Patent Application
20240077266
The present invention relates to firearms. In particular, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to systems and methods for firearm magazines.
Bolt action firearms are typically fabricated with a specific cartridge size in mind (e.g., 7.62 mm round, 5.56 mm, 0.22 LR, 0.223 Remington, 0.300 BLK, to name a few non-limiting and common examples). However, manufacturers have started looking to more modular designs where a common stock, receiver, and bottom metal can be combined with barrels and magazines for different cartridge sizes. However, since the bottom metal remains the same across these different modular designs, smaller magazines, e.g., for 5.56 mm, are modified or bulked up to fit the wider bottom metal originally-sized for larger cartridges, such as 7.62 mm or 0.308. While the outer dimension of these adapted magazines increases, the cartridges themselves have a smaller diameter and thus see less overlap, or show less surface area, for the bolt to interact with. This leads to increased chances of malfunctions, for instance, because of insufficient overlap of the bolt face and the topmost round in the magazine. In some cases, a round can get caught between feed ramps, the chamber, and the bolt, after extraction and ejection of the previous round.
Thus, there is a need for a magazine assembly that addresses some of the shortfalls of the present technology where smaller diameter rounds are being used in firearms originally configured for larger diameter rounds.
The following presents a simplified summary relating to one or more aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein. As such, the following summary should not be considered an extensive overview relating to all contemplated aspects and/or embodiments, nor should the following summary be regarded to identify key or critical elements relating to all contemplated aspects and/or embodiments or to delineate the scope associated with any particular aspect and/or embodiment. Accordingly, the following summary has the sole purpose to present certain concepts relating to one or more aspects and/or embodiments relating to the mechanisms disclosed herein in a simplified form to precede the detailed description presented below.
In some instances, a user may wish to keep an original configuration of their firearm with minimal changes to the bolt and/or the standard bottom metal, while still having the ability to fire cartridges of both a smaller and a larger diameter. In some cases, the firearm may originally be configured for use with said larger diameter cartridges. Broadly, aspects of the present disclosure relate to an ammunition magazine configured to store and feed cartridges of a smaller caliber into a firearm configured for larger caliber cartridges.
In some cases, the use of smaller cartridges in a firearm, such as a bolt-action rifle, originally configured for larger diameter cartridges may lead to bolt over stoppages, overall length sensitivities, and follower dive, which may adversely impact user experience. To overcome these deficiencies and enhance user experience, aspects of the present disclosure relate to an ammunition magazine with asymmetric feeding, which may serve to maximize bolt face engagement, resist follower dive, and optimize feeding, thus alleviating bolt face overlap issues. In some cases, the asymmetric feeding may be achieved via the use of an offset feedlip geometry, an asymmetric magazine body, or a combination. In some embodiments, the magazine described in this disclosure may be configured for use with short or long action rifles. In some cases, the magazine may be designed and configured for short action rifles comprising Accuracy International Chassis Systems (AICS) pattern bottom metal, and cartridges built on a 0.378 inch case head (e.g., 0.223 Remington) and an overall cartridge length of up to 2.39 inches, although different case head and cartridge length dimensions are contemplated in different embodiments.
Some embodiments of the disclosure may be characterized as a magazine assembly for a firearm, the magazine assembly comprising: an elongated housing comprising a proximal end and a distal end; a spring positioned in an interior of the housing; a first plate removably engaged with the proximal end of the housing; a second plate configured to engage with the first plate and secure the first plate at the proximal end of the housing; at least one follower configured to move or slide within the housing based in part on a compression and decompression of the spring, and wherein the at least one follower is configured to support one or more cartridges; one or more feed lips positioned at the distal end of the housing, wherein the one or more feed lips are adapted to prevent upward movement of a topmost of the one or more cartridges until a bolt or slide chambers the topmost of the one or more cartridges; and wherein the topmost cartridge is arranged off-center from the bolt of the firearm so as to increase an engagement or overlap between the bolt and the topmost cartridge. In some cases, the topmost cartridge may be in a single stack configuration, although different cartridge configurations at the top of the magazine are contemplated in other embodiments.
