Patent Application
20160084604
It is well known in the art of firearms marksmanship to practice by “dry firing.” This is the actuation of the trigger and firing mechanism without the use of live ammunition. When performed with due care, it is a safe means to gain familiarity and “muscle memory” that improves accuracy at low cost. Products known as “snap caps” are sometimes used to simulate the presence of ammunition and thus avoid any damage to the firearm that might occur. These devices have the approximate external shape of live ammunition and thus may be inserted into the chamber before practicing, but inside contain a small plunger and a spring that absorb the shock of the firing pin as a primer might.
However, firearms users do not always exercise due care. Sometimes live ammunition is placed in the chamber rather than a snap cap. As a result, the firearm may be discharged unintentionally, posing a significant risk of injury or death. In addition, there is no easy way for someone to confirm visually that snap caps are inserted rather than live ammunition. Thus, for instance, while and instructor might wish to have students conduct dry fire drills in a classroom rather than on a firing range, doing so tends to encourage the violation of fundamental safety rules because it involves pulling the trigger of a firearm without a proper bullet-absorbing backstop.
Other forms of practice, such as drawing from a holster or drawing from concealment, are also potentially dangerous if attempted without proper attention to the unloading of the firearm.
Special devices which simulate both the external dimensions of firearms, which are useful for practicing drawing from a holster or conducting retention and takeaway drills with a partner, do exist. In addition, some manufacturers produce devices that simulate both the appearance and the operation of particular firearms, but which do not permit ammunition to be inserted, to allow the experience of dry firing in safety. However, the cost of such dummy guns is often prohibitive for the average person. In some cases the dimensional fidelity of dummy guns can be questionable, which can mean that, for instance, drawing a plastic casting of a gun from a holster can be a very different experience than drawing the real thing, and therefore encourage the development of bad habits. Thus such tools are often limited to law enforcement or military agencies with sufficiently large budgets and competent armory staffs to ensure proper operation and training value.
A replacement cylinder for a revolver which is incapable of receiving live cartridges and which may optionally integrate a mechanism for cushioning the firing pin of the revolver.
For the purposes of this application, the term “firing cylinder” shall be used to refer to that part of a functioning revolver that contains chambers intended to receive ammunition for the purpose of firing. This term is used to differentiate the cylinder, as it is usually known in the art, from the “dummy cylinder” that is the subject of this application.
When a user wishes to practice pulling the trigger without actually firing a round, it is common to insert action proving dummies, or “snap caps” 23 into the chambers 22. These devices are intended to simulate the presence of the primer 26 to prevent possible damage to the firing pin. A snap cap 23 has external dimensions that simulate those of a live cartridge 24 to allow it to sit snugly in the chamber 22.
In order to prevent the accidental placement of live ammunition in the chamber 22 and the subsequent discharge of the firearm, it is desirable to replace cylinder 10 with non-firing dummy cylinder 30, as shown in
The internal dimensions of the dummy cylinder 30 are very different from those of cylinder 10. For safety reasons, it is essential that it be impossible to insert cartridges 24 into dummy cylinder 30, and therefore the dummy cylinder 30 must not have chambers 22 large enough to receive live ammunition of the type intended for use in the revolver. It is possible to make dummy cylinder 30 completely solid, with a smooth front end 40 (as shown in
In a most preferred embodiment, best shown in
One mechanism 46 is placed in the dummy cylinder 30 for each of the chambers of cylinder 10. Thus, when dummy cylinder 30 is placed on the revolver, it functions as though a snap cap had been inserted into each chamber 22.
Preferably, the dummy cylinder 30 is has a color that differentiates it from cylinder 10 immediately. A common “safety” color is blaze orange, such as is worn by hunters and highway workers. Such a bright color instantly tells anyone who can see the revolver that it does not contain a firing cylinder 10, and therefore cannot fire. Blue and red are also conventionally used for dummy guns and therefore may be appropriate as well. The dummy cylinder 30 may be constructed of a material that is entirely one color, or may be painted. It is not necessary for the dummy cylinder 30 to be a solid color; a stripe or other pattern may also be used.
The dummy cylinder 30 can be produced from any convenient material. Polymers such as plastic or hard rubber are preferred because they are inexpensive to mold to the correct shape and easy to color. Where durability is a concern, metals may be preferred. Plunger 50 is conventionally constructed of brass, which is soft enough not to damage firing pins but hard enough to withstand repeated impacts. Plug 54 is may be constructed of the same polymer as dummy cylinder 30 so as to be compatible with the same adhesives. It may also be of a different polymer, as may be advantageous when using a clip mechanism to provide sufficient resilience. It could also be formed of metal, such as brass, to increase durability or allow for greater dimensional precision. However, the choice of material for any of these parts is not critical.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62031994 | Aug 2014 | US |
