MAGAZINE-FED FIREARM

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/106,611 filed on Sep. 15, 2023, entitled “CALIBER SELECT MAGAZINE SYSTEM,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/313,454 filed on Feb. 24, 2022, entitled “CALIBER SELECT MAGAZINE SYSTEM,” which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a magazine-fed firearm that ensures only a magazine containing ammunition with a bullet caliber matching the magazine-fed firearm's barrel chambering can be used.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Firearms development has progressed in many ways in the last century. Modern firearms use cartridges consisting of a case, propellant, igniter, and projectile. The majority of cartridges are made of metal for the case and the bullet, but new technology is emerging with alternative materials. The pursuit of ammunition development relies on previous work and examples. Many cartridges are derived from earlier developments, often known as wildcats or hybrids. Two well-known hybrids in particular are the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 300 AAC Blackout cartridges. The 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge was derived from the .308 Winchester/7.62x51 NATO cartridge case, and the 300 AAC Blackout was derived from the 5.56x45 NATO cartridge case. The 5.56x45 NATO was itself derived from the .223 Remington cartridge case. Most ammunition development is to improve, replace, or offer alternative choices to existing ammunition used in firearms. Modern firearms use a means of feeding the ammunition into the action of the firearm, the most popular method being the ammunition magazine.

Ammunition magazines are well known in the art of firearms. Their basic construction is a containment shell with two open ends. One end is deemed the “floor” of the magazine and is covered by a plate, while the opposite end is the “feed” end that interfaces with the firearm. Inside the volume defined by the shell and plate is a spring and follower assembly. When ammunition is loaded into the magazine, the ammunition pushes the follower down towards the floor and thereby compresses the spring. In use, when one cartridge of ammunition is expended, the compressed spring releases and pushes the follower assembly and associated ammunition upwards toward the feed end to ready the next round of ammunition.

Ammunition magazines have a means of locking into place to provide for proper function in firearms. The placement of the locking points or combination of interactions is specific to the host firearm, although some commonalities of design exist. The firearm interface system is made of fixed or removable parts or devices used internally or externally to lock a magazine in place, which is critical to the function, proper loading, and feeding of ammunition from the ammunition magazine into the host firearm. The function of the firearm interface system is to load, eject, unload, and release the ammunition magazine from the host firearm.

The pursuit of alternative calibers for existing modern firearms has led to overlooked safety and performance issues. The best example is ammunition development for the AR15/M16/M4 firearms. The ammunition makers' effort to provide new calibers for the firearms used existing cartridges that would not require a change in the bolt or magazine. These new calibers may only require the change of the barrel. One caliber of particular concern is the 300 AAC Blackout. 300 AAC Blackout has a parent cartridge case derived from the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington cartridge. The 300 AAC Blackout cartridge is essentially a 7.62 mm bullet mounted on a case designed for a 5.56 mm bullet. The rest of the 300 AAC Blackout cartridge is nearly identical to the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington cartridge and can use the same bolt and magazine for reliable operation. The 300 AAC Blackout cartridge only requires the swap of a barrel to accommodate the larger caliber diameter bullet.

Most firearms companies and magazine makers often encourage the use of 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington-labeled and designed magazines with 300 AAC Blackout cartridges in both instruction manuals and marketing literature. In fact, there is an entire industry devoted to promoting continued use of 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington-labeled magazines for use with 300 AAC Blackout cartridges. Use of rubber bands, stickers, and other color-coded attachments to help identify the use of the 300 AAC Blackout in a 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington-labeled magazine is a common practice and suggestion by manufacturers.