Other embodiments of the disclosure may also be characterized as a firearm having a magazine well, said firearm comprising: a stock assembly comprising at least an action assembly, the action assembly comprising: one of a bolt or a slide movable between an open and a closed position, a trigger assembly, and a receiver, wherein the receiver is configured for use with cartridges of a first size; a forend assembly comprising at least a barrel, the barrel having a muzzle at its firing end; and a magazine releasably inserted into the magazine well of said firearm and held in place by a magazine latch or release, wherein the magazine is configured to store and feed cartridges of a second size into the firearm, the second size different from the first size. In some embodiments, the magazine may comprise an elongated housing having a distal end and a proximal end, a first plate removably engaged with the proximal end of the housing, a spring, a follower, the follower configured to move or slide within the elongated housing based in part on a compression and decompression of the spring, feed lips positioned at the distal end of the housing, wherein the feed lips are adapted to hold a topmost cartridge of the plurality of cartridges within the magazine until the topmost cartridge is fed into a chamber of the firearm upon action of the bolt or slide of the firearm; and wherein one or more of the elongated housing and feedlips are shaped and positioned to force the topmost cartridge to be off-center from the bolt of the firearm so as to increase an engagement or overlap between the bolt and the topmost cartridge. In some cases, the topmost cartridge may be in a single stack configuration, although different cartridge configurations at the top of the magazine are contemplated in other embodiments.
Other embodiments of the disclosure can be characterized as a method for manufacturing a firearm magazine, the firearm magazine configured to store and feed cartridges of a first size into a firearm originally configured to fire cartridges of a second larger size, said firearm comprising: one of a bolt or a slide movable between an open and a closed position, the method comprising: forming an asymmetrical elongated housing with a proximal end, a distal end, at least one sidewall, and at least one tapered section between the proximal and distal end; affixing a first plate at the proximal end; positioning a follower in the housing; positioning a spring between the follower and the first plate, wherein the spring is configured to move or slide the follower within the housing based on a compression or decompression of the spring; and forming feedlips at the distal end of the elongated housing, wherein the feed lips are adapted to hold a topmost cartridge of a plurality of cartridges within the firearm magazine until the topmost cartridge is fed into a chamber of the firearm upon action of the bolt or the slide of the firearm, and wherein one or more of the feedlips, the elongated housing, and the tapered section are shaped to force the topmost cartridge to be off-center from the bolt of the firearm so as to increase an engagement or overlap between the bolt and the topmost cartridge prior to feeding. In some cases, the topmost cartridge may be in a single stack configuration, although different cartridge configurations at the top of the magazine are contemplated in other embodiments.
These and other features, and characteristics of the present technology, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of ‘a’, ‘an’, and ‘the’ include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Various advantages and a more complete understanding of the present invention are apparent and more readily appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description and to the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrations or specific examples. These aspects may be combined, other aspects may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the present disclosure. Example aspects may be practiced as methods, systems, or apparatuses. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
For the purposes of this disclosure, and when referencing the magazine, the terms “top end”, upper end“, and “distal” shall refer to a side or direction closer to the firearm; while the term “lower end”, “bottom end”, and “proximal” shall refer to a side or direction away from the firearm. Further, when referencing a direction of intended fire, the terms “front” and “distal” shall refer to a side or direction associated with a direction of intended fire (e.g., in
As previously indicated, it may be desirable for a user of a firearm to use cartridges of a smaller diameter in a firearm built to handle larger cartridges. However, misfeeding (e.g., a bolt over base malfunction) is a common problem encountered while using existing platforms. This disclosure alleviates these problems by providing a magazine assembly that is configured to increase the engagement, or overlap, between the bolt and the topmost cartridge of the magazine by forcing the topmost cartridge to be slightly off-center (e.g., in a horizontal direction or left-right direction; e.g., out of a plane that runs vertically through a longitudinal axis of the bolt and barrel) from the bolt via the use of an asymmetric body, asymmetric feed lips, or a combination.
Thus, broadly, the present disclosure may be directed towards a magazine assembly configured to store and feed rounds of a first size into a firearm originally configured to fire rounds of a second larger size. For instance, in one example, the present invention may relate to a polymer based magazine capable of storing and feeding 5.56 NATO/0.223 REMINGTON/0.300 BLK cartridges, and configured to fit the MAGPUL PRO 700 chassis designed by MAGPUL Inc., another applicable Aluminum (Al) chassis, the MAGPUL HUNTER 700, also designed by MAGPUL Inc., other compatible REMINGTON 700 actions with appropriate bottom metal, and the MAGPUL HUNTER AMERICAN stock.
