Firearm bottom metal

Abstract

Firearm assemblies having a receiver, a stock, and a bottom metal with integral sidewalls defining a cartridge receiving area are disclosed. The sidewalls of the bottom metal preferably extend vertically into a recess defined by the receiver. Spacers arranged to reduce a dimension of the cartridge receiving area of the bottom metal assembly, but not the number of receivable cartridges, are also disclosed.

1 . A firearm, comprising:
 a stock, a receiver, a bottom metal, a barrel, and a trigger, wherein the stock is held against the receiver by the bottom metal, the barrel extends forwardly from the receiver, and the trigger extends downwardly through a portion of the bottom metal;   wherein the bottom metal has a bottom metal body having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, a right side, a rearward end, and a forward end;   wherein when the bottom metal body is positioned within the firearm, the top side faces a receiver of the firearm and the rearward end is positioned further from a muzzle end of the barrel of the firearm than the forward end;   wherein a rearward portion of the bottom metal body is positioned closer to the rearward end than a forward portion of the bottom metal body, and wherein the rearward portion defines an opening configured to allow access for a trigger of the firearm to project therefrom;   wherein the forward portion of the bottom metal body has a first upwardly-extending sidewall and second upwardly-extending sidewall on the top side, said first and second upwardly-extending sidewalls extending along a length of the bottom metal body between the forward and rearward ends and defining an area therebetween for the receipt of cartridges; and   wherein the first upwardly-extending sidewall extends into a bottom opening defined by the receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first upwardly-extending sidewall extending into the bottom opening has a first material thickness;
 wherein a portion of the first upwardly-extending sidewall outside of the bottom opening has a second material thickness; and   wherein the first material thickness is less than the second material thickness.   
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the second upwardly-extending sidewall extends into the bottom opening defined by the receiver. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein a portion of the second upwardly-extending sidewall extending into the bottom opening has a first material thickness;
 wherein a portion of the second upwardly-extending sidewall outside of the bottom opening has a second material thickness; and   wherein the first material thickness of the second upwardly-extending sidewall is less than the second material thickness of the second upwardly-extending.   
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom metal is not configured for the receipt of a detachable box magazine. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the stock defines an inlet opening for receipt of the bottom metal;
 wherein the inlet opening is sized and configured to receive a DBM bottom metal configured to receive a detachable box magazine; and   wherein dimensions of the portions of the bottom metal that interface with the stock are of the same dimension of the DBM bottom metal.   
     
     
         7 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom metal body is a monolithic piece. 
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the first upwardly-extending sidewall comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom metal body defines a trigger guard on the bottom side. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinged floorplate closing the bottom of the area for the receipt of cartridges. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the forward portion further has an upwardly-extending endwall that extends transverse to and from the first upwardly-extending sidewall to the second upwardly-extending sidewall. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 11 , wherein the upwardly-extending endwall extends into a bottom opening defined by the receiver. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of the upwardly-extending endwall extending into the bottom opening has a first material thickness;
 wherein a portion of the upwardly-extending endwall outside of the bottom opening has a second material thickness; and   wherein the first material thickness of the upwardly-extending endwall is less than the second material thickness of the upwardly-extending endwall.   
     
     
         14 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein an upward-facing surface of the first upwardly-extending sidewall is spaced from an opposing, downward-facing surface of the receiver. 
     
     
         15 . The firearm of  claim 11 , wherein positioned within the area for the receipt of cartridges is a removable spacer adjacent to a follower and a spring, the removable spacer configured to contact cartridges received within the area for the receipt of cartridges during operation of the firearm and reduce at least one dimension of the area for the receipt of cartridges. 
     
     
         16 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the removable spacer is fastened to the bottom metal with a fastener. 
     
     
         17 . The firearm of  claim 16 , wherein the fastener comprises a screw extending between the removable spacer and the upwardly-extending endwall; and
 wherein the spacer reduces a length of the area for the receipt of cartridges.   
     
     
         18 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom metal assembly without the spacer is configured to retain a maximum number of cartridges of a first caliber;
 wherein the bottom metal assembly with the spacer is configured to retain a maximum number of cartridges of a second caliber; and   wherein the maximum number of cartridges of the second caliber is the same or greater than the maximum number of cartridges of the first caliber.   
     
     
         19 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the spacer has a top portion that slopes downward towards a middle of the area for the receipt of cartridges.