Abstract: A breech plug for a muzzleloading rifle has an elongated body with external threads and having rearward and forward ends. A circular depression is formed in the rearward end of the body and is surrounded by an annular rim. The annular rim has an inner diameter slightly less than the diameter of a bore of the barrel of the rifle. The depression has a tapered bottom surface that slopes inwardly and rearwardly and terminates in a first center bore extending longitudinally along a center axis of the body. A narrow diameter bore connects the first center bore with a second bore having a diameter substantially the same as the first center bore. The second center bore terminates in an enlarged bore portion adapted to receive a propellant material. The first center bore provides an expansion chamber for a large percussion element to be ignited in the depression.

Abstract: A muzzleloading rifle has a stock, a receiver, a forwardly extending barrel, a removable breech plug in the rearward end of the barrel and forwardly of the receiver, and a trigger mechanism. An elongated bolt member has a rearward end pivotally secured within the receiver and adapted to be pivoted from an aligned position within the receiver to an angular position outwardly through a slot in the side of the receiver. A transverse cross lug is mounted in a locking position within the receiver and has one end pivotally secured to the bolt so that when the bolt is pivoted outwardly from the receiver, the cross lug will be unlocked from the receiver to allow the bolt to be moved to a rearward position in the slot of the receiver. The bolt is operatively connected to an elongated striker pin in the bolt to pull the striker pin rearwardly against a compression spring when the bolt is moved forwardly to cock the striker pin.

Abstract: A breech plug having an elongated body with external threads that is threadably mounted adjacent to the rearward end of the bore of a barrel of a conventional muzzle-loading rifle. The body having both forward and rearward ends with a circular depression in the forward end and surrounded by an annular rim. The circular depression having a tapered bottom surface that slopes inwardly and rearwardly and terminates in the center portion in communication with a center bore that extends longitudinally along a center axis of the body. Within the circular depression are a pair of intersecting grooves that extend across the depression. The grooves have outer ends that extend from the outer edge of the rim inwardly and rearwardly across the tapered bottom surface to the center portion in communication with the center bore of the body to permit an ignition flame emerging from the center bore to move forwardly and outwardly through the grooves to the inner diameter of the bore of the barrel to ignite a propellant.

Abstract: A deer call for luring a deer to a hunter utilizes a bag in which a plurality of discreet artificial antler components confined within a bag in abutting relationship such that shaking the bag generates noise from the interaction of the components with one another, each component having a plurality of resonators therein to vary the tonal qualities of the component along its length dimensioned to aurally simulate the sound of deer antlers interacting.

Abstract: A safety mechanism for a muzzleloading rifle has a firing hammer pivotally mounted on the rifle and is movable between a rearward cocked position and a forward firing position, and is releasably held by a trigger mechanism in the cocked position when manually moved to the cocked position. The firing hammer includes an arm portion extending away from the pivotal connection between the hammer and the rifle. An elongated safety bolt is slidably mounted in a transverse direction in the rifle and is movable between an outer safety position and an inner non-safety position, and is located within a pivotal path of the arm portion of the hammer to engage the arm to prevent the forward rotation of the hammer to move to the firing position if the hammer is released for forward pivotal movement by the trigger mechanism.

Abstract: A muzzleloading rifle has a bolt with a laterally extending handle. The bolt is operationally connected to the cocking piece of the firearm by means of engaged cam surfaces of the bolt and the cocking piece which will permit the rifle to be cocked only by moving the bolt handle in an upwardly and rotational motion without any longitudinal movement of the bolt towards the cocking piece. After the firearm has been loaded by means of depositing a disc element with a primer element in the center bore thereof in the breech opening of the firearm, the firearm is placed in a firing condition by reversing rotational motion of the bolt handle. The disc element has a center bore which is adapted to receive a conventional nipple and a percussion cap, or in lieu thereof, and preferably, a shot gun primer. The latter is preferred in that it provides a hotter and more intense ignition of the gun powder in the muzzleloading rifle art.

Abstract: The present invention relates to animal scent attractants. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composition of matter for amplifying and preserving animal scents. Fox urine, coyote urine, deer urine, elk urine, moose urine, bear urine, rabbit urine, fish oils, and sheep manure are examples of substances which can be used with the present invention.

Abstract: A game call having an externally actuated mechanical sound adjustment member for varying the sound emitted from the game call. The game call has a housing rotatably engaged with a reed assembly, such that rotation of the reed assembly relative to the housing causes a sound adjustment member to exert a varied force upon a sound producing reed. The insertion of the sound adjustment member into the housing additionally functions to secure the reed assembly to the housing by partially restricting rotational movement of the reed assembly relative to the housing, such that a retaining member positioned in an annular groove on the reed assembly cannot rotate to engage an exit channel, thereby detaching the reed assembly from the housing.

Abstract: A multi-layered iridescent reflective coating for a fishing lure and the method for applying the coating to the surface of the lure. The coating preferably comprises a base layer, an optical stack comprising at least 3 layers of refractive material, and a protective layer. The layers of refractive material are vacuum deposited on a lure pre-coated with an ultraviolet cured polymer base layer. The optical stack can be applied to painted lures, pre-colored lures, or undecorated lures. The substrate, or lure surface, does not affect the process but can yield varying iridescent effects, depending on the texture and color of the substrate surface. The relative thickness of each optical layer and its relation to the other layers in the optical stack combine to achieve a variety of iridescent effects. A protective layer having a low refractive index is applied over the finished optical stack.

Abstract: An improved quad fish hook having alternating planar bights and offset bights forming upturned hooks. The fish hook has an enlarged shank for greater hooking and holding strength, and an eyelet offset from the plane of each hook to equalize pressure on any hook point when a strike occurs.

Abstract: A jig-type fishing lure which includes a jig head having a portion of a hook shank embedded therein. The hook extends rearwardly from the jig head through a curved bight portion to a barb, and the lure further includes a bore or passageway extending through the jig head parallel to the hook shank in the upper portion of the jig head. A flexible retrieving line is extended through the bore so that one end of this line can be secured around the shank of the hook immediately rearwardly from the jig head. The line emerges from the bore through the jig head at its forward end. Deflecting bristles extend from one side of the jig head toward the barb of the hook and function to enable the lure to more effectively traverse weeds and other obstructions without fouling.

Abstract: A spoon-type fishing lure which includes a light reflective metallic plate of a trapezium configuration resembling an arrowhead, and having a V-shape in cross-sectional configuration. The metallic plate has a center line or longitudinal crease extending from a forward end to a rear end thereof. A wire element forms a hook having a barb near the forward end of the arrowhead-shaped plate, and having a shank portion lying along the longitudinal crease of the plate and secured to the plate at that location. A weed guard wire extends from the front or leading end of the spoon rearwardly at an acute angle to the shank portion of the hook, with the weed guard terminating adjacent the barb of the hook at a location spaced outwardly from the plate.

Abstract: A treble fishing hook includes an elongated shank which has a first end and a second end. An eye is secured to the first end of the shank. three barb-carrying bight portions are secured to the second end of the shank with the three bight portions being equally spaced about the axis of the shank and separated by an angle of about 120.degree.. Each of the bight portions is bent outwardly from the shank so as to lie in a plane which extends at an angle of from about 14.degree. to about 20.degree. to the axis of the shank. A barb is carried on each of the bight portions, and each barb is angularly displaced out of the plane of the bight portion.