Method and apparatus for muzzle lift compensation

Abstract

A method and apparatus counteracts the muzzle lift of a firearm resulting from recoil, and a firearm has an integral counteracting structure. A port extends from an inner surface of the firearm barrel bore to an outer surface of the barrel, forward of the location that the propellant ignites, to an occluding structure located beneath the grip surface of the firearm. When the propellant is ignited, and the projectile passes the relief port, a portion of the propellant gas exits the bore prior to the muzzle end, travels through the propellant gas relief tube, and exerts a force on the occluding structure. The force acts downward on the firearm, counteracting the recoil-induced muzzle lift.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A firearm for igniting a given propellant to form a compression wave front to urge a given projectile having a projectile length, comprising:
 a barrel comprising a cylindrical wall surrounding a bore, the bore having a bore diameter to accommodate said given projectile, the bore extending along a bore axis from a breech end to a muzzle end, and a gas relief port extending through the cylindrical wall at a location proximal to the breach end;   a frame to support the barrel and to support the given projectile at a chambered position proximal to the breech end of the barrel, and aligned with the bore axis, wherein the frame includes a handgrip having a lower butt;   a manually movable trigger, movable to a firing position to ignite the given propellant to generate the compression wave front to urge the projectile through the bore toward the muzzle end of the bore;   a trigger guard structure spaced from the movable trigger in a direction toward the muzzle end of the barrel;   a compression wave front diversion chamber, for diverting a portion of the compression wave front prior to the projectile exiting the muzzle end of the bore, the compression wave front diversion chamber having a gas relief tube of a given tube diameter, extending from the gas relief port and having a length proximal to said trigger guard and having an expansion chamber having a diameter substantially larger than said give tube diameter, said expansion chamber having an occluding plate proximal to said lower butt, said occluding plate having an area facing substantially normal to said bore axis.   
   
   
       14 . The firearm of  claim 13 , wherein said trigger guard structure includes a wall having a surface facing said movable trigger and having a surface forming an interior surface of said gas relief tube. 
   
   
       15 . The firearm of  claim 13 ,
 wherein said frame is arranged to support the given projectile at the chambered position with a tip of the projectile being at a location TP within the bore, and   wherein said gas relief port is substantially closer to said location TO than to the muzzle end of the bore.   
   
   
       16 . The firearm of  claim 13 , wherein said bore has a bore length extending from said breech end to said muzzle end, and wherein said compression wave front diversion chamber is shaped and dimensioned, relative to said bore length, to divert the portion of the compression wave front resulting from the igniting of the propellant, and to guide the diverted portion of the compression wave front to strike the occluding plate prior to the projectile exiting the muzzle end of the bore. 
   
   
       17 . The firearm of  claim 16 , wherein said compression wave front diversion chamber is shaped and dimensioned, relative to said location TP and relative to a distance from said location TP to said muzzle end of the bore, to divert the portion of the compression wave front resulting from the igniting of the propellant, and to guide the diverted portion of the compression wave front to strike the occluding plate prior to the projectile exiting the muzzle end of the bore. 
   
   
       18 . The firearm of  claim 13 , wherein said frame is arranged relative to said bore, and said compression wave front diversion chamber is arranged relative to said frame and said bore to result, upon the movable trigger being moved to the firing position igniting the propellant, in the compression wave front exerting a muzzle-lifting torque on said firearm in reaction to urging the projectile and, upon the diverted compression wave front striking the occluding plate, the striking compression wave front exerting a muzzle-lowering counter torque on said firearm.