Recoil pads including gas chambers and a base plate assembly, firearms including such recoil pads, and related methods

Abstract

A recoil pad for a firearm includes at least one gas chamber, at least one access port to the gas chamber, and a base plate assembly. The access port retains gas pressure within the gas chamber, and also allows pressurization and depressurization of the gas chamber. The base plate assembly may include a first base plate and the second base plate. The first base plate may at least partially define a surface of the gas chamber. Methods of fabrication of firearms include forming the base plate assembly and attaching such a recoil pad to a stock or grip of a firearm. Methods of using such recoil pads and firearms include the selective pressurization or depressurization of a gas chamber in a recoil pad.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A recoil pad configured to be attached to a firearm, the recoil pad comprising:
 an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber;   at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber, the at least one access port configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port; and   a base plate assembly comprising a first base plate and a second base plate.   
     
     
         2 . The recoil pad of  claim 1 , wherein the recoil pad includes two or more discrete gas chambers, each gas chamber of the two or more discrete gas chambers having a respective access port for independently selectively pressurizing and depressurizing each of the two or more discrete gas chambers. 
     
     
         3 . The recoil pad of  claim 2 , wherein the two or more discrete gas chambers comprises four discrete gas chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The recoil pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first base plate of the base plate assembly is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body and the second base plate of the base plate assembly is exterior to the elastomeric body. 
     
     
         5 . The recoil pad of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric body has at least one column of elastomeric material extending from a closed end of the elastomeric body to an open end of the elastomeric body, the at least one column of elastomeric material having a annular flange extending along an outer circumference of the at least one column and extending away from the at least one column, and wherein the annular flange is oriented between the first base plate and the second base plate. 
     
     
         6 . The recoil pad of  claim 5 , the elastomeric body further comprising a peripheral flange extending along an inner perimeter of the elastomeric body proximate the open end of the elastomeric body. 
     
     
         7 . The recoil pad of  claim 6 , wherein the first base plate and the second base plate are configured to compress the annular flange of the at least one column and the peripheral flange of the elastomeric body and to form a gas tight seal. 
     
     
         8 . The recoil pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first base plate of the base plate assembly comprises two or more individual plates. 
     
     
         9 . A firearm, comprising:
 a stock or grip extending from a firing mechanism, the stock or grip configured to abut against a body of a person firing the firearm;   a recoil pad disposed on the stock or grip, the recoil pad including an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber and having at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber, the at least one access port configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad during use of the firearm and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port; and   a base plate assembly at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body of the recoil pad and comprising a first base plate and a second base plate.   
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the recoil pad includes two or more discrete gas chambers, each gas chamber of the two or more discrete gas chambers having a respective access port for independently selectively pressurizing and depressurizing each of the two or more discrete gas chambers. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 10 , wherein the two or more discrete gas chambers comprises four discrete gas chambers. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the elastomeric body of the recoil pad includes a plurality of flanges that extend at least partially between the first base plate and the second base plate and connect the elastomeric body to the base plate assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the first base plate of the base plate assembly is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body and the second base plate of the base plate assembly is exterior to the elastomeric body. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the elastomeric body of the recoil pad includes at least one column of elastomeric material extending through an interior of the elastomeric body and an aperture extending through the at least one column of the elastomeric body of the recoil pad, and wherein the recoil pad is attached to the stock or the grip using a fastener extending through the aperture and into the stock or the grip of the firearm. 
     
     
         15 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein a surface of the first base plate of the base plate assembly at least partially defines the at least one gas chamber. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a recoil pad for attachment to a stock or grip of a firearm, the method comprising:
 forming an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber;   providing at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber, the at least one access port configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port; and   forming a base plate assembly having a first base plate and a second base plate and enclosing the first base plate at least partially within the elastomeric body.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the recoil pad to include two or more discrete gas chambers. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing each gas chamber of the two or more discrete gas chambers with a respective access port for independently selectively pressurizing and depressurizing each of the two or more discrete gas chambers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising enclosing the first base plate at least partially within the elastomeric body such that a surface of the first base plate at least partially defines the at least one gas chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 attaching the elastomeric body to the base plate assembly by attaching the second base plate to the first base plate with fasteners such that a plurality of flanges of the elastomeric body are compressed between the second base plate and the first base plate; 
 forming a gas tight seal between the elastomeric body and the first base plate; and 
 forming the at least one gas chamber.