Firearm with interchangeable calibers and/or improved sights

Abstract

A replacement slide assembly for a pistol, the slide assembly having a barrel assembly with a barrel and a firing chamber. The barrel assembly also has a guide member which is a protrusion that extends horizontally outward from the barrel assembly. The replacement slide assembly also includes a housing with an interior wall that defines a groove that receives the guide member. The guide member and the groove in the housing are located forward of a firing pin assembly also mounted within the housing. The slide assembly or any firearm also includes an adjustable sight assembly that permits interchangeability between different types of sights without requiring that the firearm be re-sighted.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A firearm comprising:
 a barrel assembly having a firing chamber and a barrel wherein a the barrel defines an axis; 
 a frame that includes a trigger assembly and a slide, wherein the barrel assembly is mounted in a defined relationship to the frame; 
 a surface on the slide that is mounted in a defined relationship to the barrel, wherein the surface defines a first recess with at least one mounting component; 
 a sight platform that is sized to be positioned within the recess and engage with the mounting component such that the sight platform is maintained in a fixed relationship with the barrel axis when mortared mounted within the recess and engaged with the mounting component and wherein the sight platform defines an adjustable sight mounting location; 
 the adjustable mounting location being a dovetail groove; 
 a sight having a dovetail element that is mounted ill in the adjustable sight mounting location so that the sight can be adjusted into a first orientation with respect to the sight platform so as to be in a defined relationship with the axis of the barrel; 
 and wherein the sight platform can be removed from the recess and returned to the recess and the sight is maintained in the same first orientation with respect to the axis of the barrel; 
 wherein the mounting component comprises a projection having an outer wall that extends out of a floor of the recess and is formed on the slide and wherein the mounting component has an opening; 
 wherein the sight platform is a planar body defining an aperture having an inner wall closely receiving the projection and wherein the fastener extends through the aperture in the sight platform and into the opening in the projection and wherein the outer wall of the projection engages with the inner wall of the aperture in the sight platform. 
 
     
     
       2. The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the firearm comprises a pistol having a slide housing and wherein the recess is formed in the slide housing. 
     
     
       3. The firearm of  claim 2 , wherein the sight comprises a non-optical sight. 
     
     
       4. The firearm of  claim 2 , wherein the sight comprises an optical sight. 
     
     
       5. The firearm of  claim 4 , wherein the optical sight defines a sight axis and wherein the recess is sized so as to lower the sight axis to a height that corresponds to the height of a non-optical sight for the firearm. 
     
     
       6. The firearm of  claim 5 , wherein the recess lowers the sight axis by approximately 2 mils. 
     
     
       7. The firearm of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustable sight mounting location comprises a groove that extends in a direction that intersects the direction of the axis of the barrel. 
     
     
       8. The firearm of  claim 5 , wherein the sight has a platform that matches the dovetail configuration of the groove. 
     
     
       9. A pistol slide assembly for mounting a sight, the sight having a dovetail element, comprising:
 a slide body having a first mounting facility,; 
 a sight platform removably mounted to the first mounting facility; 
 the sight platform defining a second mounting facility including a dovetail groove operable to receive the dovetail element; 
 wherein the slide body has a primary upper surface, and wherein the first mounting facility is a recess below the level the primary upper surface; 
 wherein the recess defines a floor surface, and wherein the first mounting facility includes a protrusion having an outer wall extending above the floor surface, wherein the protrusion is formed on the slide body and defines an opening that receives a fastener; and 
 wherein the sight platform is a planar body defining an aperture having an inner wall closely receiving the protrusion and wherein the fastener extends through the aperture in the sight platform and into the opening in the protrusion and wherein the outer wall of the protrusion engages with the inner wall of the aperture in the sight platform. 
 
     
     
       10. The pistol slide assembly of  claim 9  wherein the protrusion is of limited height and have upper ends that do has an upper end that does not protrude above the primary upper surface. 
     