In some cases, the action assembly may be removable from the stock assembly 102, and can include a trigger assembly, receiver 130, and the bolt 106 among other components. The action assembly may be configured for use with any caliber of round, such as 7.62 mm or 5.56 mm. In some cases, the forend assembly 128 can include a barrel 108, the barrel 108 having a muzzle at its firing end. Although a bolt-action firearm is illustrated in
Referring now to
In some cases, the magazine 104 may be loaded with one or more cartridges 112. In some cases, the housing 107 may be adapted to hold any desired number of cartridges (e.g., 5, 10, 30, etc.). Further, the magazine 104 may be adapted to hold and deliver any desired caliber of rifle or pistol cartridges into the chamber of the firearm 100, such as, but not limited to, 0.223 REMINGTON, 5.56 mm NATO, 0.300 BLK, 0.22 LR, 7.62×39 mm, or 7.62×51 mm NATO. In some cases, the cartridges 112 may be stacked vertically, and arranged in a one, two, four, etc., across configuration. In some embodiments, the cartridges may be staggered, and the cartridges in a particular row of the two or four across configurations may be at different heights (i.e., not level) with respect to one another.
According to an embodiment, the magazine 104 may be a polymer-based magazine. In some other cases, the magazine 104 may be made of metal, plastic, carbon fiber, fiberglass, and/or epoxy resin. It should be noted that any suitable material or combination of materials may be used for the magazine. In some cases, the magazine 104 may be made by injection molding, casting, forming (e.g., bending or stretching), and/or machining (e.g., milling). In some cases, the one or more springs within the magazine may be at a greatest compression when the magazine 104 is fully loaded.
In some cases, the magazine housing 107, also referred to as a casing, may be hollow and elongated. Further, an inside of the magazine housing 107 shaped to guide the follower 118 may have a relatively constant length and width along a path of travel of the follower 118. As illustrated in
For the purposes of this disclosure, a centerline may refer to a perpendicular or vertical line (or plane) passing through a geometric center, or a point that is equidistant from the left and right edges (or surfaces), of a respective element (e.g., of a bolt, a topmost cartridge, magazine well, upper bulged portion, narrow lower portion, etc.). In some cases, an offset or misalignment may refer to a displacement, for instance, in a horizontal direction between centerlines of different elements of the magazine and/or firearm. In some embodiments, the displacement may be on the order of a few millimeters (e.g., 1 mm, 2 mm, etc.). Different displacements are contemplated in other embodiments, based on use case, cartridge dimensions, magazine dimensions, bolt dimensions, etc. In some examples, the cross-sections of the topmost cartridge 112 and the bolt 106 may be circles, due to their generally cylindrical shapes. In such cases, the centerline of the topmost cartridge may refer to a perpendicular line (or plane) passing through the center of its cross-section circle, and the centerline of the bolt may refer to a different perpendicular line (or plane) passing through the center of its cross-section circle. In this way, the centerline of the topmost cartridge (or bolt) may coincide with a diameter (i.e., vertical and perpendicular diameter) of its cross-section circle. Now, imagine another diameter (i.e., horizontal diameter perpendicular to the vertical diameter) for each of those cross-section circles. Each of these horizontal diameters may intersect the cross-section circle associated with a respective one of the topmost cartridge (or bolt) at two points, where these two points may be equidistant from the centerline of the topmost cartridge (or bolt), since the centerlines of the topmost cartridge (or bolt) coincide with a vertical diameter of their respective cross-section circles. In this case, an offset between the centerline of the topmost cartridge and the centerline of the bolt may refer to a horizontal displacement (e.g., along a y-axis) between the two vertical diameters discussed above.
Similarly, a centerline of the magazine well and a centerline of the upper bulged portion may refer to perpendicular lines (or planes) passing through points that are equidistant in the horizontal direction from the left and right vertical edges (or surfaces) of the magazine well and upper bulged portion, respectively. It should be noted that, a centerline of a narrow lower portion of the magazine may be defined in a similar manner to the centerline of the upper bulged portion and/or magazine well. In some cases, an offset from a centerline of the topmost cartridge and a longitudinal axis passing through a center of the barrel may refer to a displacement in the horizontal direction between the centerline of the topmost cartridge and a vertical plane parallel to and defined by the longitudinal axis of the barrel.
