Patent ID: 7448307

Claim:
A gas operated semi-automatic rifle comprising the combination of: a lower corps having a bottom surface, side walls, first end, second end and a top perimeter channel, having an open cavity defined by the side walls, having an expansion chamber defined within the cavity positioned near the second end, and having a cartridge magazine adapted to fit near the first end; an upper corps having a top surface, side walls, first end, second end and a bottom perimeter ridge which is slidably mated with the top perimeter channel of the lower corps; a barrel, having a first end and a discharge end, mounted within the lower corps and having a rifled bore extending forwardly toward the discharge end, the barrel further comprising a cartridge chamber and a breech integrally formed with the bore therein, and the barrel having a gas port opening passing from the bore into the expansion chamber of the lower corps; a breechblock mounted near the first end of the lower corps, and having a first end, a second end and a firing pin, and the breechblock being juxtaposed near the first end of the barrel; a gas piston having a first end and a second end, a piston rod connected to the first end of the gas piston contained within the cavity of the lower corps, the piston rod flexibly connected to a locking mechanism mounted in the lower corps, the gas piston and the piston rod positioned forward of the expansion chamber of the lower corps, and the locking mechanism being engaged with the breechblock; a trigger, a grip and a trigger rod connected to a hammer; the hammer being positioned to be cocked by the breechblock; and as the cartridge chamber receives a rifle cartridge, the cartridge is ignited by the firing pin of the breechblock by pulling the trigger engaging the hammer with the breechblock, whereby expanding gases entering the expansion chamber act upon the gas piston to rotate the locking mechanism, disengaging the breechblock, and allowing the breechblock to reload another cartridge.