Shoulder Stock And Receiver Combination For Firearms

Abstract

A receiver for a firearm includes broad area recoil surfaces at the rear thereof, and a shoulder stock having a pair of large area recoil shoulders is attached to the receiver so that the recoil shoulders abut against the recoil surfaces of the receiver. Substantially all of the mass of the firearm other than the shoulder stock is disposed forward of the receiver recoil surfaces, so that recoil is reduced. The shoulder stock is readily detachable, whereby easy access can be had to the trigger mechanism.

Description

This invention relates to firearms and more particularly a shoulder stock and receiver combination for firearms.

Most large caliber rifles utilize a one piece shoulder stock and forearm combination, commonly referred to as a one piece stock, in which the receiver is bedded into an opening in the stock. The opening extends completely through from top to bottom so that the trigger mechanism, attached to the receiver, extends from the bottom of the stock. For accuracy, the barrel is supported solely from the receiver, so that a "floating barrel" arrangement is effected. The receiver is attached to the stock, with the majority of the recoil being absorbed by the stock adjacent the front of the receiver. Usually, the walls of the stock at the area of recoil are narrow or thin, which often results in splitting of the stock for higher calibers.

Because the recoil is absorbed by the stock adjacent the front of the receiver, the mass of the receiver, bolt and trigger mechanism is not interposed between the cartridge and the shoulder stock for purposes of recoil. Thus the operator absorbs a greater recoil then if this mass were interposed between the cartridge and the shoulder stock.

Some rifles do utilize the arrangement of a separate shoulder stock and forearm, so that the mass of the receiver and bolt are interposed within the cartridge and the shoulder stock. Such arrangements can be found in most lever action rifles and some automatic rifles. However, these arrangements do not eliminate stock splitting, since the impact or recoil is absorbed on small areas of the stock where it is attached to the receiver.

For rifles that are manufactured for relatively high accuracy and which employ one piece stocks, the receiver must be hand fitted into the stock so that the barrel is not placed under torque or stress when the receiver is secured in the stock. This, of course, represents an expensive part of the manufacturing process because of the labor required. No such hand fitting is required for two piece stock and forearm arrangements, and thus from this standpoint, it is desirable to utilize the two piece shoulder stock and forearm combination.

The present invention provides a two piece shoulder stock and forearm combination used in conjunction with a firearm in which ready access to the trigger mechanism is had when the shoulder stock is removed from the receiver. In the preferred embodiment, the shoulder stock is clamped to the receiver by a single screw for ready removal and attachment. The receiver includes large area recoil surfaces, and correspondingly, the shoulder stock incorporates a pair of broad area recoil shoulders that abut against the recoil surfaces of the receiver for absorbing the recoil. Because of the broad areas provided, shoulder stock splitting for higher calibers is eliminated. The broad area recoil surfaces of the receiver are disposed forward of the trigger mechanism, so that the trigger mechanism fits within a slot in the shoulder stock. Thus removal of the shoulder stock exposes the trigger mechanism for adjustment. The single screw holding the stock to the receiver passes through the stock itself but does not bear against it, so that all of the recoil is absorbed at the recoil shoulders of the stock. The forearm piece simply attaches to the barrel by a single screw for purposes of a handle, but in no way exerts a stress on the barrel. The ready removal of the shoulder stock also permits the advantage of interchangeability of stocks.

Many other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the attached drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bolt action rifle employing the shoulder stock and receiver combination of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, side elevational view of the bolt action rifle of FIG. 1, showing the shoulder stock, forearm and trigger guard and floor piece detached from the receiver barrel, respectively;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, front perspective view of the shoulder stock of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the receiver with the shoulder stock removed;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the shoulder stock;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, bottom view of the front portion of the shoulder stock; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, exploded view showing the receiver and trigger mechanism detached from the shoulder stock.

