U.S. patent application number 12/283765 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-19 for expanding projectile.
Invention is credited to Peter Rebar.
Application Number | 20120090492 12/283765 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45932952 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120090492 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rebar; Peter |
April 19, 2012 |
EXPANDING PROJECTILE
Abstract
An improved projectile having a penetrator and a body is
disclosed. The penetrator is secured to the body. Upon impacting a
target, the penetrator travels into the body and deforms the body.
The body optionally has one or more portions, such as slots in the
body, to promote deformation of the body upon the penetrator
impacting the target. The body optionally has a bore extending at
least partially therethrough that permits attachment of the
penetrator at a second end of the body opposite the first end.
Inventors: |
Rebar; Peter; (Strongsville,
OH) |
Family ID: |
45932952 |
Appl. No.: |
12/283765 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11977373 |
Oct 24, 2007 |
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12283765 |
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60853820 |
Oct 24, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
102/510 ;
102/517 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 12/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/510 ;
102/517 |
International
Class: |
F42B 12/34 20060101
F42B012/34; F42B 12/00 20060101 F42B012/00 |
Claims
1. A projectile for impacting a target comprising: a penetrator
comprising a head connected to a shaft; a body having a length
defined between a first end and a second end and a bore extending
therethrough, the head positioned adjacent to the first end of the
body and the shaft extending to the second end, the body having a
thickness separating an interior from an exterior of the body; a
plurality of slots extending through the body and located adjacent
the first end; wherein the end of the shaft opposite the penetrator
is enlarged to be wider than the opening of the bore at the second
end of the body and protrudes beyond the furthest extent of the
second end of the body; and wherein upon impacting a target, the
head is designed to slide toward the body to cause expansion of the
portions of the body between the slots.
2. (canceled)
3. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the penetrator is secured to
the second end of the body.
4. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the shaft extends from the
second end of the body to the first end of the body.
5. The projectile of claim 4 wherein the shaft is in threaded
engagement with the head.
6. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the body and the penetrator
are surface treated.
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. The projectile of claim 7 wherein the bore extends through the
second end of the body, and further wherein the head has a size
greater than the cross-sectional opening of the bore.
10. The projectile of claim 9 wherein the shaft is threadingly
secured to the penetrator.
11. (canceled)
12. A projectile for impacting a target comprising: a body having a
length defined between a first end and a second end and a bore
extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the body
includes a plurality of slots extending therethrough; a shaft
positioned within the bore and extending through the body; a head
connected to the shaft at a first end of said shaft; a retention
member having a portion that is wider than the opening of the bore
at the second end of the body connected to a second end of said
shaft, the retention member configured to protrude beyond the
furthest extent of the second end of the body; and wherein upon
impacting a target, the head is designed to slide toward the body
to cause expansion of the portions of the body between the
slots.
13. (canceled)
14. The projectile of claim 12, wherein the retention member is
connected to said shaft.
15. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the shaft has a head that is
larger in size than the bore.
16. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the shaft is in threaded
engagement with the head.
17. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the shaft is integrally
formed with penetrator.
18. A projectile for impacting a target comprising: a penetrator
comprising a head in threaded engagement with a shaft; a body
secured to the penetrator, the body having a length defined between
a first end and a second end and a plurality of slots extending
through the body, the head positioned adjacent to the first end and
the shaft extending to the second end of the body and secured to
body at the second end, wherein impact of the penetrator into the
target causes the penetrator to deform the body; a retention member
having a portion that is wider than the opening of the bore at the
second end of the body connected to a second end of said shaft, the
retention member configured to protrude beyond the furthest extent
of the second end of the body; and wherein upon impacting a target,
the head is designed to slide toward the body to cause expansion of
the portions of the body between the slots.
19. The projectile of claim 18 further comprising a bore extending
from the first end of the body and toward the second end of the
body.
20. The projectile of claim 19 wherein the head is greater in size
than the bore at the second end of the body.
21. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a tapered
portion between each slot to engage a similarly tapered portion of
the head.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from and is a
continuation-in-part application from U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 11/977,373, filed Oct. 24, 2007, entitled "Expanding
Projectile" that is hereby incorporated by reference and claims
priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/853,820,
filed on Oct. 24, 2006, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a projectile for firearms
that may be capable of radial expansion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Projectiles for use as conventional ammunition are generally
known and widely used. A sabot may be used with the projectile,
which is common in hunting. A sabot is commonly used when the
projectile (or ammunition) is smaller than the bore of the firearm.
