Projectable resin target and method

Abstract

A breakable shooting target, formed from a composition including a binder component, selected from one or more natural fatty acids, and a binder modifier component, selected from one or more metal oxides, the binder and binder modifier together comprising between about 14% and about 24% of the composition; a viscosity modifier component, selected from one or more plant-based resins comprising between about 0.1% and about 15% of the composition; and a filler component comprising between about 70% and 86% of the composition. The composition is molded into a disk shape and cast in a state of sufficient strength and brittleness, that the target can be launched from a target launching trap, fly through the air in a reproduceable path, and when hit with multiple shot shell pellets fired from a shotgun, the target will shatter into multiple pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A breakable shooting target, formed from a composition comprising:
 a binder component, selected from one or more natural fatty acids, and a binder modifier component, selected from one or more metal oxides, the binder and binder modifier together comprising between about 14% and about 24% of the composition;
 a viscosity modifier component, selected from one or more plant-based resins comprising between about 0.1% and about 15% of the composition; and 
 a filler component comprising between about 70% and 86% of the composition; 
   the composition molded into a disk shape and cast in a state of sufficient strength and brittleness, that the target can be launched from a target launching trap, fly through the air in a reproduceable path, and when hit with multiple shot shell pellets fired from a shotgun, the target will shatter into multiple pieces.   
     
     
         2 . The breakable shooting target according to  claim 1  wherein the binder component has been heated with a non-stochiometric amount of the binder modifier component to at least partially convert at least some of the fatty acid of the binder into salts of the conjugate fatty acid to produce a blend of fatty acids and conjugate bases, with a melting point higher than the melting point of the fatty acid. 
     
     
         3 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 2 , wherein the viscosity modifier component comprises at least one of rosin ester, resin ester, and a glycerol ester of rosin. 
     
     
         4 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 3 , wherein the rosin ester, resin ester, or glycerol ester of rosin comprise about 3-10% of the composition. 
     
     
         5 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 2 , wherein the viscosity modifier component comprises pine resin. 
     
     
         6 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 5 , wherein pine resin comprises about 4-9% of the composition. 
     
     
         7 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 2 , wherein the binder component comprises stearic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 7 , wherein stearic acid comprises about 8-14% of the composition. 
     
     
         9 . The target of  claim 8 , comprising stearic acid at about 9-11% of the composition. 
     
     
         10 . The breakable shooting target of  claim 8 , wherein the binder modifier component comprises calcium oxide. 
     
     
         11 . The target of  claim 10  wherein calcium oxide comprises between about 0.7 and about 1.2% of the composition. 
     
     
         12 . The target of  claim 11 , comprising calcium oxide from about 0.75 to about 0.916% of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . The target of  claim 2 , wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, talc, gypsum, clay, silicate, aluminate, and sulphate. 
     
     
         14 . The target of  claim 12 , wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         15 . The target of  claim 12 , wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate in an amount of about 70-85%. 
     
     
         16 . The target of  claim 2 , wherein the composition has an LD50 of about 15,000 mg/kg or greater. 
     
     
         17 . The target of  claim 2 , wherein the composition is substantially free of pitch. 
     
     
         18 . The target of  claim 2 , cast in a state of sufficient strength and brittleness, that when shot at with a 12 gauge shotgun by shooters standing at least 25 yards behind the launching trap, at least 90% of hit targets will break, counting an unbroken target hit by less than 3 pellets as a miss. 
     
     
         19 . The target of  claim 2 , cast in a state of sufficient resistance to heat, that the target will maintain its shape and dimensions, without deformation, after being exposed to 140° F. for at least 5 hours. 
     
     
         20 . A target suitable for shooting sports, comprising pine resin, stearic acid, calcium oxide, and filler, cast into a disk of sufficient brittleness, that when launched from a trap into the air and shot at with shot shell pellets from a 12 gauge shotgun fired at least 25 yards behind the trap, no less than 90% of hit targets will break, counting targets hit by 0, 1, or 2 pellets as a miss. 
     
     
         21 . The target of  claim 20 , comprising calcium oxide and stearic acid, having an LD50 of about 15,000 mg/kg or greater, and being substantially free of pitch. 
     
     
         22 . The target of  claim 20 , cast in a state of sufficient resistance to heat, that the target will maintain its shape and dimensions after being exposed to 130° F. for at least 7 days, without observable deformation. 
     
     
         23 . The target of  claim 22 , cast in a state of sufficient resistance to heat, that the target will maintain its shape and dimensions after being exposed to 150° F. for at least 30 days, without observable deformation. 
     
     
         24 . The target of  claim 20 , wherein the stearic acid has a polymorphic structure. 
     
     
         25 . A breakable shooting target, formed from a composition comprising:
 a binder component, selected from one or more natural fatty acids, and a binder modifier component, selected from one or more metal oxides, the binder and binder modifier together comprising between about 14% and about 24% of the composition;   a viscosity modifier component, selected from one or more plant-based resins comprising between about 0.1% and about 15% of the composition; and   a filler component comprising between about 70% and 86% of the composition;   the composition molded into a disk shape and cast in a state of sufficient strength and brittleness, that the target can be launched from a target launching trap, fly through the air in a reproduceable path, and when hit with multiple shot shell pellets fired from a shotgun, the target will shatter into multiple pieces.   
     
     
         26 . The breakable shooting target according to  claim 18  wherein the binder comprises stearic acid and comprises 10% and 14% of the composition, and wherein the binder modifier is calcium oxide and is 0.7% to 1.5% of the composition. 
     
     
         27 . The breakable shooting target according to  claim 19  wherein the binder component has been heated with the binder modifier component to at least partially convert at least some of the fatty acid to produce a blend of fatty acids and conjugate bases, with a melting point higher than the melting point of the fatty acid.