Caliber modification using modular fire control group

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly for modifying a rifle to accommodate various calibers of ammunition and method for changing calibers in a rifle using same.

Claims

1. A caliber modification system comprising: an independent fire control group comprising a trigger; a fore end comprising a fore end fire control group interface; a rear module that interfaces with the independent fire control group and further comprises a buffer tube interface; wherein the fire control group, fore end, and rear module are removably affixed and separable from one another and combine to form a three-part lower receiver configured to interface with an upper receiver; wherein the three-part lower receiver is compatible with an existing rifle platform to change the rifle platform caliber to a different caliber via replacing a lower receiver with the three-part lower receiver.

2. The caliber modification system of claim 1 wherein a barrel is added as part of the caliber modification system.

3. The caliber modification system of claim 1, wherein the fore end accommodates ammunition of a particular caliber.

4. The caliber modification system of claim 2, wherein a replacement fore end with a caliber different from that of the fore end may be interchanged with the fore end to accommodate a different caliber.

5. A method for changing the caliber of a weapon comprising: removing a lower receiver from the weapon; attaching a multi-part lower receiver to the weapon; wherein the multi-part lower receiver comprises an independent fire control group comprising a trigger, a fore end comprising a fore end fire control group interface, and a rear module that interfaces with the independent fire control group and further comprises a buffer tube interface; wherein the fire control group, fore end, and rear module are removably affixed and separable from one another to form a three-part lower receiver; and attaching a barrel with a caliber matching that of the fore end fire control group.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fore end accommodates ammunition of a particular caliber.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a replacement fore end with a caliber different from that of the fore end may be interchanged with the fore end to accommodate a different caliber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The construction designed to carry out the invention will hereinafter be described, together with other features thereof. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a fire control group of the present disclosure.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a fire control group along with a fore end and rear module of the current disclosure.

(4) FIG. 2A shows a fire control group, rear module, and magazine well of the current disclosure assembled on a rifle upper.

(5) FIG. 3 shows a disassembled fire control module housing of the current disclosure, with left side, right side, and spacer.

(6) FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of the components that may reside within a fire control group of the current disclosure.

(7) FIG. 5 illustrates a bolt action rifle.

(8) FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment weapon conversion lower.

(9) FIG. 6A shows a 9 mm magazine well used with a conversion kit of the current disclosure.

(10) FIG. 6B shows an AR-10 magazine well used with a conversion kit of the current disclosure.

(11) FIG. 7A shows a weapon configured for 5.56×45 5.45 ammunition.

(12) FIG. 7B illustrates a weapon configured as an AK-47 variant.

(13) FIG. 7C shows a weapon configured to fire .45 ACP ammunition.

(14) FIG. 7D shows a weapon configured to fire 9 mm ammunition.

(15) It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can meet certain other objectives. Each objective may not apply equally, in all its respects, to every aspect of this invention. As such, the preceding objects can be viewed in the alternative with respect to any one aspect of this invention. These and other objects and features of the invention will become more fully apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying figures and examples. However, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are of a preferred embodiment and not restrictive of the invention or other alternate embodiments of the invention. In particular, while the invention is described herein with reference to a number of specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that the description is illustrative of the invention and is not constructed as limiting of the invention. Various modifications and applications may occur to those who are skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as described by the appended claims. Likewise, other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from this summary and certain embodiments described below, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above in conjunction with the accompanying examples, data, figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom, alone or with consideration of the references incorporated herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(16) With reference to the drawings, the invention will now be described in more detail. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter belongs. Although any methods, devices, and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the presently disclosed subject matter, representative methods, devices, and materials are herein described.

(17) Unless specifically stated, terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. Likewise, a group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise.

(18) Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.

(19) In one embodiment, an independent fire control group is provided that is independent of a final rifle configuration, whereas in prior art configurations, the fire control group is typically part of the receiver of a rifle or weapon platform.

(20) The fire control group of the current disclosure represents “drop in” technology wherein the fire control group is dropped into a fire control group well in a rifle. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of fire control group 100. FIG. 1 shows trigger 102, trigger guard 104, fire control group left side 106, fire control group right side 108, and fire control group spacer 110. One aspect of the current disclosure is that this fire control group along with a fore end and rear module, see FIG. 2, will be compatible with existing rifle platforms such that these three components may be used to convert a rifle from one caliber to another with minimal effort by simply inserting the fire control group, fore end and rear module into an existing rifle along with a new barrel.

(21) Fire Control Group 100 may be made from the following materials; aluminum, steel, titanium, and polymers. Coatings 105 may also be applied to fire control group 100, including, but not limited to, Teflon based coatings, Nickel based coatings, including Nickel Boron and Nickel Teflon coatings, chrome based, phosphates, black oxide, etc., as known to those of skill in the art.

