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Shotshell type ammunition includes a hull, a sabot disposed within the hull, and at least one projectile disposed within the sabot. The hull has a rimless first end that includes a primer for firing the ammunition. The hull also has a seat surface for seating the hull against a complementary seat su

Shotshell type ammunition includes a hull, a sabot disposed within the hull, and at least one projectile disposed within the sabot. The hull has a rimless first end that includes a primer for firing the ammunition. The hull also has a seat surface for seating the hull against a complementary seat surface in a firing chamber of a firearm. The seat surface is located a distance from an outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end. The hull further includes an outer cylindrical side surface extending from the rimless first end of the hull to the seat surface of the hull. Methods of fabricating such ammunition include forming such a hull, providing one or more projectiles within a sabot, and disposing the sabot with the one or more projectiles therein at least partially into the hull. Shotgun type firearms are configured for firing such ammunition.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In combination, a semi-automatic or automatic shotgun loaded with a rimless shotshell ammunition, wherein the shotgun comprises: a barrel having an interior surface defining a bore;a firing chamber in which the rimless shotshell ammunition is chambered;a generally cylindrical inner surface extend

1. In combination, a semi-automatic or automatic shotgun loaded with a rimless shotshell ammunition, wherein the shotgun comprises: a barrel having an interior surface defining a bore;a firing chamber in which the rimless shotshell ammunition is chambered;a generally cylindrical inner surface extending through a headspace within the firing chamber; anda seat surface within the firing chamber, the seat surface abutting against a complementary scat surface of a hull of the rimless shotshell ammunition and preventing longitudinal forward movement of the hull within the shotgun when the shotshell ammunition is fired from the shotgun;wherein the rimless shotshell ammunition comprises: a polymeric hull having a rimless first end comprising a primer for firing the ammunition, an opposing second end from which a projectile may be ejected out from the hull upon firing the ammunition, a cylindrical portion extending from the rimless first end to an open end of the cylindrical portion at the second end of the hull, an end surface of the cylindrical portion at the second end of the hull defining a seat surface of the plastic hull for seating the hull against a complementary seat surface in a firing chamber of a shotgun firearm, the seat surface located a distance from an outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end, and an outer cylindrical side surface of the cylindrical portion extending from the rimless first end of the hull to the seat surface of the hull, wherein the hull is sized and configured for chambering in a firing chamber of a shotgun firearm, the distance the seat surface is located from the outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end is at least about 1.270 centimeters (about ½ of an inch), and the hull has a maximum diameter in a range extending from about 1.775 centimeters (about 0.699 inch) to about 2.370 centimeters (about 0.933 inch);a sabot disposed within the hull; andat least one projectile disposed within the sabot. 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the distance the seat surface is located from the outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end is at least about 2.540 centimeters (about 1 inch). 3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the hull has a maximum diameter of about 2.159 centimeters (about 0.850 inches) or less. 4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the outer cylindrical side surface has a first diameter, and wherein the outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end has a second diameter at least substantially equal to or smaller than the first diameter. 5. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a groove extending into the hull on a lateral side of the hull proximate the rimless first end of the hull, the groove located and configured for use in ejection of the shotshell ammunition from a firearm. 6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the sabot projects longitudinally beyond the end surface at the open end of the cylindrical portion prior to tiring of the shotshell ammunition. 7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the sabot has a rounded end surface, the rounded end surface of the sabot projecting beyond the end surface at the open end of the cylindrical portion prior to firing of the shotshell ammunition. 8. The combination of claim 1, wherein the sabot is retained within the hull using an interference fit between the sabot and the hull. 9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the sabot has a cylindrical outer side surface having a maximum diameter, and wherein the hull has a cylindrical inner side surface having a minimum diameter equal to or smaller than the maximum diameter of the cylindrical outer side surface. 10. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion and the rimless first end of the hull are regions of a single unitary body. 11. The combination of claim 10, wherein the single unitary body comprises a plastic material. 12. The combination of claim 1, wherein the at least one projectile disposed within the sabot comprises a plurality of rounded pellets. 13. A method of using a shotshell ammunition in a semi-automatic or automatic shotgun firearm, comprising: providing a semi-automatic or automatic shotgun, wherein the shotgun comprises: a barrel having an interior surface defining a bore;a firing chamber in which the rimless shotshell ammunition is chambered;a generally cylindrical inner surface extending through a headspace within the firing chamber; anda seat surface within the firing chamber, the seat surface abutting against a complementary seat surface of a hull of the rimless shotshell ammunition and preventing longitudinal forward movement of the hull within the shotgun when the shotshell ammunition is fired from the shotgun;providing a shotshell ammunition, wherein the ammunition comprises: a polymeric hull having a rimless first end, an opposing second end from which a projectile may be ejected out from the hull upon firing the ammunition, a cylindrical portion extending from the rimless first end to an open end of the cylindrical portion at the second end of the hull, an end surface of the cylindrical portion at the second end of the hull defining a seat surface for seating the hull against a complementary seat surface in a firing chamber of a shotgun firearm, the seat surface located a distance from an outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end, and an outer cylindrical side surface of the cylindrical portion extending from the rimless first end of the hull to the seat surface of the hull, wherein the hull is sized and configured for chambering in a firing chamber of a shotgun firearm such that the distance the seat surface is located from the outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end is at least about 1.270 centimeters (about ½ of an inch), and such that the hull has a maximum diameter in a range extending from about 1.775 centimeters (about 0.699 inches) to about 2.370 centimeters (about 0.933 inches);a primer at the rimless first end of the hull for firing the ammunition; andat least one projectile within a sabot, wherein the sabot is inserted at least partially into the hull;loading the ammunition into a vertically stacked magazine;inserting the magazine into the shotgun; chambering a round of the ammunition into the firing chamber; and firing the shotgun. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the distance the seat surface of the hull is located from the outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end is at least about 2.540 centimeters (about 1 inch). 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the outer cylindrical side surface of the hull has a first diameter, and such that the outer end surface of the hull at the rimless first end has a second diameter at least substantially equal to or smaller than the first diameter. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the hull includes a groove extending into the hull on a lateral side of the hull proximate the rimless first end of the hull, the groove located and configured for use in ejection of the shotshell ammunition from a firearm. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the sabot projects out from the hull longitudinally beyond the end surface at the open end of the cylindrical portion prior to firing of the shotshell ammunition. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the rounded end surface of the sabot projects beyond the end surface at the open end of the cylindrical portion prior to firing of the shotshell ammunition. 19. The method of claim 13, wherein the sabot at least partially inserted into the hull is retained within the hull with an interference fit between the sabot and the hull. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sabot at least partially inserted into the hull is press fitted at least partially into the hull.