Systems and methods of providing recoil reduction in a firearm

Abstract

A recoil reduction device for a firearm is provided. The device includes a main body having a proximal end, a distal end, a first interior hollow compartment, and a second interior hollow compartment; a first recoil reduction assembly arranged at least partially within the first interior hollow compartment at the proximal end of the main body; and a second recoil reduction assembly arranged at least partially within the second interior hollow compartment at the distal end of the main body. The first recoil reduction assembly provides recoil reduction during a first stage of a firing cycle of the firearm, and the second recoil reduction assembly provides recoil reduction during a second stage of the firing cycle of the firearm, wherein the second stage is different than the first stage. The recoil reduction mechanisms provided by the first and second recoil reduction assemblies are different from each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A recoil reduction device for a firearm, comprising:
 a main body having a proximal end, a distal end, a first interior hollow compartment, and a second interior hollow compartment;   a first recoil reduction assembly arranged at least partially within the first interior hollow compartment at the proximal end of the main body; and   a second recoil reduction assembly arranged at least partially within the second interior hollow compartment at the distal end of the main body;   wherein the first recoil reduction assembly provides recoil reduction during a first stage of a firing cycle of the firearm, and the second recoil reduction assembly provides recoil reduction during a second stage of the firing cycle of the firearm, and wherein the second stage is different than the first stage.   
     
     
         2 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the first recoil reduction assembly extends through the proximal end of the main body and the second recoil reduction assembly extends through the distal end of the main body. 
     
     
         3 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the first recoil reduction assembly provides recoil reduction according to a first mechanism and the second recoil reduction assembly provides recoil reduction according to a second mechanism that is different than the first mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 3 , wherein the first mechanism is a hydraulic damping mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the first interior hollow compartment and the second interior hollow compartment are coaxial about a central longitudinal axis of the recoil reduction device. 
     
     
         6 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the second recoil reduction assembly comprises a plunger and a resilient member. 
     
     
         7 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 6 , wherein a first end of the plunger is configured to extend outward from the distal end of the main body when not in a fully compressed state. 
     
     
         8 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 6 , wherein the plunger comprises a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, and the resilient member of the second recoil reduction assembly is configured to be received in a seat that is provided in the second end of the plunger, and the resilient member extends outward from the seat in the second end of the plunger. 
     
     
         9 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprises an end wall positioned between the first interior hollow compartment and the second interior hollow compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 9 , wherein the end wall comprises an orifice extending between a first side of the end wall that faces the first interior hollow compartment and a second side of the end wall that faces the second interior hollow compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein when the recoil reduction device is driven axially in a rearward direction, a hydraulic resistance is generated by the first recoil reduction assembly, and when the recoil reduction device is driven further axially in the rearward direction and the recoil reduction device contacts a buffer tube of the firearm, a non-hydraulic resistance is generated by the second recoil reduction assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein when the recoil reduction device is driven axially in a rearward direction, a first resistance is generated by the first recoil reduction assembly, and when the recoil reduction device is driven further axially in the rearward direction and the recoil reduction device contacts a buffer tube of the firearm, a second resistance is generated by the second recoil reduction assembly, wherein the second resistance is different than the first resistance. 
     
     
         13 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the first recoil reduction assembly includes a first resilient member to provide preload in a first direction, and the second recoil reduction assembly includes a second resilient member to provide preload in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The recoil reduction device of  claim 1 , wherein the first recoil reduction assembly comprises a piston head and an accumulator that is configured to collect a damping medium from the interior hollow compartment through at least one opening in the piston head or through an opening between an exterior of the piston head and an interior surface of the main body. 
     
     
         15 . A method of reducing recoil during operation of a firearm, comprising:
 displacing a recoil reduction device in a rearward direction and actuating a first recoil reduction assembly of the recoil reduction device;   displacing the recoil reduction device further in the rearward direction and actuating a second recoil reduction assembly of the recoil reduction device   compressing a plunger or resilient member of the second recoil reduction assembly to slow a rearward motion of the recoil reduction device; and   moving, in a direction different from the rearward direction, the recoil reduction device to a battery position within the firearm after actuation of the first and second recoil reduction assemblies;   wherein the first and second recoil reduction assemblies operate according to different mechanisms.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first or second recoil reduction assembly operates according to a hydraulic damping mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein actuating the first recoil reduction assembly occurs during a first stage of a firing cycle of the firearm and actuating the second recoil reduction assembly occurs during a second stage of the firing cycle, wherein the second stage is different than the first stage. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the actuating of the first recoil reduction assembly comprises generating a first resistance when the recoil reduction device is driven in the rearward direction, and actuating of the second recoil reduction assembly comprises generating a second resistance when the recoil reduction device is driven further in the rearward direction and the recoil reduction device contacts a buffer tube of the firearm, wherein the first and second resistances are different in type. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first recoil reduction assembly comprises a piston head and an accumulator that is configured to collect a damping medium from the first interior hollow compartment through at least one opening in the piston head. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first recoil reduction assembly comprises a piston head and an accumulator that is configured to collect a damping medium from the first interior hollow compartment through an opening between an exterior of the piston head and an interior surface of the main body.