The problem with this common practice is the firearm industry and the makers of magazines have not offered the users and operators of firearms a safe, reliable alternative for handling 300 AAC Blackout cartridges other than using existing magazines and bolts labeled as 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington. When manufacturers use these parts originally designed and intended for the parent cartridges, like 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington, they simply relabel these parts 300 AAC Blackout without otherwise ensuring the rifle receiving the 300 AAC Blackout labeled parts will function properly with 300 AAC Blackout cartridges, leading to even greater confusion and dangerous liability issues both in performance and safety. Because the 300 AAC Blackout cartridge was derived from the smaller caliber 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington cartridge and is so visually similar, the possibility of caliber confusion exists. The 300 AAC Blackout cartridge can even be loaded and chambered in a too small 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington barrel. Cartridges like the 300 AAC Blackout when fired in a 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington chambered firearm will cause catastrophic failures, damage or destruction to the firearm, and dangerous potential injuries to the shooter and observers standing within feet of the event. The larger diameter 300 AAC Blackout bullet cannot travel down the smaller diameter 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington barrel. The result is massive overpressure the barrel and firearm were not designed for and cannot handle. Many firearms have been destroyed and operators or bystanders injured by this dangerous situation.

Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved magazine-fed firearm that ensures only a magazine containing ammunition with a bullet caliber matching the magazine-fed firearm's barrel chambering can be used. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the magazine-fed firearm according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of ensuring only a magazine containing ammunition with a bullet caliber matching the magazine-fed firearm's barrel chambering can be used.

The present invention provides an improved magazine-fed firearm, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved magazine-fed firearm that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.

To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises a frame, a barrel connected to the frame and chambered for a cartridge of a first selected specific type, the frame having a magazine well configured to receive a first magazine type configured to contain cartridges of the first selected specific type, the frame including a compatibility facility operable to facilitate operational presence in the magazine well of the first magazine type, and the compatibility facility operable to deny operational presence in the magazine well of a second magazine type configured to contain cartridges of a second specific type different from the first specific type and incompatible with the barrel. The first and second magazine types have a common dimensional characteristic compatible with the magazine well except for interface with the compatibility facility, such that without the compatibility facility, the first and second magazine types are otherwise compatible with the magazine well. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a left side view of the current embodiment of a magazine-fed firearm constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with a 300 AAC Blackout magazine operationally present.

FIG. 2 is a top isometric view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine and 300 AAC trigger guard engaged with one another.

FIG. 3 is a top isometric enlarged view of the 300 AAC trigger guard of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top isometric view of a 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the magazine-fed firearm of FIG. 1 with the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington trigger guard replacing the 300 AAC trigger guard to deny operational presence in the magazine well to a 300 AAC Blackout magazine.

FIG. 6 is a top isometric view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine and 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington trigger guard with the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington trigger guard denying operational presence in the magazine well to the 300 AAC Blackout magazine.

FIG. 7 is a top isometric enlarged view of the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington trigger guard of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a left side view of the magazine-fed firearm of FIG. 5 with the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington trigger guard replacing the 300 AAC trigger guard to enable a 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine to be operationally present in the magazine well.

FIG. 9 is a top isometric view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine and 300 AAC Blackout magazine catch.

FIG. 10 is a top isometric view of the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine and the 300 AAC Blackout magazine catch.

FIG. 11 is a top isometric view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine catch and the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine catch.

FIG. 12 is a top sectional view of the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine catch failing to engage the 300 AAC Blackout magazine.

FIG. 13 is a top sectional view of the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine catch engaging the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine.

FIG. 14 is a top sectional view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine catch engaging the 300 AAC Blackout magazine.

FIG. 15 is a top sectional view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine catch failing to engage the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine.

FIG. 16 is a top isometric view of the 300 AAC Blackout magazine and the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington magazine catch.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the magazine-fed firearm of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

FIG. 1 illustrates the improved magazine-fed firearm 10 of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates an improved first magazine type 18 and trigger guard 24 engaged with one another to make the first magazine type operationally present in a magazine well 16 of the magazine-fed firearm 10. FIG. 3 illustrates the improved trigger guard. FIG. 4 illustrates a prior art second magazine type 22. More particularly, the magazine-fed firearm has a frame 12 and a barrel 14 connected to the frame by an upper receiver 70 and chambered with chamber 72 for a cartridge of a first selected specific type. The frame has the magazine well, which is configured to receive the first magazine type 18 configured to contain cartridges of the first selected specific type. In the current embodiment, the cartridges of the first selected specific type are 300 AAC Blackout cartridges. The frame includes a compatibility facility 20 operable to facilitate operational presence in the magazine well of the first magazine type. The compatibility facility is operable to deny operational presence in the magazine well of the second magazine type 22 configured to contain cartridges of a second specific type different from the first specific type and incompatible with the barrel. In the current embodiment, the cartridges of the second specific type are 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington cartridges. The first and second magazine types have a common dimensional characteristic compatible with the magazine well except for interface with the compatibility facility, such that without the restrictions imposed by the compatibility facility, the first and second magazine types are otherwise compatible with the magazine well.

