Multi-component bullet with core retention feature and method of manufacturing the bullet

1. A bullet, comprising:

a jacket having a first end and a second end;

a malleable core seated within the jacket and having a section with a first end and a second end; and

a non-rigid locking band surrounding the jacket, at least a portion of the locking band embedded along an inward projecting circumferential depression defined in a wall of the jacket;

wherein a hinge area is defined in the wall of the jacket and in the malleable core adjacent the circumferential depression, the hinge area configured to control deformation of the jacket during expansion of the bullet; and

wherein the locking band comprises a deformable material such that upon impact, the locking band at least partially dislocated from the circumferential depression, exposing the hinge area defined adjacent the circumferential depression sufficient to facilitate expansion of the bullet.

2. The bullet of claim 1 , wherein the locking band comprises a plastic material, and wherein when the locking band is applied about the circumferential depression of the jacket wall and malleable core, a combined weight of the jacket and the locking band does not exceed 25% of a total weight of the bullet.

3. The bullet of claim 2 , wherein the locking band comprises a filled or unfilled thermoplastic polymer material.

4. The bullet of claim 3 , wherein the polymer material of the locking band further includes at least one of a reinforcing material comprising approximately 20% to 40% carbon fiber, a hardness range of approximately 95-114 on the Rockwell M scale, or a melting temperature of at least approximately 400° F. or higher.

5. The bullet of claim 2 , wherein the polymer material of the non-rigid locking band further comprises approximately 0.25%-5.0% of a lubricant.

6. The bullet of claim 1 , wherein the locking band comprises a polymer material selected from the group comprising: Polycarbonate, polyetherimide, poly ether ketone, poly phenylene sulfides and oxides, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, polyoxymethylene, and polyamide materials.

7. The bullet of claim 1 , wherein the non-rigid locking band comprises an outside diameter that is approximately equal to or less than an outside diameter of an outermost portion of the bullet.

8. The bullet of claim 1 , wherein the locking band comprises an axial wall height of about 0.075-0.125 inches.

9. The bullet of claim 1 , the jacket further comprising at least one jacket weakening feature adjacent the first end of the jacket.

10. The bullet of claim 9 , wherein the jacket weakening feature comprises a plurality of longitudinally projecting spaced slits forming a plurality of spaced petals.

11. The bullet of claim 1 , wherein the locking band comprises a metal material, and further comprises a series of weakened areas formed at spaced locations about a circumference of the locking band.

12. A bullet, comprising:

a malleable core having a section with a first end and a second end;

a jacket surrounding the malleable core, the jacket having a first end and a second end; and

a locking band surrounding a portion of the jacket configured to retain the malleable core with the jacket during use, at least a portion of the locking band extending along a circumferential depression in a wall of the jacket and the malleable core;

wherein the locking band comprises a deformable material having a selected thickness and strength to retain the core and jacket together upon impact and penetration of the bullet to a selected depth within a target, whereupon the locking band will dislocate from the circumferential depression, exposing a hinge area defined adjacent the circumferential depression and about which at least a portion of the jacket folds to facilitate a substantially controlled expansion of the bullet.

13. The bullet of claim 12 , wherein the locking band comprises a wire wrapped about the circumferential depression.

14. The bullet of claim 12 , wherein the locking band comprises a series of wire rings stacked along the circumferential depression.

15. A method of manufacturing a bullet, comprising:

filling a jacket with a core material;

applying a deformable locking band about the jacket;

forming a circumferential depression about the jacket and the core material within the jacket with the locking band being received within the circumferential depression formed in the jacket and the malleable core; and

expanding the core material and jacket adjacent the circumferential depression such that the jacket and the malleable core material are retained together with the locking band positioned within the circumferential depression formed around the jacket;

wherein forming the circumferential depression comprises compressing the core material and urging portions of the jacket and core material inwardly to define a hinge area at a selected location along the body of the bullet below an ogive portion thereof and adjacent the circumferential depression, whereby upon impact of the bullet, the ogive portion of the bullet folds about the hinge area to facilitate expansion of the bullet.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

radially expanding the jacket and the malleable core material to form shoulder areas in the jacket first and second end edges of the non-rigid locking band received within the circumferential depression.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

configuring jacket-weakening features in an open end of the jacket.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein applying the deformable locking band about the jacket comprises injection molding a polymer material locking band at an intermediate location along a length of the jacket.

19. The bullet of claim 1 , wherein the deformation of the jacket comprises expansion of the jacket.