(22) FIG. 2 shows fire control group 100 with fore end 200 and rear module 202. Fore end 200 includes pivot pin 204, magazine well 206, magazine release aperture 208, and fore end fire control group interface 210 for attaching fore end 200 to fire control group 100. Fire control group 100 may be attached to the other components of the conversion system via pins, rivets, frictional engagement, adhesives, welding, etc. In a preferred embodiment, pins affix fire control group 100 to the other portions of the conversion kit. Rear module 202 includes grip handle mounting 212, take down pin aperture 214, rear stock/buffer tube interface 216, and rear module fire control group interface 218. Fore end 200 may be made from aluminum, steel, stainless steel, titanium, and/or polymers and rear module 202 may be made from aluminum, steel, stainless steel, titanium, and/or polymers.

(23) With respect to FIG. 2, in use, the shooter would remove the lower from the existing weapon, e.g., an AR-15. The lower would then be replaced with the fore-end 200, fire control group 100, and rear module 202. When one wishes to change from 9 mm to 3.56 mm ammunition, one could simply replace fore-end 200 and rear module 202 to accommodate the magazine and buffer system for the new caliber ammunition. This provides an essentially “plug and play” type conversion group wherein the shooter only needs to change the fore end, rear module, bolt, and barrel to accommodate the new caliber ammunition.

(24) Referring to FIG. 2A, which shows fire control group 100, rear module 202, and magazine well 206 assembled, fire control group 100 may be considered the “backbone” of the lower receiving section 101 of a rifle platform. In a further embodiment, fire control group 100 may be configured to insert into a rifle upper 103 like a magazine of ammunition fits into a magazine well 206 in a rifle platform, so that fire control group 100 fits into and forms the backbone of the conversion kit.

(25) FIG. 3 shows a disassembled fire control module housing 300 of the current disclosure, with left side 302, right side 304 and spacer 306.

(26) FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of the components that may reside within fire control group 100. These include hammer 400, trigger 402, disconnector 404, hammer spring 406, trigger pins 408, and trigger spring 410.

(27) With respect to FIG. 5, the current disclosure may be used to modify a bolt action rifle 700. This may be accomplished by removing barrel 702 and replacing it with a barrel from another rifle platform, such as the AR platform. Not only does this allow for caliber conversion, but also provides more headspace in the bolt action weapon. The current disclosure could then be used to modify bolt action rifle 700 by reconfiguring magazine floor plate 704 to accommodate fire control group 100, not shown, as well as reconfiguring receiver 706 to accommodate fire control group 100, when inserted. Thus, fire control group 100, would be used to allow a shooter to convert a bolt action rifle 700 between different calibers using fire control group 100 in conjunction with barrel 702 and receiver 706 to allow the shooter to quickly switch the barrel and receiver out for those of various calibers while fire control group 100 remains in place.

(28) In an alternate embodiment, another weapon conversion system is provided. FIG. 6 shows a unified lower 500. Unlike the prior embodiment, the conversion process is achieved by replacing a weapon's existing lower, not shown, with unified lower 500. Magazine well 502 may be interchanged with respect to unified lower 500, and may be affixed by pins, rivets, etc., as known to those of skill in the art, to accommodate standard AR-15 magazines, and variants thereof, AK-47 magazines and variants thereof, as well as other caliber ammunition. The caliber conversion for this embodiment is accomplished by having a unified fire control group 504 that is unitary with lower receiver 506 but magazine well 502 may be interchanged for various caliber magazines and the barrel of the weapon may be interchanged to accommodate the different caliber ammunition. For instance, as seen in FIG. 6A, a 9 mm magazine well 510 may be affixed to unified fire control group 504. FIG. 6B shows that an AR-10 magazine well 520 may be affixed to unified fire control group 504 to accommodate AR-10 ammunition.

(29) FIG. 7A-7D illustrate various configurations of a variable caliber weapons platform of the current disclosure. For example, FIG. 7A illustrates a weapon 730 configured for AR-15 5.56×45 5.45, 300 blackout having fire control group 100, fore end 732, and rear module 734. Here, fore end 732 and rear module 734 are configured to accommodate 5.56×45 mm caliber ammunition. FIG. 7B, meanwhile, shows a weapon 720 configured as an AK-47 variant with fire control group 100, fore end 722 and rear module 724. Fore end 722 and rear module 724 are both configured to accommodate 7.62×39 mm caliber ammunition, as used in AK-47 variants. FIG. 7C shows a weapon 740 with fire control group 100, fore end 742, and rear module 744. Fore end 742 and rear module 744 have been configured to fire 45 ACP ammunition. FIG. 7D shows weapon 750 with fire control group 100. Here, fore end 752 and rear module 754 have been configured to fire 9 mm ammunition. As FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate, a host of calibers may be employed by a single weapon platform simply by interchanging fore ends and rear modules while keeping the original fire control group. For instance, additional configurations may include AR-10 7.62×51 ammunition or other types as known to those of skill in the art.

(30) While the present subject matter has been described in detail with respect to specific exemplary embodiments and methods thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing may readily produce alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to such embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosure does not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations and/or additions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art using the teachings disclosed herein.