Abstract: A lightweight weapon housing system is disclosed for a self-loading firearm. The weapon housing includes an outer and an inner housing. A wall structure in the weapon housing reinforces the magazine chamber and transmits the transverse forces arising in the magazine into an inner housing, which suffers any resulting deformation and which can be exchanged in a simple manner should deformation result.

Abstract: A firearm is described which has a trigger mechanism, a cock and a cocking actuator that is separate from the cock. A striker spring acts on the cocking actuator to drive the cock. A cocking actuator safety mechanism, which is independent of the trigger mechanism, is provided for securing the cocking actuator in its cocked position. The illustrated safety mechanism has an operating handle which sits next to the lug of the cock, so that the safety mechanism can optionally be operated together with the cock.

Abstract: An attachable grenade launcher is disclosed for installation on a rifle. The launcher has a grenade launching barrel that is pivotable about a stationary pin located near a muzzle of the barrel. The launcher also has a breech housing and a trigger assembly carried by the breech housing. The trigger assembly has a trigger and an impact plate. The launcher has a connection piece with a longitudinal slot. Th connection piece is integrally bound to the breech housing and carries the stationary pin. The connection piece circumferentially encapsulates the grenade launching barrel over at least a part of its length in such a manner that permits the grenade launching barrel to pivot about the stationary pin between a swung out position and a non-swung out position.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus is disclosed for attaching a sighting device onto a weapon. The mounting apparatus has a rail disposed on part of the weapon in a longitudinal direction. The rail has a pair of longitudinally extending opposed sides and a longitudinally extending first attachment element on each of the opposed sides. A removable mounting base has a pair of longitudinally extending side edges and a longitudinally extending second attachment element on each side edge. Each second attachment element is complimentary to a corresponding one of the first attachment elements. The mounting base is slidingly and longitudinally engaged with the rail via the complimentary first and second attachment elements. The mounting base is formed of at least two parts which are slidable against one another in a transverse direction. A spring mechanism produces a spring force and is arranged to bias the two parts of the mounting base into engagement with the rail.

Abstract: A retainer for securing a silencer to a barrel of a handgun is disclosed. The retainer includes a counter-attachment on the barrel of the handgun for attaching the barrel to the retainer, and also includes a forward part for receiving the silencer. A bore extends through the retainer for receiving the counter-attachment, and the inner profile of the bore and the outer profile of the counter-attachment define at least one gas expansion chamber between the counter attachment and the bore when the counter-attachment is disposed in the bore. A lock on the retainer engages a collar on the counter-attachment, thereby releasably securing the counter-attachment in the bore.

Abstract: An ammunition magazine for beltless fed ammunition is disclosed. The magazine includes at least one endlessly guided ammunition guide chain to transport ammunition, and a chain tightener to tighten the ammunition guide chain with a predetermined chain tension. The chain tightener carries out a clamping movement in the direction of tightening to increase the chain tension and carries out a clamping movement against the direction of tightening to reduce the chain tension. To prevent slack from developing, (for example, during acceleration of the ammunition guide chain), the chain tightener is provided with a brake to influence the spring constant of the chain tightener as a function of the direction of tightening and the speed of the clamping movement.

Abstract: In an automatic firearm, a cartridge feed device is provided in order to convey the uppermost cartridge in a magazine into an intermediate station transverse to its extent. A lifting device is used to grasp the cartridge in the intermediate station and to move it vertically into a feed station in which it is aligned parallel to the axis of the barrel of the weapon. The lifting device is implemented as a feed fork having prongs which engage the cartridge in the intermediate station from the front and which then lift the cartridge into the feed station in a tilting movement.

Abstract: An ammunition feed device is disclosed for feeding beltless fed ammunition to a self-loading weapon. The disclosed device includes an endlessly guided ammunition feed chain to feed ammunition into the weapon. It also includes at least two deflection units to guide the ammunition feed chain. Additionally, the disclosed device includes a drive for intermittently driving one of the deflection units in order to intermittently feed ammunition to the weapon in the ammunition feed direction. To reduce the acceleration forces applied by the drive of the ammunition feed chain without changing the operating speeds of the ammunition feed chain, the undriven deflection unit is connected to a blocking device that substantially blocks movement of the deflection unit opposite the ammunition feed direction.

Abstract: In an automatic firearm, a cartridge feed device is provided in order to convey the uppermost cartridge in a magazine into an intermediate station transverse to its extent. A lifting device is used to grasp the cartridge in the intermediate station and to move it vertically into a feed station in which it is aligned parallel to the axis of the barrel of the weapon. The lifting device is implemented as a feed fork having prongs which engage the cartridge in the intermediate station from the front and which then lift the cartridge into the feed station in a tilting movement.

Abstract: In an automatic firearm, a cartridge feed device is provided in order to convey the uppermost cartridge in a magazine into an intermediate station transverse to its extent. A lifting device is used to grasp the cartridge in the intermediate station and to move it vertically into a feed station in which it is aligned parallel to the axis of the barrel of the weapon. The lifting device is implemented as a feed fork having prongs which engage the cartridge in the intermediate station from the front and which then lift the cartridge into the feed station in a tilting movement.

