Bullet with chamber sealing structure and ammunition comprising same

Abstract

A round of ammunition for use in a 5.56 NATO-specification chamber comprises a cartridge casing and a bullet having a casing engaging segment, a sealing band and a groove. The sealing band encircles the casing engaging segment. The casing engagement segment of the bullet is engaged within a bullet receiving opening of the cartridge casing with a rear surface of the sealing band abutting a front edge of the cartridge casing. The groove encircles the casing engagement segment. A rear portion of the sealing band intersects a front portion of the groove. A front face of the sealing band is substantially flat. An angle of the front face of the sealing band is approximately the same as an angle of a neck-to-throat transition portion of the 5.56 NATO-specification chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bullet, comprising:
 a casing engaging segment defining a rear face of the bullet;   a sealing band encircling the casing engaging segment; and   a groove encircles the casing engagement segment at a position between the sealing band and the rear face of the bullet, and wherein a rear portion of the sealing band intersects a front portion of the groove.   
     
     
         2 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the groove has an arcuate cross-sectional profile such that a surface of the groove is devoid of edges. 
     
     
         3 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein:
 the rear portion of the sealing band includes a rear wall; 
 the front portion of the groove includes a front wall; and 
 the rear wall of the sealing band intersects the front wall of the groove. 
 
     
     
         4 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein a volume of the sealing band is approximately the same as a volume of the groove. 
     
     
         5 . The bullet of  claim 4  wherein:
 the groove has an arcuate cross-sectional profile such that a surface of the groove is devoid of edges; 
 the rear portion of the sealing band includes a rear wall; 
 the front portion of the groove includes a front wall; and 
 the rear wall of the sealing band intersects the front wall of the groove. 
 
     
     
         6 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sealing band is substantially symmetric about a longitudinal centerline axis of the casing engaging segment; 
 the groove is substantially symmetric about the longitudinal centerline axis of the casing engaging segment; and 
 a volume of the sealing band is greater than or equal to the volume of the groove. 
 
     
     
         7 . The bullet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rifling leade mating segment extending from the casing engaging segment forward of a front portion of the sealing band, wherein the rifling leade mating segment has a frusto-conical shape tapering from a first diameter at a first end portion thereof to a second diameter at a second end portion thereof and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and   an ogive portion extending from the second end portion of the rifling leade mating segment.   
     
     
         8 . The bullet of  claim 7  wherein a volume of the sealing band is greater than or equal to the volume of the groove. 
     
     
         9 . The bullet of  claim 8  wherein:
 the rear portion of the sealing band includes a rear wall; 
 the front portion of the groove includes a front wall; and 
 the rear wall of the sealing band intersects the front wall of the groove. 
 
     
     
         10 . The bullet of  claim 9  wherein:
 the groove has an arcuate cross-sectional profile such that a surface of the groove is devoid of edges; and 
 a volume of the sealing band is greater than or equal to the volume of the groove. 
 
     
     
         11 . A round of ammunition for use in a 5.56 NATO-specification chamber, comprising:
 a cartridge casing; and   a bullet having a casing engaging segment, a sealing band and a groove, wherein the sealing band encircles the casing engaging segment, wherein the casing engagement segment of the bullet is engaged within a bullet receiving opening of the cartridge casing with a rear surface of the sealing band abutting a front edge of the cartridge casing, wherein the groove encircles the casing engagement segment, wherein a rear portion of the sealing band intersects a front portion of the groove, wherein a front face of the sealing band is substantially flat, and wherein an angle of the front face of the sealing band is approximately the same as an angle of a neck-to-throat transition portion of the 5.56 NATO-specification chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The round of ammunition of  claim 11  wherein:
 the groove has an arcuate cross-sectional profile such that a surface of the groove is devoid of edges; 
 the rear portion of the sealing band includes a rear wall; 
 the front portion of the groove includes a front wall; and 
 the rear wall of the sealing band intersects the front wall of the groove. 
 
     
     
         13 . The round of ammunition of  claim 11  wherein a volume of the sealing band is greater than or equal to the volume of the groove. 
     
     
         14 . The round of ammunition of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a rifling leade mating segment extending from the casing engaging segment forward of a front portion of the sealing band, wherein the rifling leade mating segment has a frusto-conical shape tapering from a first diameter at a first end portion thereof to a second diameter at a second end portion thereof and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and   an ogive portion extending from the second end portion of the rifling leade mating segment.   
     
     
         15 . A round of ammunition configured for use in a chamber of a firearm, wherein dimensions of a neck portion of the chamber and a throat portion of the chamber are configured in accordance with specifications of a firearms standards organization for the round of ammunition, the round of ammunition comprising:
 a cartridge casing configured in accordance with the specifications for the round of ammunition, wherein the cartridge casing is configured with dimensions allowing the cartridge casing to be operably received within the neck portion of the chamber; and   a bullet having a casing engaging segment and a sealing band, wherein the sealing band encircles the casing engaging segment, wherein the bullet is engaged within a bullet receiving opening of the cartridge casing with a rear surface of the sealing band abutting a front edge of the cartridge casing, and wherein a maximum diameter of the sealing band is greater than a minimum diameter of the throat portion of the chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The round of ammunition of  claim 15  wherein:
 a front face of the sealing band is substantially flat; and 
 an angle of the front face of the sealing band is approximately the same as an angle of a neck-to-throat transition portion between the neck portion of the chamber and the throat portion of the chamber. 
 
     
     
         17 . The round of ammunition of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a groove encircling the casing engagement segment;   wherein a rear portion of the sealing band intersects a front portion of the groove; and   wherein the groove has an arcuate cross-sectional profile such that a surface of the groove is devoid of edges.   
     
     
         18 . The round of ammunition of  claim 17  wherein:
 the rear portion of the sealing band includes a rear wall; 
 the front portion of the groove includes a front wall; and 
 the rear wall of the sealing band intersects the front wall of the groove. 
 
     
     
         19 . The round of ammunition of  claim 17  wherein a volume of the sealing band is greater than or equal to the volume of the groove. 
     
     
         20 . The round of ammunition of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a groove encircling the casing engagement segment; 
 a rifling leade mating segment extending from the casing engaging segment forward of a front portion of the sealing band, wherein the rifling leade mating segment has a frusto-conical shape tapering from a first diameter at a first end portion thereof to a second diameter at a second end portion thereof and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and 
 an ogive portion extending from the second end portion of the rifling leade mating segment; 
 wherein a rear portion of the sealing band intersects a front portion of the groove; 
 wherein a front face of the sealing band is substantially flat; 
 wherein the rear portion of the sealing band includes a rear wall; 
 wherein the front portion of the groove includes a front wall; 
 wherein the rear wall of the sealing band intersects the front wall of the groove; and 
 wherein an angle of the front face of the sealing band is approximately the same as an angle of a neck-to-throat transition portion between the neck portion of the chamber and the throat portion of the chamber.