Cartridge and Bullet with Controlled Expansion

Abstract

A bullet or a cartridge containing a bullet having an elongated body with a forward end and an opposed rear end. The body has an intermediate cylindrical portion between the rear and forward ends, and the front end of the body defines a cavity. A resilient nose element is received in the cavity. The nose element may be an elastomer, and may be a cylindrical body. The cavity may be a cylindrical bore, and the nose element may be closely encompassed within the bore. The forward end of the nose element may be flat, and may be flush with the forward end of the body.

1 . A 9 mm handgun bullet comprising:
 an elongated body;   the body having a forward end;   the body having a rear end opposite the forward end;   the body having a cylindrical portion between the rear and forward ends, the body comprising a jacket encompassing a solid lead alloy core, the jacket having score lines to facilitate bullet expansion upon impact;   the jacket defining a circumferential cannelure;   the solid core directly contacting an interior surface portion of the jacket in the vicinity of the cannelure;   a resilient nose element having an exposed flat front end;   at least a portion of the nose element being received in a cavity open to the forward end of the body;   wherein the nose element is an elastomer that can be compressed to less than 50% of its length repeatedly without permanent deformation; and   wherein the jacket at the forward end of the body curves radially inward over the lead alloy core to form a blunt forward rim that defines a forward opening to the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the cavity is a cylindrical bore. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the jacket has a forward aperture extending to a second portion of the nose element and closely receiving a forward portion of the portion of the nose element received in the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical portion defines the maximum diameter of the bullet. 
     
     
         18 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the cavity has a flat, circular floor. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the nose element substantially fills the cavity. 
     
     
         21 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the nose element is substantially received in its entirety within the cavity when the bullet is in an unfired state. 
     
     
         22 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the flat front end of the nose element is substantially flush with the forward end of the body. 
     
     
         23 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the cavity is an elongated cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         24 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the cavity has a constant cross-section. 
     
     
         25 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the flat front end of the nose element is flush with the forward end of the body. 
     
     
         26 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the flat front end of the nose element has an exposed front face that is molded with identifying indicia. 
     
     
         27 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the flat front end of the nose element is recessed within the cavity. 
     
     
         28 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the flat front end of the nose element does not protrude from the cavity. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A firearm ammunition component comprising:
 an elongated body;   the body having a forward end;   the body having a rear end opposite the forward end;   the body having a cylindrical portion between the rear and forward ends;   the body defining a cavity open to the forward end of the body;   the body comprising a jacket encompassing a solid lead alloy core;   the jacket defining a circumferential cannelure;   the solid core directly contacting an interior surface portion of the jacket in the vicinity of the cannelure;   a resilient nose element, at least a portion of which is received in the cavity;   wherein the portion of the nose element received in the cavity is an elongated body having opposed ends; and   wherein the body has a caliber and the nose element is an elastomer having a Shore A hardness that is less than or equal to 1/100 of an X-axis velocity function for the caliber of the body and greater than or equal to 1/500 of the X-axis velocity function for the caliber of the body.   
     
     
         31 . The component of  claim 30  wherein the body has a caliber and the nose element is an elastomer having a Shore A hardness that is less than or equal to 1/140 of an X-axis velocity function for the caliber of the body and greater than or equal to 1/325 of the X-axis velocity function for the caliber of the body. 
     
     
         32 . The component of  claim 30  wherein the body has a caliber and the nose element is an elastomer having a Shore A hardness that is equal to 1/250 of an X-Axis velocity function for the caliber of the body. 
     
     
         33 . The component of  claim 30  wherein the body has a caliber selected from the group consisting of .380 ACP, 9 mm, 38 Special, 40 S&W, and .45 ACP. 
     
     
         34 . The bullet of  claim 17  wherein the maximum diameter is less than or equal to 0.357 inches. 
     
     
         35 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the nose element is less than a depth of the cavity. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The bullet of  claim 1 , further comprising a case defining a case mouth receiving at least a portion of the body, wherein the case defines an interior volume containing gunpowder. 
     
     
         38 . The bullet of  claim 18  wherein the nose element has a rear end spaced apart from the floor. 
     
     
         39 . A firearm ammunition component comprising:
 an elongated body;   the body having a forward end;   the body having a rear end opposite the forward end;   the body having a cylindrical portion between the rear and forward ends;   the body defining a cavity open to the forward end of the body;   a resilient nose element, at least a portion of which is received in the cavity;   wherein the nose element is an elastomer having a Shore A hardness less than or equal to 80;   wherein the body includes a solid lead alloy core surrounded by a jacket, and wherein the jacket has a forward portion extending forward of the core and defining an aperture closely receiving a forward portion of the nose element;   the jacket defining a circumferential cannelure; and   the solid core directly contacting an interior surface portion of the jacket in the vicinity of the cannelure.   
     
     
         40 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the core has an encompassed portion encompassed by the cannelure, and wherein the encompassed portion is solid lead alloy. 
     
     
         41 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the core has an encompassed portion encompassed by the cannelure, a proximate forward portion forward of the encompassed portion, and a proximate rearward portion rearward of the encompassed portion, and wherein the proximate forward portion and the proximate rearward portions are solid lead alloy. 
     
     
         42 . The bullet of  claim 1  wherein the cannelure has a straight floor surface facing radially outward. 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . (canceled)