OFFSET CENTERLINE BARREL FOR A FIREARM SIMULATOR

Abstract

A barrel apparatus for non-permanent conversion of a firearm into a compressed gas powered firearm simulator for simulated shooting. The conversion barrel including a substantially tubular and sealingly contained compressed gas reservoir having a longitudinal centerline; a fill port for recharging the compressed gas reservoir; a striker having a longitudinal axis and adapted for longitudinal movement; a metering valve in the compressed gas reservoir actuated by the longitudinal movement of said striker. The longitudinal axis of the striker may be offset from the longitudinal centerline of the tubular compressed gas reservoir.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to firearm simulators wherein an actual firearm is converted to a compressed gas powered apparatus which simulates the live firing action of the actual firearm and more particularly to an apparatus which simulates the live firing of a handgun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In 1911 John Browning obtained a patent on a firearm which later became the standard issue sidearm for the US army for over half of the century. U.S. Pat. No. 984,519 is incorporated fully herein by reference. This handgun was adopted by the U.S. military in 1911 as the M 1911 and later modified as the M 1911A1. These weapons, including variants and copies, were produced in the millions, and the basic design remains popular and has been come to be known as a 1911 style handgun.

Training is important with any tool, and especially with firearms. Firearms have been converted into firearm simulators by replacement of parts of the firearm with simulator parts for simulated shooting such that the resultant firearm comprises a combination of actual firearm components and simulated firearm components. The simulated firearm components have included a simulated barrel unit and a simulated magazine unit. U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,602,784 and 9,297,607, each incorporated fully herein by reference, relate to apparatuses which make it possible to train with a firearm using compressed gas, instead of using live ammunition, and including making it possible to convert many firearms, including the 1911 type firearms.

The compressed gas is used to provide energy to operate the weapon simulator by actuating valve means in the simulated barrel unit. The compressed gas is conducted from the compressed gas container, or the external compressed gas source to the simulated barrel unit.

When actuated, the valve means forces movement of a slide and compression of a recoil spring and subsequent venting. The resulting recoil simulates the feel of actual weapon firing. A laser producing a laser beam pulse may be responsive to the simulated weapon firing whereby the laser emits a laser beam pulse onto a target.

The presently known simulated barrel for a 1911 style firearm is, however, limited by certain constraints. It does not lock the slide with the barrel. In addition, it does not use the locking lugs of the original firearm. It works as a straight blow back. This requires that the top of the conversion barrel must fit the inner geometry of the existing firearm. It cannot be any taller than the inner top of the slide. At the same time, the firing pin of the existing firearm has to hit on center of the conversion striker. The conversion striker, piston, and tubular portion are on the same centerline. As a result, this is effectively the largest radius of a conversion barrel that can fit.

It is desirable to make the gas reservoir in the conversion barrel as large as possible to maximize the number of cycles available from a single charge. In certain models of the Browning 1911 design, the opening for the barrel bushing in the slide may be bored out all the way back to the breech face. This space is frequently used by after-market barrel vendors to fit in a “bull barrel” which has a diameter just under 0.700″. No one has yet fitted, and a need, therefore exists for, a gas reservoir conversion for a bull barrel because the conversion striker, piston, and tubular portion of the conversion barrel would not be on the same centerline as the firing pin of the handgun.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention of the present disclosure includes a barrel apparatus for non-permanent conversion of a firearm into a compressed gas-powered firearm simulator for simulated shooting. The barrel includes in a preferred embodiment a substantially tubular and sealingly contained compressed gas reservoir having a longitudinal centerline; a fill port for recharging the compressed gas reservoir; a striker; a metering valve in the compressed gas reservoir adapted for actuation by the striker to release an amount of gas sufficient to simulate firing of the firearm; and wherein the striker is offset from the longitudinal centerline of the tubular compressed gas reservoir.

The striker may have a longitudinal axis and be adapted for longitudinal movement. The metering valve in the compressed gas reservoir may be actuated by the longitudinal movement of the striker.

