Composite Cased Rifle Cartridges

[timeout]

I'm probably way behind the curve on this subject. Wondering if any of our forum members have first hand experience with these?
"Civilian — True Velocity" https://www.tvammo.com/civilian

 

[LHSmith]

Around 10 years ago, IIRC, PS magazine or Shooting Times had an article about caseless ammo. I thought perhaps it was once in the Bulletin but a search brings up nothing. I often wondered how the testing was going. In doing a GENERIC google it appears it has some hurdles to overcome to be viable. Obviously it has to burn superclean in all conditions-so good luck with that. I thought it might have been Lapua in that article.

 

[rardoin]

There are military contracts for composite cased ammo. I have a 50cal BMG case in my vehicle given to me by a friend/fellow shooter in the industry. He has shot some in .308 in F-TR. They can be reloaded. Any info I was given may be privileged so I will not comment further. I can say that transportation cost savings are significant and aircraft using these type of rounds can carry a full ammo load and have much improved loiter times which should make guys on the ground much happier.

 

[Bc'z]

There are military contracts for composite cased ammo. I have a 50cal BMG case in my vehicle given to me by a friend/fellow shooter in the industry. He has shot some in .308 in F-TR. They can be reloaded. Any info I was given may be privileged so I will not comment further. I can say that transportation cost savings are significant and aircraft using these type of rounds can carry a full ammo load and have much improved loiter times which should make guys on the ground much happier.

I also read that due to weight savings ground troops can carry more ammo into the feild.

 

[FNSafari]

I also read that due to weight savings ground troops can carry more ammo into the feild.

That’s great. Maybe they can give the troops a really effective all round chambering?

 

[357Mag]

Timeout -

Howdy !

" Caseless " ammo is just that. The powder charge is formed (apparently using some sort of " binding "
agent) and also has the bullet seated part-way into it. Powder combustion after ignition consumes the formed powder " case ", and since the bullet exits the barrel; all that should be left in the chamber bore is a controlled amount of residue. If I recall, H & K made a workable system; intended mostly for MIL use.

There is a new offering " composite case " that has a re-useable metal rim/base/extractor groove that mates to a composite " upper portion of the case; and seals via use of a sealing ring.

This somehwat reminds of some experimental work Dr. Palmisano & Ferris Pindel did, when looking into a follow-on to their " PPC " idea. From what I read, their new case design featured a re-useable " base " that included a central tube, with intent to move powder columne ignition from the primer to the top of the charged case..... instead of from the bottom. The base was mated to an upper case component ( to my understanding ).

That ignition concept itself obliquely reminds of the " SMC " cartridge design of Smalley & McPherson, who credited their case' designs hemispherical shoulder w/ reflecting the primer ignition from inside the domed shoulder back towamight then rds the top of the powder charge. Some really good internal ballistics consistency was reported from result of lab testing performed by Lapua.

" Nothing new under the sun ", as the Dreyse needle guns of the middle 1800's ( example ) used a needle to penetrate a brass or paper cartridge.... through the powder charge..... to ignite a priming charge positioned just under the bullet.

The obvious question is.... what would be the benefits of a composite case, for the civilian shooter ?
It is still conventionally-primed. One would think ( IF proven to be true ) a " base " that is hyper-consistent
in dimensions mated to an upper composite case component that is likewise hyper-consistent in dimensions would then be the key appeal ? Beyond that, perhaps cost of the composite case approach vs the cost of classical brass cases ? Availability of composite cases might be better ??

Hmmm......


With regards,
357Mag