Shotgun Shell Magazine

Abstract

A shotgun shell magazine to be received within a mil-spec magazine of an M16/AR-15 mil-spec firearm is disclosed. The magazine comprises a magazine body having an open top end defining a cavity configured to receive one or more shotgun shells. The magazine body includes a feed lip which partially occludes the open top end and has a length between 10% and 25% of the length of the open top end. A follower having a ramped upper surface resides within the cavity. The follower is biased to direct the shotgun shells toward the open top end until the primer end of a top most shotgun shell engages the feed lip. The top most shotgun shell is angled with respect to the open top end and at least a portion of the closed end of the top most shotgun shell lies above a plane created by the open top end.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A shotgun shell magazine for use in an M16/AR-15 military specification (mil-spec) firearm, the mil-spec M16/AR-15 firearm configured to strip a shotgun shell from the magazine and load the shotgun shell into a M16/AR-15 chamber, the magazine comprising:
 a) a magazine body configured to be detachably received within a mil-spec magazine well on the mil-spec M16/AR-15 firearm, the magazine body having an open top end and defining a cavity configured to receive one or more shotgun shells, the magazine body including a feed lip configured to partially occlude the open top end, the feed lip having a length between about  10 % and about  25 % of the total length of the open top end; and   b) a follower resident within the cavity and having a ramped upper surface, the follower biased toward the open top end whereby, when the magazine is loaded with one or more shotgun shells, a top most shotgun shell is angled with respect to the open top end and at least a portion of the a closed end of the top most shotgun shell lies above a plane created by the open top end of the magazine body.   
     
     
         16 . The magazine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the feed lip has a length of about 20% of the total length of the open top end. 
     
     
         17 . The magazine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the follower is biased by a magazine spring. 
     
     
         18 . The magazine in accordance with  claim 17  wherein a first end of the magazine spring engages the follower and a second end of the magazine spring engages a floor plate secured to a bottom edge of the magazine body. 
     
     
         19 . The magazine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the follower includes a magazine stop configured to engage a bolt catch on the mil-spec M16/AR-15 firearm after the last of the one or more shotgun shells has been loaded into the M16/AR-15 chamber. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The magazine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the magazine body includes a plurality of indicator holes and the follower includes an extended leg wherein the extended leg coincides with an individual indicator hole in the magazine body so as to indicate a number of shotgun shells remaining in the cavity. 
     
     
         22 . The magazine in accordance with  claim 21  wherein the extended leg includes a colored indicator portion configured to be viewed by a user.