     
       11. The pistol slide assembly of  claim 9  wherein the protrusion is integrally formed with the slide body. 
     
     
       12. The pistol slide assembly of  claim 9  wherein the sight platform fully occupies the recess. 
     
     
       13. The pistol slide assembly of  claim 9  wherein the slide body is an elongated body, and wherein the dovetail groove is formed perpendicularly to the length of the slide body, such that the sight may be laterally adjusted with respect to the sight platform. 
     
     
       14. The pistol slide assembly of  claim 9  wherein the slide body has a primary upper surface and the sight platform is removable in a direction perpendicular to the primary upper surface. 
     
     
       15. A sight mounting platform for a pistol slide, the pistol slide having an alignment element, comprising:
 a slide body having an alignment element; and 
 a sight mounting platform, wherein the sight mounting platform comprises a planar body defining a first interface facility sized to contact the alignment element to locate the planar body with respect to the slide body; and 
 the planar body deeming defining a dovetail groove operable to receive a sight having a dovetail element; 
 wherein the alignment element is a recess having a protrusion with an outer wall, and the interface facility is an aperture having an inner wall adapted to closely receive the protrusion, wherein the protrusion is formed in the slide body and defines an opening that receives a fastener, and wherein the inner wall of the aperture and the outer wall of the protrusion engage each other. 
 
     
     
       16. A slide for a semi-automatic pistol so that the slide is mounted in a defined relationship with an axis of a barrel of the semi-automatic pistol, the slide comprising:
 a slide body; and   an optical sight;   wherein the slide body comprises an upper surface that extends parallel to the axis of the barrel when the slide is mounted on the semi-automatic pistol, wherein the upper surface defines a recess that extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the barrel when the slide is mounted on the semi-automatic pistol, wherein the recess has a recessed surface that is recessed below the upper surface of the slide body; and   wherein the slide body further comprises a plurality of mounting protrusions having an outer dimension that extends upward from the recessed surface, wherein the mounting protrusions include openings that are sized to receive fasteners, wherein the outer dimension is dimensioned so as to be positioned inside and contact an inner side wall of a mounting opening formed in a base of the optical sight.   
     
     
       17. The slide of claim 16, wherein the plurality of mounting protrusions are cylindrical and define a center axis and wherein the openings extend along the center axis and have threaded interiors to receive fasteners to secure the optical sight to the slide body. 
     
     
       18. The slide of claim 17, wherein the plurality of mounting protrusions comprise two protrusions. 
     
     
       19. A semi-automatic firearm comprising:
 a barrel assembly having a firing chamber and a barrel wherein the barrel defines an axis;   a frame that includes a trigger assembly, wherein the barrel assembly is mounted in a defined relationship to the frame;   a slide having an upper surface that extends parallel to the axis of the barrel when the slide is mounted on the semi-automatic firearm, wherein the upper surface defines a recess that extends in a direction perpendicular to axis of the barrel when the slide is mounted on the semi-automatic firearm, wherein the recess has a recessed surface that is recessed below the upper surface of the slide;   a plurality of mounting protrusions having an outer dimension that extends upward from the recessed surface, wherein the mounting protrusions include openings that are sized to receive fasteners and wherein the plurality of mounting protrusions are formed on the slide; and   an optical sight mounted within the recess wherein the optical sight has a mounting base with openings with inner side walls and wherein the outer dimension of the plurality of mounting protrusions are dimensioned so as to be positioned inside and contact the inner side walls of the mounting openings formed in the mounting base of the optical sight.   
     
     
       20. The firearm of claim 19, wherein the plurality of mounting protrusions are cylindrical and define a center axis and wherein the openings extend along the center axis and have threaded interiors to receive fasteners that extend through the mounting base of the optical sight to secure the optical sight to the slide. 
     
     
       21. The firearm of claim 20, wherein the plurality of mounting protrusions comprise two protrusions. 
     
     
       22. The firearm of claim 19, wherein the optical sight defines a sight axis and wherein the recess is sized so as to lower the sight axis to a height that corresponds to the height of a non-optical sight for the firearm. 
     
     
       23. The firearm of claim 22, wherein the recess lowers the sight axis by approximately 2 mils.