Accessories attached to firearm magazine

Abstract

In a first aspect, a mounting system to mount accessories to the magazine or magazine baseplate of a firearm is provided. In a more specific best mode, a handgun forearm brace and recoil suppression support, for example, for target shooting, training, and improved aim is discussed. The support structure is connected via a locking mechanism to the base of the handgun detachable magazine and extending rearward to a rear connector. The forearm brace is further configured to allow it to adjust and extend either above and over the forearm of the shooter or below the forearm of the shooter. This improved support connecting to the base of the magazine via a locking mechanism can be used as a universal support for all guns with a detachable magazine without requiring any alternations, modifications, or attachments to the gun itself.

1 . A structure for connecting an accessory to a firearm magazine, comprising:
 a connecting component; and   a structural component;   wherein the structural component is selected from the group consisting of: a firearm magazine baseplate and a firearm magazine;   wherein the connecting component is mechanically secured to, integrated with, or part of the structural component;   wherein the connecting component is adapted to mechanically secure an accessory to the structural component and   wherein the accessory is not a shoulder brace.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting component is not a-rail. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the accessory is not to a monopod, laser, or light. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structural component is a firearm magazine baseplate and the connecting component is connected to a firearm magazine baseplate. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structural component is a firearm magazine and the connecting component is connected to a firearm magazine directly. 
     
     
         8 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A kit for a firearm to mechanically secure the firearm to a shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder, comprising:
 a brace comprising a first connecting component, and   a magazine comprising a second connecting component,   wherein the brace is configured to mechanically connect to the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder;   wherein when the first and second connecting components are connected together, when the magazine is installed into a firearm, and when the brace is mechanically connected to the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder, the kit mechanically secures the firearm to the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder to steady and brace the firearm; and to at least partially assist the shooter in mitigating recoil.   
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein a pitch angle between the magazine and the brace are locked when not being adjusted such that there is substantially no deformation on the pitch plane when the firearm is fired. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the brace is a single piece. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the brace comprises a plurality of components. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the magazine comprises a baseplate and the second connecting component is attached to the baseplate. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein when the first and second connecting components are connected together and when the magazine is installed into a firearm, the brace is oriented behind the firearm so that it can get mechanical support from behind the firearm. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the firearm is a pistol and the magazine is a magazine for a pistol. 
     
     
         19 . A method of bracing and steadying a firearm comprising the following steps, which are performed in any order:
 providing a firearm;   providing a magazine with a mechanism to connect a brace thereto;   connecting the brace to the magazine;   locking the magazine into the firearm's magazine well; and   securing the brace to a shooter at a point on the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: mitigating recoil by firing the firearm and transferring a portion of the recoil force to the shooter at the point on the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder where the brace is connected to the shooter or by mitigating recoil by allowing the shooter to prepare for recoil by applying angular force against the brace prior to firing. 
     
     
         21 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting component comprises:
 a female component connected to the structural component; and   a male component connected to the accessory;   wherein the male component mates with the female by laterally sliding the male component into the female component;   wherein the female component has an orifice;   wherein the male component has a bolt, screw, or plunger adapted to penetrate the orifice to lock the male and female component together when they are mated.   
     
     
         22 . The structure of  claim 21 :
 wherein the plane formed by the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of a firearm and the substantially-mirrored plane through the grip of the firearm define a vertical symmetry plane for the firearm;   wherein when the firearm magazine is installed into the firearm, the male and female components mate by sliding the male component into the female component relative to the vertical symmetry plane such that all sliding motion is done orthogonal to the vertical symmetry plane,   wherein the accessory is attached; and   wherein the accessory is a brace adapted to connect to the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder such that the firearm is configured with a brace adapted to connect to the shooter's body other than the shooting hand or shoulder.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the accessory is selected from the group consisting of: a flashlight, a scope, a sensor, and a brace that connects the firearm to a shooter at a location other than the shooter's shoulder or shooting hand. 
     
