Patents Assigned to VISTA OUTDOOR OPERATIONS LLC
  • Patent number: 11561065
    Abstract: A holster belt is configured to support a holster and a handgun combination. The holster belt has a belt portion defining an inner layer and an outer layer comprising an elastic material. The holster belt further has a closure and a holster engagement strip, wherein the holster engagement strip is rigid and is configured to support a holster and a handgun combination, wherein the holster comprises a holster body configured for receiving the handgun and a belt clip, wherein the holster engagement strip is configured to be sized for engagement with the belt clip of the holster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Justin Hoffman, Nicholas Alexander Ferros, Evan R. McNamara
  • Patent number: 11561064
    Abstract: A holster for a handgun, having at least some of an at least partial cavity; a lever having a thumb button portion and an engagement portion, wherein the lever includes a locking projection extending from at least a portion of the engagement portion, wherein the lever is pivotally attached or coupled to at least a portion of the holster, approximately between the thumb button portion and the engagement portion; and a lockout element, wherein at least a portion of the lockout element is positionable to block movement of the lever to keep the lever from being pivoted to a disengaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Gregory, Robert A. Kincaid, Clifton L. Cook, Eric M. Yeates, Thomas A. Marx
  • Patent number: 11561063
    Abstract: A wearable belt pouch for concealingly carrying a handgun and holster combination. The belt pouch has a body panel hingedly joined to a front panel having a peripheral side wall. The front panel is configured to be swung upwardly from a closed position to an open position to expose the body panel and form a first access opening. Magnetic closures on each of the front panel and the body panel are configured to releasably secure the front panel to the body panel when the front panel is in the closed position. A holster engagement strip is formed in a V-shape and secured to the outer face of the body panel, wherein the holster engagement strip has a width sized for engagement with the belt clip of the holster. A second access opening in the peripheral side wall is configured to provide access to the handgun in the pouch interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Justin Hoffman, Nicholas Alexander Ferros, Evan R. McNamara
  • Patent number: 11555667
    Abstract: A holster system for receiving and releasably retaining a handgun with or without a reflex sight mounted thereon. The holster body comprises a pair of opposing side wall portions and an upper wall portion. The holster body may define a rear accessory sight opening for receiving the handgun with the reflex sight attached thereto. The holster system may include a first rear sight cover selectively and robustly coupleable to the holster body so as to cover the rear accessory sight opening when a handgun with conventional sights extending upwardly about ? of an inch or less mounted thereto is used in conjunction with the holster system. The holster system may also include a second rear sight cover selectively coupleable to the holster body so as to cover the sight opening when a handgun with a reflex sight mounted thereto is used in conjunction with the holster system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sereday, Larry A. Houck
  • Patent number: 11543219
    Abstract: Devices and methods for shotshell cartridges, particularly shotshell cartridges with biodegradable components. One or more of the casing, shot wad, spacer, and powder wad may be formed of biodegradable materials. A biodegradable shot wad is manufactured of cellulosic fibers and wax to provide obturation and gas seal properties at high pressures with high reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alex R. Schmieg, Robert A. Strange, Anthony C. Stockey, Steven P. Schommer, Adam J. Moser
  • Patent number: 11528982
    Abstract: A sling for a firearm or luggage is provided comprising a pad comprising a single layer closed cell foam body defining a first surface and a second surface and a plurality of slots extending therethrough from the upper surface to the lower surface; and a binding secured to the periphery of the pad. The pad can be configured in a variety of ways to provide slings for carrying firearms and luggage. An embodiment of the pad is a backpanel having four sides and four corners that can be releasably connected to a chest pack such as a binocular case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: VISTA OUTDOOR OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Raymon Li, William Hemeyer, Monte N. Koenigs, Jeremy Manning
  • Patent number: 11530897
    Abstract: An adapter assembly including an adapter plate and a retainer. The adapter plate includes a substantially planar adapter body, a spaced pair of generally parallel upper arms for removably securing said adapter assembly to equipment, and a spaced pair of lower legs having a spaced pair of lower tines configured to have a gap there between. The lower tines each include a ratchet tooth structure on an exterior surface thereof. The retainer is configured for slideable attachment to the lower tines and for spanning the gap between the lower tines. The retainer includes a corresponding ratchet tooth on an interior surface thereof configured to engage with the ratchet tooth structure for a one-way slideable locking engagement of the retainer on the lower tines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul N. Smith, Daniel Sereday, Christopher J. Michael, Troy E. Lance
  • Patent number: 11519703
    Abstract: Shot projectiles are disclosed that are not completely spherical. The shot has an equatorial ring, top and bottom poles, and one or more sections extending between the ring and the respective poles. The ring defines a vertical height relative to an overall diameter of the projectile. The one or more sections provide flat, concave, or convex surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew S. Schroeder, Adam J. Moser, Drew L. Goodlin, Erik K. Carlson
  • Patent number: 11512935
    Abstract: A cartridge with an expanding bullet that has advantageous terminal effects over an extended range. The expanding bullet including a bullet body including a metal jacket extending from a tail portion to a nose portion and surrounding an interior solid core and defining a forward opening and interior cavity. A tip has an exterior surface substantially flush with an exterior surface of the metal jacket. The tip has a main portion forward of the opening and a tip retention portion that at least partially fills the interior cavity. In certain embodiments the tip retention portion includes one or more fluid entry facilitation means such as a fracture regions configured to, upon impact of the bullet with a target, fracture or deform to expose one or more fluid pathways into the interior cavity and to a forward facing interior surface for initiating expansion of the expanding bullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Justin A. Carbone, Jared Kutney, Shawn Fitzsimonds, Lawrence P. Head, Bryan Peterson, Richard Hurt, Joel J. Foley
