Straight pull bolt action system

A straight pull bolt action system for use with a firearm includes a bolt, an action bar, a locking pin and a locking lug. The locking lug front end is pivotally moveable between an up position and a down position, the bolt and action bar are longitudinally moveable between forward and rearward positions. The bolt has a lower locking surface that locks with the locking lug front end when the bolt is in the forward position and the locking lug front end is in the up position. The locking pin has one portion slidably disposed in an opening in the bolt and another portion slidably disposed in an L-shaped opening in the action bar.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to bolt action systems for firearms. More particularly, this disclosure relates to straight pull bolt action systems.

A bolt action is a type of firearm action in which the weapon's bolt is operated manually by the opening and closing of the breech with a small handle. As the handle is operated, the bolt is unlocked, the breech is opened, the spent cartridge case is withdrawn and ejected, the firing pin is cocked (this occurs either on the opening or closing of the bolt, depending on design), and finally a new round/cartridge (if available) is placed into the breech and the bolt closed. Well-known examples of rifle bolt action systems are the Mauser system, the Lee-Enfield system and the Mosin-Nagant system.

Typically, the bolt consists of a tube of metal inside of which the firing mechanism is housed, and which has at the front or rear of the tube several metal knobs, or “lugs”, which serve to lock the bolt in place. The most common locking method is a rotating bolt. The Mauser and Mosin-Nagant systems each have two lugs on the bolt head which lock to the receiver and the Lee-Enfield system has a lug and guide rib, which lock on the rear end of the bolt into the receiver.

SUMMARY

There is provided a straight pull bolt action system for use with a firearm including a receiver and a longitudinally extending barrel and a receiver. The bolt action system comprises a bolt, an action bar, a locking pin and a locking lug. The bolt has front and rear portions and a lower recess forming a locking surface. The bolt has an opening and is longitudinally moveable between a forward firing position and a rearward position. The action bar has front and rear portions, the rear portion having an L-shaped opening. The action bar is moveable between a forward position and a rearward position. The locking pin includes a first segment slidably disposed in the action bar L-shaped opening and a second segment slidably disposed in the bolt opening. The locking lug has oppositely disposed rear and front ends. The front end is pivotally vertically moveable between an up position and a down position. The locking lug front end is locked with the bolt locking surface when in the up position. Moving the action bar rearward from the action bar forward position pivots the locking lug front end downward from the up position whereby the bolt unlocks from the locking lug and is moved rearward by the action bar. Moving the action bar forward from the action bar rearward position moves the bolt forward from the bolt rearward position to the bolt forward firing position, the action bar pivoting the locking lug front end upward from the down position to the up position whereby the locking lug front end locks the bolt in the forward firing position.

The straight pull bolt action system further comprises a bolt handle attached to the action bar.

The locking lug rear end is pivotally mountable to a rear end portion of the receiver. The locking lug rear end may include a transverse opening, with a pivot pin extending through the opening and the receiver.

The action bar L-shaped opening includes a horizontally extending first portion, the bolt being unlocked to the action bar when the locking pin first segment is disposed in the action bar L-shaped slot first portion.

The action bar L-shaped opening also includes a vertically extending second portion, the bolt being locked to the action bar when the locking pin first segment is disposed in the action bar L-shaped slot second portion.

The locking lug engages the locking pin when the action bar is moved forward from the action bar rearward position, wherein pivoting the locking lug front end upward moves the locking pin first segment upward within the action bar L-shaped slot second portion into the action bar L-shaped slot first portion, whereby the bolt is unlocked from the action bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings, a straight pull bolt action system10in accordance with the present disclosure is shown installed in a rifle12. The subject straight pull bolt action system10is different from conventional bolt action rifles where the bolt handle pivots or turns the bolt in an upward motion, thus unlocking the bolt and allowing the action to be cycled. It is also very different from conventional cam actuated straight pull bolt action rifles where the bolt releases or actuates a cam that in turn unlocks the bolt locking lug or lugs and allows the action to be cycled in a straight back and forth motion.

With reference toFIGS. 1-4, the subject straight pull bolt action system10includes a bolt14, a pivoting locking lug16, a bolt action bar18, an action bar lock pin20and a bolt handle22. With reference toFIGS. 5-8, a shoulder24on the bottom26of the bolt14proximate to the breech end28forms a first locking surface30, a recess32extending from the left side34of the bolt14proximate to the breech end28has an inner surface forming a second locking surface36.

