Embodiments are directed to a cover for firearm barrels and/or suppressors. The cover may include a cover body that is sized and dimensioned to house a barrel or suppressor of a firearm having one or more sights. The body may have a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, an upper portion, and a lower portion. The body may be coupleable to the firearm below the one or more sights. The body may have one or more intake ports that are disposed in the lower portion of the body. The body may have one or more exhaust ports that are disposed in the upper portion of the body and that are laterally spaced apart from the one or more sights when the body is coupled to the firearm.

Embodiments are directed to a cover for firearm barrels and/or suppressors. The cover may include a cover body that is sized and dimensioned to house a barrel or suppressor of a firearm having one or more sights. The body may have a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, an upper portion, and a lower portion. The body may be coupleable to the firearm below the one or more sights. The body may have one or more intake ports that are disposed in the lower portion of the body. The body may have one or more exhaust ports that are disposed in the upper portion of the body and that are laterally spaced apart from the one or more sights when the body is coupled to the firearm.

A barrel having a monolithic body comprising an elongate structure extending from a breach end to a muzzle end; a projectile bore extending from a projectile chamber to the muzzle end; one or more elongate recesses formed in the body, wherein each elongate recess is defined by an elongate hole extending from an open end formed proximate the muzzle end; a sleeve positioned around at least a portion of the barrel to encompass at least a portion of the barrel; and a radial ring, positioned between the barrel and the sleeve.

A firearm suppressor is adapted to convert from an over-barrel configuration to a muzzle-forward configuration. The firearm suppressor includes a core assembly that has a removable expansion chamber that can be included in the over-barrel configuration and removed in the muzzle-forward configuration. The firearm suppressor can be converted from the over-barrel configuration to the muzzle-forward configuration by removing the core assembly from a first hollow sleeve, removing the expansion chamber and inserting the core assembly into a shorter second sleeve.

A firearm suppressor is adapted to convert from an over-barrel configuration to a muzzle-forward configuration. The firearm suppressor includes a core assembly that has a removable expansion chamber that can be included in the over-barrel configuration and removed in the muzzle-forward configuration. The firearm suppressor can be converted from the over-barrel configuration to the muzzle-forward configuration by removing the core assembly from a first hollow sleeve, removing the expansion chamber and inserting the core assembly into a shorter second sleeve.

A weapon barrel has a barrel core composed of iron or nickel alloy and at least one barrel jacket made from a metal-matrix material encasing the barrel core. The jacket and core thereby form a metal-metal-matrix composite barrel. The metal-matrix material may have a specific tensile strength that is greater than or equal to 80 N.Math.m/g, and greater than or equal to the specific tensile strength of the barrels core material. The metal matrix material may include aluminum, titanium, beryllium and magnesium alloys, and composites, in addition to a filler material such as carbon nanotubes, graphite, diamond, carbides, and nitrides.

A weapon barrel has a barrel core composed of iron or nickel alloy and at least one barrel jacket made from a metal-matrix material encasing the barrel core. The jacket and core thereby form a metal-metal-matrix composite barrel. The metal-matrix material may have a specific tensile strength that is greater than or equal to 80 N.Math.m/g, and greater than or equal to the specific tensile strength of the barrels core material. The metal matrix material may include aluminum, titanium, beryllium and magnesium alloys, and composites, in addition to a filler material such as carbon nanotubes, graphite, diamond, carbides, and nitrides.

A gun barrel with piecewise helical barrel fluting comprises a single start non-stop feature of alternating and intersecting right hand and left hand helical segments. Piecewise helical barrel fluting combines the ease of manufacture of a single start fluting with the improved performance benefits of a multi-start approach, namely increased barrel stiffness and resulting performance with respect to firing accuracy and firing precision.

A gun barrel with piecewise helical barrel fluting comprises a single start non-stop feature of alternating and intersecting right hand and left hand helical segments. Piecewise helical barrel fluting combines the ease of manufacture of a single start fluting with the improved performance benefits of a multi-start approach, namely increased barrel stiffness and resulting performance with respect to firing accuracy and firing precision.

A sound suppressing gun barrel incorporating a bullet channel having breachward and muzzleward ends; at least a first U channel positioned radially outwardly from the bullet channel, the at least first U channel having a web, having a gas receiving arm extending muzzlewardly from the web, and having first and second gas conveying arms extending muzzlewardly from opposite ends of the web; the sound suppressing gun barrel further having an inlet port opening the at least first U channel at a muzzleward end of the at least first U channel's first gas conveying arm, the inlet port communicating with the bullet channel; the sound suppressing gun barrel further having an outlet port further opening the at least first U channel, the outlet port being positioned at a muzzleward end of the at least first U channel's second gas conveying arm.