Firearm buffer system and buttstock assembly

Abstract

A buttstock assembly configured to work in conjunction with a compact buffer assembly consisting of a buffer tube, spring and bolt carrier with an integral buffer is provided. The buttstock assembly, buffer tube and bolt carrier are configured to work with AR 15/M16 type firearms and their derivatives. By incorporating the buffer onto the bolt carrier, which is used in conjunction with a buffer tube of reduced length, the overall length of the host firearm is reduced by approximately 3. 2 inches. No permanent modification need be made to the host firearm in order to utilize the compact buffer assembly and buttstock assembly disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bolt carrier assembly for a gas-operated firearm comprising a bolt carrier having a forward end and a rearward end as said bolt carrier is positioned in said gas-operated rifle, said rearward end defining an enclosed longitudinally extending opening, said enclosed longitudinally extending opening receiving at least a portion of a weighted buffer therein, said weighted buffer having a back end which is larger in diameter than said enclosed longitudinally extending opening. 
     
     
         2 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said weighted buffer has a front end which is larger in diameter than said enclosed longitudinally extending opening, a body portion of said weighted buffer extends between said front end and said back end, said body portion is configured to be housed within said enclosed longitudinally extending opening thereby facilitating limited longitudinal movement of said buffer therein. 
     
     
         3 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said weighted buffer has the general shape of a barbell, the back end of said buffer is integrally attached to said body portion, said front end has an opening configured to receive a portion of said body portion therein, a means is provided to secure said front end to said body portion. 
     
     
         4 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said opening of said front end of said buffer is threaded, a forward end of said body portion is threaded to receive and thereby secure thereto said front end of said buffer. 
     
     
         5 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said front end is welded to said body portion of said buffer. 
     
     
         6 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a return spring, said rearward end of said bolt carrier being provided with a boss having an outer diameter that is in contact with an interior of a receiver of the gas-operated firearm, said boss defining an annular surface along its back side that defines a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bolt carrier, said return spring biases against said annular surface. 
     
     
         7 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 6 , in combination with a buffer tube which is secured to the back end of a receiver of the gas-operated firearm, said buffer tube defining an interior opening configured to receive said return spring and a portion of said bolt carrier therein, and said buffer tube having a generally circular exterior defining a plurality of circumferential bands thereon. 
     
     
         8 . The bolt carrier assembly as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprised of a buttstock assembly, said buttstock assembly having a housing and a shoulder stock, said housing defines a longitudinally extending opening which is configured to receive at least a portion of said buffer tube therein, the forward end of said longitudinally extending opening is smaller in diameter than the interior and rearward portions of said longitudinally extending opening thereby creating an internal shoulder against which the forward edge of a circumferential band of said buffer tube comes to rest when said housing and said buffer tube are secured to the receiver of a gas-operated firearm. 
     
     
         9 . A gas-operated firearm comprising:
 a receiver;   a barrel coupled to said receiver;   a bolt carrier configured to be received within said receiver having weighted buffer assembly secured thereto;   a bolt;   a return spring for resisting the rearward movement of said bolt carrier and for biasing said bolt carrier into battery;   said bolt carrier including a front end where said bolt is rotatably mounted, a rear end defining an internal longitudinal opening where said weighted buffer is housed, and a body portion extending therebetween, said buffer having a front portion, a rear portion and a connecting member extending therebetween, said rear portion of said buffer extends past the rear end of said bolt carrier, said connecting member is received within said internal longitudinal opening of said bolt carrier;   said rear end of said bolt carrier defines a boss thereon having an outer diameter that is in contact with an interior portion of said receiver, the area extending between the back side of said boss and the rear end of said bolt carrier is smaller in diameter that an interior opening of said return spring, a portion of which is received thereon.   
     
     
         10 . The gas-operated firearm of  claim 9 , wherein said buffer has limited longitudinal movement in relationship to said bolt carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The gas operated firearm of  claim 9 , further comprised of a buffer tube, said buffer tube defining a longitudinally extending interior opening and a generally cylindrical exterior having at least two circumferential ridges thereon, when secured to the gas-operated firearm said longitudinally extending interior opening is in operational alignment with said receiver. 
     
     
         12 . The gas operated firearm of  claim 11 , further comprised of a buttstock assembly, said buttstock assembly is comprised of shoulder stock that is slidably connected to a housing, said housing constructed with an internal opening extending there through which is configured to receive at least a portion of said buffer tube, said at least two circumferential ridges of said buffer tube each have an outer diameter that is in contact with the interior of said internal opening of said housing when assembled therewith. 
     
     
         13 . The gas operated firearm of  claim 12 , said internal opening of said housing has a front opening, a back opening and a bore extending therebetween, said front opening is smaller in diameter than said bore defining a shoulder therebetween, when said buffer tube is secured to said gas-operated firearm the forward most circumferential ridge bears against said shoulder thereby securing said stock to said gas-operated firearm. 
     
     
         14 . A buttstock assembly for use with an autoloading firearm comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinally extending interior bore constructed with a front opening and a rear opening, said front opening is smaller in diameter than said interior bore, between said front opening and said interior bore there is defined an annular shoulder, said housing defining a comb about its exterior surface;   a shoulder stock having a front side and back side with a opening extending therebetween, said shoulder stock has a means to slidably connect with said housing;   a receiver extension which is generally cylindrical in shape defining a longitudinally extending interior bore extending between a front end of said receiver extension to an interior back end wall, defined about the exterior are at least two circumferential bands having an outer diameter that is in contact with said interior bore of said housing when coupled therewith;   when said receiver extension is coupled to said housing, the forward most circumferential band bears against said annular shoulder of said housing thereby securing both said receiver extension and said housing to the autoloading firearm.   
     
     
         15 . The buttstock assembly of  claim 14 , further comprised of two guide rods which are secured to the front side of said shoulder stock, said housing defines two openings about its exterior which run parallel to said interior bore, said two openings are constructed to receive said guide rods, said housing provides a means to control the longitudinal movement of said shoulder stock when coupled to said housing. 
     
     
         16 . The buttstock assembly of  claim 15 , at least one of said guide rods has at least two notches spaced along its length, said housing has at least one spring biased catch mechanism in operational communication with at least one guide rod, said catch mechanism engages with one notch at a time of said at least one guide rod, thereby selectively restricting the longitudinal movement of said shoulder stock. 
     
     
         17 . The buttstock assembly of  claim 14 , further comprised of a bolt carrier having a front end and a back end as said bolt carrier is positioned in a receiver of the autoloading firearm, said back end defining an enclosed longitudinally extending bore, a buffer having a generally cylindrical shaped front end and rear end with a connecting member extending therebetween, said front end and said rear end of said buffer are larger in diameter than said connecting member, said connecting member of said buffer is housed within said enclosed longitudinally extending bore of said bolt carrier, said rear end of said buffer protrudes from said back end of said bolt carrier. 
     
     
         18 . The buttstock assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said back end of said bolt carrier defines a boss thereon having an outer diameter that is in contact with an interior portion of a receiver of the autoloading firearm. 
     
     
         19 . The buttstock assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said back end of said bolt carrier is configured to receive a portion of a return spring thereon, said return spring bearing against an annular structure of said bolt carrier thereby biasing said bolt carrier into battery.