Compact anti-tilt follower for an ammunition magazine

Abstract

A follower for a firearm magazine is disclosed. In one embodiment, the follower has a top platform, a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one slider rail. The top platform is shaped to seat a cartridge and has a cartridge case shoulder region, a cartridge case head region, and a distal region. The proximal end has a first surface shaped to engage a proximal interior region of a firearm magazine housing. The distal end has a second surface shaped to engage a distal interior region of the firearm magazine housing. The slider rail is on a side of the follower and extends down from the top platform at a position that is between and remote from both the proximal end of the follower and the distal end of the follower. The follower does not have a slider rail extending from or adjacent to the second surface of the follower.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A follower for a firearm magazine, the follower comprising:
 a top platform shaped to seat a cartridge, the top platform including a cartridge case shoulder region shaped to abut at least a distal region of a cartridge case of the cartridge, a cartridge case head region shaped to abut a case head of the cartridge, and a distal region associated with a tip of the cartridge;   a proximal end including a first surface shaped to engage a proximal interior region of a firearm magazine housing;   a distal end including a second surface shaped to engage a distal interior region of the firearm magazine housing; and   at least one slider rail on a side of the follower; wherein   the at least one slider rail extends down from the top platform at a position that is between and remote from both the proximal end of the follower and the distal end of the follower; and   the follower does not have a slider rail extending from or adjacent to the second surface of the follower.   
     
     
         2 . The follower of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one slider rail is located closer to a center of gravity of the follower than to the distal end of the follower.   
     
     
         3 . The follower of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least one slider rail is located distal of the center of gravity of the follower.   
     
     
         4 . The follower of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one slider rail is located distal of a center of gravity of the follower.   
     
     
         5 . The follower of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one slider rail extends below the top platform at least a portion of a length of the side of the follower; and   the at least one slider rail has a curvature shaped to guide the follower along a curvature of a bearing rail in the firearm magazine housing.   
     
     
         6 . The follower of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the second surface has a curvature shaped to conform to a curvature of the distal interior region of the firearm magazine housing.   
     
     
         7 . The follower of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the curvature of the at least one slider rail is not identical to the curvature of the second surface.   
     
     
         8 . The follower of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the distal region of the top platform is tapered between the cartridge case shoulder region and the distal end of the follower, such that the cartridge case shoulder region is wider than the distal end of the follower.   
     
     
         9 . The follower of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a plurality of slider rails, wherein the at least one slider rail opposes a second one of the plurality of slider rails.   
     
     
         10 . The follower of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a plurality of slider rails on the side of the follower.   
     
     
         11 . The follower of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the slider rail has a longitudinal length and a width, the length at least 1.5 times the width.   
     
     
         12 . The follower of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the length is at least 5 times the width.   
     
     
         13 . The follower of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the length is at least 10 times the width.   
     
     
         14 . The follower of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the length is at least 15 times the width.   
     
     
         15 . The follower of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one slider rail comprises a protrusion on the side of the follower or a recess in the side of the follower.   
     
     
         16 . A magazine assembly for storing and feeding cartridges to a chamber of a firearm, the magazine assembly comprising:
 a housing having a distal side and at least one curved bearing rail on an inside surface of the housing;   a follower having a top platform shaped to seat a cartridge, the top platform including a cartridge case shoulder region shaped to abut at least a distal region of a cartridge case of the cartridge, a cartridge case head region shaped to abut a case head of the cartridge, and a distal region associated with a tip of the cartridge, the follower further comprising:
 a proximal end including a first surface shaped to engage a proximal interior region of the housing; 
 a distal end including a second surface shaped to engage a distal interior region of the housing; and 
 at least one slider rail on a side of the follower; extending from the top platform at a position that is remote from both the proximal end of the follower and the distal end of the follower, the at least one slider rail shaped to engage the at least one curved bearing rail of the housing; wherein 
 the follower does not have a slider rail extending from or adjacent to the second surface of the follower; and 
   a follower spring between the follower and a floor of the housing to apply a biasing force on the follower.   
     
     
         17 . The magazine assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the housing comprises a longitudinal axis;   the biasing force comprises a longitudinal component associated with the longitudinal axis; and   the at least one slider rail and the at least one bearing rail are shaped and positioned to maximize the longitudinal component of the biasing force at a center of gravity of a cartridge placed in the magazine assembly.   
     
     
         18 . A follower for a firearm magazine, the follower comprising:
 a top platform shaped to seat a cartridge, the top platform having a distal region, a case shoulder region, and a case head region;   a proximal end;   a distal end having a tapered tip; and   a first elongated protrusion on a first side of the follower, the first elongated protrusion having a curved longitudinal axis shaped to slidably engage a first curved recess in a first side of the housing;   a second elongated protrusion on a second side of the follower, the second elongated protrusion having a curved longitudinal axis shaped to slidably engage a second curved recess in a second side of the housing; wherein   the first elongated protrusion and the second elongated protrusion are positioned on opposing sides of the follower; and   the first elongated protrusion and the second elongated protrusion are more proximal to the case shoulder region of the top platform than to the case head region of the top platform.   
     
     
         19 . The follower of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first elongated protrusion and the second elongated protrusion are positioned closer to a center of gravity of the follower than to the proximal end of the follower; and   the first elongated protrusion and the second elongated protrusion are positioned closer to the center of gravity of the follower than to the distal end of the follower.   
     
     
         20 . The follower of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first elongated protrusion has a longitudinal first length and a first width, the first width measured from a proximal side of the first elongated protrusion to a distal side of the first elongated protrusion, the first length being at least 10 times the first width;   the second elongated protrusion has a longitudinal second length and a second width, the second width measured from a proximal side of the second elongated protrusion to a distal side of the second elongated protrusion, the second length at least 10 times the second width.