Muzzleloader systems

• US 9,562,754 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Cartridge Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Bryan P., Goodlin, Drew L., Carlson, Erik K., Head, Lawrence P., Swenson, John W., Jones, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdosh, Samir
• Application Number:
  US14/869,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20160091289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 42/51, 89/13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A bullet assembly comprising a bullet and a cup assembly, the cup assembly may have a ring portion for scraping the barrel of a muzzleloader. The cup assembly may be slidable on the bullet with an extended position and a contracted position, the contracted position having a greater diameter than the extended position. A contraction inhibiting member that requires shearing off of the member for contraction may be disposed on one of the components.

Claims

1. A bullet assembly for a muzzleloader, the bullet assembly comprising a bullet and a cup assembly, the bullet having a forward tapered end and a rearward tail portion, the tail portion having a recessed portion;

the cup assembly being axially slidingly engaged on the tail portion of the bullet between a extended position and a contracted position, the cup assembly comprising a cup component having a tubular side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and an axis and defining an open cavity that receives the tail portion of the bullet at an open end, the cup assembly having a bottom wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining a closed end, the cup component comprising a plurality of contraction inhibiting members positioned to interfere with contraction between the extended position and the contracted position, the contraction inhibiting members extending axially and radially inward from the inner surface of the tubular side wall, wherein the contraction inhibiting members are deformed during contraction.

2. The bullet assembly of claim 1, the cup component being formed of a deformable polymer material and the cup assembly further comprises a tail component, the tail component being formed of a material that is more rigid that the polymer material of the cup component.

3. The bullet assembly of claim 2, wherein the plurality of contraction inhibiting members have forward surfaces facing the open end and are arranged around the axis, adjacent to the bottom wall, and wherein the tail portion of the bullet includes a bottom aligned with the axis and, when inserted in the cavity, are axially directly confronting the forward surfaces.

4. The bullet assembly of claim 2, wherein the cup component and tail component are formed by overmolding one of the cup component and tail component on the other of the cup component and tail component.

5. The bullet assembly of claim 1 wherein the cup is slidably secured to the bullet such that when the bullet and cup are fired from the muzzleloader, the cup remains secured to the bullet.

6. A bullet assembly for muzzleloading, the bullet assembly having an axis, a forward end, and a rearward end, the bullet assembly having an extended condition wherein the bullet assembly has a first length, and a contracted condition wherein the bullet assembly has a second length, wherein upon the application of a threshold of axial force the bullet assembly transitions from the extended condition to the contracted condition, the bullet assembly comprising:

a bullet aligned along the axis at the forward end and having, in alignment along the axis, a forward tapered end, a rearward tail portion having a recessed portion, and a shoulder portion, wherein the shoulder portion is positioned between the forward tapered end and the recessed portion along the axis; and

a cup assembly configured to receive the tail portion of the bullet, the cup assembly being tubularly shaped around the axis and having a forward end positionally secured to the bullet at or adjacent to the shoulder portion and a rearward end, wherein, when the bullet assembly transitions from the extended condition to the contracted condition, the cup assembly axially slides on the tail portion of the bullet.

7. A bullet system for a muzzleloader, the bullet system comprising a bullet body and a cup assembly, the bullet body having a forward tapered end and a rearward tail portion, the cup assembly having an open end with the bullet body inserted therein and a closed end, the cup assembly comprising a cup component and a rigid ring portion with a circular cutting edge positioned at the closed end of the cup assembly for scraping a barrel of the muzzleloader and wherein the ring portion has serrations.

8. The bullet system of claim 7 wherein the ring portion comprises a metal ring.

9. A bullet system for a muzzleloader, the bullet system comprising a bullet body and a cup assembly, the bullet body having a forward tapered end and a rearward tail portion, the cup assembly having an open end with the bullet body inserted therein and a closed end, the cup assembly comprising a cup component and a rigid ring portion with a circular cutting edge positioned at the closed end of the cup assembly for scraping a barrel of the muzzleloader and wherein the ring portion is formed of a polymer more rigid than a polymer of the cup component.

10. The bullet system of claim 9 wherein the maximum diameter of the cup assembly is at the rigid ring portion.