Abstract: Systems and methods for launching munitions are provided. In some embodiments, the system may include a launcher coupled to a vehicle and configured to retain a munition during transport by a vehicle and configured to route electrical signals from the vehicle to the munition. The system may also include a flexible, peel-away connector coupled to the launcher, the peel-away connector comprising an adhesive for coupling to at least a portion of the munition. The flexible, peel-away connector may be configured to route electrical signals from the launcher to the munition during transport and detach from the munition as the munition exits from the launcher during a launch.

Abstract: A method of blasting plural layers of material (38, 40, 42, 44) in a blastfield (16) that reduces the amount of mechanical excavation required to expose a lower layer of material. The method includes using rows of equally spaced blastholes (18, 20, 22, 24) that pass through all of the layers and additional intermediate rows of blastholes (26, 28) that pass down only through top layer (40). Each blasthole is capped with stemming material and includes one or more decks of explosives material (46) and detonators (48), with air decks or inert stemming (45) separating adjacent explosives decks (46). The detonators in layer (40) are detonated first in order from row (18) rearwards to throw a substantial amount of the blast material from layer (40) forwardly of free face (12) onto floor (34).

Abstract: A protective cover for a firearm lower receiver attaches directly and securely to the lower receiver, protecting it from any impact or debris, yet it may still be used with existing firearm protective cases and bags. Forward and rearward assembly pin holes allow securing of the protective cover to the lower receiver with assembly pins. An extrusion on a lower surface of the protective cover is capable of depressing a magazine door of a magazine installed in the lower receiver and may be transparent to allow a user to view contents of the magazine while keeping the contents protected from debris.

Abstract: The present inventive concept is generally directed to a magnetic, detachable, side-mounted, ammunition carrier for a gun, specifically for a rifle or shotgun. Generally speaking, the carrier is detachably located by a user on one of the sides of ammunition-chamber loading region of a rifle or shotgun. In an embodiment, the ammunition carrier is comprised of a substantially rigid, magnetic substrate on which is a plurality of flexible, elastic, radially closed, loops/sleeves that are each adapted to receive a shotgun shell or other round of ammunition. The ammunition carrier allows for the easy mounting and access of extra ammunition without having to modify the firearm from its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) configuration. In some variations, the ammunition carrier is further equipped with a non-magnetic tab of sorts to aid a user in the easy detachment of the device from the metal side of the firearm.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a frame, a slide and an arced cam surface extending longitudinally on an inner surface of the slide. The pistol has a barrel mounted between the frame and the slide, and a firing pin mechanism mounted in the slide. A trigger is mounted on the frame. A trigger bar and a sear are also provided. The trigger bar includes a generally planar surface extending between the ends of the trigger bar. The first end is connected to the trigger and the second end has a sear disconnect surface to engage and disengage a sear rotatably disposed in the frame that engages an end of the firing pin. A tab is disposed at an angle to the generally planar surface, where the tab has a top curved surface to slide along the arced cam surface of the slide as the slide moves.

Abstract: A projectile for launch from an apparatus is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the projectile includes a body; a boom having a first end extendable from the body; and an armature coupled to the first end of the boom, wherein the armature is configured to be moveable along and launchable from the apparatus and the armature is configured to be separable from the first end of the extended boom after launch from the apparatus.

Abstract: A method of operating a firearm having a modified gas operating system including directing gas from a barrel of a firearm upward through a barrel gas port, routing the gas from the barrel gas port through a gas jet, directing the gas from the gas jet through a gas operation tube, and directing the gas to a bolt carrier assembly to move at least a portion of the bolt carrier assembly relative to the barrel, the movement of the at least a portion of the bolt carrier assembly to cause excess gas in the barrel to be vented through the gas jet.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a muzzle brake that can be attachably connected to a weapon system having a barrel comprising: a housing; a front opening defined in the housing having a diameter generally the same size as the caliber of the barrel to which the housing can be attached; an impact plane included in the housing having an angle of incident greater than 90 degrees defined between the impact plane and the longitudinal axis of the housing; an eddy plane included in the housing having an angle of incident defined between the eddy plane and the longitudinal axis of the housing that is greater than the incident of angle of the impact plane; and, a concave surface included in the housing and carried by the eddy plane; a forward port defined by the impact plane, eddy plane and concave surface in the housing so that a portion of the gas expelled from the barrel is deflected outward from the housing upon contacting the impact plane and a portion of the gas expelled from the barrel is deflected by the concave

Abstract: A retractable bipod assembly includes a pair of leg assemblies adapted to support a firearm during shooting thereof. A housing is adapted to be secured on a front portion of the firearm for pivotally mounting the leg assemblies between a folded up, storage position and a folded down, support position. A coupling arrangement is provided between the leg assemblies wherein the leg assemblies are in direct driving engagement and continuous contact with one another enabling pivotal movement of one of the leg assemblies to automatically cause simultaneous pivotal movement of the other of the leg assemblies.