The foregoing has outlined in broad terms the more important features of the invention disclosed herein so that the detailed description that follows may be more clearly understood, and so that the contribution of the instant inventors to the art may be better appreciated. The instant invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Rather the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various other ways not specifically enumerated herein. Additionally, the disclosure that follows is intended to apply to all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Further, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting, unless the specification specifically so limits the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a bull barrel shown in a 1911 style handgun in phantom.

FIG. 1A is a side view of a bull barrel for a 1911 style handgun shown with the barrel locked and in the tilted up position such that the weapon firing pin is on-center with the chamber and longitudinal axis of the barrel.

FIG. 1B is the side view of FIG. 1A shown with the barrel unlocked and in the down position such that the weapon firing pin in above the centerline of the chamber and longitudinal axis of the barrel such as when the weapon slide of FIG. 1 is retracted or during recoil upon firing.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of a prior art centerline pneumatic conversion barrel shown in the 1911 style handgun of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a cut-away, partially exploded side view of an embodiment of the conversion barrel of the present disclosure showing that the longitudinal axis of the striker is offset from the longitudinal axis of the tubular reservoir and also depicting a fill valve threaded into the simulated bull barrel.

FIG. 3B is a cut away side view of an embodiment of the conversion barrel of the present disclosure showing that the longitudinal axis of the striker is offset from the longitudinal axis of the tubular reservoir and also depicting a fill valve unitary with the bull barrel and a laser adapted for positioning over the fill valve.

FIG. 3C depicts the offset centerline pneumatic conversion barrel of the present disclosure including a front fill value adapted to receive a laser for targe acquisition and shot placement wherein the pneumatic conversion barrel is depicted as installed in a firearm in phantom.

FIG. 4 depicts the offset centerline pneumatic conversion barrel of the present disclosure including a top fill valve shown with the slide in the recoil position.

FIG. 5A depicts an alternate embodiment offset centerline pneumatic conversion bull barrel of the present disclosure depicted as a single, one-piece barrel design.

FIG. 5B depicts an alternate embodiment offset centerline pneumatic conversion bull barrel of the present disclosure depicted as a two-piece barrel design.

FIG. 5C depicts one alternate embodiment offset centerline pneumatic conversion bull barrel of the present disclosure depicted as a three-piece barrel design.

FIG. 6 depicts a side exploded view of the offset centerline pneumatic conversion barrel of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6A depicts the eccentric segment of FIG. 6 from an end view showing its eccentric geometry that allows the centerline of the striker to be offset from the centerline of the gas reservoir.

FIG. 6B depicts a side cut-away view of an alternate embodiment pneumatic conversion bull barrel of the present disclosure shown with a bushing.

FIG. 6C depicts a side cut-away view of an alternate embodiment pneumatic conversion bull barrel of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 depicts an alternate embodiment side view of the offset centerline pneumatic conversion barrel of the present disclosure shown in a 1911 style handgun in phantom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processes and manufacturing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed invention.

The offset centerline pneumatic barrel of the present disclosure may, in a preferred embodiment, be used for conversion of a firearm into a compressed gas powered firearm simulator for simulated shooting. The firearm simulator includes a combination of actual firearm components and simulated firearm components.

By way of example, in a preferred embodiment, and with reference to FIG. 1, the actual firearm may be a 1911 design handgun 100. Handgun 100 includes a frame 110 having a grip portion 112 housing a magazine, a trigger portion 114, a rear sight 116, a front sight 118. Handgun 100 may also include a bull barrel 102, firing pin 103, hammer 106, and, a slide portion 108, all of which are preferably components from the actual firearm.

Firing pin 103 is positioned within slide 108 such that actuation of trigger 114 when firing a shot actuates firing pin 103 so that it is forced laterally within slide 108. In the handgun embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, actuation of trigger 114 causes hammer 106 to impact firing pin 103 forcing firing pin 103 to move laterally within slide 108 producing what shall be referred to herein as a strike impulse. It should be understood, however, that although all handguns have a firing pin which produces a strike impulse, not all handgun designs employ a hammer. Such alternate handgun designs are known in the art.

