Ammunition Monitoring Ports for Magazine Wells

Abstract

This invention relates to firearms having magazine wells for the insertion of ammunition magazines and, in its most basic forms, combines an appropriately sized and located magazine well ammunition monitoring port or aperture with either an interfacing port/aperture on the magazine to be inserted or a substantially transparent magazine or magazine portion such that the final rounds of ammunition in the magazine can be monitored. In its preferred embodiments, a vertical slot with a transparent cover is used, with the slot having markings to allow the user of the firearm to track and/or determine the remaining “end” rounds in the magazine.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A firearm magazine well system, comprising:
 a firearm magazine well with at least one well aperture in a side thereof allowing viewing and monitoring of end round ammunition in a magazine inserted into said magazine well.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of: said magazine has an interior viewing area through which its interior can be viewed corresponding to said well aperture when the magazine is operatively inserted into said well, and said well aperture has a transparent covering. 
     
     
         3 . The system. of  claim 2 , wherein said magazine viewing area comprises at least one of an opening through said magazine, an opening through said magazine covered with a transparent substance, a transparent area of said magazine, and a transparent magazine. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said well aperture comprises a vertical slot, said magazine aperture comprises a vertical slot, well apertures are placed on opposing sides of said well, and magazine apertures are placed on opposing sides of said magazine. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said well aperture comprises a vertical slot, said magazine aperture comprises a vertical slot, welt apertures are placed on opposing sides of said well, and magazine apertures are placed on opposing sides of said magazine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of said well aperture comprises a vertical slot, said magazine aperture comprises a vertical slot well apertures are placed on opposing sides of said well, and magazine apertures are placed on opposing sides of said magazine. 
     
     
         7 . The system of claim I, wherein markings to gauge the number of remaining rounds in said magazine are provided on said well aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein markings to gauge the number of remaining rounds in said magazine are provided on said well aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein markings to gauge the number of remaining rounds in said magazine are provided on said well aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein markings to gauge the number of remaining rounds in said magazine are provided on said well aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein markings to gauge the number of remaining rounds in said magazine are provided on said well aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein markings to gauge the number of remaining rounds in said magazine are provided on said well aperture.