     
         26 . A structure for connecting an accessory to a firearm magazine, comprising:
 a connecting component; and   a structural component;   wherein the structural component is selected from the group consisting of: a firearm magazine baseplate and a firearm magazine;   wherein the connecting component comprises a first connecting element that is mechanically secured to, integrated with, or part of the structural component;   wherein the first connecting element is adapted to connect to a second connecting element mechanically secured to, integrated with, or part of an accessory;   wherein the first connecting element comprises a female or male component locking component, adapted to mate with the second connecting element of the opposite gender;   wherein the plane formed by the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of a firearm and the substantially-mirrored plane through the grip of the firearm define a vertical symmetry plane for the firearm;   wherein when the firearm magazine is installed into the firearm thereby securing the first connecting element to the firearm, the first connecting element has substantially the same lateral cross-section across the component such that it is adapted to mate with the second connect element by sliding the male component into the female component orthogonally relative to the vertical symmetry plane, and   wherein either the first or second connecting element comprises a bolt, screw, or plunger adapted to penetrate an orifice in the other connecting element such that when the male component is mated into the female component, the bolt, screw, or plunger can be inserted into the orifice to mechanically lock the two elements together to prevent the male component from disengaging the female component.   
     
     
         27 . The structure of  claim 26 , wherein the first connecting component comprises the female component. 
     
     
         28 . The structure of  claim 26 , wherein the first connecting component comprises the orifice adapted to be penetrated by with the bolt, screw, or plunger in the second connecting component when the two components are locked together. 
     
     
         29 . The structure of  claim 26 , wherein the lateral cross section of the male member is a dovetail shape. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the accessory is a forearm brace. 
     
     
         32 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the brace is a forearm brace. 
     
     
         33 . The structure of  claim 21 , wherein the accessory is a forearm brace. 
     
     
         34 . The structure of  claim 26 , wherein the accessory is a forearm brace. 
     
     
         35 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein the forearm brace is adapted to be convertible such that it may secure the brace to a shooter by fitting over the shooter's forearm or by fitting under the shooter's forearm. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the firearm is a pistol and the brace is a forearm brace that secures to the shooter's body at the forearm. 
     
     
         37 . The structure of  claim 29 , wherein the accessory is a forearm brace. 
     
     
         38 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first connecting component comprises either a male or a female component connected to the structural component;   the second connecting component comprising a component of the opposite gender from the first connecting component connected to the accessory;   the male component mates with the female by laterally sliding the male component into the female component;   either the first or second connecting component has an orifice; and   the connecting component without the orifice has a bolt, screw, or plunger adapted to penetrate the orifice to lock the male and female component together when they are mated.   
     
     
         39 . The kit of  claim 38 , wherein the plane formed from the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of a firearm and the substantially-mirrored plane through the grip of the firearm define a vertical symmetry plane for the firearm; wherein when the firearm magazine is installed into the firearm, the male and female components mate by sliding the male component into the female component relative to the vertical symmetry plane such that all sliding motion is done orthogonal to the vertical symmetry plane; and wherein the accessory is a forearm brace. 
     
     
         40 . The kit of  claim 39  wherein the first connecting component comprises the female component and the orifice, and the second connecting component comprises the male component and has a bolt, screw, or plunger adapted to penetrate the orifice to lock the male and female component together when they are mated. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of connecting the brace to the magazine comprises:
 providing female component connected to the magazine; and   providing a male component connected to the brace;   wherein the male component mates with the female by laterally sliding the male component into the female component relative to the vertical symmetry plane for the firearm defined by plane created by the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm and substantially-mirrored plane through the grip of the firearm;   wherein the female component has an orifice; and   wherein the male component has a bolt, screw, or plunger adapted to penetrate the orifice to lock the male and female component together when they are mated.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of connecting the brace to the magazine comprises:
 providing a first connecting component connected to the magazine; and   providing a second connecting component adapted to connect with the first connecting component which is connected to the brace;   wherein the first and second connecting components mate by laterally sliding the male component into the female component relative to the vertical symmetry plane for the firearm defined by plane created by the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm and substantially-mirrored plane through the grip of the firearm;   wherein the brace is secured at the shooter's shooting hand forearm.