Muzzle loading firearm, gun barrel design, projectile system and method of using thereof
The invention relates to a gun barrel in muzzle loading firearm with a breech portion that receives a cartridge case and a muzzle that receives a projectile and an opening that connects both. Also a gun barrel with an opening, or passage bore, that is smaller than the bore of the muzzle end of the firearm is disclosed. A firearm and method of using a firearm with this type of gun barrel is disclosed, as is a projectile system that entails a cartridge with a charge that loads from a breech end and a projectile that loads from the muzzle end of the firearm.
1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to muzzle loading firearms wherein the breech end of the barrel is shaped to accept a blank cartridge case of the same or a different caliber than the bore of the muzzle. A gun barrel, projectile system, and method of using the same is also part of the invention.
2. Related Art
A long standing problem in the design of muzzle loading or black powder firearms is that the powder is exposed to the elements. This exposure results in degraded performance of the firearm due to powder which has been dampened or otherwise effected by the elements. Exposure to the elements is particularly a problem for hunters who are afield during inclement weather and must load their weapon during periods of rain or snow, all the while attempting to protect the powder and firing mechanisms. A related problem is that the powder charge receptacle is exposed and thus may be susceptible to inadvertent loss of part or all of the powder. To alleviate these problems, one must carry, in addition to the firearm, a complement of tools and accessories suited to keep the firearm in operable condition. These tools and accessories include loose powder in a container such as a powder horn or powder flask, loose primers, a nipple wrench, nipple picks, and breech plug tools.
Thus, a need exists for a simple and reliable improvement to muzzle loading firearms, their barrel design, and projectile systems (i.e., charge and projectile) which overcome the aforementioned, and other, deficiencies associated with the related art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTo overcome the above deficiencies, the present invention provides a muzzle loading firearm which fires a projectile having a first caliber, and which has a barrel bore shaped to accommodate the first caliber. The breech end of the firearm has a chamber which is shaped to accept a standard blank metallic cartridge case of the same or a different caliber of the projectile. The blank cartridge contains a primer and powder, but lacks a projectile. The cartridge chamber and the muzzle bore are connected by a suitably shaped opening. Upon discharge of the firearm, the powder charge from the cartridge case causes the projectile to be expelled from the muzzle.
In a first general aspect, the present invention provides a gun barrel for use in a muzzle loading firearm, said gun barrel comprising:
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- a muzzle portion, characterized by a first caliber, said muzzle portion being configured to operationally receive a projectile;
- a breech portion, characterized by a second caliber, said breech portion being configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- a connecting bore extending from said breech portion to said muzzle portion.
In a second general aspect, the present invention provides a firearm comprising:
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- a muzzle portion, characterized by a first caliber, said muzzle portion being configured to operationally receive a projectile;
- a breech portion, characterized by a second caliber, said breech portion being configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- a connecting bore extending from said breech portion to said muzzle portion.
In a third general aspect, the present invention provides a muzzle-end loading firearm comprising:
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- a breech end configured so that a charge is loaded from said breech end; and
- a muzzle end configured so that a projectile is loaded from said muzzle end.
In a fourth general aspect, the present invention provides a substantially cylindrical gun barrel for use in a muzzle loading firearm, said gun barrel comprising:
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- a muzzle end, and a breech end;
- a central bore extending from said muzzle end towards said breech end, said central bore characterized by a first caliber;
- a mounting portion adjacent said breech end, said mounting portion configured for mounting said gun barrel to a firearm receiver;
- a chamber adjacent said breech end, said chamber coaxial with said central bore, said chamber configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- a passage bore adjacent and between each of said central bore and said chamber, said passage bore communicating between said central bore and said chamber, said passage bore having a smaller diameter than said central bore.
In a fifth general aspect, the present invention provides a method of increasing the reliability of a muzzle loading firearm, the method comprising:
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- providing a gun barrel with a muzzle end and a breech end, said muzzle end having a central bore characterized by a first caliber, said central bore extending from said muzzle end towards said breech end;
- providing a mounting portion of said gun barrel adjacent said breech end, said mounting portion configured for mounting said gun barrel to a firearm receiver;
- providing a breech end chamber of said gun barrel adjacent said breech end, said breech end chamber coaxial with said central bore, said breech end chamber configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- providing a passage bore of said gun barrel adjacent and between each of said central bore and said breech end chamber, said passage bore communicating between said central bore and said breech end chamber, said passage bore having a smaller diameter than said central bore;
- providing a stock operatively coupled to said gun barrel and said firearm receiver, said stock including a trigger assembly operatively coupled to said firearm receiver and to a firing pin assembly; and
- configuring said firing pin assembly to operatively interact with said cartridge case, when appropriate, to cause discharge of said muzzle loading firearm.
