Patent Publication Number: US-2011048268-A1

Title: Practice munitions

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/239,284, filed on Sep. 2, 2009, entitled “Practice Munitions.” The subject matter disclosed in that provisional application is hereby expressly incorporated into the present application. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is related to practice munitions for firearms and, in particular, low cost and reusable less-than-lethal munitions to simulate bean bag cartridges and shotgun rounds. 
     As new law enforcement tools become available to quell unrest using non-lethal firearms, so too does their need to practice with those firearms. In certain circumstances, lethal guns and bullets have been replaced with non-lethal bean bag launchers. These launchers look like oversized single barrel shotguns typically accommodating 37 to 40 millimeter shells. Beanbag cartridges are packed with what looks like socks filled with rubber pellets, sand and other materials. When a bean bag projectile hits an individual, kinetic energy transfers to the point of impact causing pain but not lethal injuries. 
     Despite the substantial benefit, each bean bag cartridge is relatively expensive when compared to a bullet. Practice rounds which do not fire bean bags are also expensive. In 2009 dollars, a bean bag practice round costs about $25.00. Training is a critical component of effective law enforcement, but spending $25.00 every time the launcher is fired can create havoc on a training budget. 
     One embodiment of the present disclosure describes a 37/40 millimeter bean bag simulation munition for a 37/40 millimeter launcher, but costs literally pennies on the dollar compared to a conventional 37/40 millimeter bean bag simulation munition. 
     As described further herein, an embodiment of this disclosure includes a 37 or 40 millimeter specially made cartridge that fits into a conventional 37 or 40 millimeter riot shotgun. Inside the cartridge, however, is a muzzle loading primer held by an in-line muzzle loading primer holder. An illustrative  12  gauge shotgun wad is also contained in the cartridge to hold a reball or soft projectile substitute to be fired. The cartridge is configured to allow its reloading in the field with these components which are easily attainable and relatively inexpensive. In addition, the holder, wad, and reball are all reusable, making the cost per shot even less. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a simulation munition of a bean bag crowd control round. The simulation munition comprises a cartridge, a muzzle loading primer, a shotgun wad, and a reball. The cartridge includes first and second bores disposed therein. The first and second bores are coaxially aligned, the first bore has a greater diameter than the diameter of the second bore, and the first bore terminates at a first opening that is opposite on the cartridge from a second opening that terminates the second bore. The muzzle loading primer is insertable into the second bore at the second opening to the cartridge, wherein any explosive force created by the primer will be directed toward the first opening. The shotgun wad is insertable into the first bore through the first opening until the wad positions adjacent the second bore. The reball is insertable into the shotgun wad. When the munition is assembled, the shotgun wad is located adjacent the second bore, the reball is located in the shotgun wad and the muzzle loading primer is located in the second bore of the cartridge. The munition is configured to fire the reball from an explosive force caused by the muzzle loading primer that moves the reball with a less than lethal force. 
     In the above and alternative embodiments, the simulation munition may further comprise: the cartridge being sized to fit in a launcher gun; the cartridge being sized to fit in an oversized single-barrel shotgun that accommodates 37 to 40 millimeter shells; the reball being configured in the cartridge such that when fired it will impact a target similar to a beanbag; the shotgun wad being a 12-guage shotgun wad; the cartridge, wad, and reball are all reusable; the cartridge being made of an aluminum material; the cartridge being made of an polymer material; the cartridge being configured to receive a previously used wad and reball, and a new primer to be ready for refiring. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method of making a simulation munition of a bean bag crowd control round. The method of making simulation munition comprises the steps of: providing a cartridge having first and second bores disposed therein, where the first and second bores are coaxially aligned, the first bore has a greater diameter than the diameter of the second bore, and the first bore terminates at a first opening that is opposite on the cartridge from a second opening that terminates the second bore; inserting a muzzle loading primer into the second bore at the second opening to the cartridge, wherein any explosive force created by the primer will be directed toward the first opening; inserting a shotgun wad into the first bore through the first opening until the wad positions adjacent the second bore; and inserting a single reball into the shotgun wad such that when the shotgun wad is located adjacent the second bore, the reball is located in the shotgun wad and the muzzle loading primer is located in the second bore of the cartridge, the munition is made. 