With reference toFIGS. 9-12, the muzzle end38of the locking lug16forms a contact surface40and the breech end portion42of the locking lug16has a transverse opening44. A pivot pin46extends through the opening44and the receiver48to pivotally attach the locking lug16to the inside rear of the receiver48(FIGS. 1-4). A cam50extends from the left side52of the locking lug16proximate to the muzzle end38of the locking lug16. The locking lug contact surface40engages the bolt first locking surface30when the bolt14in the closed/firing position to lock the bolt14in the closed/firing position. The locking lug16secures the bolt14in its forward closed/firing position so that when a cartridge is fired all of the resulting thrust, pressure and energy created by the fired cartridge is absorbed by the locking lug16.

The bolt14is connected to the bolt action bar18by the bar lock pin20. With reference toFIGS. 13-20, the bar lock pin20includes a first segment54having oppositely disposed right and left sides defining contact surfaces56,56′. A second segment58extends downwardly from the bottom surface60of the first segment54. The bar lock pin second segment58is slidably disposed in the bolt recess32whereby contact surface61contacts the bolt second locking surface36. The bar lock pin first segment54is slidably disposed within a lock pin slot62extending from the right side64of the breach end portion66of the bolt action bar18whereby contact surfaces56,56′ contact surfaces63,63′. The lock pin slot62includes an upper portion68that extends horizontally from a breech end70to a muzzle end72and a lower portion74that extends vertically from the upper portion muzzle end72.

The distal end76(FIG. 21) of the bolt handle22is received in an opening78in the muzzle end portion80of the bolt action bar18, and is securely attached therein. The locking lug cam50is slidably disposed within a cam slot82extending from the right side64of the breach end portion66of the bolt action bar18. After a rifle having the subject straight pull bolt action system10is fired, the bolt handle22may be manually pulled straight back. As the bolt handle22moves the bolt action bar18rearward, contact between the locking lug cam50and the surface84of the bolt action bar cam slot82pivots the muzzle end38of the locking lug16down until the locking lug contact surface40clears the bolt locking surface30, unlocking the bolt14. When the bolt14is unlocked, continued rearward movement of the bolt handle/bolt action bar22,18causes the spent cartridge case to be ejected.

After the spent cartridge case has been ejected, manually moving the bolt handle/bolt action bar22,18forward also moves the bolt14forward, causing the bolt14to pick up and feed a new cartridge from the magazine into the chamber in the barrel of the rifle. When the muzzle end86of the bolt14contacts the breech of the barrel, continued forward movement of the bolt handle/bolt action bar22,18causes contact between the locking lug cam50and the surface84of the bolt action bar cam slot82. This contact pivots the muzzle end38of the locking lug16up until the locking lug16engages the bar lock pin20, moving the bar lock pin first segment54upward within the lock pin slot lower portion74until the bar lock pin first segment54enters the lock pin slot upper portion68, releasing the bolt action bar18from the bolt14. Continued forward movement of the bolt handle/bolt action bar22,18causes the bar lock pin first segment54to move forward within the lock pin slot upper portion68and the muzzle end38of the locking lug16to pivot upward until the locking lug contact surface40contacts the bolt locking surface30. The bolt14is then securely locked with a loaded round in the chamber in the ready-to-fire position.

The operation of the bolt14, action bar18, locking lug16and bar lock pin20is unique to the subject straight pull bolt action system10. The bar lock pin second segment58is vertically slidably movable within the bolt recess32with a spring (not shown) biasing the bar lock pin second segment downward, locking the action bar18to the bolt14as the bolt14is initially manually moved forward from the open position. After the bolt14is moved to its forward most position the pivoting locking lug cam50engages the bar lock pin20to release the action bar18from the bolt14, allowing the action bar18to complete its forward motion and complete the pivoting locking lug movement to lock the firearm into the ready to fire position.

It should be appreciated that the subject straight pull bolt action system10may be used in a rifle or handgun. The straight pull bolt action system10may be used in rimfire or centerfire calibers and cartridges. The straight pull bolt action system may be used in a hammer or hammerless (Striker fire) design.

It will also be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications.