Marker projectile

1. A non-lethal marker projectile, comprising a hollow body having an opening at the front; a marker substance disposed within the hollow body; an expelling member within the hollow body behind the marker substance; a portion of the hollow body separating the expelling member from an axial bore of the projectile; the hollow body and expelling member being configured such that upon impact of the projectile with a target, the momentum of the expelling member relative to the hollow body carries the expelling member forwardly to expel the marker substance through the opening, and a separator extending at least partly over the opening, the separator defining two or more spaces through which the marker substance may pass when expelled through the opening.

2. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a cap which is secured to an outer wall or edge of the hollow body adjacent the opening.

3. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises one or more arms extending between a periphery of the opening and a center of the opening.

4. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the arms extend symmetrically from the center to the periphery of the opening.

5. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the separator comprises between two and four arms.

6. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the separator comprises three arms.

7. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the separator has a domed configuration, wherein a peak of the dome is in substantial alignment with a center of the opening.

8. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hollow body comprises centering means for centering the expelling member therein during flight of the projectile.

9. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the centering means comprises a recess in a forwardly facing surface within an interior of the hollow body.

10. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the recess is conical, frustoconical, hemispherical or part hemispherical.

11. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hollow body comprises a sleeve having a core body portion secured within a rear end thereof, an inner wall of the sleeve and a forwardly facing surface of the core body portion defining a chamber within which the marker substance and expelling member are disposed.

12. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical form, and a spigot portion of the core body member is received within a rear end of the sleeve.

13. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a the sleeve is formed from a material having a greater density than the material from which the core body portion is formed.

14. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in 13 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a metal material and the core body portion is formed from a plastics material.

15. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in 14 , wherein the metal material is aluminium.

16. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the expelling member is formed from a material having a greater density than the material from which the hollow body is formed.

17. A non-lethal marker projectile as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the expelling member is formed from steel.