Gunstock

Abstract

The action and barrel of a firearm are in direct contact with a high modulus of elasticity holder that receives the vibrations of recoil directly and distributes the vibrations over a wide area. The high modulus of elasticity holder, which may be made of a metal such as aluminum, transfers the forces to the wooden portion of a wooden gunstock over a wide area greater than 12 square inches so that there are substantially no concentrated stresses placed upon the wood.

Description

RELATED CASES [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 494,138 filed Aug. 11, 2003, by inventor, Gerald Robert Thompson. The benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 494,138 is claimed.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to gunstocks. [0003] It is known for long barrel firearms such as rifles to have wooden gunstocks or gunstocks made of synthetic such as plastic or gunstocks comprising a metal platform with a synthetic portion of the stock formed onto it. For example, in one known embodiment, a metal platform is attached to the synthetic portion of the stock as a metal insert in the cavity of an injection molding apparatus to have the synthetic portion of the stock molded onto it. [0004] Wood stocks, without a metal insert have several disadvantages, such as for example: (1) there are small microscopic openings that in time admit some moisture causing eventual warping; (2) lam...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel gunstock which is more durable and delivers less of a recoil to the shooter.

[0010] It is a still further object of the invention to provide a wooden gunstock for a firearm which is not subject to excessive warping in time.

[0011] It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel wood gunstock that is not excessively subject to harmonics and subharmonics of barrel vibrations.

[0014] It is a still further object of the invention to provide a gunstock in which the fasteners fastening the breech to the gunstock do not cause concentrated stress.

[0015] In accordance with the above and further objects of the invention, a firearm is provided in which there is a recess in the gunstock that accommodates a holder or support for the barrel and the breech. Forces of recoil are thus transferred to the holder and from the holder to the wood stock in a less concentrated form. The holder has a higher modulus of elasticity than the wood and tends to prevent the wood from warping. It also avoids concentrated forces from being applied to the wood to avoid untimely fractures of the wood. In the preferred embodiment, the modulus of elasticity of a single one piece holder that supports both the barrel and the breech is above three million psi and preferably between nine million and ten million psi. However, it must be high enough to retard warping of the gunstock and reduce the concentration of the forces of recoil. To avoid the transmission of concentrated forces to the wood stock, the holder has a contact area with the wood stock of at least twelve square inches.

[0019] From the above description, it can be understood that the firearm of this invention has several advantages, such as for example: (1) the high modulus of elasticity holder holds the wood stock against warping from moisture over a period of time; (2) the high modulus of elasticity holder reduces failure from weaknesses in the wood stock; (3) the high modulus of elasticity holder reduces harmonics and subharmonics in the wood stock after rounds are fired; (4) the high modulus of elasticity holder reduces failure in the woods from concentrated recoil forces; (5) the high modulus of elasticity holder dissipates the concentrated forces that are occurring when the firearm is fired over a wider area and applies forces that are to be transmitted to the wood stock in less concentrated form over the wide area; and (6) it does not have fasteners extending from the breech into the wood stock to apply concentrated forces to the wood stock and loosen the fasteners.

Problems solved by technology

Wood stocks, without a metal insert have several disadvantages, such as for example: (1) there are small microscopic openings that in time admit some moisture causing eventual warping; (2) laminates may have voids that weaken the stock and permit eventual failure; (3) wood is subject to harmonics and subharmonics of the barrel vibrations after each round is fired; (4) the strength of the wood is not predictable and failure of the wood can be sudden and unexpected; (5) in the normal manufacturing of laminates, for reasons of economy, the adhesives used are sprayed in a continuous process of specific volume of adhesive per unit area, whereas the voids that need to be filled are irregular and, thus, some voids do not get filled; (6) many wood stocks have very small areas of contact with the barrel that must adsorb the entire force of recoil thus increasing the pressure on the points of contact; and (7) the forces imposed on the wood stock near the breech area of the firearm by fasteners cause damaging stress on the wood.

Synthetic stocks without an insert and with an insert molded into the synthetic also have disadvantages such as imparting a sharper more concentrated kick because the recoil force tends to impact the shooter close in time with vibrations from resonance effects.

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