Dummy assault rifle

Abstract

Converting a functioning assault rifle to an inoperative dummy gun suitable for collectors by replacing the receiver with a receiver filled with a solid material. The filled spaces of the receiver prevent the cooperative operation with the other components of the gun. The dummy receiver is externally indistinguishable from the functioning receiver. Thus, a model rifle is converted for collectors so as to be unrecognizable from the functioning gun. To accommodate the filled spaces in the receiver, the lower part of the cooperating bolt carrier is milled off. The dummy receiver may include an affixed rear sight base.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Czech Patent Application No. PV 2004-637, filed on May 21, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the conversion of a weapon into a dummy gun suitable for collectors. In particular, a model Sa vz. 58 assault rifle can be converted using the principles and apparatus of this invention.

2. Discussion of Background Information

Generally, when converting to a dummy gun, it is necessary to ensure, in accordance with the law, that it is impossible to load and shoot the weapon. Typically, this is done by ensuring that the loading and shooting parts are impossible to separate from one another and also that their mutual movement is prevented. This is usually achieved by plugging the barrel in the cartridge chamber with a steel rod of the same length and diameter as the cartridge chamber. The steel rod is strongly welded about its perimeter to the barrel. The guiding section of the bore must have at least 3 holes drilled through the diameter of the barrel bore at 90° to its axis. The bores penetrate only one side of the barrel. Also, the firing pin is removed. Either the front side of the bolt is milled at an angle of 45° or the firing pin hole is plugged. The magazine is permanently secured against removal.

Another option is to make changes which will allow all the parts of the gun to move, but will prevent the gun from being loaded and fired. This is achieved by milling of the barrel in such a way that two thirds of the cartridge case and bullet are uncovered. Further, 15 mm of the length of the bore's guiding section is milled off, with the width of the milled off area being equal to the diameter of the bore increased by at least 3 mm. The tip of the firing pin is shortened by at least 4 mm or removed, and the firing pin hole is welded closed. The receiver is milled in three sections in a way that will make the cocking, triggering, striking and return mechanisms visible. The length of the milled off receiver has to be at least 15 mm more than the barrel milling. The bolt milling width has to be at least 10 mm more than the barrel milling. The parameters for bolt milling are the same as for barrel milling. The side and rear wall of the magazine is milled off as well.

These modifications, made in order to produce a dummy gun, have some serious disadvantages. The modifications are visible from the outside and thus the dummy is easily distinguished from the original, making the dummy weapon less desirable for collectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By replacing specific parts of a rifle with modified non-operative elements, whose external appearance is the same as the originals, the appearance of the gun is maintained while preventing its operation.

Specifically, the above described drawbacks in producing a dummy rifle such as the Sa vz. 58, are eliminated by replacing the original receiver with a dummy receiver that is made in the shape of the original receiver. The dummy receiver is made as a solid unit, in such a way that in the place where the cartridge would be inserted into the chamber, where the cartridge would be pushed from the magazine into the area in front of the chamber, in the place where the bolt and the locking piece would move, and in the place of the rear part of the trigger mechanism, the receiver is left without any holes, openings or spaces. Further, the bottom of the bolt carrier is milled off up to the middle of the firing pin hole diameter.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the dummy receiver includes an attached rear sight base and replaces the existing receiver and sight together. Alternatively, the existing rear sight base can be first attached to the barrel and then cut free from the operative receiver, enabling the use of a dummy receiver without a rear sight.

A dummy gun produced in this way is externally indistinguishable from the original functioning weapon, yet it cannot be converted into a functioning gun. The solid receiver prevents the movements of the remaining operative parts. Additionally, the dummy receiver can be made of a soft material, e.g., aluminum, plastic etc., that would not withstand use as an actual weapon.

The dummy guns can be sold on the commercial market to collectors who are more interested in the authentic appearance, and the least possibly damaged look of the dummy gun. In this respect, the dummy gun of the present invention will fully satisfy the collector's criteria since all the outside parts look identical to the original functioning weapon, such as the Sa vz. 58 assault rifle.

