Patent ID: 7040237

Claim:
A self-aligning device for aiding the engagement of munition into a rifled gun barrel on loading of said munition, which device comprises at least one annular ring dimensioned for location on said munition and having an external diameter corresponding substantially to the gun bore diameter, and a plurality of elements, dimensioned to be capable of providing a substantially close fit with the rifling grooves of the barrel, disposed on said ring or on at least one of said rings around the circumference thereof, wherein each of the said elements is able to adopt a non-extended position with respect to the said ring so as to permit ready loading of the munition into the barrel, but is biased towards a radially extended position in which it will engage with a corresponding rifling groove on further movement of the munition along the barrel wherein said elements are located within and are slidable between the radially extended and non-extended positions along inclined channels formed within the outer surface of said at least one annular ring.