In some cases, the magazine 104 may comprise the proximal end 109 (also referred to as a bottom end) and the distal end 111 (also referred to as a top end). Further, feed lips 114 (e.g., feed lips 114-a and 114-b) may be formed at the top end of the magazine 104. As shown in
In some cases, cartridges 112 may be fed from the magazine 104 to the firearm 100 prior to and after the firearm is fired. As the cartridges 112 are fed, the cartridges 112 within the magazine 104 advance towards the feed lips 114 of the magazine. In some cases, such feeding typically occurs after a cartridge 112 is fired, and the bolt 106 of the firearm 100 is retracted. In some cases, the bolt 106 of the firearm 100 may be retracted by action of the user, or using recoil kinetic energy of the firearm, or through any other means. Moving the bolt 106 forward and into the chamber may strip the topmost cartridge 112 forward out of the magazine 104 and into the chamber. In some cases, this force may be known as the stripping force. Although this disclosure primarily discusses a bolt, in other embodiments, a slide can play a similar role (e.g., in pistols utilizing aspects of this disclosure).
Where a magazine storing smaller cartridges is used in a firearm designed for use with larger cartridges, the magazine may include an upper bulge 105 having dimensions matched to the firearm's magazine well, and a narrow lower end 124 having smaller dimensions reflecting the smaller cartridges in the magazine 104. In some cases, the feed lips 114-a and 114-b of the magazine 104 may be asymmetric with respect to one another (e.g., see
Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the magazine body may be asymmetric relative to the narrow lower portion 124 (see, especially
In some embodiments, the elongated housing 107 may comprise first and second distal tapers arranged on opposing sides of the housing and extending at first and second distal angles, respectively, in an upward direction from the upper bulged portion 105, further described in relation to
In some examples, one or more tapered sections may also impart asymmetry to the magazine body or housing. For instance, as shown, first and second proximal tapers (e.g., tapers defined by first and second proximal angles 126-a and 126-b) may extend at first and second proximal angles, respectively, between the narrow lower portion 124 and the upper bulged portion 105 of the magazine 104. Contrary to typical magazine designs, however, the tapered portions of the magazine body may be substantially asymmetric with respect to the narrow lower portion 124 and the upper bulged portion 105 of the magazine. In other words, the left and right sides of the lower tapered portion of the magazine body may be at different angles (i.e., proximal angle 126-a and proximal angle 126-b are different) with respect to the narrow lower end 124, and the left and right sides of the upper tapered portion may be at different angles (i.e., distal angle 126-c and distal angle 126-d are different) with respect to the upper bulged portion 105 of the magazine 104. In some aspects, the upper bulged portion 105 may be slightly skewed in one direction (e.g., to the right of the page in
In some examples, the centerline of the upper bulge 105 (e.g., see centerline 1320 in
As further described with reference to
As shown, the left surface of the topmost cartridge 112 (toward a center of the page) is a distance 128-a away from the left surface of the bolt 106 along the y-axis, and the right surface of the topmost cartridge 112 is a distance 128-b away from the right surface of the bolt 106 along the y-axis. In some embodiments, the distance 128-a may be shorter than distance 128-b, as also seen via the reproduction of distance 128-a on the right surface for comparison only. Accordingly, there may exist an offset between the centerline of the bolt 106 and the centerline of the topmost cartridge 112 in the magazine since the longitudinal surfaces of the topmost cartridge 112 are not equidistant from the respective longitudinal surfaces of the bolt 106. In some examples, since the topmost cartridge 112 in the magazine 104 is offset along the y-axis relative to the bolt 106, the topmost cartridge may also be offset relative to the centerline of magazine 104 as the centerlines of magazine 104 and bolt 106 coincide when viewed from above. In other words, the y-coordinate of the centerline of the topmost cartridge 112 in
In some cases, this centerline offset along with positioning the topmost cartridge 1316 higher up in the firearm (i.e., with respect to the vertical position of the topmost cartridge 1306 in the prior art) may enable a greater area of overlap between the bolt 1312 and the topmost cartridge 1316, thereby reducing the chances of the bolt failing to extract the topmost cartridge 1316. For instance, as illustrated in
In some cases, magazines may comprise one or more mag stops (e.g., mag stop 1335-a, mag stop 1335-b) configured to contact a downward-facing surface or edge of the magazine well. These mag stops may establish a height that a magazine is set into the magazine well. According to aspects of the current disclosure, mag stop 1335-b may be positioned lower on the magazine 1314 (i.e., with respect to a top of its feedlips), as compared to the position of the mag stop 1335-a on magazine 1304 (i.e., with respect to a top of its feedlips). In this way, the mag stop 1335-b in magazine 1314 may be positioned further away, in a vertical direction, from a top of its feedlips, as compared to the prior-art magazine. In some aspects, positioning the mag stop 1335-b lower on the magazine 1314 may also allow the magazine 1314 to be inserted higher up within the magazine well of the firearm, as compared to a typical magazine. Accordingly, and as illustrated, the topmost cartridge 1316 may also be positioned higher up in the firearm, which may allow for a greater degree of overlap between the bolt 1312 and the topmost cartridge 1316.
