Gun practice device using laser indicator

Abstract

A practice device for use with a gun includes a laser-producing mechanism for producing a laser beam simulating a fired-bullet pathway. The device includes a bore insert with a striker member which the firing pin of the gun impacts and moves during a firing movement thereof. The movement of the striker member moves an electrical switch mounted on the bore insert to form a closed electrical circuit to activate the laser-producing mechanism. The electrical switch automatically returns to an open-circuit position to turn the laser beam off. A support which preferably includes resilient plastic bristles extends radially outwardly from the bore insert to prevent damage to the gun bore inner surface and to allow for use with guns having different bore sizes. The laser-producing mechanism is pivotally mounted on the bore insert to provide alignment thereof.

1 . A practice device for use with a gun having a firing pin and a barrel defining a bore, the device comprising: 
 a bore insert adapted to fit in the bore of the gun;    a striker member which is mounted movably on the bore insert between a non-fired position and a fired position and which is adapted to be moved by the firing pin of the gun to the fired position; and    a laser-producing mechanism mounted on the bore insert for producing a laser beam when the striker member is in the fired position.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein an electrical switch is mounted on the bore insert and operatively connected to the striker member; and wherein the switch has open-circuit and closed-circuit positions associated respectively with the non-fired and fired positions of the striker member.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the electrical switch is biased toward the open-circuit position whereby the electrical switch is configured to automatically return to the open-circuit position from the closed-circuit position.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  further including an alignment mechanism for aligning the laser-producing mechanism.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the laser-producing mechanism is pivotally mounted on the bore insert for aligning the laser-producing mechanism.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a bore-receivable barrel-engageable support is mounted on and extends radially outwardly from the bore insert and is adapted to prevent damage to an inner surface of the barrel when the bore insert is mounted within the bore.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the support is formed of a resilient material.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the support includes a plurality of plastic bristles which extend radially outwardly from the bore insert.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the support has a barrel-engaging surface which is movable in a radially inward direction from a resting position to a barrel-inner-surface-engaging position.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a securing mechanism is mounted on the bore insert and adapted to secure the device on the barrel of the gun.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the securing mechanism includes a magnet which is mounted on the bore insert and has a sliding mode and a secured mode; wherein the magnet is slidable along the bore insert in the sliding mode and fixed with respect to the bore insert in the secured mode whereby the magnet is adapted to magnetically connect to the barrel of the gun.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the securing mechanism includes a bore-receivable barrel-engageable support which is mounted on and extends radially outwardly from the bore insert and is adapted to prevent damage to an inner surface of the bore when the bore insert is mounted within the bore.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the striker member is formed of a resilient material.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the striker member is formed of a material including a foam.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a bore-receivable barrel-engageable support is mounted on and extends radially outwardly from the bore insert; wherein the support has an outer surface which is movable between a first substantially cylindrical shape having a first diameter and a second substantially cylindrical shape having a second diameter different from the first diameter whereby the support is adapted for mounting within gun bores having different diameters.  
   
   
       16 . A practice device for use with a gun having an impact member and a barrel defining a bore, the practice device comprising: 
 an impact-member-movement sensing mechanism for sensing movement and producing a corresponding signal; the movement sensing mechanism being adapted to mount on the gun and sense firing movement of the impact member;    a laser-producing mechanism for selectively producing a laser beam which simulates a fired-bullet pathway; the laser-producing mechanism being adapted to mount on the gun;    a firing-movement-signal communicating mechanism for communicating the signal from the movement sensing mechanism to the laser-producing mechanism to cause production of the laser beam.    
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the movement sensing mechanism is configured to sense an impact thereon in order to sense movement whereby the movement sensing mechanism is adapted to sense an impact thereon by the impact member.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 16  wherein at least a portion of the movement sensing mechanism is movable in response to an impact whereby the at least a portion is adapted to move in response to the firing movement of the impact member.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the signal-communicating mechanism includes a selectively closeable electrical circuit wherein when the electrical circuit is closed, the laser-producing mechanism produces the laser beam.  
   
   
       20 . In combination, a practice device and a gun having an impact member and a barrel defining a bore wherein the gun is capable of firing a bullet via the bore in response to a firing movement of the impact member, the practice device comprising: 
 a laser-producing mechanism mountable on the gun for producing a laser beam for simulating a fired-bullet pathway; and    an activating mechanism for activating production of the laser beam in response to a firing movement of the impact member when the gun is not loaded.