When firing pin 103 produces the strike impulse in an actual firearm, firing pin 103 typically impacts a cartridge positioned in a firing chamber of the actual firearm barrel. Specifically, the firing pin 103 typically impacts a primer of the cartridge. The strike impulse is transferred to the primer such that the firing pin 103 indents the soft metal primer initiating the charge which ignites the powder in the cartridge which, in turn, causes the bullet to unseat from the cartridge and exit the firearm through the barrel.

Barrel 102 typically includes a plurality of lugs, collectively 104, which mate with cut-outs on the inside of slide 108. When the powder in a live cartridge ignites, it causes a charge with not only unseats the bullet, but also barrel 102 backwards. Barrel 102 includes an extension 120 secured (pinned) to a link. The link is secured to the frame 110. Barrel 102, however is restrained by a pivot mechanism which breaks over a pivot point 122 which drops the rear portion of barrel 102 slightly. This is depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. When the barrel 102 drops, lugs 104 unseat from slide 108 and slide 108 is free to slide backward. This allows the now empty shell to eject and a new cartridge from the magazine to be forced in battery in the chamber for the next shot. Importantly, however, when the barrel is pivoted up and locked, the longitudinal axis of firing pin 103 is on center with the chamber and longitudinal axis of barrel 102. However, when barrel 102 is unlocked and pivoted downward, the longitudinal axis of firing pin 103 is no longer on center with the chamber and longitudinal axis of barrel 102.

With reference to FIG. 2, firearm barrel 102 of the actual firearm is replaced by a simulated barrel unit 202. With respect to handgun simulator 200 of FIG. 2, as stated above, the actual handgun barrel is removed and replaced with simulated barrel unit 204. Instead of striking a primer, in the handgun simulator 100, firing pin 103 impacts composite striker 212 upon a strike impulse in the manner discussed. The strike impulse is then transferred through composite striker 212 in order to displace a valve to initiate pneumatic recoil and thereby simulating actual handgun recoil. The simulated barrel does not include a pivot mechanism or lugs. As a result, the simulated barrel is fixed and does not tip down.

The simulated barrel unit 202, FIG. 2, includes a reservoir or chamber 204 for sealingly storing a compressed gas such as CO2. One end of chamber 204 includes a fill port 210 which may be of the male or female type and a check valve 212.

Simulated barrel unit 202 is, however, limited by certain constraints. This design does not lock the slide with the barrel. It does not use the locking lugs of the original firearm. It works as a straight blow back. More significantly, the top of conversion barrel 202 has to fit the inner geometry of the existing firearm. It cannot be any taller than the inner top of the slide 108. At the same time, firing pin 103 of the firearm 100 has to hit in center of striker. Here the usable space from the top of barrel 202 to the striker centerline is about 0.289″. This is effectively the largest radius of a conversion barrel that can fit. The striker, piston, and tubular portion are significantly on the same centerline and therefore the largest diameter of a conversion barrel has to be 2×0.289=0.578″ or rather closer to 0.575″ to assure a clearance fit for slide 108 moving freely and prevent binding while accounting for variation.

It is desirable to make the gas reservoir (simulated barrel unit) which simulates and replaces the barrel as large as possible to maximize the number of cycles available from a single charge. In the Browning 1911 design the opening for the barrel bushing in the slide is bored out. 700″ diameter all the way back to the breech face. This space is frequently used by after-market barrel vendors to fit in a bull barrel which has a diameter just under 0.700″.

