A rifled barrel has a cylindrical channel longitudinally extending within the rifled barrel between an oppositely oriented muzzle opening and a breach opening, the cylindrical channel having a rifled portion and a non-rifled portion, the rifled portion having a land and a groove helically extending along a surface of the cylindrical channel from the muzzle opening toward the breach opening, the non-rifled portion being smooth and having a consistent diameter along a length. The diameter of the non-rifled portion of the cylindrical channel is equal to a diameter of the rifled portion measured between oppositely oriented sections of the groove. A transitional section of the rifled portion has a diameter measured between oppositely oriented land sections that gradually decreases along a section of the rifled portion adjacent to the non-rifled portion until equaling the diameter of the non-rifled portion.

A rifled barrel has a cylindrical channel longitudinally extending within the rifled barrel between an oppositely oriented muzzle opening and a breach opening, the cylindrical channel having a rifled portion and a non-rifled portion, the rifled portion having a land and a groove helically extending along a surface of the cylindrical channel from the muzzle opening toward the breach opening, the non-rifled portion being smooth and having a consistent diameter along a length. The diameter of the non-rifled portion of the cylindrical channel is equal to a diameter of the rifled portion measured between oppositely oriented sections of the groove. A transitional section of the rifled portion has a diameter measured between oppositely oriented land sections that gradually decreases along a section of the rifled portion adjacent to the non-rifled portion until equaling the diameter of the non-rifled portion.

A rear slip base plate for a round carrying a guidance and control unit payload, which round is launched from a rifled launch tube. To prevent the guidance and control unit payload from also being rapidly spun with the round, the slip base plate unit mechanically isolates the guidance and control unit payload from the round spin rate.

A rear slip base plate for a round carrying a guidance and control unit payload, which round is launched from a rifled launch tube. To prevent the guidance and control unit payload from also being rapidly spun with the round, the slip base plate unit mechanically isolates the guidance and control unit payload from the round spin rate.

The present invention is an obturator for a guided projectile. The obturator allows for decoupling the projectile from the rotation of the rifled barrel by use of a static band, a front slip band, a rear slip band and a slip disk. The slip disk is disposed between the front and rear slip bands and allows the rear slip band to rotate independently from the front slip band.

The present invention is an obturator for a guided projectile. The obturator allows for decoupling the projectile from the rotation of the rifled barrel by use of a static band, a front slip band, a rear slip band and a slip disk. The slip disk is disposed between the front and rear slip bands and allows the rear slip band to rotate independently from the front slip band.

A projectile for use with a firearm having a rifled barrel can include: a substantially cylindrical projectile body having at a front end a nose section and at a rear end a tail section; a driving band section formed on the projectile body between the nose section and the tail section; a bore rider section formed on the projectile body between the nose section and the tail section; and a pilot band section formed on the projectile body forward of the driving band section. The nose section can be formed having an LD-Haack profile.

A projectile for use with a firearm having a rifled barrel can include: a substantially cylindrical projectile body having at a front end a nose section and at a rear end a tail section; a driving band section formed on the projectile body between the nose section and the tail section; a bore rider section formed on the projectile body between the nose section and the tail section; and a pilot band section formed on the projectile body forward of the driving band section. The nose section can be formed having an LD-Haack profile.

A rifled barrel has a cylindrical channel longitudinally extending within the rifled barrel between an oppositely oriented muzzle opening and a breach opening, the cylindrical channel having a rifled portion and a non-rifled portion, the rifled portion having a land and a groove helically extending along a surface of the cylindrical channel from the muzzle opening toward the breach opening, the non-rifled portion being smooth and having a consistent diameter along a length. The diameter of the non-rifled portion of the cylindrical channel is equal to a diameter of the rifled portion measured between oppositely oriented sections of the groove. A transitional section of the rifled portion has a diameter measured between oppositely oriented land sections that gradually decreases along a section of the rifled portion adjacent to the non-rifled portion until equaling the diameter of the non-rifled portion.

A projectile for loading into a rifled barrel includes a casing having a cylindrical body, a forward aerodynamic end, and a free end opposite the aerodynamic end, the cylindrical body of the casing defining an interior cavity extending to and in open communication with the free end. The projectile also has a bullet sized to initially slidably engage the casing along a partial length of the interior cavity through the free end. Upon discharge of propellant, the bullet is forced to slidably engage the casing farther within the cavity, preferably such that an entire length of the bullet is housed within the casing cavity, whereby a circumference of the casing is increased such that the increased circumference of the casing catches barrel rifling of the muzzleloader rifle. This allows a smaller caliber bullet to be used in a fouled barrel, while increasing accuracy of the muzzleloader rifle.