     Additional features and advantages of the simulation munition will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the simulation munition as presently perceived. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will be described hereafter with reference to the attached drawings which are given as non-limiting examples only, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a law enforcement training simulation; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a bean bag launcher in the loading position with a simulation munition partially inserted into its bore; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the bean bag launcher of  FIG. 2  unlatched with the simulation munition inserted into its bore; 
         FIG. 4  is a cutaway side view of a simulation munition; 
         FIG. 5  is another cutaway view of the simulation munition with the stem of a muzzle loading ball starter inserted therein; 
         FIG. 6  is various views of muzzle loading primers; 
         FIG. 7  is various perspective views of the practice munition cartridge; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a shotgun wad; 
         FIG. 9  shows several views of a reball; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the primer being seated into the cartridge; 
         FIG. 11  shows the reball being seated into the cup portion of the shotgun wad; 
         FIG. 12  shows the reball and wad being inserted into the practice munition cartridge; 
         FIG. 13  shows a muzzle loading ball starter press inserted into the opening of the practice munition cartridge to load the wad and reball farther into the cartridge; 
         FIG. 14  shows the primer being removed from the practice munition cartridge; 
         FIG. 15  is a side cutaway view showing the primer removing tool inserted into the bore of the cartridge; and 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of the primer removing tool. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the practice munitions, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the practice munitions in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A perspective view of a law enforcement training simulation is shown in  FIG. 1 . In this simulation, actor  2  depicts an aggressor and actor  4  is tasked with repelling actor  2  using a bean bag launcher  6 . Actor  4  can train with bean bag launcher  6 , even firing it at actor  2  without causing lethal bodily injury. In an illustrative embodiment, bean bag launcher  6  fires a reball which is a rubber or a soft plastic ball that simulates a paintball sans rupturing on impact. 
     A perspective view of bean bag launcher  6  in the loading position with a simulation munition  8  partially inserted into its bore is shown in  FIG. 2 . Also shown in this view is a separate empty simulation cartridge  10 , muzzle loading primers  12 , shotgun wads  16 , and reballs  18 . Items  12 - 16  can be used to reload and reuse cartridge  10 . Keeping in mind that a conventional practice round costs about $25.00, the reusable components make each shot cost about $0.75 after the initial purchase of the cartridge in 2009 dollars. 
     A perspective view of bean bag launcher  6  unlatched with simulation munition  8  inserted into bore  20  is shown in  FIG. 3 . In this illustrative embodiment, munition  8  is configured to fit into 37 and 40 millimeter bores. Accordingly, loading and unloading simulation munition  8  is essentially the same experience as loading and unloading a live bean bag round. 
     A side cutaway view of simulation munition  8  is shown in  FIG. 4 . Cartridge  10  is cut away revealing bore  22  with opening  24  that receives and expels reball  18 . Once loaded and prepared for firing, it is appreciated that reball  18  is positioned inside wad  16 . At the other end of bore  22  is narrow opening  26 . This narrow opening  26  communicates bore  22  with primer cavity  28  and is sized and configured to receive primer  12 . Opposite narrow opening  26  is holder opening  30  that receives primer  12  which fits into cavity  28 . When the gun powder in muzzle loading primer  12  ignites, the force of the explosion projects towards narrow opening  26  propelling reball  18  out of bore  22  through opening  24 . 
     Another side cutaway view of simulation munition  8  is shown in  FIG. 5 . This view is similar to the exploded view in  FIG. 4  except with stem  14  of a muzzle loading ball starter  40  inserted into bore  22 . Stem  14  pushes ball  18  into wad  16 . In addition, primer  12  is inserted into opening  30  and fitted within cavity  28 . In this position, primer  12  is pushed up adjacent narrow opening  26 . Wad  16  is fitted into bore  22  adjacent narrow opening  26 . In this illustrative embodiment, a space  32  accommodates the expansive force of the ignited gun powder from primer  12 . Reball  18  is held inside cup portion  34  of wad  16 . This view also shows flange  36  extending from outer wall  38  of cartridge  10  similar to a conventional 40 millimeter live or simulated round. Flange  36  assists keeping cartridge  10  inside the bore of the launcher while reball  18  is firing. Cartridge  10  is also a reusable component that may be assembled into munition  8  over and over again with either these several aforementioned components and/or other components. 
