Ammunition magazine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10480880-B2
Application number	US-201816230028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A detachable box magazine for firearms includes a hollow magazine tube extending longitudinally along a median plane. The magazine tube defines a single-stack portion extending to an upper tube end with an upper tube opening. The magazine tube defines a double-stack portion positioned below the single-stack portion and extending to a bottom tube end with a bottom tube opening. For example, opposite lateral margins of the front sidewall can have a stepped shape between the upper tube end and the double-stack portion. The rear sidewall can have a linear taper between the upper tube end and the double-stack portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable box magazine comprising:
a hollow magazine tube extending longitudinally along a median plane, the hollow magazine tube having a front tube sidewall, a rear tube sidewall, a left tube sidewall on a left side of the median plane, and a right tube sidewall on a right side of the median plane, wherein the hollow magazine tube defines a single-stack portion and a double-stack portion positioned below the single-stack portion, the single-stack portion sized and constructed to retain at least two vertically aligned cartridges;
wherein opposite lateral margins of the front sidewall have a stepped shape between the double-stack portion and an upper tube end, the stepped shape including a first sloped portion located adjacent the upper tube end and extending downward and laterally outward from the median plane, a vertical section extending from the first sloped portion downward along the median plane, and a second sloped portion extending from the vertical section downward and laterally outward from the median plane to the double-stack portion, wherein the first sloped portion, the vertical section, and the second sloped portion each have a vertical size commensurate with a cartridge to be retained in the detachable box magazine.

2. The detachable box magazine of claim 1 , wherein opposite lateral margins of the rear sidewall have a linear taper between the double-stack portion and the upper tube end.

3. The detachable box magazine of claim 1 , wherein the stepped shape causes projectiles of at least two cartridges to be vertically aligned along the single-stack portion when two or more cartridges are installed in the hollow magazine tube.

4. The detachable box magazine of claim 1 further comprising:
a left bottom lip on the bottom tube end, the left bottom lip extending transversely inward toward the median plane from the left tube sidewall;
a right bottom lip on the bottom tube end, the right bottom lip extending transversely inward toward the median plane from the right tube sidewall;
a grip extension on the double-stack portion of the magazine tube adjacent the bottom tube end; and
a floorplate sized and configured to be installed between the grip extension and the bottom tube end, thereby retaining the grip extension on the magazine tube when the grip extension is installed on the bottom tube end.

5. The detachable box magazine of claim 4 , wherein the floorplate is configured to engage the left bottom lip and the right bottom lip when the floor plate is installed on the bottom tube end, and wherein the floor plate is configured to engage a front portion and/or a rear portion of the grip extension when the floor plate is installed on the bottom tube end.

6. The detachable box magazine of claim 5 , wherein the floorplate defines a left channel along the left floorplate sidewall and a right channel along the right floorplate sidewall, wherein the left bottom lip is received in the left channel and the right bottom lip is received in the right channel when the floorplate is attached to the bottom tube end.

7. The detachable box magazine of claim 1 , wherein the single-stack portion is sized and constructed to retain at least three vertically aligned cartridges.

8. The detachable box magazine of claim 1 further comprising a spring disposed in the magazine tube and having a lower spring portion with a spring bottom end portion and an upper spring portion with a spring top end portion, wherein the upper spring portion defines a plurality of smaller spring coils each having a first coil size, and wherein the lower spring portion defines a plurality of larger spring coils each having a second coil size that is greater than the first coil size.

9. The detachable box magazine of claim 8 , wherein the upper spring portion defines at least three smaller spring coils and the lower spring portion defines at least two larger spring coils.

10. The detachable box magazine of claim 8 , further comprising a spring plate abutting a top surface of the floorplate, the spring plate having a floorplate top surface defining a recess wherein one or more of the plurality of smaller spring coils is received in the recess when the spring is compressed.

11. The detachable box magazine of claim 10 , wherein the top surface of the floorplate includes a recess sized and configured to receive the spring plate.

12. The detachable box magazine of claim 1 further comprising:
a grip extension removably on the double-stack portion of the magazine tube adjacent the bottom tube end; and
a floorplate configured to engage the grip extension and the bottom tube end, thereby retaining the grip extension on the magazine tube when the floorplate is installed on the tube bottom end.

13. The detachable box magazine of claim 12 , further comprising:
a left bottom lip on the bottom tube end extending transversely inward toward the median plane from the left tube sidewall; and
a right bottom lip on the bottom tube end extending transversely inward toward the median plane from the right tube sidewall;
wherein the grip extension defines a slot along the bottom grip end and the floorplate defines a first protrusion configured to be received in the slot when the floorplate is installed on the magazine tube; and
wherein the floorplate defines a second protrusion configured to engage the left bottom lip and the right bottom lip when the floorplate is installed on the magazine tube.

14. A handgun grip module comprising:
a grip portion configured to be grasped by a user and defining a magazine well, the grip portion comprising:
a web region configured to be grasped by a user between a thumb and an index finger, the web region defining a first width; and
a palm region configured to be grasped by a user's palm, the palm region defining a second width greater than the first width; and

a magazine configured to be received into the magazine well, the magazine comprising a magazine tube extending longitudinally along a median plane and having a front tube sidewall, a rear tube sidewall, a left tube sidewall on a left side of the median plane, and a right tube sidewall on a right side of the median plane, the magazine tube defining a single-stack portion and a double-stack portion below the single-stack portion, wherein opposite lateral margins of the front sidewall—have a stepped shape between the double-stack portion and an upper tube end, the stepped shape including a first sloped portion located adjacent the upper tube end and extending downward and laterally outward from the median plane, a vertical section extending from the first sloped portion downward along the median plane, and a second sloped portion extending from the vertical section downward and laterally outward from the median plane to the double-stack portion, wherein the first sloped portion, the vertical section, and the second sloped portion each have a vertical size at least commensurate with a cartridge to be retained in the detachable box magazine.

15. The handgun of claim 14 , wherein the first width is no more than 25 mm.

16. The handgun grip module of claim 14 further comprising:
a left bottom lip on the bottom tube end, the left bottom lip extending transversely inward toward the median plane from the left tube sidewall;
a right bottom lip on the bottom tube end, the right bottom lip extending transversely inward toward the median plane from the right tube sidewall;
a grip extension on the double-stack portion of the magazine tube adjacent a bottom tube end; and
a floorplate configured to engage the left bottom lip, the right bottom lip

Assignees

• Sig Sauer Inc

Inventors

• Thomele Adrian
• Knight Jason
• Shinkle Scott D

Classifications

• F41A9/65

  Box magazines having a cartridge follower · CPC title

• F41A9/70 Primary

  Arrangements thereon for discharging, e.g. cartridge followers or discharge throats · CPC title

• F41A9/69 Primary

  characterised by multiple-row or zigzag arrangement of cartridges · CPC title