The sabot allows firing projectiles smaller than the bore of the
firearm while maintaining range and overall performance of other
types of ammunition. Typically, the projectile is inserted into the
sabot and together the projectile and sabot is forced downward into
the bore of the firearm, such as a muzzleloading firearm. The
interaction of the projectile and the sabot results in the sabot
frictionally contacting the contours of the bore as the projectile
and sabot are loaded and forced into the firearm. Overcoming the
friction between the sabot and the bore of the firearm requires
additional force that is undesirable to a user of the firearm.
Therefore, it is desirable for a projectile that may reduce the
friction between the sabot and the bore of the firearm.
[0004] It is also a desirable to improve the properties exhibited
by the projectile, such as ability to expand, air resistance,
accuracy, and the like. In use for hunting, for example, it is
typically desirable for the projectile to expand to maximize
penetration and damage to the target. However, one deficiency with
known ammunition is that there is neither enough projectile
expansion nor sufficient penetration upon impacting the target. The
impact of known projectiles when used in hunting, for example,
results in a potentially slow and inhumane game harvesting.
[0005] Prior ammunition is made of lead to enhance its
deformability. However, lead penetration into game presents a
potential health risk due to the toxicity of lead. Therefore, the
present invention seeks to address these and other limitations and
to provide an improved projectile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An improved projectile having a penetrator and a body is
disclosed. The penetrator may be positioned adjacent to a first end
of the body. The penetrator may be secured to the body, such as by
frictional engagement or by a fastening member. The body may have
one or more portions to promote deformation of the body upon the
penetrator impacting the target. The body may have a bore extending
at least partially therethrough that permits attachment of the
penetrator at a second end of the body opposite the first end. The
bore may promote deformation by permitting the penetrator to travel
into the bore to expand or at least deform the body.
[0007] Further features or embodiments of the invention will be
described or will become apparent in the course of the following
detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The operation of the invention may be better understood by
reference to the following detailed description taken in connection
with the following illustrations, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is perspective view of a projectile in an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the projectile of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the projectile
in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 4a is a perspective view of the penetrator.
[0013] FIG. 4b is a frontal view of the penetrator.
[0014] FIG. 5a is cross-sectional view of a body having a bore
extending therethrough in an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view of a body having a bore
termination within the body in an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 6a is a partial cross-sectional view of a projectile
after impact with a target in an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 6b is a perspective view of the projectile of FIG.
6a.
[0018] FIG. 6c is a frontal view of the projectile of FIG. 6a.
[0019] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the projectile with a sabot in
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a retention member in an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a penetrator having a
cavity or bore in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a projectile second to
a body in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 11 is an overhead view of a retention member secured in
the penetrator in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 12 is an overhead view of the retention member
positioned on the body in an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the projectile in an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 14a is an exploded cross-sectional view of a projectile
having a shaft with an enlarged head in an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0027] FIG. 14b is a cross-sectional view of the body having a
shaft securing the penetrator to the body in an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] The present invention will now be described in accordance
with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-14b. While some embodiments
are described with reference to a projectile for a muzzle-loading
firearm, it should be understood that the present invention may be
used with other firearms, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary
skill in the art.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, a projectile 100 generally comprises a
penetrator 110 and a body 120. The penetrator 110 is generally
shaped to impact a target, such as, a tangible object, an animal,
and any other target as appreciated by a person of skill in the
art. To this end, the penetrator 110 may be made of a durable
material capable of causing damage to the target upon impact. In a
preferred embodiment, the penetrator 110 is made of a non-lead
material, such as steel, for example, AISI 1215 steel or AISI 1018
steel. Advantageously, the present invention may be provide a
projectile capable of use in hunting, for example, without use of a
toxic lead material.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4a, 4b, the penetrator 110 may have
a head portion 116 and a shoulder portion 118. The head portion 116
may face outward with respect to the body 120. The shoulder portion
118 may be positioned adjacent to the body 120. In an embodiment,
the shoulder portion 118 may abut the body 120. The shoulder
portion 118 may be shaped to aid the penetrator 110 in traveling
into the body 120 upon the penetrator 110 impacting the target. The
head portion 116 of the penetrator 110 may be shaped to improve
aerodynamics of the projectile 100. In an embodiment, as shown in
FIG. 3, the head portion 116 may be substantially rounded or
parabolic in shape to improve the aerodynamics of the projectile
100. The head portion 116 may be other shapes as will be
appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art, such as
but not limited to a pointed or bullet shape.
