Bullet with jacket improvements

Abstract

Devices and methods for a bullet with a strengthened mouth for improved penetration and expansion. In embodiments, a portion of the jacket is folded to provide double walls at the mouth. In embodiments, the jacket and core are partially bonded and partially separated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bullet for penetration and expansion upon impact, the bullet defining a central axis comprising a forward direction and a rearward direction, the bullet comprising:
 a core comprising an outer circumferential surface, the core comprising:
 a rearward portion, 
 a forward portion, the forward portion defining a cavity forming a hollow point of the bullet, the cavity comprising a radially inward surface, and 
 a tip portion forward of the forward ogive portion, the tip portion transitioning from the outer circumferential surface to the radially inward surface; 
 a soft point filling the cavity; and 
 a jacket extending along the outer circumferential surface, the jacket comprising:
 a midline extending longitudinally at the middle of the radial thickness of the jacket to an endpoint where the radial thickness changes substantially or the jacket terminates, 
 a rearward cup portion, 
 an ogive portion forward of the rearward cup portion, 
 an end portion directly adjacent the tip portion of the core, the end portion of the jacket curling radially inwardly toward the central axis, and 
 a plurality of skives formed in the ogive portion of the jacket, 
 wherein the midline of the jacket defines the inward curl of the end portion by rotating radially inward from a departure orientation at a starting point of the end portion to a terminal orientation at an ending point of the end portion, the terminal orientation being arranged at a curl angle ω of at least about 0 degrees measured radially inwardly relative to the central axis. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The bullet of  claim 1 , the curl angle ω being between about 0 and about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The bullet of  claim 1 , the curl angle ω being between about 0 and about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the midline of the jacket rotates from a starting point of the inward curl of the end portion to the ending point by an angle ω of at least 135 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the midline of the jacket extends in a curl direction at the endpoint of the end portion, the curl direction being substantially rearward or rearward and radially outward. 
     
     
         6 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of skives extend at least partially through the curled end portion. 
     
     
         7 . The bullet of  claim 1 , further comprising a shear groove formed in the jacket, the shear groove configured to prevent overexpansion of petals formed upon impact. 
     
     
         8 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the end portion of the jacket partially defines the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable material is positioned inside the end portion of the jacket. 
     
     
         10 . The bullet of  claim 1 , the ogive portion of the jacket comprising a radially inner surface, wherein a portion of the core is positioned along the radially inner surface between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the end portion of the jacket. 
     
     
         11 . The bullet of  claim 1 , the jacket comprising a double walled region of the jacket, wherein the ogive portion of the jacket is not double walled. 
     
     
         12 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket does not fully enclose the core. 
     
     
         13 . The bullet of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket and core are partially bonded. 
     
     
         14 . The bullet of  claim 13 , wherein the jacket and core are only bonded rearward of the skives. 
     
     
         15 . A bullet for penetration and expansion upon impact, the bullet defining a central axis comprising a forward direction and a rearward direction, the bullet comprising:
 a core comprising an outer circumferential surface, a forward portion defining a cavity forming a hollow point of the bullet, and a tip portion transitioning from the outer circumferential surface to the cavity;   a jacket extending along the outer circumferential surface of the core, the jacket comprising an end portion defining an inward curl by rotating radially inward from a departure orientation at a starting point to a terminal orientation at an ending point, the terminal orientation being arranged at a curl angle ω of at least about 0 degrees measured radially inwardly relative to the central axis.   
     
     
         16 . The bullet of  claim 15 , wherein the curl angle is between about 0 and about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The bullet of  claim 15 , wherein the jacket defines a plurality of skives traversing at least a portion of the inward curl of the end portion of the jacket. 
     
     
         18 . A bullet comprising:
 a core having a forward portion defining a cavity;   a jacket extending along an outer surface of the core, the jacket comprising an ogive portion and an end portion, wherein the end portion curls radially inward toward a central axis of the bullet;   a deformable material filling the cavity, wherein the end portion of the jacket terminates at a terminal face oriented at a terminal face angle of at least 90 degrees measured inwardly from a reference axis parallel to the central axis.   
     
     
         19 . The bullet of  claim 18 , wherein the terminal face angle is between about 90 degrees and about 135 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The bullet of  claim 18 , wherein at least part of end portion defines a double walled region of the jacket.