Liquid propellant weapon system

Claim 1

A weapon system comprising: a gun having a firing bore; a round of ammunition disposed in said firing bore including: a relatively high mass projectile means longitudinally slidable in and closing the forward end of said firing bore; a relatively high reaction mass longitudinally slidable in and closing the aft end of said firing bore, and having a central bore longitudinally extending therethrough; a relatively low mass piston longitudinally slidable within and sealed to said firing bore and disposed aft of said projectile means and forward of said reaction mass, and having a central rod longitudinally extending into and sealed to said central bore of said reaction mass, said piston having a forward face of relatively large cross-sectional area and an aft face of relatively small cross-sectional area, and a passageway communicating said aft face with said forward face, and a pressure sensitive obturating means obturating said passageway and adapted to open said passageway upon a predetermined pressure being applied to said forward face; said projectile means, said firing bores and said piston defining a combustion chamber; said reaction mass, said firing bore, said piston rod and said piston defining a liquid propellant storage area.