GB2398114A

GB2398114A - Muzzle loading firearm chamber

Info

Publication number: GB2398114A
Application number: GB0301393A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Reginald Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-22
Filing date: 2003-01-22
Publication date: 2004-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 2023-01-22
Also published as: GB0301393D0; GB2398114B

Abstract

A muzzle loading firearm chamber 2 has a bullet guide 5 which expands the base of a hollow bullet 10 into a recess 5 in the gun barrel wall 8 when the bullet is fully seated 6.

Description

I JO r o. ' j, r 23981 1 4

MUZZLE LOADING FIREARM CHAMBER

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A MUZZLE LOADING FIREARM. COMPONENTS, A BARREL

WITH A RIFLED OR SMOOTH BORE AND A CHAMBER AND IN PARTICULAR A PROPELLENT

POWDER CHAMBER BULLET GUIDE OF ANY SHAPE AND A RECESS OF ANY SHAPE IN A GUN

BARREL BORE WHICH MAY BE USED SEPARATELY OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH

OTHER TO EXPAND THE BASE OF A BULLET OF ANY SHAPE SO THAT WHEN THE BULLET IS

FULLY SEATED AT THE BOTTOM OF A MUZZLE LOADED GUN BARREL FOR THE BASE OF

THE BULLET TO BE FULLY EXPANDED AGAINST THE BARREL WALL, THIS BEING

ACHIEVED TO ENABLE THE EFFECTIVE USE OF MODERN SMOKELESS PROPELLENT

POWDER, BLACK POWDER AND BLACK POWDER SIJBSTITIJTES.

TRADITIONALLY MUZZLE LOADrNG FIREARMS HAVE A BLACK POWDER CHARGE POURED DOWN THE BARREL, A BULLET IS PUSHED DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL, A PRIM ER IS INSTALLED AND WHEN THE GIJN IS FIRED, A BULLET IS DISCIIARGED FROM THE BARREL. THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN USED WITH BLACK POWDER AND BLACK POWDER SUBSTITUTES FOR 300 YEARS AND THE SAME SYSTEM IS STILL USED BY A FEW ENTHUSIASTS TODAY.

BLACK POWDER IS A LICENCE CONTROLLED EXPLOSIVE. WHEN IT IS IGNITED GENERATES VAST AMOUNTS OF CORROSIVE SMOKE, ITS USE WAS MADE OBSOLETE AROUND 1890 BY TIIE INTRODUCTION OF SMOKELESS POWDER ENTHUSIASTS STILL

SHOOT BLACK POWDER FIREARMS USUALLY OUTDOORS BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE

PROBLEM. BLACK POWDER PISTOLS USED ON AN INDOOR RANGE ARE A PARTICULAR PROBI,EM AND THE TARGET RANGES REQUIRE GOOD SMOKE F.XTRACT1ON FANS AND WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF EVER TIGHTER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CONTROLS, AIR PURIFICATION PLANTS.

WHEN LARGE AMOlJNTS OF SMOKE ARE GENERATED AS FUEL IS BURNT IT 1S A GOOD INDICATION OF POOR COMBUSTION, USING THIS INVENTION ENABLES THE USE OF LESS POWDER TO BETTER EFFECT AND ALSO GENERATE LESS SMOKE.

THERE ARE SPECIALISED COMPETITIONS AVAILABLE TO BLACK POWDER ENTIlUSIASTS, HOWEVER NEITHER THE GlJNS OR THE DISCIPLINES ARE GENERALLY POPULAR, THE REASONS SEEM TO BE THAT A BLACK POWDER Gl)N HAS A VERY DIFFERENT "FEEL"

WHEN FIRED TO THAT OF THE ONCE VERY POPULAR AND NOW BANNED SMOKELESS

POWDER POWERED BREACH LOADING TARGET PISTOL AND SECONDLY THE SMOKE.