The trigger guard 24 is connected to the frame 12 and also has the compatibility facility 20. The trigger guard is removably connected to the frame. There is also a second trigger guard 26 interchangeable with the trigger guard 24 and having a second compatibility facility 28 operable to facilitate an insertion in the magazine well 16 of the second magazine type 22 and to deny insertion in the magazine well of the first magazine type 18.

The first and second magazine types 18, 22 each have different respective first and second upper rear elongated surface profiles 30, 32 configured to interface differently with the compatibility facility 20 and the second compatibility facility 28. The first and second upper rear elongated surface profiles have different cross-sectional profiles of protruding and recessed portions 34, 36. The first magazine type defines a groove 38 configured to closely receive a protrusion 40 of the compatibility facility. The first magazine type also defines a raised ridge 42 configured to be received in a recess 44 of the compatibility facility. The compatibility facility is proximate a lower rim 46 and a rear portion 48 of the magazine well 16. The second magazine type omits the groove and raised ridge of the first magazine type, which causes the second magazine type to be obstructed by the protrusion of the compatibility facility, thereby preventing the second magazine type from achieving operational presence in the magazine well 16 when the trigger guard 24 is connected to the frame 12.

FIG. 5 illustrates the improved magazine-fed firearm 10 of the present invention with the improved second trigger guard 26 installed in place of the trigger guard 24 to deny operational presence in the magazine well 16 of the first magazine type 18. FIG. 6 illustrates the improved second trigger guard. FIG. 7 illustrates the improved magazine-fed firearm 10 of the present invention with the improved second trigger guard 26 installed in place of the trigger guard 24 to enable operational presence in the magazine well 16 of the second magazine type 22. It should be appreciated that a different barrel chambered for cartridges of the second specific type must also be installed when the second trigger guard is installed for safety and compatibility of the magazine-fed firearm with cartridges of the second specific type. The second compatibility facility 28 has a stop surface 50 configured to enable only partial insertion of a first magazine type 18 having a protrusion 52 configured to engage the stop surface and prevent full insertion of the magazine into the magazine well, the stop surface configured to enable full insertion of a second magazine type 22 lacking the protrusion. The stop surface is connected to the second trigger guard 26, which is connected to the frame 12. The stop surface is proximate the lower rim 46 and the rear portion 48 of the magazine well 16. The protrusion is spaced apart from an upper end 54 of the first magazine type, at an intermediate position 56 along the length of the rear face of the first magazine type.

FIG. 9 illustrates the improved first magazine type 18 with an improved magazine catch 58. FIG. 10 illustrates the second magazine type 22 with the magazine catch. FIG. 11 illustrates the magazine catch and a second magazine catch 64. FIGS. 12 & 16 illustrate the second magazine catch failing to engage a first catch engagement feature 60 on the first magazine type. FIG. 13 illustrates the second magazine catch engaging a second catch engagement feature 62 on the second magazine type 22. FIG. 14 illustrates the magazine catch engaging the first catch engagement feature on the first magazine type. FIG. 15 illustrates the magazine catch failing to engage the second catch engagement feature on the second magazine type. More particularly, the compatibility facility 20 also includes the magazine catch, which is movably connected to the frame 12. The compatibility facility is operable to retain against extraction after insertion the first magazine type having the first catch engagement feature, and to enable extraction after insertion the second magazine type having the second catch engagement feature. The magazine catch is interchangeable with the second magazine catch operable to retain against extraction after insertion the second magazine type having the second catch engagement feature, and to enable extraction after insertion the first magazine type having the first catch engagement feature. This is accomplished by the magazine catch having a wider portion than the second magazine catch that engages the first catch engagement feature that is wider than the second catch engagement feature, which makes it impossible for the magazine catch to engage the second catch engagement feature and the second magazine catch to engage the first catch engagement feature. It should be appreciated that the second magazine catch for cartridges of the second specific type must also be installed when the second trigger guard 26 is installed for safety and compatibility of the magazine-fed firearm 10 with the second magazine type.

