Abstract: For a handgun, interchangeable barrel and shroud combinations including a short barrel and shroud adapted to be interchanged with a longer barrel and shroud in which the longer shroud has integral therewith, a rearwardly extending elongated arm for supporting from the rear end thereof, a rear sight. The rear sight may be adjustable for elevation only or for elevation and windage.

Abstract: A hammer spur construction that is adapted to enable cocking of the hammer without interference of the cocking thumb with a scope mounted on the firearm. The spur top surface, in its uncocked position is disposed so that a plane or line tangent to the midpoint along the length of the spur top surface is substantially normal to the hammer striking surface.

Abstract: A locked breech mechanism for a firearm having a trigger, cylinder, and hammer and in which the cylinder is adapted to accommodate cartridges such as a bottleneck cartridge. The breech mechanism includes a breech member disposed between the hammer and cylinder in combination with an operating member. The breech operating member is in the form of a yoke member having a rest position in which the breech member is disengaged from a cartridge in the cylinder, and an active position in which the breech member is engaged with and locked against the cartridge.

Abstract: An adjustable rear sight for handguns is disclosed wherein the sight is specially designed for easy interchangeability of its sight blade or leaf by removal of a minimal number of parts. The sight blade is removably held in a dovetail channel of the sight's main body by basically only a screw-headed pin or stop that fits into a groove in the head of the windage screw for the sight.If a user desires to repair a broken blade or replace it with a new one having a different-sized sight notch, he merely unscrews the stop pin and slides the blade (with the attached windage screw) out of the main body. The screw is then placed in a new leaf and slid back into the channel, where it and the new leaf are securely held in place by screwing the pin back into the body.

Abstract: A device for spraying a noxious powder includes a housing for a CO.sub.2 cartridge, and a moveable barrel which carries a firing pin by which the cartridge can be punctured to explosively release the gas. The barrel has a nozzle at its outer end, and contains the noxious powder in a chamber defined between the barrel and the firing pin. When the barrel is released from an outwardly extended position it is thrust by a spring against the rupturable end of the cartridge, thereby releasing the gas which in turn propels the active agent through the nozzle and toward the assailant at whom it is aimed. Generally, a powdered tear gas will be employed in the device.