Abstract: A system (10) for remotely enabling and disabling a weapon (12), includes a watchdog controller (14) adapted to receive a safe/arm command from a remote source (16) and to transmit the safe/arm command if predetermined conditions are satisfied, a safe/arm controller (20) adapted to receive the safe/arm command from the watchdog controller (14) and to transmit a control signal to enable communication between a weapon system processor (24) and the weapon (12) if a predetermined series of input signals are received in a predetermined sequence. The system also includes a switch (22) in a communication path between the weapon system processor (24) and the weapon (12). The safe/arm controller (20) closes the switch (22) and enables communication between the weapon system processor (24) and the weapon (12) only when the safe/arm controller (20) receives an arm signal and receives the predetermined series of input signals in the predetermined sequence.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices for attaching or removing a sound suppressor or other auxiliary device to a firearm. The device has a mount body threadedly attachable to a muzzle attachment device attached to the muzzle of a gun. A locking spring extends around a portion of the mount body, and has serrated pawls for engaging a portion of the muzzle attachment device. An annular, rotatable locking collar attaches to the mount body and extends over the locking spring. As the locking collar is rotated, a reduction in diameter of the inner surface of the locking collar can urge the pawl into secured contact with the muzzle attachment device.

Abstract: A frame is adapted to be held by a user. A barrel is coupled to the base. A slide is slidably received on the barrel and adapted for rearward movement in response to firing. A full-time spring is operable for abating recoil during the entire rearward movement of the slide including primary and secondary portions of the rearward movement. A recoil reducer includes a part-time spring. The part-time spring is operable for abating recoil during the primary portion of the rearward movement. The recoil reducer also includes an engager. The engager is operable in response to movement of the slide between the primary and secondary portions of the rearward movement to terminate operation of the part-time spring.

Abstract: A pistol having a device to prevent ejector over-rotation is provided. The pistol includes a frame having an upper rear portion having a left side wall and a right side wall. An ejector has a first end, a second end and a pivot point. The first end has a cam surface for ejection of a spent case. The second end contacts an over-rotation stop. A sear spring is adjacent to the upper rear portion and has a cantilevered spring leg disposed adjacent to the second end of the ejector to rotably bias the ejector downward such that the first end of the ejector pivots upward. A stop is disposed between said left and right side walls to engage the second end of the ejector to limit rotational travel past the spring leg of the sear spring.

Abstract: A shotgun mountable shell holder is provided for holding a single shotgun shell therein. The shell holder includes a rigid body having an external mounting surface provided with a track slidably mounted and frictionally retained on a rail arrangement having at least one rail attached externally of a shotgun. The rigid body also includes an internal shell receiving and engaging structure sized and shaped to slidably receive and frictionally retain the single shotgun shell therein. The track and the rail have mating dovetail-shaped cross sections.

Abstract: An adjustable mount for attaching a sighting device to a firearm includes an elongated base member and an elongated mount member longitudinally slidably engageable with the base member. Either the base member or the mount member includes a plurality of nonparallel longitudinal engagement slots. The other of the base member or the mount member includes a longitudinal engagement tongue which is selectively longitudinally slidably engageable in each of the plurality of slots to selectively position the mount member at different angles relative to the base member. At least one transverse clamping member is configured to secure the base member and mount member against relative longitudinal movement.

Abstract: A Controlled Unaided Surge and Purge Suppressor for firearms uses the blast and plume characteristics inherent to the ballistic discharge process to develop a new two-step controlled surge and purge system centered around advanced mixer-ejector concepts. The blast surge noise is reduced by controlling the flow expansion, and the flash effects are reduced by controlling inflow and outflow gas purges. This is a C-I-P application. In the preferred C-I-P embodiment, the blast surge is mitigated via a slotted mixer nozzle; a first expansion chamber; a generally “wagon-wheel” shaped blast baffle with a vent hole; a series of alternating baffles, with vent holes, strategically located along the suppressor's inner wall surface; a second expansion chamber; and an exit opening. This preferred C-I-P embodiment contains no “outside” vent holes (i.e., throughbores) which extend through the suppressor's outer or longitudinal wall.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for substituting a different forend assembly in a long gun (e.g., a shotgun) without the use of tools by a user in the field. Applicants' preferred apparatus for substituting a forend comprises: a modified forend carrier that is affixed to the long gun (e.g., the illustrated shotgun); a forend; and tool-less means for removably attaching the forend onto the carrier, or removing the forend off the carrier, without the use of tools, wherein the tool-less means comprises: (i) a tongue-and-groove arrangement in the forend and carrier, and (ii) a releasable lock contained, at least in part, in the carrier. This permits the forend to be swapped out.

Abstract: A missile head has a shroud which forms its tip and which can be detached in its totality during flight from the fuselage of the missile. The missile head further has a rear part, which is connected to the fuselage, and a front nose, which can be disconnected from the rear part and forms the tip. A separating device separates the rear part from the fuselage and the nose from the rear part during flight. A physically small shroud can be achieved, and damage to the fuselage of the missile by separation of the shroud can be prevented, if the nose is split into at least two parts and the separating device is prepared to split the nose into these two parts during flight.

Abstract: A paintball marker has an inline cylinder that includes a gas governor that reduces gas flow from a compressed gas source to a valve area when the bolt is in a firing position; this increases efficiency in the marker because only the required air is used to fire the paintball. This bolt operates independent of the valve pin, which increases cycle speed and enables the governor to open and close at an optimum time in the firing cycle. Further, when the bolt/piston is recocking, the gap between the valve pin and governor valve pin enables low pressure gas driving the piston to start pressurizing the cylinder and driving the piston rearwards without resistance from the high pressure gas. The marker also allows a user to remove the inline cylinder without tools, and provides a convenient carrying handle for holding the paintball marker, which is commonly called a “snatch grip.

Abstract: The present embodiments relate to hull have a geometric shape where a first wall, second wall, and third wall are designed to mitigate the effects of an explosion. In an exemplary embodiment, the hull may have a double-vertex shape.