Coated ammunition and methods of making

Abstract

Ammunition, consisting generally of a casing, propellant, projectile and primer, is entirely coated with a coating that renders the ammunition resistant to infiltration by moisture or deleterious matter, such as sand or salt, that have the effect of fouling the propellant or otherwise causing the ammunition to misfire or not fire properly. Methods of making ammunition in accordance with the invention are described.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 994,081, filed Sep. 17, 2007.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]This invention relates to the manufacture of ammunition, and specifically relates to methods for producing ammunition that is waterproof and resistant to invasive corrosive materials that may lead to misfiring or fouling.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]Ammunition of the type used in rifles or pistols, as well as ammunition used in larger artillery weapons, generally comprises a casing which houses a primer, a propellent and a projectile. The types of casings, primers, propellants and projectiles used in ammunition varies widely. The size of the unit of ammunition may vary as well from a small caliber ammunition to large military munitions and bombs.[0006]In many, and more traditional, units of ammunition, the casing is made of ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]In accordance with the invention, fully-assembled ammunition (i.e., the primer, propellant and projectile are positioned in and attached to the casing to form a complete, ready-to-use cartridge) is treated or coated with a coating material that renders the entire cartridge waterproof and resistant to degradation from environmental forces. Particularly, the method of the present invention assures that all crevices or openings of the ammunition are coated to block infiltration of moisture and other undesirable or deleterious environmental elements, such as sand, salt and other corrosive elements, that might cause fouling, ammunition failure or misfiring.

Problems solved by technology

However, brass casings are shiny and, therefore, present a problem in terms of being observable from long distances.

The ability to see the casing, particularly spent casings, readily identifies the position of the shooter, which is very undesirable in hunting and in covert or other military operations.

It has also been observed by both military and civilian users of firearms and large artillery devices that ammunition is often subject to damage or deterioration by environmental forces in the area in which the ammunition in used.

For example, it has often been observed that ammunition can be damaged by high humidity or other sources of moisture.

Ammunition has also been rendered useless by other environmental factors, such as sand, dirt or moisture infiltrating into the casing.

It has been reported, particularly in military situations in the Middle East, that the very fine sand particles of the desert can infiltrate into the casing of ammunition and cause misfiring of the ammunition.

The U.S. military has reported high rates of ammunition failure or misfiring due to ammunition being degraded by desert conditions, and such ammunition failure is critical to lives and wartime expenditures.

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