Specifically, the magazine catch 58 has a first protrusion 66, and the second magazine catch 64 has a second protrusion 68. The first protrusion is significantly wider than the second protrusion and is closely received by the first catch engagement feature 60 to retain the first magazine type 18 so the first magazine type can achieve operational presence in the magazine well 16 (the condition depicted in FIG. 14). The first protrusion is significantly wider than the second catch engagement feature 62 on the second magazine type 22. As a result, the first protrusion cannot engage the second catch engagement feature (the condition depicted in FIG. 15), which results in the second magazine type not being retained in the magazine well by the magazine catch and being unable to achieve operational presence in the magazine well.

The second protrusion 68 is closely received by the second catch engagement feature 62 on the second magazine type 22 to retain the second magazine type so the second magazine type can achieve operational presence in the magazine well 16 (the condition depicted in FIG. 13). The second protrusion is significantly narrower than the first engagement feature 60. As a result, the second protrusion cannot engage the first engagement feature (the condition depicted in FIGS. 12 & 16), which results in the first magazine type 18 not being retained in the magazine well by the second magazine catch 64 and being unable to achieve operational presence in the magazine well.

The magazine-fed firearm can use a portion or all of the characteristics of the compatibility facility 20 and the second compatibility facility 28 either alone or in combination to enable operational presence of the first magazine type 18 and deny operational presence of the second magazine type 22 and vice versa. Furthermore, one characteristic of the compatibility facility enables full insertion of the second magazine type and denies full insertion of the first magazine type, while another characteristic of the second compatibility facility denies initial insertion of the second magazine type and enables initial insertion of the first magazine type. Specifically, the stop surface 50 and protrusion 52 enable full insertion of the second magazine type (that lacks the protrusion) and denies the full insertion of the first magazine type (which has the protrusion). The groove 38 and protrusion 40 deny initial insertion of the second magazine type (which lacks the groove) and enables initial insertion of the first magazine type (which has the groove). It should be appreciated that the installation of a selected trigger guard 24 or 26 and a selected magazine catch 58 or 64 that are both compatible with the caliber of the barrel 14 installed in the magazine-fed firearm are akin to programming the magazine-fed firearm 10 to only accept an associated compatible magazine type 18 or 22 to prevent incompatible ammunition from being accidentally loaded into the magazine-fed firearm.

In the context of the specification, the terms “rear” and “rearward,” and “front” and “forward,” have the following definitions: “rear” or “rearward” means in the direction away from the muzzle of the firearm while “front” or “forward” means it is in the direction towards the muzzle of the firearm. The term “cartridge of a selected specific type” means manufactured to a specification by a standards organization such as the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, or an uncertified but specifically defined cartridge type having a particular form, caliber and characteristic. The term “operational presence in the magazine well of a magazine type” means any one or more of initial insertion, full insertion, and retention against unwanted extraction of the magazine relative to the magazine well.

While a current embodiment of a magazine-fed firearm has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Although rifles have been disclosed, the magazine-fed firearm could also be a pistol, shotgun, belt-fed machine gun, and other firearms. Furthermore, the 300 AAC Blackout cartridge is just one of many cartridge examples where caliber confusion can exist. Many other cartridges classified as hybrid or wildcat cartridges along with any cartridges that because of their size and shape can inadvertently be chambered in a different caliber barrel, such as a 9 mm NATO in a .40 S&W chamber, are subject to the same risks. The performance and safety issues that result when any cartridge is used in an incompatibly chambered rifle subject to caliber confusion are effectively addressed by the current invention. The intent of the present invention is to prevent caliber confusion by giving shooting enthusiasts, firearm and ammunition manufacturers, and the world's militaries an effective system to address the harmful and dangerous environment existing today. The current invention's well-designed replacement parts eliminate the liabilities and dangers associated with caliber confusion that exist with current practices. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.