The simulated barrel unit 302 installed in handgun 100, FIGS. 3C and 3A, includes a tubular reservoir or chamber 304 for sealingly storing a compressed gas such as CO2. This compressed gas reservoir is preferably sized to simulate and replace a bull barrel of a handgun. One end 306 of tubular reservoir 304 includes an integral fill port 310 which may be of the male or female type and a check valve 312 to prevent pressurized gas from escaping fill port 310. The end 306 may be threaded, a twist-lock, a quick-lock a bayonet type of latching mechanism to receive a fill port 310 as an alternative to being integral as depicted in FIGS. 3C and 3B.

First end 306 may also receive a laser unit 314, FIG. 3C. The laser unit 314 is sight adjustable in a known manner via an adjustment screw and is removable from first end 306 to provide access to fill port 310. First end 306 may also optionally receive an auxiliary air reservoir, thus further extending gas volume and capacity. This optional reservoir may include an integrated laser and fill port as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,297,607 (incorporated fully herein by reference).

The simulated firing of handgun 100 shall next be described. The simulated barrel unit 302 includes a housing 303 which contains a chamber 320 and the reservoir 304. Fill port 310 is positioned at end 306 of housing 303 and chamber 304 is at an opposite second end 308 of housing 303. Reservoir 304 includes an inlet 326 in fill port 310 at end 306 and an outlet 328 fluidly connecting reservoir 304 with chamber 320. A piston 322 includes composite striker 324 movably retained in piston 322.

Fill port 310 is provided with a one-way check valve, which may be a tappet, a ball valve 316, or other shaped valve member, which is resiliently urged by spring 328 to seat and seal inlet 326. Alternatively, spring 328 may be omitted as pressure in the compressed gas reservoir is usually enough to reliably function check valve 316. A second or metering valve 318 is provided which may also be a tappet valve or a ball or other suitable shape, which is resiliently urged by spring 330 to seat and seal outlet 328. Actuation of trigger 114 urges firing pin 103 into engagement with composite striker 324. The strike impulse transfers such that composite striker 324 is moved sufficiently to unseat valve 318 and admit compressed gas from reservoir 304 into chamber 320.

As a result, slide 108 and piston 322 are urged rearwardly along with composite striker 324. Shoulder 332 of piston 322 stops further rearward movement of piston 322 due to engagement with chamber 320. The slide 108 continues in further rearward motion until venting occurs followed by forward motion of the slide 108 due to a recoil spring 334. During the recoil cycle, when piston 322 stops moving aft, composite striker 324 telescopes out of piston 322 and moves the slide 108 rearward, thus harnessing energy of the compressed gas to do useful work.

When composite striker 324 passes across exhaust vent 336, pressure escapes with an audible puff. In several applications shown herein, metering is achieved by predetermined stiffness of a spring (or other resilient member) and predetermined movement of the valve tappet (ball or other shape). A valve housing sets compression of the valve spring and limits movement of the valve tappet. This determines the time duration of the valve to stay open, which meters the amount of gas injected into an associated recoil chamber, which produces the desired amount of recoil.

The rear portion of the training barrel 302 houses the actuator consisting of cylindrical bore/chamber 320, piston 322 and striker 324. The centerline of this actuator is close to the top of the training barrel, around 0.289″ from the top, so the firing pin 103 in the handgun 100 is lined up with striker 324. The tubular front portion of the barrel is however NOT concentric with the rear portion. In other words, the longitudinal axis of tubular reservoir 304 is not concentric with the longitudinal axis 323 of striker 322. Its centerline 325 is offset and sits lower than the longitudinal axis of striker 322. This allows the tubular reservoir 304 to be of a larger diameter, perhaps 0.695″ thus providing a gas reservoir 304 with larger inner volume, while the top of barrel 302 is generally still flush all the way through. FIG. 3 depicts this layout in the firearm with a fill port 310 in front or on the side 311 as depicted FIG. 4.

