Patent ID: 8752474

Claim:
A firearm configured to launch a projectile comprising: a frame; a barrel movably mounted to said frame, said barrel having a proximal end and a distal muzzle end, said barrel extending along a first axis and configured to move linearly along said first axis, said barrel defining a passage through which a projectile may be launched, said projectile exiting said muzzle end thereof; a slide, said slide defining a barrel passage, said slide mounted over said barrel so that at least a portion of said barrel is located in said barrel passage, said slide movably mounted relative to said frame and said barrel along said first axis between a forward and a rearward position, said slide having a proximal end and a distal end, said muzzle end of said barrel extending outwardly of said distal end of said slide; a spring guide rod extending outwardly from said frame generally parallel to said barrel; a recoil spring mounted over said spring guide rod, said recoil spring configured to bias said slide towards said forward position; and a replaceable impact buffer comprising a generally solid body, said replaceable impact buffer configured to be connected to said slide so as to move with said slide during operation of said firearm and to be disconnected from said slide for replacement, said replaceable impact buffer defining a rod passage through which said spring guide rod and said recoil spring extend when said replaceable impact buffer is located between a portion of a proximal end of said frame and a portion of said slide, said replaceable impact buffer preventing said slide from impacting said frame upon recoil of said slide during firing of said firearm, said portion of said frame comprising a material having a first hardness and said portion of said slide comprising a material having a second hardness, at least a portion of said replaceable impact buffer comprising a material having a third hardness which is less than said first and second hardness, whereby said replaceable impact buffer absorbs recoil energy by permanently deforming between said slide and said frame upon impacting said frame when said firearm is fired.