Lead-free ammunition for small-bore weapons

Abstract

The invention relates to a lead-free projectile ( 5 ) having improved performance and intended for small-bore weapons, configured so that the quantity of toxic metal particles and gases which is formed by the friction between the projectile ( 5 ) and the inner side of the weapon upon firing of the projectile ( 5 ) is reduced, at the same time as the performance of the projectile ( 5 ) is improved or maintained. The projectile ( 5 ) is characterized in that the core ( 6 ) of the projectile ( 5 ) comprises a front core part ( 7 ), constituting the penetrator part of the projectile ( 5 ), and a rear core part ( 8 ), constituting the ballast part of the projectile ( 5 ), wherein the front and the rear core part ( 7, 8 ) are detachably joined together with each other by a radial guide ( 9 ) configured for mutual freedom of rotation between the front and rear core part ( 7, 8 ), and in that the rear core part ( 8 ) comprises, on the one hand, a cylindrical part and, on the other hand, a conical part having a cone angle α within the range 5°-9°, wherein the contact surface between the cylindrical part and the inner side of the weapon 1 upon firing of the projectile ( 5 ) constitutes less than 30% of the total surface area of the projectile ( 5 ). The invention also relates to an improved cartridge ( 1 ) and an improved method.

1 . A lead-free projectile, having the length L tot , for small-bore weapons, comprising a hard-metal core, wholly or partially enclosed by a metal jacket, wherein the projectile ( 5 ) is configured for a lower friction between the projectile and the weapon upon firing of the projectile, so that the quantity of metal particles and environmentally hazardous gases from the projectile is reduced, at the same time as the performance of the projectile is maintained or improved, wherein the core of the projectile comprises a front core part, constituting the penetrator part of the projectile, and a rear core part, constituting the ballast part of the projectile, wherein:
 the front and the rear core part are detachably joined together with each other by a radial guide configured for mutual freedom of rotation between the front and rear core part,   the rear core part comprises a cylindrical core part having the length L C  and a conical core part having the length L k , wherein the angle α for the conical core part lies within the range 5°-9°, and wherein the contact surface between the jacket of the cylindrical core part and the inner side of the weapon  1  constitutes less than 30% of the total surface area of the projectile,   the distance (L TP ) between the tip of the projectile and the center of gravity TP of the projectile lies within the range 0.55 L tot ≦L TP ≦0.60L tot ,   the length L C  of the cylindrical part of the rear core part lies within the range 0.25L tot ≦L C ≦0.31L tot .   
     
     
         2 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rear core part comprises at least 90% unhardened steel. 
     
     
         3 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the jacket comprises at least 90% steel plated with a thin layer of copper. 
     
     
         4 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the jacket is divided into a front jacket part, an intermediate jacket part and a rear jacket part, wherein the thickness of the intermediate jacket part is at least twice as thick as the thickness of the front jacket part and the rear jacket part ( 13 ), and in that the three jacket parts constitute three separate components joined together with one another on the core of the projectile by shrinkage or threading. 
     
     
         5 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate jacket part is surface-treated by sulfating in order to minimize the wear in the weapon. 
     
     
         6 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least 30% of the rear core part ( 8 ) is conical. 
     
     
         7 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the jacket-comprises inner longitudinal rifles or grooves for preventing rotation of the front and rear core parts of the projectile inside the jacket. 
     
     
         8 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , the jacket comprises outer longitudinal rifles or grooves for reducing the friction between the projectile and the weapon. 
     
     
         9 . The lead-free projectile as claimed in  claim 1 , the jacket comprises outer transverse rifles or grooves for reducing the friction between the projectile and the weapon. 
     
     
         10 . A Lead-free cartridge for small-bore weapons, in which the proportion of toxic substances in the combustion gases from the priming and propellant compositions of the cartridge  1  upon firing has been eliminated or heavily reduced, at the same time as the performance of the cartridge  1  is maintained or improved, wherein the cartridge comprises a lead-free propellant powder, a lead-free primer comprising a zinc-free priming composition, a lead-free case and a lead-free projectile, wherein the projectile is configured as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A method for reducing the wear between a projectile, comprising a hard-metal core wholly or partially enclosed by a metal jacket, and a weapon, wherein the quantity of environmentally hazardous gases and metal particles which are generated upon firing of the projectile from the weapon is reduced, at the same time as the performance of the projectile is maintained or improved, wherein the core of the projectile is configured with a front core part, constituting the penetrator part of the projectile, and a rear core part, constituting the ballast part of the projectile, wherein
 the front and the rear core part are arranged detachably joined together with each other by a radial guide for mutual freedom of rotation between the front and rear core part   the rear core part is configured with a cylindrical part and a conical part, so that the contact surface between the jacket of the cylindrical part and the inner side of the weapon upon firing of the projectile constitutes less than 30% of the total surface area of the projectile   the distance (L TP ) between the tip of the projectile and the center of gravity TP of the projectile is chosen within the range 0.55L tot ≦L TP ≦0.60L tot      in that the length L C  of the cylindrical part of the rear core part  8  is chosen within the range 0.25 L tot ≦L C ≦0.31L tot .   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the jacket is made thicker on that part of the projectile which is in contact with the inner side of the barrel of the weapon. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the intermediate jacket part is surface-treated by sulfating in order to minimize the wear in the weapon. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein at least 30% of the rear core part is configured as a truncated cone. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the jacket ( 10 ) is configured with inner longitudinal rifles or grooves for preventing rotation of the front and rear core parts of the projectile inside the jacket. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the jacket is configured with outer longitudinal rifles or grooves for reducing the wear between the projectile and the barrel of the weapon. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the jacket is configured with outer transverse rifles or grooves for reducing the wear between the projectile and the barrel of the weapon. 
     
     
         18 . A Lead-free cartridge for small-bore weapons, in which the proportion of toxic substances in the combustion gases from the priming and propellant compositions of the cartridge  1  upon firing has been eliminated or heavily reduced, at the same time as the performance of the cartridge  1  is maintained or improved, wherein the cartridge comprises a lead-free propellant powder, a lead-free primer comprising a zinc-free priming composition, a lead-free case and a lead-free projectile, wherein the projectile is configured as claimed in  claim 2 . 
     
     
         19 . A Lead-free cartridge for small-bore weapons, in which the proportion of toxic substances in the combustion gases from the priming and propellant compositions of the cartridge  1  upon firing has been eliminated or heavily reduced, at the same time as the performance of the cartridge  1  is maintained or improved, wherein the cartridge comprises a lead-free propellant powder, a lead-free primer comprising a zinc-free priming composition, a lead-free case and a lead-free projectile, wherein the projectile is configured as claimed in  claim 3 . 
     
     
         20 . A Lead-free cartridge for small-bore weapons, in which the proportion of toxic substances in the combustion gases from the priming and propellant compositions of the cartridge  1  upon firing has been eliminated or heavily reduced, at the same time as the performance of the cartridge  1  is maintained or improved, wherein the cartridge comprises a lead-free propellant powder, a lead-free primer comprising a zinc-free priming composition, a lead-free case and a lead-free projectile, wherein the projectile is configured as claimed in  claim 4 .