A barrel bushing is not used in this embodiment as it is not used with bull barrels in this platform. With the barrel bushing absent and not retaining the spring plug, something needs to hold the return spring in the slide. This is accomplished by using a reverse spring plug 360 as depicted in FIG. 3C. Spring plug 360 fits a cavity for such in the host gun 100. Spring plug 360 can further have an upward protrusion 362 which provides bearing surface for the barrel 302, FIG. 3 and FIG. 3C. Made of slippery material, such as bronze, this reduces friction between the slide 108 and the barrel 302 thus increasing the efficiency of the recoil simulating mechanism.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C depict arrangements of the apparatus of the present disclosure where the simulated barrel body/compressed gas pressure vessel is made of one, FIG. 5A, two 5B, or three 5C, main pieces. As shown in FIG. 5A, simulated barrel body 500 is single piece body. In FIG. 5B, simulated barrel body 510 is constructed of two pieces, 512 and 514 wherein the first end 516 of piece 514 is depicted threaded onto piece 512.

In FIG. 5C, simulated barrel body 520 is constructed of three pieces 522, 524, and 526. The first end 530 is threaded onto eccentric segment 524 (the same as element 620 of FIG. 6 discussed below) and eccentric segment 620 is threaded onto block 522 (the same as block 638 of FIG. 6 and discussed below). A fill port 502 (FIG. 5A) is preferably sealingly threaded into second end 504, 518, and 528 of each barrel embodiment 500, 510, and 520, respectively.

FIG. 6 shows an alternate preferred embodiment with an intermediate piece (eccentric segment 620) connecting the tubular and firing block parts of the barrel 602 together. Barrel body 601 consists of three main pieces, tubular member 603, eccentric segment 620, and fill port 608. Note that all (ten or so) components of the embodiment are universal. Only the tubular member 603 is unique in diameter and length. This solution accommodates the variety of handguns with different barrel lengths (3.5″˜5.5″) whether bushing style 630 (including bushing 632) or bushing-less 640 (FIG. 6C). Bushing style embodiment 630 includes a raised shoulder 631 to accommodate for the thickness of bushing 632.

A sleeve 622 (shown both from a cut-away side view and an end view) may be threaded into eccentric segment 620. A tool may be inserted into slots in the end of sleeve 622 such that the tool may be used to secure (thread) sleeve 622 into eccentric segment 620. Sleeve 622 has two primary functions. First, sleeve 622 secures block 638 to the reservoir (barrel). Second, sleeve 622 acts as a cylinder bore for reciprocation of piston 636 to operate in.

Similarly as described above the actuator includes a cylindrical bore/chamber within block 638, piston 636 and striker 634. Striker 634, valve/tappet 628 and spring 626 may be held in a retainer 624 and the whole assembly inserted into sleeve 622. Striker 634 may be a composite striker (U.S. Pat. No. 11,156,425 incorporated fully herein by reference). A laser attachment may also be included (U.S. Pat. No. 10,054,385 incorporated fully herein by reference).

FIG. 6A depicts eccentric segment 620 from an end view showing its eccentric geometry that allows the centerline of striker 634 to be offset from the centerline of gas reservoir/barrel 603.

The standard 1911 platform with barrel bushing and spring plug can also benefit from the above mentioned invention where tubular portion of the simulated barrel is offset from the recoil actuator centerline. Such arrangement is shown in FIG. 7. Conversion kit can further be supplied with a barrel bushing reamed to about 0.620 diameter which provides room for a larger reservoir than the original bushing which has an opening 0.580.

Accessories and attachments to the system may include: laser, extended tank, training magazine either plain or with a counting function, and a fill station.

Advantages of the present invention include an increase in pneumatic reservoir volume:

Original 1911 design barrel diameter: .575″ Inner volume 10.4 ccm.
Bushing-less (Bull Barrel) diameter: .700″ Inner volume 13.9 ccm
33% gain
Bushing type design improved:    .620″ Inner volume 11.5 ccm
10% gain

Larger volume of the gas reservoir is significant because it makes the system run longer on a single charge, thereby providing more shots between refills.

Shots feel stronger and more consistent with a larger vessel powering the recoil actuator.

Larger surface area provides better heat exchange with ambient air and delays excessive cooling during rapid shooting.

