WO2018013228A2

WO2018013228A2 - Composite recoil absorber insert for firearm stock

Info

Publication number: WO2018013228A2
Application number: PCT/US2017/033911
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marc Lesenfants
Original assignee: Browning
Priority date: 2016-07-15
Filing date: 2017-05-23
Publication date: 2018-01-18
Also published as: US20180017353A1; WO2018013228A3

Abstract

Composite recoil-absorbing stocks for firearms are disclosed. One stock has a rigid body that has an internal cavity. A compressible insert may be positioned in the rigid body with an elongated front end that is narrower than a broadened rear end. The front end is positioned in a narrowed front end of the internal cavity, and the rear end is positioned in a wider rear end of the cavity. When the firearm recoils, the compressible insert can be positioned between the shooter and the rest of the firearm and can therefore dampen and absorb recoil forces. The positioning and size of the rigid body and compressible insert help prevent bending and buckling of the compressible insert, thereby limiting the effect that the compression of the insert has on aiming and accuracy of the shot. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed.

Description

COMPOSITE RECOIL ABSORBER INSERT FOR FIREARM STOCK

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15/212,035 filed July 15, 2016, and titled "Composite Recoil Absorber Insert for Firearm Stock," the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a recoil damping device for portable firearms and particularly relates to a recoil damping device positioned in the stock of a firearm.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The recoil, or "kick," of a firearm is caused by forceful expansion of gases in the firing mechanism of the weapon when the weapon is fired. For high energy rounds especially, such as large caliber bullets and shells, the recoil interferes with the shooter's aim and applies strong forces to the shooter's upper body and arms. Firearms such as rifles and shotguns include a stock at the rear of the weapon to help the shooter brace during recoil and thereby minimize these negative effects by supporting the weapon against the shooter's body while taking a shot. However, even with a stock, the recoil is undesirably forceful and disruptive to aim and accuracy of the firearm.

[0004] Many devices have been conceived to dampen the recoil of a shot, including, for example, slides and other vent systems that are part of a receiver assembly of a gun. However, not all types of firearms are suited for this kind of damping, such as certain types of shotguns. Furthermore, the slide and vent systems increase complexity, cost, and potential failure modes of the receiver assembly.

[0005] Most firearms are compatible with spring-loaded damping systems that are placed in or on the stock. For example, butt-end-positioned recoil pads are widely employed wherein a compressible pad is positioned at the rear of the stock so as to be in contact with the shooter and better absorb and distribute the forces generated in recoil. Generally, thick recoil pads are better at shock absorption and distribution than thinner ones, but thick recoil pads also have a tendency to buckle and laterally deflect under pressure. These recoil pads can therefore interfere with accuracy while aiming and shooting since the deflection can skew the shooter's alignment of the firearm. Other spring-loaded damping systems have been developed that are positioned in the stock, but their benefits are generally outweighed by their excessive weight, cost, and complexity. Accordingly, there is a need for improvements to existing recoil damping systems.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a recoil-absorbing stock for a firearm. The stock may comprise a rigid body that has a fore end, a butt end, and an intemal cavity. The fore end may be attachable to a barrel and receiver assembly of a firearm. The intemal cavity may have a forward end and a rearward end, with the forward end having an inner wall, the rearward end having an inner wall, and the inner wall of the forward end being narrower than the inner wall of the rearward end. A compressible insert may also be included which may comprise a front end and a rear end. The front end may have an elongated shape positioned within the inner wall of the forward end of the internal cavity. The rear end may have a broadened shape positioned within the inner wall of the rearward end of the intemal cavity.

[0007] The rear end of the compressible insert may extend out of the internal cavity. The intemal cavity may have a tapered funnel shape. The internal cavity may have a butt end opening, wherein the rear end of the compressible insert is wider than the butt end opening. A retaining member may also be attached to the front end of the compressible insert, with the retaining member attaching the front end of the compressible insert to a surface of the internal cavity of the rigid body. The rear end of the compressible insert may comprise a plurality of ridges extending radially outward from an outer surface of the rear end. The rear end of the compressible insert may comprise a forward-facing surface, with the forward-facing surface being longitudinally spaced away from the rigid body. In some embodiments, the rear end of the compressible insert may comprise a radially-facing surface, wherein the radially-facing surface may be radially spaced from the internal cavity of the rigid body.

[0008] In another aspect of the disclosure, a recoil-absorbing stock for a firearm is disclosed, wherein the stock may comprise a rigid body having a forward end, a rearward end, and an internal void. The rearward end may have a rear opening providing access to the intemal void. A compressible insert may also be included which may have a front end and a rear end. The front end may be positioned within the internal void and the rear end may extend outward from the rear opening. The compressible insert may comprise an elastically compressible material, and the elastically compressible material may be longitudinally compressible relative to the rigid body upon recoil of the firearm.

[0009] Some arrangements may further comprise a retaining member attached to the front end of the compressible insert and a wall of the internal void. The retaining member may be more rigid than the compressible insert. A radially-facing outer surface of the compressible insert may be substantially smooth. The compressible insert may comprise a plurality of radially-extending ridges in contact with a wall of the internal void, and the plurality of radially-extending ridges may contact the rear opening. The plurality of radially- extending ridges may compress upon recoil of the firearm, and a pad may be attached to the rear end of the compressible insert.

[0010] In another aspect of the disclosure, a method of absorbing recoil in a firearm is set forth, wherein the method comprises providing a firearm having a barrel, a receiver assembly, a stock having an internal cavity, and a shock absorber having an elongated portion extending into the internal cavity. A portion of an outer surface of the shock absorber may be spaced away from a wall of the internal cavity. The method may further include supporting a rear end of the shock absorber, causing the firearm to recoil in a rearward direction, and compressing the shock absorber within the internal cavity to absorb at least a portion of the recoil with the shock absorber. In that case, the shock absorber may longitudinally shorten, laterally widen, and come into contact with the wall of internal cavity.

[0011] In some configurations of the method, causing the firearm to recoil may comprise firing the firearm. The wall of the internal cavity may be a rearward-facing wall. The wall of the internal cavity may be a radially-facing wall. The shock absorber may also longitudinally shorten into contact with a wall of the stock that is external to the internal cavity.

[0012] The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The Figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify one or more preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings and figures illustrate a number of exemplary embodiments and are part of the specification. Together with the present description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of this disclosure. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a firearm having a composite recoil absorber.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a stock.

[0016] FIG. 3A shows a side view of a compressible insert of a stock.

[0017] FIG. 3B shows a front view of the compressible insert of FIG. 3 A.

[0018] FIG. 3C shows a rear view of the compressible insert of FIG. 3 A.

[0019] FIG. 3D shows a top view of the compressible insert of FIG. 3 A.

[0020] FIG. 3E shows a section side view of the compressible insert of FIG. 3A, as shown by section lines 3E-3E in FIG. 3D.

[0021] FIG. 4A shows a section side view of a composite recoil absorbing stock.

[0022] FIG. 4B shows a section top view of the stock of FIG. 4A as shown by section lines 4B-4B in FIG. 4A.

[0023] FIG. 5A shows a side section view of a composite recoil absorbing stock.

[0024] FIG. 5B shows a section top view of the stock of FIG. 5A as shown by section lines 5B-5B in FIG. 5A.

[0025] FIG. 6A shows a section side view of a composite recoil absorbing stock.

[0026] FIG. 6B shows a section top view of the stock of FIG. 6A as shown by section lines 6B-6B in FIG. 6A.

[0027] While the embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and altematives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0028] The present disclosure generally relates to recoil-absorbing devices for firearms and specifically to a recoil-absorbing stock having a compressible insert. The compressible insert may be considerably larger in length and volume than existing end- positioned recoil pads for firearms in order to better absorb and distribute recoil. In an example embodiment, the stock may comprise a rigid body having a fore end attachable to a receiver assembly and a barrel. The rigid body may be formed with a hollow internal cavity within which a compressible insert may be positioned. The compressible insert may comprise a more compressible material than the rigid body, such as, for example, a rubber or compressible foam material that is more elastically deformable and compressible than a typical wooden, metal, plastic, or composite stock body. A rubber material may comprise natural rubber or synthetic rubber. Thus, the stock may be referred to as a composite stock due to comprising an insert and a rigid body with different compressibility.

[0029] The compressible insert may comprise an elongated portion and a broadened portion, wherein the elongated portion may extend deep into the internal cavity of the stock and connect to the rigid body or to the receiver assembly of the firearm. The broadened portion may be configured to extend out of the rear end of the internal cavity and may have a similar shape and profile as the rear end of the stock. The compressible insert may also be configured to contact the shooter (e.g. , at the shoulder) or may be attached to a pad or rear cover that contacts the shooter so that the shooter's body (e.g. , shoulder) is only in contact with the compressible insert or rear pad/cover, and not in contact with the rigid body, when the firearm is discharged.

