Shotgun having an improved shotshell feeding mechanism

Abstract

A shotgun includes an action that is capable of rapidly chambering a shotshell after the shotgun has run out of shotshells and is capable of allowing shotshells to be removed from the magazine without cycling the shotshells through the action.

1 . A shotgun comprising:
 a chamber;   a magazine; and   an action including a bolt assembly;   wherein the action is configured to move a shotshell from the magazine to the chamber when the shotshell is inserted into the magazine and released; and   wherein the action is configured to allow shotshells to be removed from the magazine without moving the bolt assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The shotgun of  claim 1  wherein the action is configured to move the shotshell from the magazine to the chamber when the shotshell is inserted into the magazine and released, and the magazine is empty. 
     
     
         3 . The shotgun of  claim 1  wherein the action is configured to move the shotshell from the magazine to the chamber when the shotshell is inserted into the magazine through a loading port and released. 
     
     
         4 . The shotgun of  claim 3  wherein the loading port is on an underside of the shotgun. 
     
     
         5 . The shotgun of  claim 1  wherein the action is configured to move the shotshell from the magazine to the chamber when the shotshell is inserted into the magazine through a loading port and released, and the action is open. 
     
     
         6 . The shotgun of  claim 1  wherein the action is configured to move the shotshell from the magazine to the chamber when the shotshell is inserted into the magazine through a loading port and released, the magazine is empty, and the action is open. 
     
     
         7 . The shotgun of  claim 1  wherein the action is configured to allow shotshells to be removed from the magazine without moving the bolt assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The shotgun of  claim 7  wherein the action is configured to allow shotshells to be removed from the magazine through a loading port without moving the bolt assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The shotgun of  claim 8  wherein the loading port is on an underside of the shotgun. 
     
     
         10 . A shotgun comprising:
 a chamber;   a magazine; and   an action configured to move between a closed position and an open position where the action is held in position, the action including:
 a carrier including a first component that is used to hold the action in the open position and a second component that is positioned to cover a loading port of the shotgun; 
 a carrier latch that moves between a first position where the carrier latch cooperates with the first component of the carrier to hold the action in the open position and a second position where the carrier latch allows the action to move from the open position to the closed position; and 
 a cartridge stop that moves between a first position where the cartridge stop prevents shotshells from moving out of the magazine and a second position where the cartridge stop allows the shotshells to move out of the magazine; 
   wherein the second component of the carrier is pivotably coupled to the first component of the carrier to allow a shotshell to be inserted into the magazine when the action is in the open position; and   wherein the cartridge stop moves independently of the carrier latch.   
     
     
         11 . The shotgun of  claim 10  wherein the cartridge stop moves from the first position to the second position independently of the carrier latch. 
     
     
         12 . The shotgun of  claim 10  wherein the cartridge stop moves from the first position to the second position without moving the carrier latch. 
     
     
         13 . The shotgun of  claim 10  wherein the cartridge stop is in the second position when the action is in the open position and the magazine is empty. 
     
     
         14 . The shotgun of  claim 10  wherein the cartridge stop and the carrier latch are pivotably coupled together. 
     
     
         15 . The shotgun of  claim 10  wherein the cartridge stop moves independently of the carrier latch when the carrier latch is in the first position. 
     
     
         16 . A shotgun comprising:
 a chamber;   a magazine; and   an action configured to move shotshells from the magazine to the chamber, the action including a cartridge stop which moves between a first position where the cartridge stop prevents the shotshells from moving out of the magazine and a second position where the cartridge stop allows the shotshells to move out of the magazine;   wherein the cartridge stop moves independently of the remainder of the action; and   wherein the cartridge stop is positioned in the second position when the action is fixed in an open position.   
     
     
         17 . The shotgun of  claim 16  wherein the cartridge stop moves from the first position to the second position independently of the remainder of the action. 
     
     
         18 . The shotgun of  claim 16  wherein the cartridge stop moves from the first position to the second position without moving the remainder of the action. 
     
     
         19 . The shotgun of  claim 16  wherein the cartridge stop is positioned in the second position when the action is in the open position and the magazine is empty. 
     
     
         20 . The shotgun of  claim 16  wherein the action includes a carrier that is configured to allow a shotshell to be inserted into the magazine when the action is fixed in the open position. 
     
     
         21 . The shotgun of  claim 20  wherein the carrier includes a first component that is configured to hold the action in the open position and a second component that is positioned to cover a loading port of the shotgun, and wherein the second component is pivotably coupled to the first component to allow a shotshell to be inserted into the magazine when the action is fixed in the open position. 
     
     
         22 . A shotgun comprising:
 a chamber;   a magazine; and   an action including a bolt assembly;   wherein the action is configured to automatically move a shotshell from the magazine to the chamber when the shotshell is inserted into the magazine; and   wherein the action is configured to allow shotshells to be removed from the magazine without moving the bolt assembly.