Soft Lead Band Projectile for Black Powder Firearms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing black powder projectiles with narrow, hardened lead bands experience movement during recoil, leading to accuracy issues and misalignment in vintage and reproduction firearms, particularly in black powder revolvers and muzzleloaders, due to the lack of sufficient adhesion and expansion, especially under varying temperatures and increased charges.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical projectile with a single, wider soft lead band located at the forward portion, providing enhanced adhesion and resistance to movement during recoil, ensuring proper alignment and seating in the bore, suitable for use in cap and ball revolvers, muzzleloaders, and low velocity cartridges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a narrow hardened lead band is used, then the bullet can be produced with minimum hardness requirements, but the adhesion to the cylinder is insufficient causing movement during recoil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the hardness parameter of the lead band from hardened to soft, and increases the width parameter of the band. This parameter change allows the band to provide sufficient adhesion and hold the bullet in place during recoil without requiring minimum hardness requirements, resolving the contradiction between hardness and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses soft lead material for the band instead of hardened lead, leveraging the different properties of lead in composite form. The soft lead provides better adhesion and conformity to the cylinder surface, improving reliability during recoil while maintaining the necessary structural integrity.
2Reliability
If a wider soft lead band is used, then the adhesion and hold in place is improved, but the bullet may move forward on recoil more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the width parameter of the lead band to be sufficiently wide to provide adhesion, but not so wide as to cause premature movement. The soft lead material property is changed to enhance conformity and adhesion while maintaining position stability through proper dimensional control.
3Reliability
If hard bullets are used at low velocities, then the band can hold to the cylinder, but the expansion on impact is insufficient for hunting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the hardness parameter of the lead band from hard to soft, which allows the bullet to expand properly on impact while still holding in place during firing. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between hold in place and expansion capability, making the bullet suitable for both accuracy and hunting applications.
4Reliability
If multiple bands are used to prevent movement, then the hold in place is improved, but the complexity of loading and engraving increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for multiple bands by using a single wide soft lead band that provides sufficient adhesion and hold in place. This simplifies the loading and engraving process while maintaining reliability, resolving the contradiction between hold in place and process complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The wider soft lead band effectively locks the projectile in place, improving accuracy and reducing recoil-induced movement, while conforming to varying bore diameters, ensuring consistent seating and minimizing gas cutting and leading in older firearms.
Implementation Method 1
A wider band of soft lead has more adhesion than a narrow hard lead band
Implementation Method 2
The lubricity of lead is higher when alloyed to be harder. Pure lead has the lowest lubricity rating and is actually binding and suitable for use in applications like gaskets, sealing etc.
Implementation Method 3
Shooters understand that the recoil of a certain pounds of force is felt on the bullets in other chambers of the cylinders with each shot
Implementation Method 4
Only the band located to the front of the projectile will engrave the lands
Data Source
AI summary
A projectile for cap and ball revolvers and black powder rifles including but not limited to muzzleloaders, black powder cartridges etc. A soft lead body, cylindrical in form and having a front band designed to hold the projectile firmly in place prior to firing. During it's travel in the rifled bore, it then imparts spin to the projectile improving accuracy, range, and making the projectile stable during impact with intended target. Outside diameter of band is not drastic enough to negatively affect trajectory.