[0030] Upon recoil, the force may be directed generally opposite the firing direction and through the stock toward the shooter. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the positioning of the compressible insert between the shooter and the rigid body of the stock provides shock absorption wherein the compressible insert is compressed within the rigid body, thereby reducing the blow transferred to the shooter. The shape of the compressible insert may also be narrower at its front end and broader at its rear end so that the force is distributed over a wider area of the shooter's body as well.

[0031] The compressible insert may be positioned in an elongated passage within the internal cavity that prevents the compressible insert from significant buckling or other lateral deflection while it is compressed. Additionally, the rear end of the compressible insert may comprise a plurality of fingers that absorb shock and keep the compressible insert positioned properly within the internal cavity. Thus, the compressible insert may dampen forces and vibration that would otherwise be transferred to the shooter without laterally deflecting and causing more significant interference with aiming or accuracy. [0032] In some embodiments, a rigid retaining member may be positioned on the compressible insert. The retaining member may be used as an anchor that ensures that the compressible insert does not tear away from a retaining feature that keeps the compressible insert connected to the rest of the firearm. For example, the retaining member may contact a retaining bolt or screw that attaches to the rigid body or receiver assembly of the firearm, and the compressible insert may be connected to the retaining member by a shape interference fit.

[0033] Using a natural or synthetic rubber material for the compressible insert may reduce weight of the stock as a whole, may be easily formed, and may be inexpensive as compared to metal spring-loaded recoil damping devices. Additionally, the monolithic structure of the compressible insert may help ensure even distribution of weight and force transmission. Thus, the firearm's weight distribution may be easier to balance and the efficiency of the compressible insert may be controlled by adjusting its rear dimensions. The compressible insert may also accordingly be more resistant to environmental moisture, dirt, and debris, and may be more elastically resilient in a non-longitudinal direction as compared to existing recoil damping devices, especially at the rear end of the insert.

[0034] The present description provides examples, and is not limiting of the scope, applicability, or configuration set forth in the claims. Thus, it will be understood that changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add other procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, the methods described may be performed in an order different from that described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in other embodiments.

[0035] Turning now to the figures in detail, FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of a firearm 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In general terms, the firearm 100 may comprise a barrel 102, and a receiver assembly 104, and a stock 106. In the pictured embodiment, the firearm 100 is a shotgun, but those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that the principles of operation of the present embodiments are applicable in any type of firearm or other projectile weapon, such as, for example, rifles and crossbows. Thus, the shotgun shown is exemplary of a plurality of different types of arms that may have recoil dampening stocks as described herein.

[0036] The barrel 102 may comprise a front end 108 having a muzzle 110 and front sight 112. The rear end 114 of the barrel 102 may comprise a rear sight 116 and may be connected to the receiver assembly 104. In some embodiments, the barrel 102 may also be connected to a magazine 118. The receiver assembly 104 may comprise a trigger 120, trigger guard 122, receiver 124, and bolt 126. A chamber 128 may also be formed within the receiver 124. The rear end 130 of the receiver 124 may be connected to a front end 132 of the stock 106. The front end 132 of the stock 106 may comprise a grip 134 and a comb 136. The rear end 138 of the stock 106 may comprise a recoil pad 140, a heel 142, and a toe 144. The recoil pad 140 may comprise a pad heel 146 and a pad toe 148.

[0037] When shooting the firearm 100, the shooter may place the recoil pad 140 against his or her shoulder, hold the grip 134 and the magazine 118 by hand, aim using the sights 112, 116, and squeeze the trigger 120. When the firearm 100 discharges, the recoil moves it backward, and the recoil pad 140 is thereby pressed into the shoulder. By bracing before firing and gripping the firearm 100 tightly, the user's shoulder and arms may limit the movement of the firearm 100 that is caused by the recoil.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the stock 106. The stock 106 may comprise a shell 150 or body portion having a rear opening 152 and an internal chamber 154 (see also FIGS. 4A-6B). The shell 150 may comprise a fore end (coincident with front end 132) and a butt end (coincident with rear end 138). The rear opening 152 may be formed in the butt end. The shell 150 may comprise a rigid material, such as, for example, wood, metal, a rigid plastic or other polymer, and/or composite. The shell 150 may therefore provide support for the weight of the rest of the firearm 100, and it may have negligible lateral and longitudinal deflection when the firearm 100 recoils. Additional detail about the shell 150 is provided in connection with the description of FIGS. 4A-6B elsewhere herein.

