Short range projectiles which serve, e.g., as practice ammunition, are known. Such projectiles should have all the functions of standard ammunition (such as continuous firing) and enable the shooter to achieve realistic aiming, sighting and firing over a predetermined short distance (e.g., 100 m.), but have a considerably shorter range than that of standard ammunition.
The demand for realistic, aiming, sighting and shooting however compels the meeting of contradictory requirements for short range projectiles. The projectile should be as light as possible to have a short range, but must have specific minimum dimensions, mass and a sufficient quantity of powder to enable the weapon (particularly if it is an automatic weapon) to function properly.
Projectiles made of plastic materials, which may contain metallic inclusions for proper weight matching, have therefore been proposed. Such projectiles however become heated and melt after several shots are fired in short bursts once the firearm becomes heated. The melting, in turn, could lead to jamming and possibly even damage to the firearm (or worse dangers). Such projectiles also permit propellant gases to slip by with ease between the bore and the easily deformable plastic material projectile and lead to erosion of the barrel.
Another proposal is to employ a metal blank with a plastic material core. The low mass of this projectiles however necessitates a change in the firearm if the automatic functions of the weapon are to be maintained.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a short range projectile which is light and yet has sufficient dimension, mass and quantity of powder.
Another object of the invention is to provide a short range projectile which reduces the risk of propellant gases slipping between the bore and the plastic material projectile, whereby the erosion of the barrel is prevented.
A further object of the invention is to provide a short range projectile which does not necessitate a change in the firearm if the automatic functions of the weapon are to be maintained.
A further object of the invention is to provide a short range projectile where the function of the weapon (automatic reloading with gas pressure operated loader) is assured just as is the case with standard ammunition.