Patent Application
20120222342
The present disclosure relates generally to firearms such as shotguns and rifles and, more particularly, pertains to a hand grip or pistol grip recoil assembly for such firearms.
One age old problem that exists with firearms is the fact that they have a severe reactive kicking force or recoil that affects the person firing the weapon. In firearms, such as shotguns and rifles, it is common practice to replace the gun's stock with a pistol grip that shortens the length of the gun and makes it easier to handle and control. However, when firing weapons with a pistol grip, recoil commonly causes the shooter to involuntarily lift the front of the muzzle of the firearm each time the weapon is fired resulting in pain to the hand of the shooter. Such recoil-induced muzzle lift challenges the shooter to reacquire a target and thereby affects the shooter's performance.
Various known pistol grip assemblies, such as those that employ spring and pistol-type recoil suppression systems therein, have not proven to be particularly cost effective, and do not satisfactorily absorb the felt punch of the recoil as they continue to transfer shock energy to the shooter's hand.
Accordingly, it remains desirable to provide a firearm with a pistol grip recoil assembly which is of a relatively simple, affordable construction that more effectively absorbs the energy wave of recoil regardless of load size, so as to increase the shooter's comfort while reducing muzzle lift. It is also desirable to provide a lightweight, rugged and functional pistol grip recoil assembly that enables a shooter to have confidence and tactical advantage without fatigue and pain.
The present disclosure relates to a pistol grip recoil assembly including a grip body constructed of rigid material, formed with finger rest structure and adapted to be connected to a device operated to produce a recoil force. A grip insert is received in the grip body and has a resilient, deformable backstrap constructed of an elastomeric, shock absorbing and cushioning material adapted to be engaged by a palm of a user's hand for minimizing the recoil force caused by operation of the device.
The grip body has a curved outer surface formed with the finger rest structure, and a recessed inner surface defining a slide track for removably mounting the grip insert therein. The grip body includes a connector adapted to connect the grip body to the device producing the recoil force. The backstrap includes an elastomeric spine that is attached to a rigid reinforcing member. The rigid reinforcing member has side edges that are matingly received in the slide track of the grip body.
The present disclosure further relates to a pistol grip recoil assembly for a firearm including a rigid grip body formed with finger rest structure thereon and connected to a firearm. A substantially elastomeric, resilient and deformable grip insert is received in the grip body forming a shock absorbing, cushioning backstrap engageable with the palm of a user's hand for minimizing recoil caused by discharge of the firearm. The grip body and grip insert are slidably engaged together by means of a dovetail arrangement and secured together thereafter by means of a fastening structure.
The grip body includes a curved forward facing outer surface provided with multiple spaced apart ribs that form the finger rest structure therebetween. The grip body has a top end provided with a connector enabling attachment of the grip body to the firearm. The grip body has a pair of spaced apart rear walls that are connected together by a bridge portion, and merge smoothly into a bottom end of the grip body. The grip body also includes a recessed inner surface formed with a pair of opposed longitudinally extending and inwardly projecting cylindrical tubes provided with holes on bottom ends thereof. The inner surface further includes a pair of opposed longitudinally extending notches that define a slide track for receiving the grip insert. Each notch includes a forward segment, a side segment, a rear segment and an angled segment connecting the forward and side segments.
The backstrap includes an elastomeric spine that is attached to a rigid reinforcing member preferably constructed of a hard plastic material. The reinforcing member has opposed side edges, each of which includes a forward wall segment, a side wall segment, a rear wall segment and an angled wall segment connecting the forward wall segment and the side wall segment. The reinforcing member of the grip insert and the notches of the grip body have cooperating engagement surfaces which define the dovetail arrangement. The backstrap has a curved outer surface formed with a grip enhancing structure. The backstrap includes a base formed with apertures that are alignable with the holes of the cylindrical tubes. The apertures and holes are configured to receive the fastening structure for securing the grip body and the grip insert together. The grip insert is removable from the grip body while the grip body is connected to the firearm.
The present disclosure further contemplates a method of assembling a pistol grip comprising the steps of a) providing a rigid grip body formed with finger rest structure thereon; b) providing a substantially elastomeric, resilient, deformable grip insert having a shock absorbing, cushioning backstrap adapted to be engaged with the palm of a user's hand; c) slidably engaging the grip body and the grip insert together by means of a dovetail arrangement; and d) securing the grip body and grip insert together using a fastener structure once the grip body and the grip insert are in slidable engagement with each other.
The step of providing the grip body includes molding the grip body with slide track structure. The step of providing the grip insert includes the step of molding the backstrap with a spine and a rigid reinforcing member that is engageable in the slide track structure.
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the disclosure. In the drawings:
Referring now to the drawings,
The pistol grip recoil assembly 10 embodying the present invention is comprised substantially of two major pieces, namely a main grip body 28 and a grip insert 30 which is slidably received and retained within the grip body 28. The pistol grip assembly 10 is designed to enable a user or shooter to better hold and aim the firearm 16, to reduce recoil and to otherwise improve the comfort with which the firearm 16 is held and fired.
As seen in
A top end 38 of the grip body 28 is integrally formed with an upwardly extending connector 40 which is configured to be received and retained within the mounting device 12 at the rear of the firearm receiver 14. The connector 40 is molded with a pair of cylindrical chambers 42 that communicate with a pair of recesses 44, 46 (
The grip body 28 further includes a recessed inner surface 56 which is specially configured to slidably receive the grip insert 30. As variously depicted in
As best seen in
The elastomeric backstrap 78 includes a curved rearwardly facing, compressible outer wall 96 which is integrally formed with a forwardly extending deformable base 98 and a forwardly extending resilient, elastomeric spine 100 that extends centrally from a front surface 101 (
To form the pistol grip recoil assembly 10, the side edges of the reinforcing member 76 of grip insert 30 are aligned with the notches 66 at the bottom end 54 of grip body 28 as depicted in
The deformable outer wall 96 assures an effective relatively high friction but cushioned contact of the shooter's hand with the grip. When the firearm 16 is discharged, the recoiling force supplied rearwardly through the receiver 14 causes compression of the deformable spine 100 and the outer wall 96 to absorb a majority of the shock energy and prevent its transmission to the shooter's hand. The result is a substantial reduction in any discomfort or pain which might otherwise be caused by the recoiling force. The effective absorption of the recoil force minimizes the muzzle lift of the firearm 16 so that the shooter's target can quickly be reacquired. The pistol grip assembly 10 of the present disclosure has been found to be a simplified, cost effective construction when compared to other known pistol grip recoil designs, and operates consistently not being effected by chemicals, varying load size or extreme temperatures.
While the present disclosure describes the exemplary pistol grip recoil assembly 10 as being used with a firearm, it should be fully appreciated that a hand grip recoil assembly having the same construction as the pistol grip recoil assembly 10 could also be used on other devices producing recoil forces, such as a high impact tool.
Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.
