Abstract: An automatic or semi-automatic rifle. The rifle has a receiver and a bolt having a striking surface, the bolt enclosed within the receiver. A barrel has a bore, the barrel coupled to the receiver. An indirect gas operating system has a cylinder and a piston, the indirect gas operating system mounted with a mounting structure substantially independent of the barrel. The cylinder is in communication with the bore, and the piston is fitted to the cylinder and disposed for striking the striking surface and displacing the bolt assembly.

Abstract: An upper receiver for a firearm, the upper receiver having: a hand guard section removably connected to the upper receiver via a locking mechanism pivotally mounted to the hand guard section for movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein the locking mechanism requires only a single movement in one direction to move from the locking position to the unlocking position, wherein the hand guard section has peripheral device mounting rails located at a six o'clock position with respect to a centerline of the barrel and wherein the hand guard section is capable of being completely detached and removed from the upper receiver after the locking mechanism has been moved into the unlocking position; and a plurality of integrally formed rails located above the hand guard section and at three, nine and twelve o'clock positions with respect to the centerline of the barrel.

Abstract: An upper receiver for a firearm is provided. The upper receiver having: a hand guard section integrally formed with the upper receiver; a rail section integrally formed with the hand guard section, wherein the rail section is formed of a first material and the hand guard section is formed of a second material, wherein the second material is molded about the first material.

Abstract: An automatic or semi-automatic rifle. The rifle has a receiver and a bolt having a striking surface, the bolt enclosed within the receiver. A barrel has a bore, the barrel coupled to the receiver. An indirect gas operating system has a cylinder and a piston, the indirect gas operating system mounted with a mounting structure substantially independent of the barrel. The cylinder is in communication with the bore, and the piston is fitted to the cylinder and disposed for striking the striking surface and displacing the bolt assembly.

Abstract: An upper receiver for a firearm, the upper receiver having: a hand guard section removably connected to the upper receiver via a locking mechanism pivotally mounted to the hand guard section for movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein the locking mechanism requires only a single movement in one direction to move from the locking position to the unlocking position, wherein the hand guard section has peripheral device mounting rails located at a six o'clock position with respect to a centerline of the barrel and wherein the hand guard section is capable of being completely detached and removed from the upper receiver after the locking mechanism has been moved into the unlocking position; and a plurality of integrally formed rails located above the hand guard section and at three, nine and twelve o'clock positions with respect to the centerline of the barrel.

Abstract: A rifle having a receiver with an integral hand guard and a barrel. The barrel is connected to the receiver. The hand guard extends over and surrounds the barrel. A removable hand guard is attached to the receiver by an attachment that stably holds the removable hand guard to the receiver. The attachment is arranged for allowing detachment and removal of the removable hand guard from the receiver without removal of fasteners.

Abstract: An automatic or semi-automatic rifle. The rifle has a receiver and a bolt having a striking surface, the bolt enclosed within the receiver. A barrel has a bore, the barrel coupled to the receiver. An indirect gas operating system has a cylinder and a piston, the indirect gas operating system mounted with a mounting structure substantially independent of the barrel. The cylinder is in communication with the bore, and the piston is fitted to the cylinder and disposed for striking the striking surface and displacing the bolt assembly.

Abstract: An automatic or semi-automatic rifle. The rifle has a receiver and a bolt having a striking surface, the bolt enclosed within the receiver. A barrel has a bore, the barrel coupled to the receiver. An indirect gas operating system has a cylinder and a piston, the indirect gas operating system mounted with a mounting structure substantially independent of the barrel. The cylinder is in communication with the bore, and the piston is fitted to the cylinder and disposed for striking the striking surface and displacing the bolt assembly.

Abstract: An upper receiver for a firearm is provided. The upper receiver having: a hand guard section integrally formed with the upper receiver; a rail section integrally formed with the hand guard section, wherein the rail section is formed of a first material and the hand guard section is formed of a second material, wherein the second material is molded about the first material.

Abstract: A rifle having a receiver with an integral hand guard and a barrel. The barrel is connected to the receiver. The hand guard extends over and surrounds the barrel. A removable hand guard is attached to the receiver by an attachment that stably holds the removable hand guard to the receiver. The attachment is arranged for allowing detachment and removal of the removable hand guard from the receiver without removal of fasteners.

