Metal injection molded projectile

Abstract

The present invention provides a molded metal ammunition projectile comprising: a metal composition injected into a molded to form a projectile comprising a nose extending essentially symmetrically to a shoulder; an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base.

1 . A molded metal ammunition projectile made by the process of metal injection molding comprising:
 a metal composition comprising a stainless steel, a metal alloy, or a ceramic alloy injected into a molded and sintered to form a projectile; wherein the projectile comprises a nose extending essentially symmetrically to a shoulder; an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base.   
     
     
         2 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the metal composition comprises stainless steel, ceramic alloys, copper/cobalt/nickel/custom alloys, tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, term-tungsten, titanium, copper, cobalt, nickel, uranium, depleted uranium, alumina oxide, zirconia and aluminum. 
     
     
         3 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises stainless steel, metal alloys, ceramic alloys. 
     
     
         4 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises 102, 174, 201, 202, 300, 302, 303, 304, 308, 309, 316, 316L, 316Ti, 321, 405, 408, 409, 410, 415, 416, 416R, 420, 430, 439, 440, 446 or 601-665 grade stainless steel. 
     
     
         5 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , further comprising a cannelure formed on an outer circumferential surface of the essentially cylindrical bearing surface intermediate the shoulder and the base. 
     
     
         6 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , further comprising 2, 3, 4, 5 or more cannelure formed on an outer circumferential surface of the essentially cylindrical bearing surface intermediate the shoulder and the base. 
     
     
         7 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the nose has a frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 5 , wherein the frustoconical shape further comprises a cavity to form a hollow point projectile. 
     
     
         9 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the nose has a spritzer shape. 
     
     
         10 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the nose has a blunted shape. 
     
     
         11 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the nose has a rounded shape. 
     
     
         12 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile is a full metal jacket, expanding full metal jacket, spritzer, jacketed spritzer, armor piercing, or armor piercing incendiary. 
     
     
         13 . The molded ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the base has a flat shape. 
     
     
         14 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the base has a boattail shape. 
     
     
         15 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer coating placed over the projectile to form a metal jacketed projectile. 
     
     
         16 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile comprises a soft metal core, a high energy core, a high density core, a chemical core, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile comprises
 a) 2-16% Ni; 10-20% Cr; 0-5% Mo; 0-0.6% C; 0-6.0% Cu; 0-0.5% Nb+Ta; 0-4.0% Mn; 0-2.0% Si and the balance Fe;   b) 2-6% Ni; 13.5-19.5% Cr; 0-0.10% C; 1-7.0% Cu; 0.05-0.65% Nb+Ta; 0-3.0% Mn; 0-3.0% Si and the balance Fe;   c) 3-5% Ni; 15.5-17.5% Cr; 0-0.07% C; 3-5.0% Cu; 0.15-0.45% Nb+Ta; 0-1.0% Mn; 0-1.0% Si and the balance Fe;   d) 10-14% Ni; 16-18% Cr; 2-3% Mo; 0-0.03% C; 0-2% Mn; 0-1% Si and the balance Fe;   e) 12-14% Cr; 0.15-0.4% C; 0-1% Mn; 0-1% Si and the balance Fe;   f) 16-18% Cr; 0-0.05% C; 0-1% Mn; 0-1% Si and the balance Fe;   g) 3-12% aluminum, 2-8% vanadium, 0.1-0.75% iron, 0.1-0.5% oxygen, and the remainder titanium; or   h) about 6% aluminum, about 4% vanadium, about 0.25% iron, about 0.2% oxygen, and the remainder titanium.   
     
     
         18 . The molded metal ammunition projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile is a 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, 308, 338, 3030, 3006, 50 caliber, 45 caliber, 380 caliber, 38 caliber, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm, 14.7 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 57 mm, 60 mm, 75 mm, 76 mm, 81 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 105 mm, 106 mm, 115 mm, 120 mm, 122 mm, 125 mm, 130 mm, 152 mm, 155 mm, 165 mm, 175 mm, 203 mm, 460 mm, 8 inch, or 4.2 inch. 
     
     
         19 . A molded metal ammunition projectile comprising:
 a metal composition injected into a molded to form a projectile comprising
 a nose extending essentially symmetrically to a shoulder, wherein the nose has a rounded shape, blunted shape, spritzer shape, frustoconical shape, or hollow point shape; and 
 an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base, wherein the base has a flat shape or a boattail shape. 
   
     
     
         20 . A molded metal ammunition projectile comprising:
 a metal composition injected into a molded to form a projectile comprising
 a nose extending essentially symmetrically to a shoulder, wherein the nose has a rounded shape, blunted shape, spritzer shape, frustoconical shape, or hollow point shape; 
 an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base, wherein the base has a flat shape or a boattail shape; and 
 a cannelure formed on an outer circumferential surface of the essentially cylindrical bearing surface intermediate the shoulder and the base.