GAS CHECK WITH SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED LOADING AND RETENTION IN BORE OF MUZZLELOADING FIREARMS

• US 20100269725A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accura Bullets, LLC
• Original Assignee: Accura Bullets, LLC
• Inventors: HALL, DANIEL W., CROWSON, HAROLD
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,915 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/520
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/02 Driving bands; Rotating bands F42B14/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/06 Sub-calibre projectiles having sabots; Sabots therefor

Abstract

A muzzle loading bullet gas check has external recess and ridge system, and/or an internal locking ridge system. The preferred gas check has an opening or recess on its front end for receiving and frictionally engaging a rearwardly extending post of the bullet, the opening also preferably including an internal radial ridge for gripping the post and/or locking with an indent on the post. The barrel-interacting part of the gas check has one or more external recesses and adjacent radial ridges/edges protruding relative to the recesses, which serves to reduce the total surface area of the gas check contacting the bore. The recesses do not touch the bore of the firearm, resulting in less friction and easier loading, while the outer ends/surfaces of the ridges/edges do touch the bore to retain the bullet in the bore during handling and hunting and to effectively capture gasses after the firing explosion.

Claims

1. A gas check and muzzle loading bullet combination, wherein:

the bullet has a side surface and a rear end surface from which a bullet post extends rearwardly;

the gas check has an external side wall, and a front surface with an aperture for receiving the bullet post, wherein said aperture is defined by an internal side wall;

wherein the external side wall is an outer wall of a rearwardly-extending skirt of the gas check, and the skirt has an inner axial surface comprising axial grooves;

wherein the external side wall of the gas check has at least one ridge and at least one adjacent recess, wherein the at least one ridge is adapted to contact a bore of a muzzle loading firearm and the at least one recess is adapted to not contact said bore; and

wherein no part of the gas check extends along said bullet side surface.

3. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said inner axial surface comprises no circumferential grooves.

4. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said internal side wall comprises a ridge engaging a recessed circumferential ring extending around said bullet post.

5. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said at least one recess comprises two recesses with two ridges adjacent, and one ridge between, said two recesses.

6. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said gas check is connected to the bullet only by connection of said post to said internal side wall of the aperture.

2. (canceled)

7. A gas check for connection to a muzzle loading bullet, the gas check comprising:

a radial front wall having an aperture defined by an internal side wall;

a skirt extending axially from said radial front wall and having an external axial wall and an interior axial wall, wherein the interior axial wall surrounds and defines a cup-shaped space for capturing gasses from a muzzle loading firearm powder explosion;

wherein the external axial wall comprises a plurality of circumferential recesses and at least one ridge between said recesses; and

wherein said interior axial wall comprises axial grooves adapted to weaken the skirt.

8. A gas check as in claim 7, wherein said interior axial wall comprises 6-9 of said grooves.

9. A gas check as in claim 7, wherein said internal side wall defining the aperture comprises a protruding ridge that is adapted to grip a portion of a bullet for connecting the gas check to the bullet.

10. A gas check as in claim 7, wherein said radial front wall comprises an annular disk between said skirt and the aperture that is adapted to break upon the gas check exiting a barrel of the muzzle loading firearm.

11. A gas check and bullet combination for a muzzle loading firearm having a barrel with a bore surface, the gas check comprising:

a radial front wall having an aperture defined by an internal side wall;

a skirt extending axially from said radial front wall and having an external axial wall and an interior axial wall, wherein the interior axial wall surrounds and defines a cup-shaped space for capturing gasses from a muzzle loading firearm powder explosion;

wherein the external axial wall comprises a plurality of circumferential recesses and at least one ridge between said recesses; and

wherein said interior axial wall comprises axial grooves adapted to weaken the skirt; and

wherein said circumferential recesses are adapted to not contact said bore surface, and said at least one ridge is adapted to contact said bore surface, so that total surface that contacts the bore surface is limited for easier loading of the gas check and bullet combination into the barrel and so that said at least one ridge seals against the bore surface for capturing explosion gasses.

12. A combination as in claim 11, wherein said gas check is connected to said bullet by means of a post extending rearwardly from a rear surface of the bullet is frictionally received in said aperture.

13. A combination as in claim 12, wherein said an internal side wall comprises at least one protruding locking ridge, and said post comprising a cooperating indent, so that said locking ridge latches into said cooperating indent.

14. A combination as in claim 12, wherein said skirt interior axial wall comprises axially-extending grooves that extend into the skirt.

15. A combination as in claim 12, wherein the radial front wall comprises a thin annular portion adapted to break upon said gas check exiting said firearm bore.

16. A combination as in claim 14, wherein said skirt is adapted to break apart at said grooves upon said gas check exiting said firearm bore.

17. A combination as in claim 12, wherein said post is larger at a distal end than at a proximal end nearer the bullet rear surface.

18. A combination as in claim 12, wherein said rear surface is a rear surface of a main body of the bullet, and wherein said post has a diameter less than or equal to ⅓

of the diameter of the main body of the bullet.