An improved, projectile launching system that carries the bulk of its weight and ammunition in a mechanical backpack called Turtle. Turtle can be scaled up to carry much larger rounds like torpedoes or artillery shells, for submarines and artillery. The GUN can be scaled up as well.

A sub-mass projectile for a standard, unmodified firearm, comprising a core formed from a malleable core material with at least a portion of the core material being a non-metal material. The core has a lower mass than a standard projectile for the standard, unmodified firearm. An outer surface associated with the core has a diameter that is sized less than an outer diameter of a standard cartridge and larger than an inner diameter of a standard, unmodified barrel bore of the standard, unmodified firearm such that the outer surface associated with the core contacts the inner diameter of the standard, unmodified barrel bore to generate forces in the firearm that approximate operational forces of a standard mass projectile on the standard, unmodified firearm during operation.

A sub-mass projectile for a standard, unmodified firearm, comprising a core formed from a malleable core material with at least a portion of the core material being a non-metal material. The core has a lower mass than a standard projectile for the standard, unmodified firearm. An outer surface associated with the core has a diameter that is sized less than an outer diameter of a standard cartridge and larger than an inner diameter of a standard, unmodified barrel bore of the standard, unmodified firearm such that the outer surface associated with the core contacts the inner diameter of the standard, unmodified barrel bore to generate forces in the firearm that approximate operational forces of a standard mass projectile on the standard, unmodified firearm during operation.

Firearms and barrel assemblies are provided herein that include a barrel assembly having a barrel having a proximal end and a distal end comprising a muzzle. The barrel also includes a chamber defined in the proximal end. The chamber includes a distal end and a proximal end. A bore extends distally from the distal end of the chamber. The bore defines a central axis of the barrel assembly. The barrel assembly also includes a barrel extension extending from the proximal end of the barrel. The barrel extension has a distal end and a proximal end. The barrel extension defines a bolt receiving recess in communication with the chamber. The barrel extension further has a barrel vent channel defined therein in communication with the bolt receiving recess. The barrel vent channel is defined in the barrel extension in a direction that is transverse to the central axis of the barrel assembly.

Firearms and barrel assemblies are provided herein that include a barrel assembly having a barrel having a proximal end and a distal end comprising a muzzle. The barrel also includes a chamber defined in the proximal end. The chamber includes a distal end and a proximal end. A bore extends distally from the distal end of the chamber. The bore defines a central axis of the barrel assembly. The barrel assembly also includes a barrel extension extending from the proximal end of the barrel. The barrel extension has a distal end and a proximal end. The barrel extension defines a bolt receiving recess in communication with the chamber. The barrel extension further has a barrel vent channel defined therein in communication with the bolt receiving recess. The barrel vent channel is defined in the barrel extension in a direction that is transverse to the central axis of the barrel assembly.

A method of feeding rounds of linked, or un-linked, ammunition to a gun includes a motor-driven chain drive which rotates about a track. A rotatable feeder engages the ammunition to feed an ammunition round into a round extractor/retractor. A rotatable round positioner receives an ammunition round from the round extractor/retractor, and rotates it to a firing position. A main geneva wheel, mounted near the chain drive, is sequentially engaged by first and second drive rollers, secured to the chain drive, for being periodically rotated thereby. Drive pins of the main geneva wheel sequentially engage radial slots in a belt/round feed geneva wheel and a round positioning geneva wheel for timed rotation thereof to synchronize the operation of the round feeder and round positioner.

An intrinsically safe firearm may include a handle and a frame connected by a pivot pin. One or more latches of the firearm can temporarily fix the firearm in a stowed orientation or a deployed orientation. In the deployed orientation, a magazine of the firearm can be removed from the handle; a slide of the firearm can be removed from the frame; a magazine safety allows a firing pin to strike a primer of a round in the firearm; and a trigger of the firearm is accessible to discharge the round in the firearm. In the stowed orientation, the magazine is not removable from the handle; the slide is not removable from the frame; the magazine safety prevents the firing pin from striking the primer; and the trigger of the firearm is not accessible.

An intrinsically safe firearm may include a handle and a frame connected by a pivot pin. One or more latches of the firearm can temporarily fix the firearm in a stowed orientation or a deployed orientation. In the deployed orientation, a magazine of the firearm can be removed from the handle; a slide of the firearm can be removed from the frame; a magazine safety allows a firing pin to strike a primer of a round in the firearm; and a trigger of the firearm is accessible to discharge the round in the firearm. In the stowed orientation, the magazine is not removable from the handle; the slide is not removable from the frame; the magazine safety prevents the firing pin from striking the primer; and the trigger of the firearm is not accessible.

A sub-mass projectile for a firearm includes a core having a relatively lower mass than a standard projectile for the firearm. A force inducer is associated with the core. The force inducer has an interface that interacts with the firearm. The interface includes a bearing surface with a relatively larger outer diameter than a standard projectile for the firearm. The bearing surface bears against a surface of the firearm during operation so as to increase resistive forces between the sub-mass projectile and the firearm to a magnitude sufficient to approximate the kinetic forces of a standard mass projectile on the firearm during operation.

A sub-mass projectile for a firearm includes a core having a relatively lower mass than a standard projectile for the firearm. A force inducer is associated with the core. The force inducer has an interface that interacts with the firearm. The interface includes a bearing surface with a relatively larger outer diameter than a standard projectile for the firearm. The bearing surface bears against a surface of the firearm during operation so as to increase resistive forces between the sub-mass projectile and the firearm to a magnitude sufficient to approximate the kinetic forces of a standard mass projectile on the firearm during operation.