Patent ID: 8567301

Claim:
A charging handle for a firearm having a barrel, a fore stock, a butt stock, a receiver, a receiver trigger, a bolt reciprocating within the receiver and a gas tube for directing powder gases to cause operation of the bolt within the receiver, said charging handle comprising: a generally elongated spar having a forward end portion in the direction of the firearm barrel and a rearward end portion in the direction of the firearm stock, said charging handle having a latch engaging the receiver to hold the charging handle in a forward most position and, extending laterally from said rearward portion; and an offset arm extending at least a portion of the length of the elongated spar in the direction of the firearm barrel and including an offset arm forward portion with a movable, finger-operated charging handle trigger, forward of the receiver trigger, operable to disconnect the latch holding the charging handle in the forward most position with respect to the receiver and enable rearward movement of the charging handle to charge the firearm, wherein the offset arm is secured to the receiver only by the elongated spar.