Firearm ammunition component and method of use

A firearm ammunition component, comprising:

• a projectile body having a circular cross-section and a central channel on a forward face;
• the projectile body having a rearward face with an annular wall portion forming a combustion chamber;
• a nose portion forward of the projectile body;
• the nose portion having a curved forward end, a rear end opposite the forward end including a shank extending within the central channel in a rearward direction, and a stabilizing element between the forward and rear ends extending radially outwards from a portion of the nose;
• a gas check member rearward of the projectile body, having a rearward facing combustion chamber, and a forward-facing central recess extending into a portion of said gas check member interior, forming a depression or mortise to receive said shank, such that said recess is couplably engageable with said shank, and said shank is not exposed to said combustion chamber;
• said combustion chamber having an inner skirt wall composed of resilient material with flared construction extending radially outwards at a rearward facing end, allowing expansion of gases therewithin to push outwardly on said resilient material of said inner skirt wall;
• wherein the stabilizing element forms a unitary construction with said nose portion, and comprises a first outer diameter, and the body comprises a second outer diameter less than the first outer diameter, wherein the stabilizing element is dimensioned to contact a bore of a firearm, wherein the body is dimensioned to not contact said bore during loading.

A method of loading a firearm ammunition component within a launcher system, the method comprising:

• providing the firearm ammunition component comprising:
• a projectile body having a circular cross-section and a central channel on a forward face,
• a nose portion forward of the projectile body,
• a gas check member rearward of the projectile body, having a rearward facing combustion chamber, and a forward-facing central recess extending into a portion of said gas check member interior, forming a depression or mortise to receive said shank, such that said recess is couplably engageable with said shank, and said shank is not exposed to said combustion chamber,
• the nose portion having a curved forward end, a rear end opposite the forward end including a shank extending within the central channel in a rearward direction, and a stabilizing element between the forward and rear ends extending radially outwards from a section of the nose portion, and
• the gas check member having an annular wall portion with radially outward flared construction at a rearward facing end, allowing expansion of gases therewithin to push outwardly on said annular wall;
• providing a launcher system having a barrel with a muzzle end;
• placing, initially, the gas check member of the firearm ammunition component within a muzzle end of the barrel;
• and
• moving, subsequently, the firearm ammunition component within the barrel such that the stabilizing element contacts a bore of the barrel and centers the firearm ammunition component within the bore;
• wherein upon insertion the gas check member and projectile body do not contact the bore.

A firearm ammunition component adapted for use with a muzzleloader, comprising:

• a projectile body having a circular cross-section and a central channel on a forward face;
• a nose portion forward of the projectile body;
• a gas check member rearward of the projectile body having a combustion chamber;
• the nose having a curved forward end, a rear end opposite the forward end including a shank extending within the central channel, and a stabilizing element between the forward and rear ends extending radially outwards from a portion of the nose;
• the gas check member having an annular wall portion with radially outward flared construction at a rearward facing end, forming said combustion chamber, said flared construction allowing expansion of gases therewithin to push outwardly on said annular wall;
• wherein the stabilizing element forms a unitary construction with said nose portion, and comprises a first outer diameter, and the projectile body and the gas check member comprise a second outer diameter less than the first outer diameter, wherein the stabilizing element is adapted to contact a bore of the muzzleloader, wherein at least one of the gas check member and projectile body are dimensioned to not contact said bore during loading.