A sabot having an extended casing for containing propellant charge and a slotted top portion for securing a projectile. The propellant charge is ignited by gases that enter the lower portion of the sabot from a puncture developed by the mating of the sabot against a breech plug. The breech plug has a piercing component in the form of a sharpened forward edge to initiate puncture of the breech end of the sabot.

A radar-absorbing material projectile system including a projectile with an outer layer of radar-absorbing material (RAM). A carrier or armature is disposed around the projectile, protecting the layer of RAM during the firing sequence. In some embodiments the carrier is a discarding carrier which falls away after firing, rendering the projectile low-observable with regard to radar detection due to the layer of RAM.

An apparatus includes an energy source and an expansion structure. The energy source is configured to convey an amount of energy operable to increase a pressure of a compressible gas disposed in a chamber. The expansion structure is configured to be placed in fluid communication with the chamber and to receive a flow of the compressible gas in response to the increase in pressure. The expansion structure includes an inlet having a first diameter and an outlet having a second diameter greater than the first diameter and is configured to allow the compressible gas to expand as the compressible gas flows from the inlet to the outlet such that a supersonic free jet of the compressible gas exits the outlet. In some instances, the supersonic free jet of the compressible gas can accelerate, relative to the expansion structure, a projectile disposed outside of the expansion structure.

Muzzleloader systems include a pre-packaged propellant charge and primer for providing efficient loading and unloading of the muzzleloader. The muzzleloader accepts in the breech end the 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 and seats against the constriction portion. The propellant containment vessel may be received in a removable breech plug. The constriction portion may be part of the breech plug or a separate component secured in the barrel by way of the breech plug. The containment vessel further comprises a primer mechanism that may be integrated into the proximal end of the containment vessel.

A method of making a projectile apparatus is provided that includes making one or components of the apparatus using an additive manufacture technique such as 3-D printing or laser-aided additive manufacture. The projectile apparatus can have a projectile, a propellant, and one or more optional components such as a wading, a sabot, and an intermediary device. The projectile can be fired through a barrel having a smooth bore. Additive manufacture methods can be used that involve forming components from superalloys having nanoparticles incorporated therein. The projectile apparatus can convert gas pressure or gas velocity into a high rate of projectile spin. The projectile has long-range accuracy due to a high or sustainable velocity and high rate of spin.

A projectile apparatus is provided that includes a projectile, a propellant, and optional components such as a wading, a sabot, and an intermediary device. The projectile can be fired through a barrel having a smooth bore. A sabot is provided that can include molded features, for example, a base portion and a plurality of petal portions defining, in-part, a volume for accommodating a projectile. The sabot and wadding can include molded features that control and direct gases produced by the propellant. The apparatus can convert gas pressure or gas velocity into a high rate of projectile spin. The projectile has long-range accuracy due to a high or sustainable velocity and high rate of spin.

A projectile includes an ejectable cup intended to protect a base of the projectile from propulsion gases, the cup including a wall surrounding the base and extending to a position where the edge of the wall is pinched between a seal surrounding the body of the projectile and a collar, including an annular part centered on a first cylindrical seat having a first diameter. The first seat is separated from a second seat by a shoulder, the face of which is oriented toward the rear of the projectile, a gripping means pressing the seal against the annular part, which causes the radial expansion of the seal, pressing it against the edge of the cup.

An artillery projectile is configured to have a trajectory comprising a ballistic phase and a piloted phase. This projectile has at least one means ensuring its aerodynamic stabilization on part or all of its trajectory and a means configured to ensure a piloting during the piloted phase. This projectile is characterized in that the aerodynamic stabilization means comprises a wing system having at least two wings which are able to be positioned with respect to the axis of the projectile, at least during the piloted phase, with their sweepback angles being negative, that is, with the free ends of the wings being oriented towards the front of the projectile.

A protection covering for folded tail fins of a projectile. The protection covering is installed to surround outer portion of the folded tail fins of the projectile and protects the tail fins against external high pressure, whereby the tail fins are not damaged even at high pressure generated in a launching process of the projectile. After the launch of the projectile, the protection covering is separated from the projectile by the pressure applied on the inner side surface of the circular plate portion of the protection covering by the accumulated combustion gas inside the air pocket. The protection covering is automatically separated from the projectile without providing any other mechanical structure immediately after the launch of the projectile, thereby providing an effect to allow the tail fins to be deployed quickly and economically.

A radar-absorbing material projectile system including a projectile with an outer layer of radar-absorbing material (RAM). A carrier or armature is disposed around the projectile, protecting the layer of RAM during the firing sequence. In some embodiments the carrier is a discarding carrier which falls away after firing, rendering the projectile low-observable with regard to radar detection due to the layer of RAM.