[0039] The stock 106 may also include a compressible insert 156. The compressible insert 156 may have a front end 158 inserted into the internal chamber 154 of the shell 150 (as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 4A) and may be connected to the recoil pad 140 at a rear end 160. The compressible insert 156 is shown in various orientations in FIGS. 3A-3E as well.

[0040] The compressible insert 156 may comprise a compressible body portion 162 extending between the front end 158 and the rear end 160. The compressible body portion 162 may have an elongated front end 164 and a broadened rear end 166. A retaining member 168 may be attached to the elongated front end 164, and a bracket 170 may be attached to the broadened rear end 166. The retaining member 168 may be connected to the compressible body portion 162 by an interference fit, and the bracket 170 may be connected to the compressible body portion 162 by anchors 172 and fasteners 174.

[0041] The elongated front end 164 may have a narrower height Hi than the broader height H2 of the rear end 166. See FIGS. 3A and 3C. The height H2 of the rear end 166 may be substantially the same as the height H3 of the rear end 138 of the shell 150. The narrower height Hi may be less than half of the broader height H2. In some embodiments, height Hi may be about one-third of height H2. The elongated front end 164 may also be narrower in width Wi than the broader width W2 at the rear end 166, see FIGS. 3B and 3D, and the width W2 may be substantially the same as the width W3 at the rear end of the shell 150. The rear end of the compressible insert 156 may also have a general oval shape at the broadened rear end 166 and a flange 194 extending around it. Accordingly, the compressible insert 156 may have approximately the same rear profile as the rear end of the shell 150, and the rear end width W2 of the compressible insert 156 may be wider than the width of the rear opening 152 of the shell 150 (e.g. , at the flange 194). The elongated front end 164 and broadened rear end 166 may each comprise a generally oval-shaped cross-section. A transition portion 169 of the compressible body portion 162 may provide a smooth or lofted- surface transition between the front and rear ends 164, 166.

[0042] The compressible body portion 162 may also comprise an internal bore 176 extending between the front end 164 and the rear end 166. See FIGS. 3B-3E. The internal bore 176 may also extend through the retaining member 168. With the recoil pad 140 removed, the internal bore 176 may be accessible from the rear end 166 of the compressible body portion 162.

[0043] A retaining bolt 178 may be positioned through the internal bore 176 and may be in contact with the internal bore 176 within the retaining member 168. See FIG. 4A. The retaining bolt 178 may attach to the shell 150 or to a portion of the receiver assembly 104 using a threaded connection or other suitable fastening method. The retaining bolt 178 may have a head portion in contact a shelf 180 within the retaining member 168 that prevents the retaining bolt 178 from passing entirely through the internal bore 176. The shelf 180 provides a position for the bolt 178 to grip when it is tightened into place using threads in the front end 132 of the shell 150 or using threads in the receiver assembly 104. Because the shelf 180 is within the retaining member 168, it may be more rigid than the compressible body portion 162. Thus, the retaining bolt 178 may be less likely to cause damage to the compressible insert 156 when it is tightened into place because the retaining member 168 may be more durable than the compressible body portion 162. In some embodiments, the retaining bolt 178 may be the only fastener keeping the compressible insert 156 attached to the stock 106. As a result, removing the retaining bolt 178 may allow the entire compressible insert 156 to be withdrawn from the shell 150 for service or replacement.

[0044] The retaining member 168 may comprise a rigid material such as a plastic or polymer. The internal bore 176 may extend through the retaining member 168. A second passage 181 through the retaining member 168 may contain a reduced- width portion 182 of the elongated front end 164 of the compressible body portion 162. The reduced-width portion 182 may be retained in the passage 181 where a narrowed area 184 of the passage 181 fits within a narrow neck 186 on the reduced-width portion 182. See FIG. 3E. Because the compressible body portion 162 is compressible, the retaining member 168 may be advanced over the reduced- width portion 182 until the narrow neck 186 is within the narrowed area 184 of the passage 181 , at which point the retaining member 168 may remain attached to the compressible body portion 162 by an interference fit. Accordingly, the compressible insert 156 may be stably affixed to the shell 150 such that a large part, if not all, of the rearward momentum of the firearm 100 during recoil may be transferred through the compressible insert 156 to the shooter rather than transferring through the shell 150 and to the shooter.