According to the invention, there is provided a dummy receiver for disabling an operative gun while maintaining its external appearance, the gun including a functioning receiver, a cartridge magazine, a trigger mechanism with a firing pin, and a barrel. The dummy receiver comprises an elongated receiver, sized and shaped to correspond to the functioning receiver and cooperating with the functioning magazine and trigger mechanism. The elongated receiver includes a solid material filling the space where the cartridge would be received from the magazine in an operative receiver, whereby, the dummy receiver, by replacing the functioning receiver, prevents the operation of the gun.

The dummy receiver may further comprise a filled space of solid material in a place where a bolt carrier, bolt and locking piece would normally be located. The dummy receiver may further comprise a filled space of solid material in the area of the trigger mechanism.

According to another aspect of the invention, the dummy receiver may be further combined with a bolt carrier, the bolt carrier including a bolt and locking piece. A lower part of the bolt carrier may be at least partially received within the receiver, wherein the receiver is filled with solid material in the space of the lower part of the bolt carrier, and the lower part of the bolt carrier is at least partially removed to accommodate the solid material in the space of the lower part of the bolt carrier.

The dummy receiver may be combined with a bolt carrier, wherein the lower part of the bolt carrier includes only a partial opening for the firing pin. The firing pin opening may be semi-cylindrical in cross section. The solid filling material may be softer than the material of the barrel. The solid filling material may be aluminum. The solid filling material may be plastic.

The dummy receiver may further comprise a rear sight base fixed to the dummy receiver. The dummy receiver may further be combined with a rear sight base, the rear sight base being affixed to the barrel of the gun. The gun may be an Sa vz.58 assault rifle.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is described a method of converting a gun into a dummy weapon, the gun including a functioning receiver, a cartridge magazine, a trigger mechanism with a firing pin, and a barrel. The method comprises providing a dummy receiver in the shape of the functioning receiver, filling particular areas of an internal space of the dummy receiver with solid material and removing the functioning receiver. The functioning receiver is replaced with the dummy receiver, whereby functioning parts of the gun cannot be received in the dummy receiver and the gun is disabled while maintaining its original external appearance.

The gun so converted, further includes a functioning bolt carrier. The bolt carrier includes a bolt and locking piece. A lower part of the bolt carrier is at least partially received within the receiver; the lower part of the bolt carrier being milled off.

The lower part of the functioning bolt carrier includes an opening for the firing pin of the trigger mechanism. The method of converting a gun into a dummy weapon according to the invention, further comprises removing the lower portion of the opening up to the middle of the functioning firing pin opening by a milling off process. The method further comprises providing a dummy receiver including an attached rear sight base.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the functioning gun includes a rear sight base attached to the receiver, the method further comprising affixing the rear sight base to the barrel and cutting the rear sight base from its attachment to the functioning receiver. The functioning gun may be an Sa vz.58 model assault rifle.

Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the dummy receiver;

FIGS. 1a-1d are sectional views of the dummy receiver taken along section lines AA, BB, CC and DD, respectively as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the dummy receiver in an opposite orientation from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view looking longitudinally toward the receiver of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the receiver of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the receiver taken along section line EE in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view of an operative, existing bolt carrier, before conversion;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the bolt carrier of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the modified bolt carrier;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the modified bolt carrier of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a dummy receiver with an attached rear gun sight base; and

FIG. 11 is an end view of the dummy receiver of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 overall view of Sa vz. 58 assault rifle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

In a first embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a dummy rifle such as the Sa vz. 58 rifle is made from the original functioning weapon by replacing the receiver of a functioning gun. The receiver of the functioning gun is completely replaced by dummy receiver 3, which is made in such a way that the spaces, where the cartridge is being inserted into a cartridge chamber, where the cartridge is pushed out of the magazine into the space in front of the chamber, where the bolt and locking piece are placed, and in the rear part of the trigger mechanism, are left filled with material such that there are no cavities or holes similar to those inside the functioning receiver. Further, the bolt carrier 4 is milled off at its lower part 5 up to the middle of the diameter of its lower opening 6 for the firing pin.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the dummy receiver of the first embodiment has no rear sight base. In this case, the original rear sight base is first welded to the barrel 1 and then longitudinally cut from the operative receiver. The operative receiver is then removed and replaced by the dummy.

