METAL INJECTION MOLDED AMMUNITION CARTRIDGE
The present invention provides a metal injection molded ammunition cartridge comprising a metal injection molded bottom portion comprising a primer recess in communication with a primer flash hole that extends into a propellant chamber and a metal injection molded body extending form the metal injection molded bottom portion.
1 . A metal injection molded ammunition cartridge comprising:
a metal injection molded case molded from a metal composition comprising:
a nose end connection extending toward a base end to form a portion of a propellant chamber, wherein the nose end comprises a projectile aperture adapted to hold a projectile;
a primer recess in the base end adapted to accept a primer; and
a flash hole positioned in the primer recess to pass through the base end into the propellant chamber, wherein the metal injection molded case is a single unitary case and the metal composition consists of stainless steel, ceramic alloys, copper/cobalt/nickel/alloys, tungsten, carballoy, ferro-tungsten, titanium, copper, cobalt, nickel, alumina oxide, zirconia or aluminum.
2 . The metal injection molded ammunition cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the nose end connection is adapted to receive a projectile.
3 . The metal injection molded ammunition cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the nose end connection is adapted to receive a nose comprising a connection end that mates to the nose end connection and a shoulder connected to the connection end to reduce the diameter and end at a projectile aperture.
4 . The metal injection molded ammunition cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the ammunition cartridge is a 5.56 mm, 6.8 mm, 7.62 mm, 277, 308, 338, 3030, 3006, 50 caliber, 45 caliber, 380 caliber, 38 caliber, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm, or 14.7 mm ammunition cartridge.
5 . The metal injection molded ammunition cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the molded metal bottom portion, the molded metal top portion or both comprises 102, 174, 201, 202, 300, 302, 303, 304, 308, 309, 316, 316L, 316Ti, 321, 405, 408, 409, 410, 415, 416, 416R, 420, 430, 439, 440, 446 or 601-665 grade stainless steel.
6 . The metal injection molded ammunition cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the metal ammunition cartridge comprises brass or a brass alloy.
7 . The metal injection molded ammunition cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the metal injection molded ammunition cartridge is 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 57 mm, 60 mm, 75 mm, 76 mm, 81 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 105 mm, 106 mm, 115 mm, 120 mm, 122 mm, 125 mm, 130 mm, 152 mm, 155 mm, 165 mm, 175 mm, 203 mm, 460 mm, 8 inch, or 4.2 inch.