[0045] The retaining member 168 may have outer dimensions that are equal to the outer dimensions of the elongated front end 164 of the compressible body portion 162, at least on the portion of the elongated front end 164 immediately behind the retaining member 168, as shown in at least FIGS. 3 A, 3D, and 3E. Accordingly, the elongated front end 164 and retaining member 168 may have a substantially continuous and smooth outer surface transition between each other. This feature may allow the compressible insert 156 to be more easily inserted into and withdrawn from the shell 150. It may also help prevent damage to the compressible body portion 162 since any force applied to the retaining member 168 may be distributed across the surfaces of the compressible body portion 162 and retaining member 168 that are in contact with each other rather than stresses being undesirably highly concentrated against the compressible, compliant material of the compressible body portion 162 in a manner that could lead to puncturing or tearing of the compressible body portion 162. See also FIGS. 4A-6B.

[0046] The elongated front end 164 of the compressible body portion 162 may comprise a generally smooth, oval-shaped cross-section. Such a cross-section may be advantageous since it may minimize stress concentrations on the outer surface if the elongated front end 164 comes into contact with lateral side walls of the shell 150 and may better facilitate the transfer of recoil forces rearward. The broadened rear end 166 of the compressible body portion 162 may have a cross-sectional profile substantially similar to the rear end of the shell 150 so as to avoid adding bulk to the stock 106 where the rear end 166 protrudes from the shell 150.

[0047] The bracket 170 may be a rigid frame attached to the compressible body portion 162 using the anchors 172 and fasteners 174. The bracket 170 may fit within the recoil pad 140 and may reinforce the flexible material of the recoil pad 140 so that the fasteners 174 do not tear or pull through the recoil pad 140. In some embodiments, the internal bore 176 may be accessible through the bracket 170. See FIG. 3C. The retaining bolt 178 may be inserted between frame portions of the bracket 170 until it is entirely past the bracket 170. Alternatively, the bracket 170 may need to be removed in order for the internal bore 176 and retaining bolt 178 to be accessed and used.

[0048] The anchors 172 may also be made of a rigid material and may be connected to the broadened rear end 166 of the compressible body portion 162 to prevent tearing. Thus, the anchors 172 may help prevent tearing or slippage of the fasteners 174 from the compressible body portion 162. The recoil pad 140 may comprise rear access openings 188 so that the fasteners 174 may be inserted through the recoil pad 140 and attached to their resting positions within the bracket 170 and anchors 172. See FIG. 3E.

[0049] The rear end 166 of the compressible body portion 162 may also comprise a plurality of ridges 190. The plurality of ridges 190 may be circumferentially spaced around the body portion 162. Thus, there may be ridges on the top, bottom, and each lateral side of the compressible body portion 162. The ridges 190 may protrude from the peripheral outer surface of the rear end 166 and may contact an inner rear wall 192 of the shell 150. See FIG. 4A. In some arrangements there may be at least six ridges 190 spaced around the rear end 166. The ridges 190 may have sloped outer surfaces, wherein their rear ends 190b extend radially further from the surface of the rear end 166 of the body portion 162 than their front ends 190a. See FIG. 3 A. In this manner, the ridges 190 may provide variable resistance to movement of the compressible insert 156 into the shell 150.

[0050] Under no load, as shown in FIG. 4A, the front ends 190a of the ridges 190 may be inserted within the inner rear wall 192 until the outer surfaces of the ridges 190 come into contact with the shell 150 around the rear opening of the shell 150. In this rest position, the ridges 190 may keep the compressible insert 156 from laterally rattling within the shell 150. They may also help keep the compressible insert 156 properly laterally positioned relative to the shell 150, which may help prevent buckling and bending of the compressible body portion 162 when it is absorbing recoil forces.

[0051] When the firearm 100 is discharged, the recoil forces may drive the stock 106 rearward. As the compressible insert 156 and recoil pad 140 absorb the recoil, the ridges 190 may be at least partially compressed and resiliently driven into the internal chamber 154 of the shell 150. See FIG. 5 A. The ridges 190 may stop moving into the shell 150 if, for example, (a) the rear end surface of the shell 150 comes into contact with the flange 194 positioned at the rear end of the ridges 190 (as shown in FIG. 6 A), (b) the force is insufficient to keep compressing the ridges 190, so the ridges 190 are not completely inserted into the shell 150, or (c) the transition portion 169 comes into contact with a rearward-facing surface 196 in the internal chamber 154 (as shown to different degrees in each of FIGS. 5A and 6A).