The sixth general aspect, the present invention provides a projectile system, adapted for use with a muzzle loading firearm, comprising:
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- a cartridge of a first caliber containing a charge, adapted for loading in a breech end of said firearm; and
- a projectile of a second caliber, adapted for inserting in a muzzle end of a gun barrel of said firearm.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe features of the present invention will best be understood from a detailed description of the invention and an embodiment thereof selected for the purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
Although certain embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of an embodiment. The features and advantages of the present invention are illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings.
Referring to the drawings, and Figures IA and 1 B, in particular, which depict side sectional views of typical gun barrel with loading chambers known in the art. Both
Referring now to
The present invention improves upon the related art and offers distinct, and numerous, advantages beyond it. The present invention may be employed with virtually any firearm, such as rifle, smoothbore musket, pistol, revolver, shotgun, grenade launcher, or the like.
The gun barrels 10 all have a muzzle end 15 at which the projectile (See e.g.
As stated above, the present invention allows for the muzzle end 15 loading of the projectile, while having the charge (e.g., powder within a cartridge casing) be loaded from a breech end 11 of the gun barrel 10. One way the invention achieves this capability is by configuring the breech end 11 of the gun barrel 10 so that a standard caliber cartridge casing (not shown) with powder, yet no projectile (i.e., “blank” cartridge), may fit therein. In order to prevent the gun user from improperly inserting an entire “traditional” projectile system (i.e., projectile and charge together) in the breech end 11, the present invention may configure the gun barrel 10 so that the first diameter 30 of the bore 16 is larger in diameter than the second diameter 31 of the breech chamber 12. In this manner, if the gun user were to inadvertently, for example, to insert the traditional projectile system (i.e., projectile and charge together) into the breech end 11 and into the breech chamber 12 and then fire the firearm, the firearm would harmlessly discharge. This is because the burning powder gases would pass around the ejecting projectile in the gun barrel 10 due to the larger diameter of the bore 16 than the projectile.
If for example the gun user inserts a traditional 0.308 projectile (i.e., bullet and charge) into the breech end 11 of a gun barrel 10 of the present invention in which the breech chamber 12 is configured to hold a 0.308 charge. That is the diameter of the projectile is approximately a 0.308 caliber diameter. If the user then were to fire the firearm, because the first diameter 30 is larger than the second diameter 31, although the charge would be activated, the projectile would leave the muzzle end 15 of the gun barrel 10 with little, or no, force and energy. This is because the burning powder gases initially behind and driving the projectile down the bore 16 would quickly pass around the projectile, because the first diameter 30 of the bore 16 is larger than the diameter of the projectile, rendering the projectile with no kinetic energy. This aspect of the invention, therefore, prevents the user from inadvertently attempting to use a traditional projectile system in the gun barrel 10 of the present invention. Thus, the firearm using an embodiment of the gun barrel 10 of the invention, has the added safety benefit of only having successful operation of the firearm by loading a blank charge in the breech chamber 12, while in consort loading a projectile from the muzzle end 15.
The embodiment in
Similarly, the straight wall design depicted in
It should be apparent to one of skill in the art, that other configurations of bore 16, breech chamber 12, and connector opening 22 are available. For example, a variation of the embodiment in
Turning to a projectile system 40 that is part of the present invention,
The charge 45 includes a cartridge case 41 in which is explosive powder 42 of suitable composition. Powder 42 that may be employed include smokeless powder, black powder, Pyrodex® powder, pellets, black powder substitutes, or the like, or combinations thereof. The powder 42, upon its ignition by suitable means ultimately provides the explosive gases which project the projectile 50 out of the gun barrel 10.
For purposes of this invention, the term projectile 50 includes a bullet 53 (or de facto projectile) and all appurtenances attached thereto when the bullet 53 are loaded into the muzzle-end 15 of the gun barrel 10. Attached to the bullet 53 is a sabot 51. The sabot 51 protects the bullet 52 while it exits the gun barrel 10 and typically falls away harmlessly once the bullet 52 does exit. The sabot 51, typically made of a suitable, self-lubricating material, such as plastic, helps to make the loading of the bullet 53 into the gun barrel 10 easier. The configuration of the sabot 51 is such that it mates snugly with the bullet 52 and mates suitably with both a sabot mate 43 that is part of the charge 45 and adjoins the stop 19 that is between the breech chamber 12 and bore 16 (See e.g.,
For example,
It should be further apparent to one skilled in the art, that various calibers of breech chamber 12 and bore 16 may be employed. Matching this, various caliber of cartridge case 41 and projectile 50 can likewise be used. For example, standard diameters 30, 31 may be employed for the caliber of breech chamber 12 and bore 16, respectively. For example, the second diameter 31 may be a 0.45 caliber, while the bore 16 has a 0.50 caliber first diameter 30. In this manner, standard caliber charges 45 may be used with the present invention, as can standard caliber bullets 53. The term “standard” means, calibers of charge 45 and bullet 53 that are typically available to the gun using public. Conversely, the present invention may utilize customize caliber and configuration, as well.