     Part of the cost saving feature of simulation munition  8  is that the end user, particularly law enforcement personnel, can purchase many of the components at various retail firearm departments or stores. This makes obtaining the components needed to assemble the munition easily attainable, as well as relatively inexpensive. 
     Various views of muzzle loading primer  12  are shown in  FIG. 6 . Muzzle loading primer  12  contains the amount of gun powder needed to create the explosion that propels reball  18  from the gun with a less-than-lethal force. Illustratively these are conventional muzzle loading primers, such as the KLEANBORE Primers made by Remington Arms Company, Inc., Madison, N.C. 
     Perspective views of a plurality of cartridges  10  are shown in  FIG. 7 . These cartridges can be made from aircraft grade aluminum, plastic, [IDENTIFY OTHER MATERIALS] and have an exterior size similar to that of a live cartridge. This allows the same gun used in live tactical situations to also be used on the practice range. 
     Shotgun wad  16 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , is useful for holding reball  18 , as well as fitting inside cartridge  10 . Furthermore, wad  16  is commercially available and is inexpensive, thus helping lessen the cost of firing the simulated round. Reball  18 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , is similar in shape and configuration to a conventional paintball, but is a rubber ball that does not rupture on impact. It can, therefore, withstand the force created by muzzle loading primer  12  when propelling out of launcher  6 . 
     Again, an advantage of simulation munition  8 , besides being effective and affordable, is that cartridge  10  can also be easily reloaded in the field to fire a new round. In this illustrative embodiment,  FIGS. 10-15  demonstrate an illustrative method of reloading cartridge  10  to make a new simulation munition  8 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the first step is seating primer  12 . In this illustrative embodiment, muzzle loading ball starter  40  may be used to push primer  12  into opening  30  and seat in cavity  28  of cartridge  10 . Sometimes it is possible to seat the primer using fingertip pressure, but in this example the muzzle loading ball starter  40  is used. 
     The view shown in  FIG. 11  includes seating reball  18  into cup portion  34  of shotgun wad  16 . After reball  18  has been seated, it and wad  16  are inserted together into opening  24  of cartridge  10 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . In order to get wad  16  and ball  18  further down into bore  22 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , stem  14  of muzzle loading ball starter press  40  is inserted into bore  22  pushing reball  18  and wad  16  further down inside, as shown in  FIG. 13 . In the illustrative embodiment, the reball and wad is pushed as far down as they can go. At this point, simulation munition  8  is fully assembled and ready to be loaded into launcher  6 . 
     After munition  8  is fired, cartridge  10  can be removed from launcher  6  and reassembled into another working munition. The view shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15  depict an illustrative method of preparing cartridge  10  to be reassembled into munition  8 . The first step is to remove the spent primer  12  by inserting a primer removal tool  50  into bore  22 . Tool  50  is configured to push primer  12  out from opening  30 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , by pushing on tool  50  in direction  52 , primer  12  will be pushed out of cartridge  10  in direction  52  as well. 
     A side cross-sectional view of munition  8  with tool  50  inserted therein is shown in  FIG. 15 . This view demonstrates how tool  54  would lose primer  12 . As shown, tool  50  includes rod  54  with a pin  56  extending therefrom. Pin  56  is configured to insert into bore  28  and engage primer  12 . Pin  56  is long enough so that by pushing tool  50  in direction  52 , pin  56  engages primer  12  and pushes it out of opening  30 . 
     A side view of tool  50  is shown in  FIG. 16 . In this illustrative embodiment, tool  50  includes a handle portion  58  that attaches to rod  54  and pin  56 . In one illustrative embodiment, the diameter of rod  54  may be slightly less than the diameter of bore  22 , so that when rod  54  is inserted therein, it automatically aligns pin  56  with bore  28  in cartridge  10  to push primer  12 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . In addition, the lengths of both rod  54  and pin  56  extend far enough to accomplish the removal process. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, from the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of the present disclosure and various changes and modifications may be made to adapt the various uses and characteristics without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.