Cartridge for a fully telescoped projectile

A cartridge which comprises:

• a fully telescoped and environmentally protected projectile;
• tubular housing means for operatively holding said telescoped projectile therein which includes a convergently tapered open front end interior wall and a partially closed rear end, said rear end having an axially disposed primer bore therein, said convergently tapered open front end has an exterior straight sided wall coverted from a divergently tapered wall having a divergent angle .theta.;
• propellant means operatively disposed in said housing means for forcibly ejecting said projectile from said housing means;
• primer means fixedly positioned in said primer bore for initiating said propellant means;
• seal member means comprising an annular shaped element having a convergently tapered peripheral side and an environmental forward closure member, disposed in said convergently tapered open front end of said housing means and interfacing therewith in an annular seal, for retaining said projectile in a fully telescoped position within said housing means and environmentally protecting said projectile prior to activation of said primer means, said annular seal preventing separation of said annular shaped element from said housing means during firing of said cartridge, and for preventing escape of propellant gas between said annular shaped element and said housing means.