Grip-mounted laser sight for a handgun

Abstract

A laser sighting device for a handgun may include a power supply module coupled to an ammunition magazine and a backstrap having a laser emitter. The power supply module and the backstrap each comprise a portion of an electrical conduction path. When the backstrap is mounted to an external portion of a handgrip and the magazine with the power supply module is inserted into a magazine well of the handgrip, the electrical conduction path is automatically completed and the laser emitter is powered by the power supply module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laser sighting device for a firearm, the laser sighting device comprising:
 a backstrap including a laser emitter, a first electrical conduction path, and a switch configured to selectively connect the laser emitter to the first electrical conduction path; and   a battery holder coupled to a magazine, the battery holder including a second electrical conduction path;   wherein the laser sighting device is transitionable between (a) an operational configuration, in which the magazine is inserted into a magazine well of a handgrip of the firearm, the backstrap is coupled to an external surface of the handgrip, and the first electrical conduction path is electrically connected to the second electrical conduction path, and (b) a detached configuration, in which the magazine and the backstrap are separated from the handgrip.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrical conduction path of the backstrap includes first electrical terminals, and the second electrical conduction path of the battery holder includes second electrical terminals configured to mate with the first electrical terminals. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first electrical terminals and second electrical terminals are connected to each other and disposed external to the handgrip when the laser sighting device is in the operational configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the battery holder further comprises a removable compartment attached to a base end of the magazine. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the removable compartment of the battery holder extends beyond a lower end of the handgrip when the magazine is inserted into the magazine well. 
     
     
         6 . A laser sighting device for a firearm, the laser sighting device comprising:
 a backstrap configured to be attachable to an external surface of a handgrip of a firearm, the backstrap including a laser emitter and a manually-operated switch configured to selectively activate the laser emitter;   a battery holder configured to be coupled to a base end of an ammunition magazine inserted into a magazine well of the firearm; and   an electrical conduction path configured to electrically couple the backstrap to the battery holder.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , the electrical conduction path comprising a first electrical conduction path portion disposed on the backstrap and a second electrical conduction path portion disposed on the battery holder. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first electrical conduction path portion comprises first terminals configured to form an electrical connection with second terminals of the second electrical conduction path portion. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the electrical connection is disposed external to the handgrip. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing a laser sight for a handgun, the method comprising:
 coupling a backstrap to a handgrip of the handgun, the backstrap including a laser emitter and a hand-operated switch coupled to the laser emitter;   inserting a magazine having a battery holder attached thereto into a magazine well of the handgun, wherein the battery holder includes a battery; and   forming an electrical conduction path from the battery to the laser emitter, such that the switch is configured to activate the laser emitter by selectively coupling the laser emitter to the electrical conduction path.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming the electrical conduction path comprises automatically coupling a first portion of the electrical conduction path disposed on the backstrap to a second portion of the electrical conduction path disposed on the battery holder. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the electrical conduction path and the second portion of the electrical conduction path are coupled outside the magazine well.