COMPETITIONS USING BREACH LOADING PISTOLS ARE NOW OUTLAWED BY LAW AND IT IS

NOT TECHNICALLY OR PRACTICALLY POSSIBLE TO SHOOT THESE WITH EXISTING BLACK

POWDER MUZZLE LOADERS. NEARLY ALL PISTOL TARGET SHOOTING WAS DONE UNTIL 1997 WITH SMOKELESS BREACH LOADING PISTOLS.

THE OWNERSIIIP AND USE OF ALL SHORT BARREL BREACII LOADING FIREARMS WERE

BANNED BY LAW IN t997, MUZZLE LOADING GUNS ARE STILL PERMITTED HOWEVER BLACK POWDER GlJNS WILL NOT OPERATE WITH MODERN SMOKELESS POWDER

BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCES OF IGNITION AND BURNING CHARACTERISTICS AND THE

HIGH PRESSURES NECESSARY TO MAKE SMOKELESS POWDER BURN EFFICIENTLY, BLACK POWDER GUNS OPERATE AT MUCll LOWER PRESSURES, USING THIS rNVENTION WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF BLACK POWDER GUNS.

-A

IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE A SUBSTITUTE FOR

BLACK POWDER, A NITRO BASED MIXTURE A PROPELLENT NAMED "PYRODEX". THIS SEEMS TO HAVE GAINED A BAD REPUTATION AS BEING MORE CORROSIVE AND.IIJST AS DIRTY, THE ONLY MAJOR DIFFERENCE BEING THAT "PYRODEX" IS CLASSED AS A PROPELLENT AND DOES NOT REQ[]RE CERTIFICATION FOR POSSESSION, IT IS NOT POPULAR AND HAS BEEN IGNORED.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WHEN DESIGNING A MUZZLE LOADING GUN FOR

USE WITH MODERN SMOKELESS POWDER IS THAT SMOKELESS POWDER WAS DESIGNED

SPECIFICALLY FOR LOADING CARTRIDGE AMMUNITION FOR USE WITH BREACH

LOADING GUNS, THE POWDER BURNS IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAY.

AMMUNITION FOR A BREACH LOADING GUN IS MADE WITH THE POWDER, PRIMER AND BULLET ALL PRE-ASSEMBLED BY MACHINE INTO A BRASS CASE. THIS AMMUNITION IS FOR USE IN THE BREACH END OF A GUN. THE INSTANT THE GUN IS FIRED THE BULLET IS MOMENTARILY PREVENTED FROM MOVING UP THE BARREL 11 TWO WAYS, FIRSTLY

FROM LEAVING THE BRASS CASE AS THE CASE MOIJTII IS CRIMPED INTO THE BULLET

DURING MANUFACTURE AND SECONDLY BY THE RIFLING WHICH CONSTRICTS THE

BARREL, THESE TWO CONSTRAINTS MOMENTARILY PREVENT BUI,LET MOVEMENT, RAISE

THE CHAMBER PRESSURE AND THE POWDER BURNS PROGRESSIVELY AND CLEANLY BY

DESIGN WITH HIGH AND RISING PRESSURES.

USING MODERN SMOKELESS POWDER IN THE NORMAL DESIGN OF MUZZLE LOADING

FIREARM GIVES POOR RESULTS BECAUSE THE ACT OF PUSHING THE BULLET DOWN THE

RIFLED BARREL CUTS GROOVES INTO THE BULLET. THIS ACTION REMOVES THE INITIAL RIFLING RESTRICTION, THERE IS ALSO NO BULLET CASE CRIMP, THE TOTAL BULLET RESISTANCE IS THEREFORE NEGLIGIBLE, AND WHEN FIRED THE PROPELLENT IS NOT CONSTRAINED SUFFICIENTLY TO BURN PROGRESSIVELY, THIS RESULTS IN POOR AND ERRATIC PERFORMANCE.

