Controlled spin projectile

1. A projectile comprising:

a body including a bearing surface and an ogive continuous to and extending forward from the bearing surface;

a plurality of grooves and a plurality of lands formed on the bearing surface of the projectile in an alternating pattern for imparting a predetermined spin damping moment to the projectile in flight; and

a ratio of a total surface the projectile to a total surface area of the physical feature in the range of to 3.00:1 to 4.00:1.

2. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a drag coefficient in the range of 0.100 to 0.250.

3. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a forward rate of deceleration and an axial rate of deceleration that are substantially balanced.

4. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a controlled spin rate.

5. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the physical feature is imparted to the projectile during manufacture of the projectile.

6. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the physical feature is imparted to the projectile during launch of the projectile.

7. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a ratio of total projectile surface area to spin damping moment coefficient in the range of 45 to 50.

8. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a ratio of density of the projectile to spin damping moment coefficient of the projectile in the range of 7.0 to 9.0.

9. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a continuously decreasing rate of axial deceleration.

10. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a gyroscopic stability during flight in the range of greater than or equal to 1.0 to less than or equal 3.0.

11. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a gyroscopic stability during flight in the range of greater than or equal to 1.0 to three times the gyroscopic stability at the muzzle.

12. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a spin damping moment spin damping moment coefficient during flight in the range of 0.035 to 0.045.

13. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a ratio of a spin rate of the projectile to a forward velocity of the projectile during flight in the range of 1.25:1 to 1.40:1.

14. A method for launching a projectile along a trajectory characterized by a controlled spin rate and a substantially balanced forward and axial deceleration including the steps of:

forming the projectile having a body including a bearing surface and an ogive continuous to and extending forward from the bearing surface and an aerodynamic drag factor upon launching and during flight in the range of 0.100 to 0.250;

forming the projectile having ratio of a spin rate of the projectile to a forward velocity of the projectile upon launching and during flight in the range of 1.25:1 to 1.40:1; and

imparting a physical feature to a bearing surface of the projectile, the physical feature having a depth substantially equal to 1% the caliber of the projectile and a ratio of a total surface area of projectile to the total surface of the physical feature in the range of to 3.00:1 to 4.00:1 for imparting an axial surface friction upon launching and during flight required to produce a trajectory characterized by a continuously decreasing rate of axial deceleration.

15. A projectile comprising:

a body including a bearing surface and an ogive continuous to and extending forward from the bearing surface;

the projectile including a pre-selected physical feature having a depth substantially equal to 1% the caliber of the projectile;

the projectile including a relatively low drag coefficient in the range of 0.100 to 0.250; and

the projectile including a ratio of a total surface area of projectile to a total surface of the physical feature in the range of to 3.00:1 to 4.00:1.

16. The projectile of claim 15 further comprising a trajectory characterized by a forward rate of deceleration and an axial rate of deceleration that are substantially balanced.

17. The projectile of claim 15 wherein the spin stabilized trajectory further comprises a controlled spin rate.

18. The projectile of claim 15 wherein the spin stabilized trajectory further comprises a gyroscopic stability during flight in the range of greater than or equal to 1.0 to three times the gyroscopic stability at the muzzle.

19. The projectile of claim 15 wherein the spin stabilized trajectory further comprises a ratio of a high spin damping moment coefficient to a low spin damping moment coefficient during flight in the range of 1.25:1 to 1.45:1.