[0052] The internal chamber 154 may comprise an elongated forward wall 198, the inner rear wall 192, and a rearward-facing surface 196 positioned therebetween. A shelf 202 may also be positioned at the front of the elongated forward wall 198. Accordingly, the internal chamber 154 may form a general funnel shape when viewed from the side, with a broader rear end and a narrower front end. See FIGS. 4A, 5A, and 6A. The section views of FIGS. 4B, 5B, and 6B show that the internal chamber also tapers from the rear to the front when viewed from above.

[0053] FIG. 4A shows that the retaining member 168 is positioned contacting the shelf 202 at the front end of the forward wall 198 of the internal chamber 154. The retaining bolt 178 may be tightened into place to secure the retaining member 168 in that position. The elongated front end 164 of the compressible insert 156 may be positioned through the elongated forward wall 198. At rest, the elongated front end 164 may be out of contact with the elongated forward wall 198, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. When the firearm 100 recoils, the compressible insert 156 may compress between the shelf 202 and the recoil pad 140. See FIGS. 5A-5B. As a result, the elongated front end 164 may be compressed and laterally expand. As shown in FIG. 5B, the front end 164 may expand sideways to contact the elongated forward wall 198. In some embodiments, the front end 164 may not contact the forward wall 198 in a vertical direction. See FIG. 5 A. In other embodiments, the front end 164 may compress enough that it expands into contact with the forward wall 198 in the vertical direction. See FIG. 6A. The force of the recoil and the rigidity of the compressible insert 156 may be factors contributing to whether the front end 164 contacts the forward wall 198 or not.

[0054] Contact between the forward wall 198 and the front end 164 of the compressible insert 156 may help prevent bending and buckling of the front end 164 so that the deformation of the compressible insert 156 has a minimal effect on the aim of the shooter. Contact between the transition portion 169 and the rearward-facing surface 196 of the internal chamber 154 may provide a limit to the level of compression reached by the compressible insert 156.

[0055] FIGS. 4A-6B illustrate various levels of compression of the compressible insert 156 within the internal chamber 154 of the shell 150. FIGS. 4A-4B show the compressible insert 156 at a rest position relative to the shell 150. The retaining member 168 may be in contact with the shelf 202, the plurality of ridges 190 may be in contact with the inner rear wall 192, and the other outer surfaces of the compressible body portion 162 may be out of contact with the surfaces of the internal chamber 154.

[0056] When the firearm 100 is discharged, the front end 164 of the compressible body portion 162 may compress to longitudinally shorten (as shown in FIGS. 5A-5B) and expand laterally (as shown in FIG. 5B). The lateral sides of the body portion 162 may come into contact with the surface of the internal chamber 154. The plurality of ridges 190 may also be compressed radially inward and the broadened rear end 166 may slide deeper within the inner rear wall 192. The compression of these elements absorbs energy from the recoil, and therefore less of the energy is transferred to the shooter. The compressible insert 156 also remains generally straight within the internal chamber 154 rather than being bent or buckling under to the compression forces.

[0057] FIGS. 6A-6B also show views of the compressible insert 156 during compression. The compressible insert 156 in FIGS. 6A-6B is more compressed than in FIGS. 5A-5B, and more of the outer surface of the compressible body portion 162 is in contact with the internal chamber 154. According to various embodiments, the compressible insert 156 may be more or less compressed during recoil based on the material it comprises and the amount of force applied by the recoil. For example, the compressible body portion 162 may comprise a natural rubber with a generally high Shore-A hardness, or it may comprise a foam rubber with significantly less hardness. Alternatively, different types of rounds may produce different recoil forces that cause more or less compression of the compressible insert 156. [0058] Another aspect of the disclosure relates to methods of absorbing recoil in a firearm. Methods may include using the stock 106 described above. For example, one method may include providing a firearm having a barrel, a receiver assembly, a stock having an internal cavity, and a shock absorber having an elongated portion extending into the intemal cavity. A portion of the outer surface of the shock absorber is spaced away from a wall of the internal cavity. For example, the portion of the outer surface may be a front or side surface of the shock absorber, and the wall may be a rearward-facing wall or a radially- facing wall of the cavity. In some embodiments, the shock absorber may be the compressible insert 156 described above and the cavity may be within the shell 150. The method may include supporting a rear end of the shock absorber, such as, for example, by supporting the shock absorber against a gun rest or a shoulder of a shooter. The firearm may be caused to recoil in a rearward direction, such as, for example, by firing the firearm. The method may then include compressing the shock absorber within the intemal cavity to absorb at least a portion of the recoil with the shock absorber. The shock absorber may longitudinally shorten and laterally widen as a result and may come into contact with the wall of the internal cavity. In some arrangements, the shock absorber may also longitudinally shorten into contact with a wall of the stock that is external to the internal cavity.