  • Patent number: 11506466
    Abstract: A holster for receiving and withdrawing a handgun has a proximal wall portion with a handgun retention mechanism thereon. The mechanism having a first lever with a tab portion for actuation and release of a trigger guard, the lever having a snap fit into a lever region without a separate pin. A belt engaging member covers the lever region capturing the first lever therein. If a second retention mechanism is used, another lever with a tab portion is positioned so the tabs are stacked, depressing one also depresses the tab behind it, such that both mechanisms are released. Overmolded polymer layers in the holster body provides a softer interior handgun engagement surfaces. The holster body is split forwardly with a threaded fastener for clamping onto the handgun. No holster body is beneath or rearward of the tab portion, configured as a thumb button, allowing smooth transition to gripping the handgun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul N. Smith, Troy E. Lance, Oscar C. Woods, Daniel D. Sereday, Christopher J. Michael, Robert J. Meinert
  • Patent number: 11486681
    Abstract: A shotgun shell has a polymer wad with a forward shot cup portion and a rearward propellant cup, the wad in a casing, shot in the shot cup, propellant in the propellant cup, and a primer in a head of the casing. The propellant cup having a plurality of fins extending rearwardly that open to a deployed position upon firing and the shot cup having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially aligned linear slit segments that permit air to circulate and permit expansion of the shot cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Adam J. Moser, Erik K. Carlson, Matthew S. Schroeder, Gary Hendrickson, Frank Gerzina
  • Patent number: 11397069
    Abstract: A holster for receiving and withdrawing a handgun having two active restraints and a dust cover. The holster further has a lockout button assembly comprising an elongated member having a lockout button portion on a proximal end and a blocking portion on a distal end, wherein the lockout button assembly is configured to be slidingly mounted to a housing for manual movement of the lockout button assembly between a protrusion portion blocking position and a protrusion portion non-blocking position, wherein the blocking portion is configured to block rotation of the protrusion portion and the thumb button when in the blocking position, and wherein the blocking portion is configured to allow rotation of the protrusion portion and the thumb button when in the non-blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul N. Smith, Daniel Sereday, Christopher J. Michael, Troy E. Lance
  • Patent number: 11391551
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to manufacturing an insert-molded expanding projectile. Aspects of the disclosure include locating a portion of a projectile body within a converging tip mold, the projectile body including a metal jacket extending from a tail portion to a nose portion and surrounding an interior solid core. The metal jacket and nose portion may be tapered in a forward direction to an annular forward edge defining an opening to an undercut interior cavity. Melted polymer may be injected into the converging tip mold and allowed to cool thereby forming a polymer tip having a main portion forward of the opening and a tip retention portion filling the undercut interior cavity and having a shape corresponding to the undercut interior cavity to retain the polymer tip in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventor: Bryan P. Peterson
  • Patent number: 11391539
    Abstract: A holster system that comprises a holster and an accessory configured to be fixed to a mounting rail of a handgun. The holster has a holster body with a pair of opposing wall portions defining a cavity. A retention mechanism of the system has a blocking portion movable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position. The blocking member at least inhibits removal of the handgun and accessory if the handgun and accessory are urged rearwardly before a thumb receiving portion is depressed. The blocking portion is on a spring member that is deflected by an elongate exteriorly extending sliding member that has a cam surface that selectively deflects the spring member from the blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Troy E. Lance, Liam Yarbrough, Robert Kincaid, Paul N. Smith, Christopher J. Michael
  • Patent number: 11378364
    Abstract: Devices and methods for an 8 mm semiautomatic handgun cartridge providing a reduced form factor for carrying a greater number of rounds in a smaller space while maintaining ballistic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Bryan P. Peterson, Matthew S. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11378368
    Abstract: A cartridge comprising an elongate rifle bullet with a plurality of circumferential grooves having overmolded polymer therein defining embedded polymer rings. The cartridge further having a case and propellant. The polymer rings have an outer surface that is flush with, that is, conforming to the outer surface of the body. The polymer may have be selected to have a favorable coefficient of friction with respect to the barrel. The bands offering reduction of the metal to metal contact between the bullet and the barrel while not diminishing the ballistic coefficient of the bullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Bryan P. Peterson, Richard Hurt, David M. Laska, Drew L. Goodlin
  • Patent number: 11346641
    Abstract: A cartridge with a bullet has desirable penetration capabilities and controlled separation of components upon terminal impact. In embodiments of the invention, the bullet comprises a forward component, a lead core, and a copper jacket. The bullet having a forward nose portion with a plurality of cutaways spaced circumferentially about the nose portion. The copper jacket having a leading edge portion positioned at the cutaways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventor: Bryan P. Peterson
  • Patent number: D954546
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul N. Smith, Troy E. Lance, Oscar C. Woods, Daniel D. Sereday, Christopher J. Michael
  • Patent number: D960278
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Troy E. Lance, Robert J. Meinert, Paul N. Smith, Clif Hampel
  • Patent number: D977055
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shawn Fitzsimonds, Justin A. Carbone, Jared Kutney, Joel J. Foley, Lawrence P. Head