COMPACT STOCK FOR AR-STYLE FIREARMS

Abstract

A compact stock for an AR-style firearm includes a receiver extension configured to attach to a lower receiver of the firearm, a buffer assembly receivable in the receiver extension, a buffer biasing member receivable in the receiver extension, and a buffer locking mechanism. The buffer assembly is configured to reciprocate between a retracted position wherein the buffer assembly is contained within the receiver extension and an extended position wherein the buffer assembly is in-battery within an upper receiver of the firearm. The buffer biasing member is configured to bias the buffer assembly toward the extended position. The buffer locking mechanism is configured to selectably retain the buffer assembly and the buffer biasing member within the receiver extension when the buffer assembly is in the retracted position such that the upper receiver is rotatable relative to the lower receiver about a forward take down pin of the firearm unimpeded by the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member.

Description

Claims

1. A compact stock for an AR-style firearm, comprising: a receiver extension configured to attach to a lower receiver of the firearm;a buffer assembly received in the receiver extension and configured to reciprocate between a retracted position wherein the buffer assembly is contained within the receiver extension and an extended position wherein the buffer assembly is in-battery within an upper receiver of the firearm;a buffer biasing member received in the receiver extension, the buffer biasing member configured to bias the buffer assembly toward the extended position; anda buffer locking mechanism configured to selectably retain the buffer assembly and the buffer biasing member within the receiver extension when the buffer assembly is in the retracted position such that the upper receiver is rotatable relative to the lower receiver about a forward take down pin of the firearm unimpeded by the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member.

2. The compact stock of claim 1, wherein: the receiver extension comprises at least one through hole defined therein; andthe buffer locking mechanism comprises a locking pin configured to be received in the at least one through hole while the buffer assembly is in the retracted position whereby the locking pin engages the buffer assembly to retain the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member within the receiver extension.

3. The compact stock of claim 1, wherein: the receiver extension comprises at least one through hole defined therein;the buffer assembly comprises a buffer body and a buffer rod, the buffer rod attached to and extending longitudinally through the buffer body; andthe buffer locking mechanism comprises a locking pin configured to be removably received in the at least one through hole while the buffer assembly is in the retracted position whereby the locking pin engages the buffer rod to retain the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member within the receiver extension.

4. The compact stock of claim 3, wherein: the receiver extension includes an indicator hole extending axially through the rear portion thereof;the buffer rod includes a rod head; andthe rod head extends at least partially through the indicator hole to provide a visual indicator that the buffer assembly is in the retracted position when the locking pin is engaged with the buffer rod to retain the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member within the receiver extension.

5. The compact stock of claim 3, wherein: the at least one through hole is defined through a rear portion of the receiver extension;the buffer rod extends rearwardly from the buffer body toward the rear portion of the receiver extension and defines an annular groove spaced rearwardly along the buffer rod from the buffer body; andthe locking pin engages the annular groove to retain the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member within the receiver extension when the buffer assembly is in the retracted position and the locking pin is received in the at least one through hole.

6. The compact stock of claim 5, wherein: the receiver extension defines a longitudinal axis; andthe at least one through hole is transverse to and off-center from the longitudinal axis.

7. The compact stock of claim 5, wherein: the buffer rod is configured to be releasably attached to the buffer body;the buffer rod comprises a timing pin aperture defined therethrough;the timing pin aperture is spaced forwardly along the buffer rod from the annular groove;the buffer body comprises a pair of spaced, coaxial buffer timing pin holes defined therethrough;the timing pin aperture aligns with the buffer timing pin holes to form a timing pin passage when the buffer rod is threadingly engaged with the buffer; andthe buffer assembly further comprises a timing pin receivable in the timing pin passage to secure the buffer rod to the buffer body.

8. The compact stock of claim 7, wherein: a forward end of the buffer body defines a threaded hole with which a forward end of the buffer rod is threadingly engageable; andthreading the buffer rod into the threaded hole translates the annular groove forward along a longitudinal axis of the receiver extension relative to the through hole of the receiver extension, and threading the buffer rod out of the threaded hole translates the annular groove rearward relative to the through hole.