[0031] The body 120 may be shaped to correspond to the shape of a
bore (or barrel) of a firearm. For example, as shown in FIG. 5a,
the body 120 may be generally cylindrical in shape. The body 120
may be fabricated or otherwise manufactured from any suitable
material. In an illustrative embodiment, the body 120 is fabricated
from a non-lead material, such as AISI 1018 steel or AISI 1215
steel. The body 120 and the penetrator 110 may be made of the same
materials or different materials. As an example, the penetrator 110
may be made from AISI 1215 steel, and the body 120 may be
manufactured from AISI 1215 steel. Such a combination provides a
material with good machinability, while eliminating concerns over
lead toxicity.
[0032] Although the projectile 100 is shown without a jacket, one
of ordinary skill will appreciate that the projectile 100 may be
jacketed for use with different applications or firearms. The body
120 and/or the penetrator 110 may be shaped or textured to improve
aerodynamics of the body 120. In an embodiment, the body 120 and
the penetrator 110 may have a surface treatment to improve
aerodynamics, to resist corrosion, and/or to enhance the appearance
of the projectile 100. The surface treatment may be an oxide, such
as black oxide, a plating, an annealing or any other type of
surface treatment known to a person having ordinary skill in the
art.
[0033] The body 120 may have a length defined between a first end
122 and a second end 124. The penetrator 110 may be positioned
adjacent the first end 122 of the body 120. For example, the
shoulder portion 118 of the penetrator 110 may abut the first end
122 of the body 120. The second end 124 may be sized and shaped to
reduce contact and engagement with a sabot or such that the
projectile 100 and the sabot may be inserted into a firearm with
less frictional engagement of the sabot and the barrel or bore of
the firearm. For example, in an embodiment, the second end 124 of
the body may taper or otherwise decrease in size from the first end
122. As shown in FIG. 7, the body 120 may have one or more grooves
or recesses 305. The grooves 305 may be indentations, apertures,
perforations, craters or other structure that may reduce contact
with a sabot that may be positioned about the projectile 100. The
grooves 305 may be located adjacent the second end 124 to provide a
reduction in material or to otherwise reduce expansion of the sabot
and frictional engagement of the sabot with the bore of the firearm
upon loading. For example, a sabot positioned about the projectile
100 may be forced down into the barrel of a firearm with a reduced
amount of resistance due to the grooves 305 or the second end 124
having a tapered shape.
[0034] The body 120 may have a bore or cavity 129 extending at
least partially therethrough. As shown in FIG. 3, the bore 129 may
extend from the first end 122 toward the second end 124. The bore
129 may extend through the second end 124 or, alternatively, as
shown in FIG. 5b, may terminate, such as at wall 135. In an
embodiment, the bore 129 may have a larger diameter adjacent the
first end 122. For example, the bore 129 may have a tapered surface
128 reducing the diameter from the diameter at the first end 122. A
gap 137 may be provided between the shoulder portion 118 and a
portion of the tapered surface 128 to allow for easier setback of
the head portion 116 upon object impact. It is to be understood
that the illustrative examples are not limiting and that one of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate a variety of
configurations between the first end 122 and the head portion 116
or the shoulder portion 118, and the tapered surface 128 and the
head portion 116 or the shoulder portion 118.
[0035] The body 120 may have one or more portions 130 along the
outer surface of the body 120. The portions 130 may be
indentations, grooves, protrusions, slots or the like that permit
or at least aid in deformation of the body 120, such as when the
penetrator 110 impacts the target. The portions 130 may be located
or positioned at or adjacent to the first end 122 of the body 120
and may extend a predetermined distance toward the second end 124
of the body 120. The portions 130 may have a thickness at the
second end 124 less than a maximum thickness at the first end 124
of the body 120. FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 7 illustrate the body 120
having the portions 130 in the form of slots having, no thickness,
which by definition is less than the thickness of the first end 122
of the body 120. The portions 130 may be symmetrically spaced about
the body 120 and extending partially along the length of the body
120. In an embodiment, the portions 130 extend through the body 120
into an interior of the body 120. It is to be understood that the
portions 130 may be of any depth into or through the body 120, as
shown in FIG. 5a, and may vary in depth from the first end 122 to
or toward the second end 124. The body 120 may have one or more of
the portions 130 and should not be deemed as limited to any
specific number of portions 130. In a preferred embodiment, the
body 120 has six portions 130 spaced symmetrically about the body
120. The portions 130 may be any structure or modification to the
body 120 that permits deformation of the body 120.
[0036] The portions 130 may serve as rupture initiators that
promote deformation of the body 120, such as into petals 155 upon
impact of the penetrator 100 with a target as shown in FIGS. 6a, 6b
and 6c. In an illustrative example, the shoulder 118 may expand the
tapered surface 128 at the deformable portions 130 outwardly. The
penetrator 110, for example, may travel into the body 120 upon
impacting a target causing the penetrator 110 to force the
deformable portions 130 to expand or at least deform, such as shown
in FIGS. 6a-6c. To this end, the deformable portions 130 may deform
prior to the non-deformable portion (or other portions) of the body
120. In other words, the deformable portions 130 may be more easily
deformable than the rest of the body 120.
