Muzzleloading shotgun with choke

Abstract

A muzzleloading shotgun has a barrel with a constant inside diameter that flares outwardly a short distance from the muzzle to a constant diameter. The muzzle end of the barrel has exterior threads which receive the interior threads of a choke. The choke has an internal diameter that tapers inwardly as it progresses from the end of the barrel to the end of the choke. The flared portion of the shotgun barrel allows the shot pattern to expand as it approaches the discharge end of the barrel. The shot within the constant diameter portion of the barrel becomes condensed as it moves outwardly through the choke to achieve the desired concentrated shot pattern. Because the choke is tapered from the enlarged diameter created by the flared portion of the barrel, to a narrower portion at the discharge end thereof, the effective internal diameter of the choke at its discharge end is still large enough to permit the shotgun to be reloaded through that end without the removal of the choke from the shotgun barrel.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A choke tube for attachment to an externally threaded discharge end of a barrel of a firearm for obtaining dense shot patterns, comprising; 
 a cylindrical body having a center bore and opposite open first and second ends;    the bore being tapered and narrowing from a diameter at the first end to a smaller diameter at the second end; and    internal threads located in the bore adjacent the first end for threadably engaging an outside diameter of the discharge end of a firearm barrel.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein an outer surface of the cylindrical body is knurled.  
     
     
         3 . A muzzleloading shotgun having an elongated hollow barrel, comprising, 
 the hollow barrel having a receiver end and a discharge end with internal diameters,    the internal diameter of the hollow barrel being longitudinally tapered outwardly adjacent the discharge end and thence terminating in a portion of constant increased diameter,    a choke having an inwardly tapered bore extending outwardly and inwardly from the discharge end of the barrel to a discharge end of the choke,    the discharge end of the choke being substantially the same as the internal diameter of the barrel adjacent its receiver end to permit any shot loads that can be received in the receiver end of the barrel to also be placed within the discharge end of the choke so that the choke will not have to be removed from the barrel to reload the shotgun through the discharge end of the barrel.    
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein external threads on the end of the barrel receive internal threads on an adjacent end of the choke to hold the choke on the barrel.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the barrel and the choke have external diameters that are approximately equal.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the internal diameter of the discharge end of the choke is approximately 0.722 inches and the internal diameter of the receiver end of the barrel is approximately 0.728 inches.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the portion of constant diameter is approximately 0.820 inches.