An alternative to the first embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 8-11. The dummy receiver 3 includes a rear sight base 2 as an integral part. The operative receiver and rear sight is removed as a unit and replaced by the dummy receiver and sight. As in the first embodiment, the lower part 5 of the bolt carrier 4 is milled off up to the middle of the diameter of its lower opening 6 for the firing pin.

With either embodiment, the dummy gun is secure against possible remanufacture into a functioning gun and at the same time its outside appearance is identical to the appearance of a functioning weapon.

It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dummy receiver for disabling an operative gun while maintaining its external appearance, the gun including a functioning receiver, a cartridge magazine, a trigger mechanism with a firing pin, and a barrel, the dummy receiver comprising:

an elongated receiver, sized and shaped to correspond to the functioning receiver and cooperating with the functioning magazine and trigger mechanism;

said elongated receiver including solid material filling the space where the cartridge would be received from the magazine in an operative receiver;

whereby, said dummy receiver, by replacing the functioning receiver, prevents the operation of the gun.

2. A dummy receiver according to claim 1, further comprising:

a filled space of solid material in a place where a bolt carrier would normally be located.

3. A dummy receiver according to claim 2, further comprising;

a filled space of solid material in the area of the trigger mechanism.

4. A dummy receiver according to claim 1, in combination with a bolt carrier, the bolt carrier including a bolt and locking piece, and wherein a lower part of the bolt carrier is at least partially received within the receiver;

wherein the receiver is filled with solid material in the space of the lower part of the bolt carrier;

and said lower part of the bolt carrier is at least partially removed to accommodate the solid material in the said space of the lower part of the bolt carrier.

5. A dummy receiver in combination with a bolt carrier according to claim 4, wherein the lower part of the bolt carrier includes only a partial opening for the firing pin.

6. A dummy receiver in combination with a bolt carrier according to claim 5, wherein the firing pin opening is semi-cylindrical in cross section.

7. A dummy receiver according to claim 1, wherein said solid filling material is softer than the material of the barrel.

8. A dummy receiver according to claim 7, wherein said solid filling material is aluminum.

9. A dummy receiver according to claim 7, wherein said solid filling material is plastic.

10. A dummy receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a rear sight base fixed to said dummy receiver.

11. A dummy receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a rear sight base;

and wherein said rear sight base is affixed to the barrel of the gun.

12. A dummy receiver according to claim 1, wherein the gun is an Sa vz.58 assault rifle.

13. A method of converting a gun into a dummy weapon, the gun including a functioning receiver, a cartridge magazine, a trigger mechanism with a firing pin, and a barrel, the method comprising:

providing a dummy receiver in the shape of the functioning receiver: filling particular areas of an internal space of the dummy receiver with solid material; removing the functioning receiver; and replacing the functioning receiver with said dummy receiver;

whereby functioning parts of the gun cannot be received in the dummy receiver and the gun is disabled while maintaining its original external appearance.

14. A method of converting a gun according to claim 13, wherein the gun further includes a functioning bolt carrier, the bolt carrier including a bolt and locking piece, and wherein a lower part of the bolt carrier is at least partially received within the receiver; the method further comprising:

milling off said lower part of the bolt carrier.

15. A method of converting a gun according to claim 14, wherein the lower part of said functioning bolt carrier includes an opening for the firing pin of the trigger mechanism, the method further comprising:

removing the lower portion of said opening up to the middle of the functioning firing pin opening by a milling-off process.

16. A method of converting a gun according to claim 13, further comprising:

providing a dummy receiver including an attached rear sight base.

17. A method of converting a gun according to claim 13, wherein said functioning gun includes a rear sight base attached to the receiver, and wherein the method further comprises:

affixing said rear sight base to said barrel; and

cutting said rear sight base from its attachment to the functioning receiver.

18. A method of converting a gun according to claim 13, wherein the functioning gun is an Sa vz.58 model assault rifle.