As previously described, the magazine 1314 according to the present disclosure may also comprise asymmetrical feedlips (e.g., feedlips 114-a and 114-b in
As shown, a centerline 1406 of the narrow lower end of the magazine assembly 1404 may not coincide with a centerline 1408 of the bolt 1402. In some cases, the centerline 1406 of the narrow lower end may or may not coincide with a centerline of the topmost cartridge (not shown) on the follower. In some cases, the centerline 1408 of the bolt may also be off-set or misaligned with respect to the centerline of the topmost cartridge. Further, the centerline 1408 of the bolt may or may not coincide with the upper bulged portion of the magazine assembly 1404. Additionally or alternatively, the centerline of the upper bulged portion may be misaligned with respect to the centerline 1406 of the narrow lower portion. In yet other cases, the centerline of the upper bulged portion and the narrow lower portion (i.e., a centerline of the magazine assembly 1404) may coincide with a centerline of the topmost cartridge, where this common centerline (e.g., centerline 1406) may be off-set from the centerline 1408 of the bolt 1402. In some aspects, the various configurations discussed in relation to
At 1502, the method 1500 may comprise forming an asymmetrical elongated housing with a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one sidewall. In some examples, the method 1500 may optionally comprise forming at least one tapered section between the proximal and distal end.
At 1504, the method 1500 may comprise affixing a first plate, such as a floor plate, at the proximal end. Further, at 1506, the method may comprise positioning a follower in the asymmetrical elongated housing. In some embodiments, the follower may be configured to support a plurality of cartridges.
At 1508, the method 1500 may comprise positioning a spring between the follower and the first plate, wherein the spring is configured to move or slide the follower within the housing based on a compression or decompression of the spring.
At 1510, the method 1500 may comprise forming feedlips at the distal end of the elongated housing, wherein the feed lips are adapted to hold a topmost cartridge of a plurality of cartridges within the firearm magazine until the topmost cartridge is fed into a chamber of the firearm upon action of the bolt or the slide of the firearm, and wherein one or more of the feedlips, the elongated housing, and the tapered section are shaped to force the topmost cartridge to be off-center from the bolt of the firearm so as to increase an engagement or overlap between the bolt and the topmost cartridge prior to feeding. In some cases, the topmost cartridge may be in a single stack configuration, although different cartridge configurations are contemplated in other embodiments.
As used herein, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” is intended to mean “either A, B, C or any combination of A, B and C.” The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms and expressions of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. Each of the various elements disclosed herein may be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled.
As but one example, it should be understood that all action may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, by way of example only, the disclosure of a “protrusion” should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of “protruding”—whether explicitly discussed or not—and, conversely, were there only disclosure of the act of “protruding”, such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a “protrusion”. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
The present Application for Patent claims priority to Provisional Application No. 62/916,910 entitled “AMMUNITION MAGAZINE WITH ASYMMETRIC FEEDING” filed Oct. 18, 2019, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2020/056243 | 10/19/2020 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62916910 | Oct 2019 | US |