It makes it practical to accommodate the shortest barreled and ever popular concealed carry handguns.

It is to be understood that the terms “including”, “comprising”, “consisting” and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying components, features, steps or integers.

If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.

It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to “a” or “an” element, such reference is not be construed that there is only one of that element.

It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included.

Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both may be used to describe embodiments, the invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.

Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected steps or tasks.

The term “method” may refer to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs.

The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a ranger having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. Terms of approximation (e.g., “about”, “substantially”, “approximately”, etc.) should be interpreted according to their ordinary and customary meanings as used in the associated art unless indicated otherwise. Absent a specific definition and absent ordinary and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted to be ±10% of the base value.

When, in this document, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number)”, this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 should be interpreted to mean a range whose lower limit is 25 and whose upper limit is 100. Additionally, it should be noted that where a range is given, every possible subrange or interval within that range is also specifically intended unless the context indicates to the contrary. For example, if the specification indicates a range of 25 to 100 such range is also intended to include subranges such as 26-100, 27-100, etc., 25-99, 25-98, etc., as well as any other possible combination of lower and upper values within the stated range, e.g., 33-47, 60-97, 41-45, 28-96, etc. Note that integer range values have been used in this paragraph for purposes of illustration only and decimal and fractional values (e.g., 46.7-91.3) should also be understood to be intended as possible subrange endpoints unless specifically excluded.

It should be noted that where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where context excludes that possibility), and the method can also include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all of the defined steps (except where context excludes that possibility).

Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While the inventive device has been described and illustrated herein by reference to certain preferred embodiments in relation to the drawings attached thereto, various changes and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made therein by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A barrel apparatus for conversion of a firearm into a compressed gas-powered firearm simulator for simulated firing, the barrel apparatus comprising: a substantially tubular and sealingly contained compressed gas reservoir having a longitudinal centerline;a fill port for recharging said compressed gas reservoir;a striker;said compressed gas reservoir including a metering valve adapted for actuation by said striker to release an amount of gas sufficient to simulate firing of the firearm;said striker being offset from said longitudinal centerline of said tubular compressed gas reservoir.

2. The barrel apparatus of claim 1 including a laser positioned adjacent said fill port.

3. The barrel apparatus of claim 2 wherein said laser is adapted for emitting a beam of light upon firing.

4. A barrel apparatus for non-permanent conversion of a firearm into a compressed gas powered firearm simulator for simulated firing of a shot, comprising: a substantially tubular and sealingly contained compressed gas reservoir having a longitudinal centerline;a fill port in fluid communication with said reservoir for recharging said compressed gas reservoir;a striker having a longitudinal axis and adapted for longitudinal movement;said compressed gas reservoir having a metering valve actuated by said longitudinal movement of said striker;said longitudinal axis of said striker being offset from said longitudinal centerline of said tubular compressed gas reservoir.

5. The barrel apparatus of claim 4 wherein said compressed gas reservoir includes a first end and a second end and said fill port is sealingly secured to said second end of said compressed gas reservoir.

6. The barrel apparatus of claim 5 wherein said fill port is threaded into said second end of said compressed gas reservoir.

7. The barrel apparatus of claim 4 further including an eccentric segment secured to said first end of said compressed gas reservoir.

8. The barrel apparatus of claim 7 wherein said eccentric segment is threaded into said first end of said compressed gas reservoir.

9. The barrel apparatus of claim 4 including a laser positioned adjacent said fill port.

10. The barrel apparatus of claim 9 wherein said laser is adapted for emitting a beam of light upon the firing of the simulated shot.

11. The barrel apparatus of claim 4 wherein the firearm includes a frame, comprising: a block for securing said compressed gas reservoir to the frame.

12. The barrel apparatus of claim 11 including a sleeve having an inner cylindrical surface which fastens said block to said compressed gas reservoir and wherein said inner cylindrical surface serves as a functional bore to receive a reciprocating piston.