Patent ID: 7406906
Filing Date: 2008-08-05
Classification: F42B

Abstract:
1. A method for enhancing the flight of a projectile from a weapon comprising the steps of: (a) providing a die having an elongated cavity with a substantially straight cylindrical inner wall and open top and bottom ends, (b) closing the bottom end of said die cavity with a reciprocating bottom punch having an inboard distal end, (c) providing a projectile including a jacket housing a core therein and having a leading end and a trailing end and an ogive formed on said leading end thereof, (d) inserting said projectile into said die cavity with said trailing end of said projectile in supported engagement with said inboard distal end of said bottom punch, the depth of said die cavity being preferably slightly greater than the overall length of said projectile so that essentially all of said projectile is disposed substantially within said die cavity, (e) providing a top punch adapted to be reciprocally received within said top end of said die cavity with its longitudinal centerline disposed concentric with the longitudinal centerline of said projectile disposed within said die cavity, said top punch including an inboard distal end having a substantially conical depression extending concentrically inwardly along the length of said top punch and a generally conical projection disposed concentrically of said depression and having a projected planar base located at the pinnacle of said depression and its own pinnacle terminating inboard of said projected planar base of said depression, (f) inserting said top punch into said top end of said die cavity adjacent said leading end of said projectile to the extent that said projected planar base of said depression and said pinnacle of said projection engage said leading end of said projectile, and, (g) urging said top punch toward said bottom punch with resultant entry of said projection of said top punch into said leading end of said projectile and displacement of extraneous material disposed within said leading end of said projectile at least laterally of said inwardly moving projection within that portion of said leading end of said jacket which is not occupied by said core, thereby defining a generally conical meplat cavity of uniform size and geometry in said leading end of said projectile which is void of extraneous material and disposed concentrically with respect to the longitudinal centerline of said projectile and simultaneously defining a uniformly sized outward opening for said meplat cavity which also is concentric with the longitudinal centerline of said projectile and which defines a smooth surfaced annular outboard face of selectable wall thickness, on said projectile.