Advanced Muzzle Loader Ammunition

1 . A muzzle loaded ammunition round comprising:

a fixed round comprising a bullet and a consumable cartridge case; the cartridge case is hollow and is filled with at least one propellant composition, the cartridge case being constructed from a consumable material; the bullet is commonly engaged to the propellant composition at least via the cartridge case, the propellant composition having a charge weight, wherein the consumable material is a foamed celluloid.

2 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 1 further comprising an igniter which extends into the propellant composition inside the case at the time of ignition.

3 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 1 in which the bullet is positioned within a sabot and the sabot is engaged to the cartridge case.

4 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 3 in which the sabot is constructed at least in part out of a thermoplastic material.

5 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 1 in which the propellant composition is one selected from the list consisting of: smokeless propellant, single base nitrocellulose, nitrocellulose propellant, black powder propellant, pyrotechnic propellant, non-pyrotechnic propellant, and any combination thereof.

6 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 1 in which the propellant composition occupies a volume substantially equal to at least 90% of the volume of the cartridge case.

7 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 7 in which the propellant composition includes at least one energy modifying material.

8 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 7 in which the at least one energy modifying material is an energy reducing material.

9 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 1 in which the propellant composition includes a pyrotechnic material.

10 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 1 in which the propellant composition includes a stabilizer compound.

11 . The muzzle loaded ammunition round of claim 10 in which the stabilizer compound is no greater than 1% by volume of the propellant composition.

12 . A method of manufacturing a muzzle loaded ammunition round comprising a bullet and a consumable cartridge case, the method comprising:

heating at least one sheet of a foamed celluloid to a predetermined softening temperature;

stretching the at least one sheet about a cylindrical mandrel of a desired diameter of the consumable cartridge case;

using a vacuum to pull the sheet into a desired shape of the consumable cartridge case;

closing a first end of the consumable cartridge case;

filling the consumable cartridge case with at least one propellant composition; and

closing the second end of the consumable cartridge case.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising applying pressure to the sheet of a forming die can be used with pressure to finalize the desired shape or dimensions of the cartridge case.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a seam is formed where two ends of the sheet of foamed celluloid method and the seam is glued with a cyanoacrylate.

15 . A method of manufacturing a muzzle loaded ammunition round comprising a bullet and a consumable cartridge case, the method comprising:

extruding foamed celluloid material in a long tube using a thermoplastic extrusion process;

cutting the tube to a desired length of the consumable cartridge case; closing a first end of the consumable cartridge case;

filling the consumable cartridge case with at least one propellant composition; and

closing the second end of the consumable cartridge case.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second ends are closed with small end caps that are attached to the cut cylindrical tube.