[0037] The bore 129 may be hollow such that a shaft 119 may extend
through the bore 129. The shaft 119 may secure the penetrator 110
to the body 120. The shaft 119 may be integrally formed with the
penetrator 110 as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4a, 6a and 9. For example,
the shaft 119 may extend from the shoulder 118 of the penetrator
portion 110 of the projectile 100. In another embodiment, the shaft
119 may be separate from the penetrator 110. If the shaft 119 is
not integrally formed with the penetrator 110, the shaft 119 may be
secured to the penetrator 110. For example, the shaft 119 may be
threaded onto or into the penetrator 110, and/or the shaft 119 may
be press-fit onto the penetrator 110. The shaft 119 may have a
shape corresponding to the bore 129, such as substantially
cylindrical in shape.
[0038] The shaft 119 may include one or more protrusions 140
capable of frictionally engaging the shaft 119 to a cavity wall 143
of the body 120. Accordingly, the protrusions 140 are capable of
securing the penetrator 110 to the body 120 until impact, when the
frictional forces may be overcome, permitting the shaft 119 to
travel axially into the body 120 toward or beyond the second end
124 of the body 120.
[0039] In an illustrative example, the protrusion 140 may be
longitudinal ridges or knurls, as shown in FIG. 4a, or may be
teeth, roughened surfaces, or any other structure that frictionally
engages the penetrator 110 with the body 120. Optionally,
arrangements of o-rings, adhesives, frictional fits, or other
arrangements may be used. For example, an o-ring (not shown) may be
positioned between the penetrator 110 and the body 120 to secure
the penetrator 110 to the body 120. Furthermore, a groove (not
shown) may be included, for example, in either the shaft 119 or the
cavity wall 143, into which the o-ring may be seated to more
precisely position the o-ring.
[0040] The shaft 119 may be secured to the body 120 in other
manners. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a retention member 400
may be provided to secure the penetrator 110 to the body 120. The
retention member 400 may comprise a base 410 and a leg 420
extending therefrom as best shown in FIG. 8. It is to be understood
that the retention member 400 may be formed from any suitable
material such as, but not limited to, a material similar or
identical to the penetrator 110 or body 120.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 9, the penetrator shaft 119 may be provided
with a cavity 425 defined by inner wall 430 and accessible at the
end 121. As best shown in FIG. 10, an inner wall 430 of the shaft
119 may receive the leg 420 so that the base 410 abuts the body end
124. In a non-limiting example, the leg 420 may be threadingly
secured to the inner wall 430. The base 410 may be provided with a
drive point (not shown) to facilitate rotation of the retention
member 400 to threadingly secure the leg 420 to the shaft 119. It
is also to be understood, however, that one of ordinary skill in
the art will appreciate that a variety of structures may be used to
secure the leg 420 to the shaft 119 including, but not limited to
adhesives, or-rings, friction fits, and the like.
[0042] The base 410 may be provided in a variety of shapes. As
shown in FIG. 11, the base 410 may be substantially circular and
may have a larger diameter than the cavity 129 defined by the
cavity wall 143. In another illustrative example, as shown in FIG.
12, the head may be substantially cross-shaped so that at least a
portion of the base 410 extends across the cavity 129 along end
124. Although shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 as extending only along a
portion of the end 124, it is to be understood that the base 410
may span the entire diameter of the end 124. In another
illustrative example, as best shown in FIG. 13, the body 120 may be
provided with a recess 450 for receiving the base 410 therein. Such
a configuration provides a flush fit of the base 410 with the
second end 124 of the body 120.
[0043] The base 410 may be positioned at the end 124 so that the
penetrator 110 maintains its connection to the body 120 prior to or
during firing. The base 410 may prevent the penetrator 110 and body
120 from separating upon impact with the target. For example, the
retention member 400 is secured to the penetrator 110 so that the
body 120 is sandwiched between the base 410 and the head portion
116 of the penetrator 110. The retention member 400 is capable of
securing the penetrator 110 to the body 120 so that there may be a
gap between the shaft 119 and the cavity wall 143. Accordingly, the
retention member 400 secures the penetrator 110 to the body 120 to
prevent the shaft 119 from traveling axially through the cavity 129
towards the first end 122 of the body 120 while allowing the shaft
119, upon impact of the head 116 with an object, to travel axially
through the cavity 129 towards the second end 124. In an
embodiment, at least a portion of the shaft 119, such as the end
121, may extend beyond the second end 124.
