Sound suppressed muzzle loading firearm

Abstract

A muzzle loading firearm has a sound suppressor mounted on the barrel. Attachment of the suppressor to the barrel may be permanent, as by welding, brazing and adhesive bonding. A guide tube inserted into the suppressor is used to provide a continuous path from the open end of the suppressor to the muzzle end of the barrel to permit loading of propellant charge and projectile from the muzzle end. The guide tube isolates the chambers of the suppressor and prevents grains of the propellant charge from being lost in the suppressor as they are poured into the barrel. The tube also protects the internal components of the suppressor from damage during loading with a ramrod.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A barrel for a firearm, said barrel comprising:
 a tube having a muzzle end and an opposite end;   a sound suppressor attached to said muzzle end of said tube, wherein said sound suppressor is permanently attached to said muzzle end of said tube.   
     
     
         2 . The barrel according to  claim 1 , wherein said sound suppressor is permanently attached to said muzzle end of said tube by a method selected from the group consisting of welding, brazing and adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         3 . The barrel according to  claim 1 , wherein said tube has a smooth bore. 
     
     
         4 . The barrel according to  claim 1 , wherein said tube has a rifled bore. 
     
     
         5 . The barrel according to  claim 1 , wherein said opposite end of said tube is closed. 
     
     
         6 . The barrel according to  claim 5 , wherein said opposite end of said tube comprises a fitting closing off said opposite end. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm according to  claim 6 , wherein said fitting threadedly engages said tube. 
     
     
         8 . The barrel according to  claim 6 , wherein said fitting is adapted to receive a primer charge. 
     
     
         9 . The barrel according to  claim 1 , wherein said sound suppressor comprises a container surrounding a plurality of baffles. 
     
     
         10 . The barrel according to  claim 1 , further comprising a kit for loading said barrel, said kit including a guide tube removably positionable within said sound suppressor and extending between an open end thereof to said muzzle end of said tube comprising said barrel. 
     
     
         11 . The kit according to  claim 10 , wherein said guide tube has a length sized to extend from said muzzle end of said tube and project outwardly from said open end of said sound suppressor. 
     
     
         12 . The kit according to  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of said guide tube has an outer diameter sized to fit within a bore of said tube comprising said barrel. 
     
     
         13 . The kit according to  claim 10 , wherein a funnel is positioned on an end of said guide tube. 
     
     
         14 . A muzzle loading firearm, comprising:
 a stock;   a trigger assembly mounted on said stock for discharging said firearm;   a barrel mounted on said stock, said barrel comprising a tube having a closed end cooperating with said trigger assembly and a muzzle end oppositely disposed;   a sound suppressor mounted on said muzzle end of said tube.   
     
     
         15 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , wherein said sound suppressor is permanently attached said muzzle end of said tube. 
     
     
         16 . The barrel according to  claim 15 , wherein said sound suppressor is permanently attached to said muzzle end of said tube by a method selected from the group consisting of welding, brazing and adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         17 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , wherein said tube has a smooth bore. 
     
     
         18 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , wherein said tube has a rifled bore. 
     
     
         19 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , wherein said closed end of said tube comprises a fitting attached to said tube. 
     
     
         20 . The firearm according to  claim 19 , wherein said fitting threadedly engages said tube. 
     
     
         21 . The firearm according to  claim 19 , wherein said fitting is adapted to receive a primer charge. 
     
     
         22 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , wherein said sound suppressor comprises a container surrounding a plurality of baffles. 
     
     
         23 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , wherein said firearm is a long gun. 
     
     
         24 . The firearm according to  claim 14 , further comprising a kit for loading said barrel, said kit including a guide tube removably positionable within said sound suppressor and extending between an open end thereof to said muzzle end of said tube comprising said barrel. 
     
     
         25 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein said guide tube has a length sized to extend from said muzzle end of said tube and project outwardly from said open end of said sound suppressor. 
     
     
         26 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein at least a portion of said guide tube has an outer diameter sized to fit within a bore of said tube comprising said barrel. 
     
     
         27 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein a funnel is positioned on an end of said guide tube. 
     
     
         28 . A method of loading a muzzle loading firearm having a sound suppressor attached to a muzzle end of a barrel, said method comprising:
 positioning a guide tube within said sound suppressor, said guide tube extending from an open end of said sound suppressor to said muzzle end of said barrel;   pouring a propellant charge through said guide tube into said barrel; and   transferring a projectile through said guide tube into said barrel.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising removing said guide tube from said sound suppressor. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein transferring said projectile comprises ramming said projectile through said guide tube and into said barrel. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising transferring a wad through said guide tube and into said barrel. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein transferring said wad comprises ramming said wad through said guide tube and into said barrel. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein positioning said guide tube within said sound suppressor comprises fitting a portion of said guide tube within said muzzle end of said barrel. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising positioning said guide tube within said sound suppressor so that a portion of said guide tube extends outwardly from said sound suppressor.