Abstract: An indirect gas operating system for a semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided, the indirect gas operating system having: a gas block secured to the rifle; a barrel secured to the rifle; a bolt carrier slidably received within a receiver of the rifle; a means for moving the bolt carrier within the receiver using gases discharged into a bore of the barrel of the rifle, wherein the means for moving is removably secured to the gas block such that the means for moving can be removed from the rifle through a forward end of the gas block without removing the gas block from the rifle; and an externally threaded barrel nut for securing the barrel to the receiver.

Abstract: A method of making a hand guard for a semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided. The method including the steps of: forming a first portion of the hand guard from a first material; inserting the formed first portion into a mold; and molding a second portion of the hand guard about the first portion, the second portion being a second material, the second material being different from the first material, wherein a first section of the first portion is completely encased by the second portion and a second section of the first portion is not encased by the second portion.

Abstract: An indirect gas operating system for a semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided, the indirect gas operating system having: a gas block secured to the rifle; a barrel secured to the rifle; a bolt carrier slidably received within a receiver of the rifle; a means for moving the bolt carrier within the receiver using gases discharged into a bore of the barrel of the rifle, wherein the means for moving is removably secured to the gas block such that the means for moving can be removed from the rifle through a forward end of the gas block without removing the gas block from the rifle; and an externally threaded barrel nut for securing the barrel to the receiver.

Abstract: A rifle having a receiver with an integral hand guard and a barrel. The barrel is connected to the receiver. The hand guard extends over and surrounds the barrel. A removable hand guard is attached to the receiver by an attachment that stably holds the removable hand guard to the receiver. The attachment is arranged for allowing detachment and removal of the removable hand guard from the receiver without removal of fasteners.

Abstract: An automatic or semiautomatic blackrifle type rifle having a receiver and a bolt carrier movably coupled to the receiver. An action system is connected to the bolt carrier for cycling the bolt carrier in the receiver. A folding butt stock is connected to the receiver, the folding butt stock being both foldable and collapsible.

Abstract: A method of making a hand guard for a semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided. The method including the steps of: forming a first portion of the hand guard from a first material; inserting the formed first portion into a mold; and molding a second portion of the hand guard about the first portion, the second portion being a second material, the second material being different from the first material, wherein a first section of the first portion is completely encased by the second portion and a second section of the first portion is not encased by the second portion.

Abstract: An indirect gas operating system for a semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided, the indirect gas operating system having: a sleeve removably secured to a forward end of a gas block of the rifle; a piston slidably received within the gas block, wherein the gas block and the sleeve fluidly couple the piston to a bore of a barrel of the rifle; wherein an increase in pressure in the bore of the rifle causes the piston to move away from the sleeve; and wherein the sleeve and the piston are each capable of being removed from the rifle through the forward end of the gas block.

Abstract: An indirect gas operating system for a semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided, the indirect gas operating system having: a sleeve removably secured to a forward end of a gas block of the rifle; a piston slidably received within the gas block, wherein the gas block and the sleeve fluidly couple the piston to a bore of a barrel of the rifle; wherein an increase in pressure in the bore of the rifle causes the piston to move away from the sleeve; and wherein the sleeve and the piston are each capable of being removed from the rifle through the forward end of the gas block.

Abstract: A semi-automatic or automatic rifle is provided. The rifle has a receiver having a receiver frame, a barrel removably connected to the receiver frame, and an end cap coupled to the barrel. A removable hand guard section is provided extending over and generally surrounding the barrel, the removable hand guard section removably connected to the receiver. The removable hand guard section has a locating feature adapted to engage with the end cap and locate the hand guard relative to the end cap. The removable hand guard section has a mounting rail portion and a body portion, the mounting rail portion molded into the body portion. The barrel has a locking collar adapted to removably position and lock the removable hand guard section relative to the receiver frame and the barrel. The removable hand guard floats in position relative to the barrel.

Abstract: An automatic or semiautomatic rifle having a receiver and a bolt carrier movably coupled to the receiver. An action system is connected to the bolt carrier for cycling the bolt carrier in the receiver. A receiver extension is connected to the receiver, at least part of the action system extending into the receiver extension. A folding stock is connected to the receiver. The receiver extension is located within the folding stock.