[0059] Various inventions have been described herein with reference to certain specific embodiments and examples. However, they will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventions disclosed herein, in that those inventions set forth in the claims below are intended to cover all variations and modifications of the inventions disclosed without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The terms "including:" and "having" come as used in the specification and claims shall have the same meaning as the term "comprising."

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A recoil-absorbing stock for a firearm, the stock comprising:

a rigid body, the rigid body having a fore end, a butt end, and an internal cavity, the fore end being attachable to a barrel and receiver assembly of a firearm, the internal cavity having a forward end and a rearward end, the forward end having a forward inner wall, the rearward end having a rearward inner wall, the forward inner wall of the forward end being narrower than the rearward inner wall of the rearward end;

a compressible insert comprising a front end and a rear end, the front end having an elongated shape positioned within the forward inner wall of the forward end of the internal cavity, the rear end having a broadened shape positioned within the rearward inner wall of the rearward end of the internal cavity.

2. The stock of claim 1 , wherein the rear end of the compressible insert extends out of the internal cavity.

3. The stock of claim 1 , wherein the internal cavity has a tapered funnel shape.

4. The stock of claim 1, wherein the internal cavity has a butt end opening, wherein the rear end of the compressible insert is wider than the butt end opening.

5. The stock of claim 1, further comprising a retaining member attached to the front end of the compressible insert, the retaining member attaching the front end of the compressible insert to a surface of the internal cavity of the rigid body.

6. The stock of claim 1, wherein the rear end of the compressible insert comprises a plurality of ridges extending radially outward from an outer surface of the rear end.

7. The stock of claim 1, wherein the rear end of the compressible insert comprises a forward-facing surface, the forward-facing surface being longitudinally spaced away from the rigid body.

8. The stock of claim 1, wherein the rear end of the compressible insert comprises a radially -facing surface, the radially -facing surface being radially spaced from the internal cavity of the rigid body.

9. A recoil-absorbing stock for a firearm, the stock comprising:

a rigid body, the rigid body having a forward end, a rearward end, and an internal void, the rearward end having a rear opening providing access to the internal void;

a compressible insert having a front end and a rear end, the front end being positioned within the internal void, the rear end extending outward from the rear opening, the compressible insert comprising an elastically compressible material, the elastically compressible material being longitudinally compressible relative to the rigid body upon recoil of the firearm.

10. The stock of claim 9, further comprising a retaining member attached to the front end of the compressible insert and a wall of the internal void, the retaining member being more rigid than the compressible insert.

11. The stock of claim 9, wherein a radially-facing outer surface of the compressible insert is substantially smooth.

12. The stock of claim 9, wherein the compressible insert comprises a plurality of radially-extending ridges in contact with a wall of the internal void.

13. The stock of claim 12, wherein the plurality of radially-extending ridges contact the rear opening.

14. The stock of claim 12, wherein the plurality of radially-extending ridges compress upon recoil of the firearm.

15. The stock of claim 9, further comprising a pad attached to the rear end of the compressible insert.

16. A method of absorbing recoil in a firearm, the method comprising:

providing a firearm having a barrel, a receiver assembly, a stock having an internal cavity, and a shock absorber having an elongated portion extending into the internal cavity, wherein a portion of an outer surface of the shock absorber is spaced away from a wall of the internal cavity;

supporting a rear end of the shock absorber;

causing the firearm to recoil in a rearward direction;

compressing the shock absorber within the internal cavity to absorb at least a portion of the recoil with the shock absorber, wherein the shock absorber longitudinally shortens, laterally widens, and comes into contact with the wall of internal cavity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein causing the firearm to recoil comprises firing the firearm.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the wall of the internal cavity is a rearward- facing wall.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the wall of the internal cavity is a radially- facing wall.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the shock absorber longitudinally shortens into contact with a wall of the stock that is external to the internal cavity.