[0044] The retention member 400 may be used with or without the
protrusions 140. For example, the surface of the shaft 119 opposite
the cavity wall 143 may be substantially smooth. Such a
configuration eliminates, or substantially decreases, the
frictional force between the shaft 119 and the cavity wall 143.
Accordingly, the penetrator 110 may incur less resistance from the
body 120 when the penetrator impacts an object, which may result in
a greater deformation of the body 120 upon impact or entry into the
target.
[0045] Another non-limiting example of securing the penetrator 110
to the body 120 involves an enlarged end 200 on the shaft 119 as
shown in FIGS. 14a and 14b. The enlarged end 200 may be larger in
size and in shape than the bore 129. To this end, the enlarged end
200 may prevent the shaft 119 from sliding or axially moving
through the bore 129. The end of the shaft 119 opposite the
enlarged end 200 may be secured to the penetrator 110 in any manner
known to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example,
the penetrator 110 may be welded, molded, adhered, frictionally
fit, or press fit onto the shaft 119. In a preferred embodiment,
the penetrator 110 is secured by threads to the shaft 119. For
example, the shaft 119 may have male threads that engage female
threads within the penetrator 110. Accordingly, the shaft 119 may
secure the penetrator 110 to the body 120. The penetrator 110 and
the body 120 may be secured together such that they remain
connected after the projectile has impacted the target. Therefore,
the projectile 100 may be easily removed from the target without
requiring a user to locate and remove the penetrator 110 separate
from the body 120. The projectile 100 may have the portions 130
spaced about the body 120. In an embodiment, the body 120 has six
of the portions 130 spaced about the body 120.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 7, a sabot 300 having a proximal end 312
and a distal end 314 may be provided with the projectile 100. The
proximal end 312 of the sabot 300 defines an opening 316 within the
sabot 300 that is capable of receiving the projectile 100. The
opening 316 may be sized and shaped to receive the second end 124
of the body 120 and at least a portion of the body 120. The sabot
300 may include one or more slots 330 extending from the proximal
end 312 and along its sides. The slots 330 may be substantially
parallel to the length of the sabot 300. The slots 330 may form one
or more petal-like structures that permit insertion of the
projectile 100 into the sabot 300. The sabot 300 may expand upon
insertion of the projectile 100, such as by expansion of the
petal-like portions between the one or more slots 330. The one or
more grooves 305 can be optionally machined on the body 120, such
as the surface in that may contact the sabot 300. The grooves 305
may reduce frictional forces that a user must overcome when loading
the projectile-sabot combination down the barrel of a firearm, such
as a muzzle-loading rifle.
[0047] In use, the projectile 100 may be inserted into the sabot
300. The projectile 100, with or without the sabot 300, may be
pushed and forced downward into the barrel or bore of a firearm.
When a sabot 300 is used, the projectile 100 is fired from the
firearm, the sabot 300 and projectile 100 travel together. The
sabot 300 strips away from the projectile 100 by wind resistance,
and the projectile 100 continues toward the target. Upon impacting
the target, such as the body of an animal, the head portion 116 of
the penetrator 110 may first contact the target. The resulting
impact causes the penetrator 110 to impart a force onto the body
120 to deform and enlarge the body 120. For example, the head
portion 116 of the penetrator 110 or the impact with the target may
drive the portion 130 outward from the body 120. The shaft 119 then
moves with the penetrator 110 axially into the bore 129 to deform
the body 120. The head portion 116 and the shoulder portion 118
acts as a wedge on the tapered surface 128 and cavity walls 143,
expanding the first end 122 of the body 120 as shown in FIGS.
6a-6c. The penetrator 110 and the body 120 remain secured together
upon impacting the target.
[0048] The head portion 116 permits the projectile 100 to penetrate
the target as the body 120 expands. The ability of the shaft 119 to
continue driving through and beyond the second end 124 allows for
greater expansion of the body 120, thereby increasing the
effectiveness of the projectile 100. Thus, the projectile 100
exhibits the characteristics of both improved projectile expansion
and penetration upon impacting the target, which, for example,
promotes quick and humane harvesting of game while hunting.
Moreover, this product, unlike the majority of rifle projectiles,
may be constructed with substantially lead-free materials. This
enables the use of this projectile in areas where lead toxicity is
a concern.
[0049] The invention has been described above and, obviously,
modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading
and understanding of this specification. The claims as follows are
intended to include all modifications and alterations insofar as
they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalent
thereof.
* * * * *