AN OBJECT OF THIS INVENTION IS TO ENABLE A MUZZLE LOADED BULLET AT THE

MOMENT OF FIRING TO CREATE ENOUGH RESISTANCE TO MOMENTARILY PREVENT ITS

MOVEMENT TO FORCE THE CHAMBER PRESSURE TO INCREASE SUFFICIENTLY TO ENABLE

THE POWDER TO BURN EFFICIENTLY AND CONSISTENTLY BY THE USE OF A BARREL

RECESS AND A CHAMBER BULLET GUIDE, TO ENABLE A BULLET OF ANY SHAPE TO BE

SEATED SO THAT THE BULLET WILL PRODUCE SUFFICIENT INITIAL RESISTANCE TO THE

BURNING PROPELLENT POWDER CHARGE TO FORCE THE POWDER IN A MUZZLE LOADING

FIREARM TO BURN PROGRESSIVELY, USE LESS POWDER, SHOOT ACCURATELY AND CONSISTENTLY WITH LESS FUMES.

A FURTHER BENEFIT OF THIS INVENTION IS THAT AS THE BULLET DOES NOT HAVE TO BE

A VERY FIT TIGHT IN TIIE BARREL AS THE EXPANDED BASE SEALS EFFECTIVELY AND

1,ESS PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO RAM THE BULLET DOWN THE BARREL WHEN LOADING.

-A

ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION THERE IS A MUZZLE LOADING FIREARM.

CHAMBER AND A RIFLED OR SMOOTH BORE BARREL AND IN PARTICULAR A PROPELLENT

POWDER CHAMBER BULLET GIJ[DE OF ANY SHAPE AND A RECESS OF ANY SHAPE IN A

SMOOTH OR RIFLED GUN BARREL BORE WHICH MAY BE USED SEPARATELY OR IN

CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER TO EXPAND THE BASE OF A BULLET SO THAT WHEN

THE BULLET IS RAMMED FULLY SEATED AT THE BOTTOM OF A MUZZLE LOADED GUN

BARREL WITH THIS INVENTION INCORPORATED FOR THE BASE OF THE BULLET TO BE

FULLY EXPANDED INTO THE BARREL WALL RECESS. WHEN THE GUN IS FIRED THE

PRESSURE IN THE CHAMBER WILL FORCE THE BASE OF THE BULLET INTO THE BARREL

WALL RECESS SO INCREASING THE GAS SEAL AND PRESSURE, THIS BEING ACHIEVED TO ENABLE THE EFFECTIVE USE OF POWDER.

THIS INVENTION CAN BE USED WITH ALL MUZZLE LOADING FIREARMS, COMPRlSlNG OF ANY NUMBER BARRELS, OF ANY LENGTH, OF ANY CALIBER, WITH FIXED, OR DETACHABLE BARRELS, WITH FIXED, OR DETACHABLE CHAMBERS, OR WITH ROTATING CYLINDERS CONTAINING A CHAMBER OR CHAMBERS WITHIN, WHERE THE CHAMBERS ARE LOADED FROM THE FRONT.

WHERE THE INVENTION IS USED IN RELATION TO A REVOLVING CYLINDER AS USED EN A

MUZZLE LOADING REVOLVER WHERE THE BARREL IS IN TWO PARTS, THE LONG FRONT

PART OF THE BARREL AND THE SHORT PART OF TIIE BARREL THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE

ROTATING CYLINDER WHICH IS LOADED FROM THE FRONT OF THE CYLINDER, IN THIS CASE THE BlJLLET GUIDE AND THE BARREL RECESS ARE BOTH CONTAINED WITHIN EACH CHAMBER OF THE ROTATING CYLINDER.

A FURTHER ADVANTAGE WHEN USED A JLTI SHOT REVOLVER CYLINDER WHEN THE

BULLETS ARE SEATED AND EXPANDED IS THAT THE EXPANDED BULLET BASE WILL

PREVENT FLASH OVER BETWEEN ADJACENT CHAMBERS AND GREASE WILL NOT BE

REQUIRED TO SEAL THE CHAMBER TOPS AS IS THE CASE WITH A NORMAL BLACK

POWDER MUZZLE LOADED CYLINDER.

