Firearms and components thereof, for enhanced axial alignment of barrel with action

Abstract

Firearms, and components of firearms, improve shooting accuracy, due to increased coaxial alignment between the receiver and the barrel of the firearm. The outer surface of the barrel and the receiver inner surface feature extremely-tight-tolerance/press-fit mating of one or more outer axial mating surfaces of the barrel with one or more axial portions of the receiver inner surface. The extremely-tight-tolerance/press-fit axial mating surfaces may be distal of, proximal of, in-between, and/or otherwise outside and separate from the threads or conventional connection means for connecting the barrel to the receiver.

1 . A barrel and receiver combination for a firearm, the combination comprising:
 A barrel having a bore with a longitudinal axis, and having a breech for receiving an ammunition round;   A receiver for slidably receiving a bolt for loading the ammunition round in the breech, the receiver having a distal end with a distal end longitudinal axis;   A barrel-receiver connection connecting the distal end of the receiver to the barrel, the connection adapted to prevent movement of the barrel away from the receiver in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel upon firing of the firearm; and   An axial alignment system adapted to keep the barrel bore longitudinal axis coaxial with the receiver distal end longitudinal axis during and after firing of the firearm, the axial alignment system comprising the barrel having a proximal axial barrel mating surface that is proximal of the connection and that is less than 0.004 inches from a first axial receiver mating surface that is proximal of the connection to keep the barrel bore longitudinal axis coaxial with the receiver distal end longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal axial barrel mating surface is press-fit with the first axial receiver mating surface. 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal axial barrel mating surface is at least ¼ inch in axial length. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the axial alignment system further comprises a distal axial barrel mating surface that is distal of said connection and that is press-fit with a second axial receiver mating surface of the distal end of the receiver. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the second axial receiver mating surface extends from a distalmost extremity of the receiver inward into the receiver distal end a distance in the range of ⅛ inch to 0.99 inch. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the connection is a threaded connection. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the connection is a threaded connection. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the connection is a threaded connection. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the connection is a threaded connection. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 5 , wherein the connection is a threaded connection. 
     
     
         11 . A barrel and receiver combination for a firearm, the combination comprising:
 A barrel having a bore with a longitudinal axis, and having a breech for receiving an ammunition round;   A receiver for slidably receiving a bolt for loading the ammunition round in the breech of the barrel and the receiver having a distal end with a longitudinal axis;   The barrel being connected to the receiver at the distal end of the receiver by a threaded connection; and   An axial alignment system for making the barrel bore coaxial with the receiver distal end before and during firing of the firearm, the alignment system comprising the barrel having a first barrel mating surface proximal of the threaded connection and a second barrel mating surface distal of the threaded connection, wherein the first barrel mating surface mates with a first receiver mating surface that is proximal of the threaded connection by being less than 0.004 inches from said first receiver mating surface, and a second barrel mating surface mates with a second receiver mating surface that is distal of the threaded connection by being less than 0.004 inches from said second receiver mating surface.   
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second barrel mating surfaces are press-fit with said first and second receiver mating surfaces, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second barrel mating surfaces and each of the first and second receiver mating surfaces are axial surfaces that are coaxial with the barrel bore axis. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 13 , wherein the first barrel mating surface is a non-threaded barrel tenon at least ¼ inch in axial length. 
     
     
         15 . The combination as in  claim 14 , wherein the first receiver mating surface is inside the receiver distal end at ¾-2 inches from a distalmost extremity of the receiver. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the second receiver mating surface extends from the distalmost extremity of the receiver inward into the receiver distal end a distance in the range of ⅛ inch to 0.99 inch. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein said first receiver mating surface is non-cylindrical. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein said first receiver mating surface is cylindrical.