A side elevational view of a bolt action rifle that employs the shoulder stock and receiver combination of the invention is shown in FIG. 1, and in the exploded view of FIG. 2. The receiver 10 includes a port 11 through which cartridges are loaded and unloaded, and a front portion 12 into which a barrel 16 is threadedly secured. The receiver includes a body portion 14 within which a magazine is contained. A trigger guard and floor piece member 18 is attached to the receiver through a single screw 17, and includes a rearwardly extending tang 46 that constitutes part of a clamp for the shoulder stock described later. The receiver accommodates a bolt 20 for rotational and sliding movement within a channel thereof, wherein the bolt is operated with a bolt handle 21 by raising the bolt handle and withdrawing the bolt rearward. A cocking piece sleeve 22 covers a cocking piece (not shown), the latter of which is carried by the bolt. A shoulder stock 30 is secured to the receiver at the rear 32 thereof. A forearm piece 34 is secured to the barrel and functions as a handle for holding the firearm.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, it will be seen that both the shoulder stock and forearm piece can be readily detached from the receiver and barrel, respectively. The shoulder stock includes a pair of spaced apart recoil shoulders 40 and 41 on either side of a slot 60 formed in the front of the shoulder stock and which opens in the top and bottom thereof. Shoulders 40 and 41 project forwardly of surfaces 32 and 33, respectively, wherein these latter surfaces generally coincide with the rear edge of the outside wall of the receiver. A hole 64 is provided in the shoulder stock rearward of slot 60, so that the shoulder stock can be clamped to the receiver with a bolt or screw. The receiver includes a rearwardly projecting tang 44 that also acts as a channel within which the cocking piece of the action rides. The firearm includes a trigger mechanism 42 that is secured to the receiver in any suitable manner, and a trigger guard attached to the receiver that has a rearwardly projecting tang 46 spaced below the rearward projection 44 of the receiver.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 7, showing the receiver from the rear thereof with the shoulder stock removed, it will be seen that the receiver has opposite outside walls 68 and 69 that are relatively thin. The rearward edge of these walls coincide with the front surfaces 32 and 33, respectively, of the shoulder stock. Recessed forwardly of the rear edges of receiver walls 68 and 69 are broad area steel recoil surfaces 70 and 71, respectively, which extend from the inner surface of the outer wall to the outside surfaces of the trigger mechanism, and virtually the entire height of the receiver. These surfaces are of approximately the same shapes and areas as recoil shoulders 40 and 41, respectively, of the shoulder stock.

The shoulder stock is fitted against the rear of the receiver so that the trigger mechanism 42 fits within slot 60 and shoulders 40 and 41 abut against recoil surfaces 70 and 71, respectively, of the receiver. Both tangs 44 and 46 have holes in the rear thereof that coincide with hole 64 in the shoulder stock (seen in FIG. 7), so that a single screw 48 can be inserted through the holes to secure the shoulder stock to the receiver. The hole in tang 44 is threaded to receive the threaded end of screw 48.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, it will be seen that the shoulder stock includes flat, recessed surfaces 76 and 77 at the bottom and top thereof, respectively, immediately behind slot 60, with hole 64 being provided in the stock through these flat surfaces. Rearward extension 44 of the receiver includes a hole 75 therein, and fits against flat surface 77 with holes 75 and 64 coinciding. Similarly, rearward extension 46 of the trigger guard fits against flat surface 76 so that holes 74 and 64 coincide. The hole 64 through the shoulder stock is considerably larger than holes 74 and 75 and the body of screw 48, so that screw 48 does not bear against the stock. The tangs 44 and 46 merely serve as a clamp to secure the shoulder stock to the receiver, with all of the recoil being exerted by surfaces 70 and 71 against shoulders 40 and 41, and none by screw 48 against the stock. It will be pointed out that the trigger guard piece 18 and tang 46 can be an integral part of the receiver without affecting the inventive concept.

It will be apparent that the shoulder stock may readily be detached by removing the single screw 48, which also exposes the trigger mechanism for adjustment purposes. This, of course, is made possible by the location of the recoil surfaces forward of the trigger mechanism, but rearward of the bulk of the receiver.

The barrel is provided with an internally threaded projection 50 intermediate its ends for securing the forearm piece 34 thereto. The forearm is provided with a hole therethrough for receiving a single screw 52 for securing the forearm piece to the barrel.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, certain modifications and substitutions that do not depart from the true scope thereof will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A firearm comprising:

a. a receiver having first and second, laterally spaced apart recoil surfaces, and first and second, vertically spaced apart tangs extending rearwardly of said recoil surfaces.

b. a stock having first and second, laterally spaced apart recoil shoulders for abutting said first and said second surfaces,

c. means clamping said stock between said first and said second tangs, and

d. a trigger mechanism attached to said receiver extending rearward of said first and said second recoil surfaces,

e. said stock defining a slot rearward of said first and said second recoil surfaces within which said trigger mechanism is accomodated.

2. A firearm comprising:

a. a receiver having first and second, laterally spaced apart recoil surfaces, and first and second, vertically spaced apart tangs extending rearwardly of said surfaces,

b. a stock having first and second, laterally spaced apart recoil shoulders for abutting said first and said second recoil surfaces, and having a portion rearward of said recoil shoulders having a vertical hole therethrough for fitting between said first and said second tangs,

c. said first and said second tangs having first and second holes coinciding with said hole in said stock when said recoil shoulders are abutting said recoil surfaces, and

d. screw means having a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the hole through said stock extending through said holes in said stock and said first and said second tangs for clamping said stock between said first and said second tangs.