PREFERABLY THE BARREL IS MADE OF STEEL, ALLOY STEEL, HARDENED AND TEMPERED STEEL, HEAT TREATED ALLOY STEEL OR ANY ALLOY OR METAL STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT, CORROSION AND PRESSURE INVOLVED IN THE FIRING PROCESS.

A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE TNVENTION WILL NOW BE DESCRTBED WITH

REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS IN WHICH: FIGURE 1. SHOWS THE GUN BARREL AND CHAMBER LOOKING DOWN THE BARRF,I, FROM THE MUZZLE END.

FIGURE 2. SHOWS THE, CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE UNLOADED BARREL AND

CHAMBER FROM THE SIDE SHOWING THE BARREL RECESS AND POWDER

CHAMBER GUIDE.

FIGURE 3. SHOWS THE CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE BARREL AND CHAMBER

SHOWING A HOLLOW BULLET FULLY SEATED INTO THE BARREL RECESS

AND CHAMBER GUIDE

FIGURE 4. SHOWS THE SIDE VIEW CROSS SECTION OF A HOLLOW BASED BULLET BEFORE LOADING INTO THE BARREL.

FIGURE 5. SHOWS THE SIDE VIEW OF THE MUZZLE LOADED MULTI SHOT

REVOLVER CYLINDER WITH ONE CYLINDER SECTION SHOWN

FROM THE SIDE SHOWING THE BARREL RECESS AND CHAMBER

GUIDE.

REFERRING TO THE DRAWINGS, THE BARREL AND CHAMBER ASSEMBLY COMPRISE OF: THE PRIMER CAP I THE BORE OF THE BARREL 7 THE BREACH 2 THE BARREL TUBE 8 THE POWDER CHAMBER 3 THE UNEXPANDED BULLET BASE 9 THE BULLET GUIDE 4 THE UNEXPANDED BULLET 10 THE BARREL RECESS 5 THE EXPANDED BULLET BASE 11 THE EXPANDED BULLET 6 TO OPERATE THE INVENTION, A PRIMER I, IS INSERTED INTO THE BREACH 2, POWDER IS THEN POURED TO TEIE POWDER CHAMBER 3, USING A FUNNEL WITH A LONG SPOUT.

A BULLET 10, IS THEN PUSHED DOWN THE BORE OF THE BARREL 7, UNTIL THE BASE 11, OF THE BULLET 6, FIRST CONTACTS THE BULLET GUIDE 4, WHICH CAUSES THE SON-I' BULLET BASE 11, TO EXPAND. FURTHER PRESSURE PUSHES THE BULLET 6, INTO ITS FULLY SEATED POSITION WHF,RE TIIE BASE OF THE BULLET 6,1S FULLY EXPANDED t1, INTO THE BARREL RECESS 5, THE FULLY SEATED POSITION BEING INDICATED BY THE USE OF A MARKED BULLET RAM ROD.

I'IIE ASSEMBLY IS THEN FIRED BY STRIKING THE PRIMER 1, TIllS IGNITES THE POWDER IN THE POWDER CHAMBER 3, THE PRESSURE RISES AND AS THE BULLET 6, STARTS TO MOVE THE BULLET BASE 11, IS FORCED HARDER INTO THE BARREL RECESS 5, BY THE PRESSURE BUILD IJP IN THE POWDER CHAMBER 3, EVENTUALLY THE PRESSURE OVERCOMES THE RESISTANCE OF BARREL RECESS 5 AND THE BULLET IS FORCED UP THE BARREL WITH THE BULLET BASE 11, IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE BARREL BORE.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.

A MUZZLE LOADING FIREARM CHAMBER BULLET GUIDE

AND A RECESS IN A GUN BARREL BORE WHICH MAY BE

USED SEPARATELY OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH

OTHER TO EXPAND THE HOLLOW BASE OF A BULLET

LARGER THAN THE BARREL BORE WHEN FULLY SEATED.
2.

A MUZZLE LOADING FIREARM CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY

AS HEREIN DESCRIBED AND ILLUSTRATED IN THE

ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS.