Muzzleloader systems

Abstract

Muzzleloader systems include a pre-packaged propellant charge with a primer receptacle for providing efficient loading and unloading of the muzzleloader. The muzzleloader accepts in the breech end a propellant containment vessel that abuts against a constriction portion with a reduced diameter portion. The propellant containment vessel having an end portion with a tapered surface that conforms to the constriction portion surface. A projectile is inserted in the muzzle end of the muzzleloader and seats against the constriction portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A muzzleloader system comprising muzzleloader, a polymer propellant vessel with propellant hermetically sealed therein, a projectile and a primer;
 the muzzleloader comprising a stock, a receiver and a barrel, the barrel having a breech portion, a muzzle portion, and a barrel bore with a barrel axis, the muzzleloader openable exposing a breech face and a propellant containment vessel chamber opening at the breech face, the propellant containment vessel chamber extending at least 2.5 inches inwardly from the breech face, the propellant containment vessel chamber having a annular flange recess at the breech face extending axially inwardly at least 0.08 inches, the barrel having a constriction portion at a forward end of the propellant containment vessel chamber, and a projectile receiving region forward of the constriction portion;   the propellant containment vessel being entirely formed of polymer and filled with the propellant, the propellant containment vessel being elongate with a central axis and having a conforming shape to the propellant containment vessel chamber and having a closed polymer head portion, a closed forward portion, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween, the closed polymer head portion having a centrally located primer receptacle, without a primer therein, and a flange extending therearound, the flange having an exterior cylindrical surface with an axial length of at least 0.08 inches, the intermediate portion having conical side wall with a conical surface, the closed polymer forward portion with an end wall and a conforming shape to the constriction portion, the propellant containment vessel having a length to maximum diameter of the flange of at least 4:1;   the projectile being sized to the barrel bore; and   the primer being sized for the receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 1 , wherein the tapering conical sidewall has a taper of at least 0.4 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 1 , wherein the propellant containment vessel comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         4 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 1 , wherein the closed polymer head portion has a unitary webbing portion at a bottom of a primer recess in the primer receptacle. 
     
     
         5 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 1 , wherein the closed polymer head portion has is sealed by a manually removable closure at the primer recess. 
     
     
         6 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 1  wherein the closed forward portion has an end wall and a unitary skirt extending therefrom, the skirt underlaying the tapering conical wall portion and joined thereto at an interface. 
     
     
         7 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 6 , wherein the interface is breechable upon ignition of the propellant firing the projectile, whereby when the muzzleloader is fired, the end wall and unitary skirt pass through the constriction portion and are ejected from the muzzleloader immediately behind the projectile. 
     
     
         8 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 7 , wherein the end wall and unitary skirt deform as they pass through the constriction portion. 
     
     
         9 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 7 , wherein the end wall and unitary skirt have a maximum diameter of less than the minimal inside diameter of the constriction portion. 
     
     
         10 . A muzzleloader propellant containment vessel for use with a primer, a projectile and a muzzleloader, the muzzleloader having a barrel with a propellant containment vessel chamber open rearwardly, a constriction portion forward of the propellant containment vessel chamber, and a projectile receiving region forward of the constriction portion, the projectile being receivable in the barrel bore at a muzzle end, the muzzleloader power cell comprising:
 the muzzleloader propellant containment vessel hermetically sealed and filled with propellant, the propellant containment vessel being elongate with a central axis and having a conforming shape to the propellant containment vessel chamber and having a closed polymer head portion, a closed forward portion, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween, the closed polymer head portion having a centrally located primer receptacle, without a primer therein, and a flange extending therearound, the flange having an exterior cylindrical surface with an axial length of at least 0.08 inches, the intermediate portion being tubular and having a conical side wall with a conical surface, the closed polymer forward portion with an end wall and a conforming shape to the constriction portion, the propellant containment vessel having a length to maximum diameter of the flange of at least 4:1.   
     
     
         11 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 10 , wherein the propellant containment vessel defines a cavity having a volume between 0.40 and 0.50 cubic inches. 
     
     
         12 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 10 , wherein the propellant containment vessel is entirely polymeric and comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         13 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 10 , wherein the closed polymer head portion has a unitary webbing portion at a bottom of a primer recess in the primer receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 10 , wherein the closed polymer head portion has is sealed by a manually removable closure at the primer recess. 
     
     
         15 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 10 , wherein the closed forward portion has an end wall and a unitary skirt extending therefrom, the skirt underlaying the tapering conical wall portion and joined thereto at an interface. 
     
     
         16 . The muzzleloader system of  claim 10 , wherein the closed head portion is underlaying the tubular intermediate portion. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using a muzzleloader of a muzzleloader system, the system comprising muzzleloader, a polymer propellant vessel with propellant hermetically sealed therein, a projectile and a primer;
 the muzzleloader comprising a stock, a receiver and a barrel, the barrel having a breech portion, a muzzle portion, and a barrel bore with a barrel axis, the muzzleloader openable exposing a breech face and a propellant containment vessel chamber opening at the breech face, the propellant containment vessel chamber having a annular flange recess at the breech face, the barrel having a constriction portion at a forward end of the propellant containment vessel chamber, and a projectile receiving region forward of the constriction portion;   the propellant containment vessel formed of polymer, the propellant containment vessel being elongate with a central axis and having a conforming shape to the propellant containment vessel chamber and having a closed polymer head portion, a closed forward portion, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween, the closed polymer head portion having a centrally located primer receptacle, without a primer therein, and a flange extending therearound, the intermediate portion having a tubular side wall, the closed polymer forward portion with an end wall and a conforming shape to the constriction portion; the method comprising:   inserting the projectile in the muzzle end of the barrel and seating the projectile in the projectile seating region;   opening the breech portion of the muzzleloader;   inserting the propellant containment vessel with propellant into the propellant containment vessel chamber;   inserting the primer in the propellant containment vessel after the propellant containment vessel is in the propellant containment vessel chamber;   closing the breech portion of the muzzleloader.   
     
     
         18 . The method of using a muzzleloader of a muzzleloader system of  claim 17 , further comprising actuating a trigger mechanism whereby a firing pin strikes a primer and expanding gases from the primer enter the propellant containment vessel igniting the propellant therein. 
     
     
         19 . The method of using a muzzleloader of a muzzleloader system of  claim 17 , further comprising opening a seal at the primer receptacle when inserting the primer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of using a muzzleloader of a muzzleloader system of  claim 17 , further comprising emptying the muzzleloader without firing the muzzleloader, by opening the breech portion of the muzzleloader, removing the unfired propellant containment vessel, pushing the projectile from the projectile seating region and out of the muzzle end of the barrel, and closing the breech portion.