9. The compact stock of claim 1, wherein: the receiver extension comprises a through hole defined therein;the buffer assembly comprises a buffer body having an annular protrusion; andthe buffer locking mechanism comprises a locking pin configured to extend through the through hole while the buffer assembly is in the retracted position and engage the annular protrusion to retain the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member within the receiver extension.

10. The compact stock of claim 9, wherein: the annular protrusion has a forward surface in which is defined a recess; andthe locking pin includes a conical head configured to matingly engage the recess to retain the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member within the receiver extension.

11. The compact stock of claim 10, wherein: the receiver extension comprises a depression on an interior surface thereof in which the head of the locking pin is receivable;the compact stock further comprises a pin biasing member configured to bias the head of the locking pin into the depression; andthe locking pin does not impede forward movement of the buffer assembly when the head is received in the depression.

12. The compact stock of claim 11, wherein: the compact stock further comprises a housing configured to be attached to the lower receiver of the firearm;the head of the locking pin has a diameter larger than a diameter of the through hole in the receiver extension;the locking pin extends through the receiver extension and the housing;the locking pin comprises a flange spaced from the head; andthe pin biasing member is a spring on the locking pin between the flange and the housing such that the spring biases the head of the locking pin into depression.

13. The compact stock of claim 11, further comprising: a housing configured to be attached to the lower receiver of the firearm by the receiver extension such that the receiver extension extends through the housing;a lever pivotably attached to the housing adjacent the locking pin; anda lever biasing member configured to bias the lever away from the housing and the locking pin;wherein the lever, when depressed, is configured to contact the locking pin and push the head thereof out of the depression in the receiver extension such that forward movement of the buffer assembly from the retracted position is impeded by the head of the locking pin.

14. A compact stock for an AR-style firearm, comprising: a housing configured to be engaged with a lower receiver of the firearm, the housing comprising a longitudinal through hole defining a first mating surface; anda receiver extension configured to be received through the through hole of the housing and to threadingly engage the lower receiver, the receiver extension comprising an annular protrusion defining a second mating surface;wherein the second mating surface matingly engages the first mating surface to axially secure the housing to the lower receiver when the receiver extension is received in the through hole of the housing and threadingly engaged with the lower receiver.

15. The compact stock of claim 14, wherein: the longitudinal through hole comprises an angled side wall; andat least a portion of the angled side wall defines the first mating surface.

16. The compact stock of claim 15, wherein: the annular protrusion forms a conical frustum having a flat front face, an angled side wall, and a flat rear face; andat least a portion of the angled side wall of the conical frustum defines the second mating surface.

17. The compact stock of claim 14, wherein: the first mating surface is annular;the first and second mating surfaces are tapered; andthe taper of the first mating surface substantially matches the taper of the second mating surface.

18. A compact stock for an AR-style firearm, comprising: a housing configured to be secured to a lower receiver of the firearm;a butt member defining a pair of rod bores therein;a pair of rod biasing members disposed within the pair of rod bores;a pair of rods extending from the housing into the pair of rod bores and against the pair of rod biasing members; anda pair of fasteners configured to connect the pair of rods to the butt member and retain the pair of rods in the pair of rod bores;wherein the pair of rod biasing members are configured to oppose rearward movement of the rods during discharge of the firearm and thereby damp the recoil of the firearm.

19. The compact stock of claim 18, wherein: the butt member includes a pair of interior walls which partially obstruct the pair of rod bores; andthe pair of rod biasing members are disposed in the rod bores against the pair of interior walls and act against the interior wall and an end of each rod to oppose compression caused by rearward movement of the rods during discharge of the firearm.

20. The compact stock of claim 19, wherein: each rod of the pair of rods includes a threaded bore defined in a rear end thereof;each interior wall of the pair of interior walls includes an access hole defined therethrough; andeach fastener is a threaded fastener configured to extend through the access hole of the respective interior wall and into the threaded bore of the respective rod to threadingly engage the rod and thereby retain the rod in the respective rod bore of the butt member.