MUZZLELOADER SYSTEMS

• US 20140090284A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Cartridge Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Carlson, Erik K., Head, Lawrence P., Peterson, Bryan P., Goodlin, Drew L., Swenson, John W., Jones, Sharon
• Granted Patent: US 9,329,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/51
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/58 Breakdown breech mechanisms, e.g. for shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/375 Feeding propellant charges and projectiles as separate units
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 7/11 Breakdown shotguns or rifles hinge-frame revolvers F41C3/16; breech mechanisms therefor F41A3/58; cocking mechanisms therefor F41A19/41
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 9/08 Muzzle-loading smallarms; Smallarms with flintlock mechanisms; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 9/085 Accessories for loading muzzle loading guns, e.g. magazines or tools for loading
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/76 of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/02 Driving bands; Rotating bands F42B14/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/04 Lubrication means in missiles coatings for reducing friction F42B12/82
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/064 Sabots enclosing the rear end of a kinetic energy projectile, i.e. having a closed disk shaped obturator base and petals extending forward from said base
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 30/02 Bullets
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/00 Manufacture of ammunition; Dismantling of ammunition; Apparatus therefor F42B5/188 takes precedence; manufacturing processes for hollow charges F42B1/036; manufacture of blasting cartridge initiators F42B3/195
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/24 for cleaning; for cooling; for lubricating ; for wear reducing
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/38 Separately-loaded propellant charges, e.g. cartridge bags F42B5/16, F42B5/192 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 8/04 Blank cartridges, i.e. primed cartridges without projectile but containing an explosive or combustible powder charge

Abstract

Muzzleloader systems include a pre-packaged propellant charge and primer for providing efficient loading and unloading of the muzzleloader. The breech end accepts the propellant and means are provided to prevent breech loading of the projectile. A propellant cartridge conforms to a constriction portion to minimize ullage. A projectile is inserted in the muzzle end seats on the constriction portion. The propellant cartridge may be received in a removable breech plug. The constriction portion may be part of the breech plug or a separate component secured in the barrel by way of the breech plug. The cartridge may have a primer mechanism integrated into a proximal end. Projectiles have sliding components that have an axial elongate position and an axial shortened position and may be loaded with a ramrod having an engagement portion for each of the two pieces whereby the projectile doesn'"'"'t prematurely collapse.

Claims

1. A muzzleloader propellant cartridge for being received by the breech end of a muzzleloader, the cartridge comprising:

a cartridge cup portion comprising a polymer and having a tubular wall portion and a closed end of the tubular wall with a converging portion, the cup portion defining an interior;

a head portion having a projecting annular wall that corresponds to and conforms to the fits with the tubular wall portion of the cup portion, the head portion having an end flange with a recess for a primer, the head portion secured to the cup portion;

a primer centrally engaged in the head portion; and

propellant filling the interior and extending to the closed end.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the cup portion closure has a conical portion and a portion extending perpendicular to an axis of the cartridge, both of which are unitary to the tubular wall portion.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge cup portion closure is rounded.

4. The muzzleloader propellant cartridge of claim 2 wherein the angle measured in an axial plane from the outside surface of the tubular portion to the outside surface of the conical portion is from 115 degrees to 155 degrees.

5. A method of manufacturing muzzleloader propellant cartridges comprising

injection molding a cartridge cup portion having a tubular base portion with an open end and a closure at the opposite end, the tubular base portion and closure unitary, the closure having a converging portion with a converging surface;

with the open end upwardly, filling the cup portion with muzzleloader propellent;

attaching and securing the cup portion to a head portion having a annular cup receiving portion and a flanged disk portion;

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the flanged disk portion has a primer receiving recess therein and the method comprises inserting a primer into the primer receiving recess.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising selecting a specific head portion from different sets of head portions having different propellant displacement portions whereby a specific desired compaction of the propellant is obtained.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising selecting the muzzleloader propellent from a plurality of different stocks of propellant, and further comprising selecting a specific head portion from different sets of head portions having different propellant displacement portions whereby a specific desired compaction of the propellant is obtained.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the head portion is a polymer and the method further comprises welding the head portion to the cup portion.

10. A method of firing a muzzleloader comprising:

using a ramrod to seat a projectile in a projectile seating position in the muzzleloader;

loading a propellant cartridge having a converging forward surface into the breech end of the muzzle loader and abutting the forward converging surface to a conforming surface of a constriction portion, the constriction portion having a minimal diameter that is less than a maximum diameter of the projectile;

closing the breech; and

igniting propellant in the propellant cartridge by impacting a primer integrated with the propellant cartridge.

11. The method of claim 10 further wherein the projectile has a bullet body and a component slidably engaged therewith, and wherein the ramrod has two separate engagement portions, one for the bullet body and one for the component, wherein a ramrod engagement portion of the component is spaced a distance from the ramrod engagement portion of the bullet body and the two separate engagement portions of the ramrod have a corresponding separation distance.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising tactilely detecting a shifting of one of two components of the projectile when the projectile seats.

13. A muzzleloader firing system comprising muzzleloader having a barrel with a breech chamber a constriction portion and a projectile bore portion with a bore, the constriction portion having a surface facing a breech end and a surface facing a muzzle end, a propellant cartridge having a polymer cup with a conical surface conforming to the surface of the constriction portion facing the breech end, and further comprising a projectile, the projectile having an end surface conforming to the constriction surface facing the muzzle end, wherein the diameter of the bore of the projectile bore portion is greater than a minimal diameter of the constriction portion.

16. The muzzleloader firing system of claim 15 wherein the projectile comprises a bullet body and a cup portion slidably engaged on the body wherein the projectile has an axially extended position and an axially shortened position.

17. The muzzleloader firing system of claim 15 further comprising a ramrod having two engagement portions, one for the projectile bullet body and one for the cup portion.

18. The muzzleloader firing system of claim 15 wherein the propellant cartridge is hermetically sealed.

19. The muzzleloader firing system of claim 15 wherein the surface of the constriction portion facing the muzzle end is perpendicular to an axis of the barrel of the muzzleloader

20. The muzzleloader firing system of claim 15 wherein the constriction portion is a singular piece and is removable from the muzzleloader.