Abstract: A firing pin control device for a small arm is disclosed. The small arm includes a hammer, a housing including a fixed part, a slide disposed in the housing, with the slide being moveable between an open position and a closed position, and a firing pin mounted to the slide and being moveable relative to the slide along a linear path between a first position in which contact between the firing pin and the hammer is prevented and a second position in which contact between the firing pin and the hammer is permitted. The firing pin control assembly includes a pair of sleeves mounted in the slide, with the firing pin being slidable relative to the sleeves. A forward one of the sleeves engages the firing pin and is moveable between a forward position in which the firing pin is disposed in the first position and a rearward position in which the firing pin is disposed in the second position. The firing pin control assembly includes a counterspring arranged to bias the forward sleeve toward the forward position.

Abstract: A housing for use with a firearm is provided. The housing includes a first housing section sized for receiving a barrel, and a second housing section coupled proximally to the first housing section for receiving a breechblock mechanism. The first housing section has a top external surface. The second housing section has a forward portion which is offset from the first housing section and which includes a forward surface defining an opening sized for receiving a connecting element operatively connecting a lever disposed adjacent the top external surface outside the first housing section and the breechblock within the second housing section. The connecting element moves perpendicularly to the opening and not, as in prior art housings, along it, so that the previously required longitudinal slit, which severely weakened the structure of prior art housings, is avoided.

Abstract: An unlocked self-loading pistol and a conversion kit for modifying a locked self-loading pistol adapted for firing normal and powerful cartridges into an unlocked self-loading pistol capable of firing weak cartridges as well as normal and powerful cartridges is disclosed. The unlocked self-loading pistol includes a return spring which is closely surrounded on the outside by a sleeve composed of an elastomer material. The length of the elastomer sleeve corresponds approximately to the length of the compressed return spring. The sleeve absorbs a part of the movement energy of the breech and passes it on into the grip. The conversion kit can be used to convert a locked self-loading pistol into an unlocked self-loading pistol as stated above and vice versa. The disclosed conversion kit includes: an alternate barrel which does not come into locked engagement with the breech, the abovementioned elastomer sleeve, and, optionally, a substitute return spring.

Abstract: A housing for use with a firearm is provided. The housing includes a first housing section sized for receiving a barrel, and a second housing section coupled proximally to the first housing section for receiving a breechblock mechanism. The first housing section has a top external surface. The second housing section has a forward portion which is offset from the first housing section and which includes a forward surface defining an opening sized for receiving a connecting element operatively connecting a lever disposed adjacent the top external surface outside the first housing section and the breechblock within the second housing section. The connecting element moves perpendicularly to the opening and not, as in prior art housings, along it, so that the previously required longitudinal slit, which severely weakened the structure of prior art housings, is avoided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for separating consecutive cartridge-receiving cells of a driven magazine for an aircraft-mounted machine gun or cannon. The apparatus includes an elongated, substantially cylindrical shaft constructed of a fiber-reinforced plastic, wherein the shaft has end portions designed for attachment to a movable transport chain, and a middle portion defined by a driver constructed of an elastomer. The driver preferably dampens the gravitational forces introduced to the shaft.

Abstract: A firing lever mechanism for use with a firearm is disclosed. The firing lever mechanism includes a slide disposed for reciprocating movement between a distal position and a proximal position, and a first spring that biases the slide toward the distal position. A firing lever is mounted for pivotal movement between a rest position and an operating position. In the rest position, the firing lever is disposed in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the firearm to facilitate grasping of the firing lever. When the firing lever is pivoted through a first predefined angle in a direction away from the operating position, the slide is released from the locked position. The first spring then moves the slide toward the distal position thereby pivoting the lever toward the operating position.

Abstract: A multipurpose weapon having a self-loading large-caliber self-loading rifle module or section and an assault weapon module or section attached to the front portion of the large caliber rifle is provided. A first trigger assembly of the large-caliber rifle is positioned for operation by a trigger hand of the user of the weapon, while a second trigger assembly of the assault weapon module is configured for operation by the non-trigger hand of the user. Alternatively, the assault weapon section or module can be equipped with a trigger that is selectively operable to fire either the assault weapon module or the large-caliber rifle module. Additionally, a detachable secondary module comprising a grip module which includes a grip and a trigger can alternatively be attached to the large-caliber module.

Abstract: A damped spring device for a firearm is disclosed. The damped spring device includes a housing, a cylindrical outer tube fixed to the housing and defining a cavity, and a cylindrical barrel slidably disposed within the outer tube cavity such that the outer tube and the barrel define therebetween an annular space. The barrel is moveable longitudinally through a portion of the cavity between a rest position and a recoil position in response to the firing of the firearm. A prestressed elastomeric spring is disposed within the annular space and operatively engages the outer tube and the barrel for biasing the barrel toward the rest position and for braking the relative movement between the barrel and the outer tube.

Abstract: A firing pin safety catch mechanism for use with a firearm is disclosed. The safety catch mechanism includes a one-piece leaf spring comprising a spring arm, a safety catch and a beveled release part. The safety catch has a first position wherein the safety catch engages a catch surface of a firing pin to secure the firing pin in a rest position and a second position wherein the safety catch disengages the catch surface to release the firing pin for movement out of the rest position. The beveled release part is disposed adjacent the proximal end of the spring arm.