Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with lightweight polymer cartridge and ammunition. Conventional ammunition cartridges for small caliber, as well as larger caliber weapons, are made from brass, which is heavy, expensive, and potentially hazardous. There exists a need for an affordable lighter weight replacement for brass ammunition that can increase mission performance and operational capabilities. Lightweight polymer ammunition must meet the reliability and performance standards of existing fielded ammunition and be interchangeable with existing weaponry. Reliable cartridge casings manufacture requires uniformity (e.g., bullet seating, bullet-to-casing fit, casing strength, case dimensions, etc.) from one cartridge to the next in order to obtain consistent pressures within the casing during firing prior to bullet and casing separation to create uniformed ballistic performance. Plastic cartridge casings have been known for many years but have failed to provide satisfactory ammunition that could be produced in commercial quantities with sufficient safety, ballistic, handling characteristics, and survive physical and natural conditions to which it will be exposed during the ammunition's intended life cycle; however, these characteristics have not been achieved.
Shortcomings of the known methods of producing plastic or substantially plastic ammunition include the possibility of the projectile being pushed into the cartridge casing, the bullet being held too light such that the bullet can fall out, the bullet being held insufficient to create sufficient chamber pressure, the bullet pull not being uniform from round to round, and the cartridge not being able to maintain the necessary pressure, portions of the cartridge casing breaking off upon firing causing the weapon to jam or damage or danger when subsequent rounds are fired or when the casing portions themselves become projectiles. To overcome the above shortcomings, improvements in cartridge case design and performance polymer materials are needed.