malleable material which may be copper or a copper alloy and could additionally comprise an outer layer of a low-friction material such as molybdenum disulphide. This jacket 32 is of a thickness greater than the depth of the rifling grooves, and is of a relatively softer material than that of the elongate metal core 31 and ceramic tip 39, it can also engrave more readily, and thus contribute for this reason also to a reduction in the engraving force required. Because the jacket 32 is thicker than the depth of rifling, engraving can take place entirely within the coating so that the hard metal of the elongate metal core 31 and especially the ceramic tip 39 is kept substantially out of contact with the material forming the rifling of the gun barrel. Therefore, despite the hardness of the ceramic tip 39, barrel wear from this factor is minimised.