The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed or to the materials in which the form may be embodied, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
Claims
1. A gun barrel for use in a muzzle loading firearm, said gun barrel comprising:
- a muzzle portion, characterized by a first caliber, said muzzle portion being configured to operationally receive a projectile;
- a breech portion, characterized by a second caliber, said breech portion being configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- a connecting bore extending from said breech portion to said muzzle portion.
2. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said first caliber is greater than said second caliber.
3. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said second caliber is greater than or equal to said first caliber.
4. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said connecting bore is smaller than said second caliber.
5. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion includes a frusto-conical section.
6. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion has a uniform diameter.
7. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion is configured to operationally receive a cartridge case in a standard caliber.
8. The gun barrel of claim 1, further comprising a firearm operationally attached to said gun barrel.
9. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said connecting bore has a uniform diameter.
10. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion is configured to operationally received a cartridge case in a custom caliber.
11. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion is configured to be adjacent to said cartridge case.
12. A firearm comprising:
- a muzzle portion, characterized by a first caliber, said muzzle portion being configured to operationally receive a projectile;
- a breech portion, characterized by a second caliber, said breech portion being configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- a connecting bore extending from said breech portion to said muzzle portion.
13. A muzzle-end loading firearm comprising:
- a breech end configured so that a charge is loaded from said breech end; and
- a muzzle end configured so that a projectile is loaded from said muzzle end.
14. The muzzle-end loading firearm of claim 13, wherein said breech end is adapted to not require a breech plug.
15. A substantially cylindrical gun barrel for use in a muzzle loading firearm, said gun barrel comprising:
- a muzzle end, and a breech end;
- a central bore extending from said muzzle end towards said breech end, said central bore characterized by a first caliber;
- a mounting portion adjacent said breech end, said mounting portion configured for mounting said gun barrel to a firearm receiver;
- a chamber adjacent said breech end, said chamber coaxial with said central bore, said chamber configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- a passage bore adjacent and between each of said central bore and said chamber, said passage bore communicating between said central bore and said chamber, said passage bore having a smaller diameter than said central bore.
16. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said central bore extends from said muzzle end to said muzzle end of said passage.
17. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said mounting portion comprises screw threads, said screw threads located on an outer surface of said gun barrel.
18. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said mounting portion comprises screw threads, said screw threads located on an inner surface of said gun barrel.
19. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said chamber is configured to operationally receive a cartridge case.
20. The gun barrel of claim 19, wherein said cartridge case is in a standard caliber.
21. The gun barrel of claim 19, wherein said cartridge case is in a custom caliber.
22. The gun barrel of claim 19, wherein said cartridge case is constructed of one of a metal, a plastic, and combinations thereof.
23. The gun barrel of claim 20, wherein said cartridge case is in a standard centerfire caliber.
24. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said central bore includes rifling upon a portion of an inner surface thereof.
25. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said muzzle end includes a muzzle brake therein.
26. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said muzzle brake is removably attached to said gun barrel.
27. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said cartridge case contains a powder selected from the group consisting of a smokeless powder, a black powder, a Pyrodex powder, and combinations thereof.
28. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said cartridge case is characterized by a shotgun caliber.
29. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said cartridge case contains a primer.
30. A method of increasing the reliability of a muzzle loading firearm, the method comprising:
- providing a gun barrel with a muzzle end and a breech end, said muzzle end having a central bore characterized by a first caliber, said central bore extending from said muzzle end towards said breech end;
- providing a mounting portion of said gun barrel adjacent said breech end, said mounting portion configured for mounting said gun barrel to a firearm receiver;
- providing a breech end chamber of said gun barrel adjacent said breech end, said breech end chamber coaxial with said central bore, said breech end chamber configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
- providing a passage bore of said gun barrel adjacent and between each of said central bore and said breech end chamber, said passage bore communicating between said central bore and said breech end chamber, said passage bore having a smaller diameter than said central bore;
- providing a stock operatively coupled to said gun barrel and said firearm receiver, said stock including a trigger assembly operatively coupled to said firearm receiver and to a firing pin assembly; and
- configuring said firing pin assembly to operatively interact with said cartridge case, when appropriate, to cause discharge of said muzzle loading firearm.
31. The method according to claim 30, wherein said mounting bore includes a threaded portion.
32. A projectile system, adapted for use with a muzzle loading firearm, comprising:
- a cartridge of a first caliber containing a charge, adapted for loading in a breech end of said firearm; and
- a projectile of a second caliber, adapted for inserting in a muzzle end of a gun barrel of said firearm.
33. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said cartridge comprises a standard caliber cartridge case.
34. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said projectile includes a sabot.
35. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein a first portion of said cartridge adjoins a second portion of said projectile.
36. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said first caliber is smaller than said second caliber.
37. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said first caliber is equal to said second caliber.
38. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein an exterior surface of said cartridge is adapted to be adjacent to a portion of said breech end.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 12, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 25, 2005
Inventor: Kenneth McGivern (Cohoes, NY)
Application Number: 10/755,257