Anti-bounce needle valve for a fuel injector

An anti-bounce needle valve for a fuel injector (104), wherein the needle (100) inherently incorporates the anti-bounce feature. The needle has a conventionally configured exterior for interfacing with a valve seat (106) and a tip body of a conventional fuel injector. The needle is characterized by a needle body having an interior cavity (108) which is filled with small diameter shot (118), preferably generally spherical tungsten carbide shot. In operation, when the needle impacts upon the valve seat at the conclusion of a fuel injection process, the shot causes the needle collision with the valve seat to be inelastic, thereby eliminating needle bounce.