Deformable spacer for firearms

Abstract

A spacer for coupling a muzzle device to a muzzle of a barrel of a firearm includes an annular body. The annular body includes an inner portion having an inner wall. The inner wall defines a central opening and a central axis. A barrel engaging portion extending radially away from inner the portion and the central axis. The annular body also includes a muzzle device engaging portion extending radially away from the inner portion and the central axis. A channel is defined between the barrel engaging portion and the muzzle device engaging portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spacer for coupling a muzzle device to a muzzle of a barrel of a firearm, the spacer comprising:
 an annular body having:
 an inner portion having an inner wall defining a central opening and a central axis; 
 a barrel engaging portion extending radially away from the inner portion and the central axis; and 
 a muzzle device engaging portion extending radially away from the inner portion and the central axis, wherein a channel is defined between the barrel engaging portion and the muzzle device engaging portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The spacer of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel engaging portion also extends axially away from the annular inner portion in a first axial direction. 
     
     
         3 . The spacer of  claim 2 , wherein the muzzle device engaging portion also extends axially away from the annular inner portion in a second axial direction, the second axial direction being opposite the first axial direction. 
     
     
         4 . The spacer of  claim 1 , wherein the inner portion has a proximal surface and a distal surface adjacent the central opening, the barrel engaging portion has a barrel engaging surface, the muzzle device engaging portion has a muzzle device engaging surface, and the annular body has an inner thickness as measured between the proximal surface and the distal surface parallel to the central axis and an outer thickness as measured between the barrel engaging surface and the muzzle device engaging surface parallel to the central axis such that the outer thickness is greater than the inner thickness. 
     
     
         5 . The spacer of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is sized such that a compressive force applied to the annular body via the barrel engaging portion and the muzzle device engaging portion reduces an axial width of the channel. 
     
     
         6 . A spacer for coupling a muzzle device to a muzzle of a barrel of a firearm, the spacer comprising:
 an annular body having:
 an inner portion having an inner wall defining a central opening and a central axis; 
 a barrel engaging portion extending radially away from the inner portion and the central axis; and 
 a muzzle device engaging portion extending radially away from the inner portion and the central axis, wherein a channel is defined between the barrel engaging portion and the muzzle device engaging portion, the channel being sized such that a compressive force applied to the annular body via the barrel engaging portion and the muzzle device engaging portion reduces an axial width of the channel. 
   
     
     
         7 . The spacer of  claim 6 , wherein the barrel engaging portion also extends axially away from the inner portion in a first axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . The spacer of  claim 7 , wherein the muzzle engaging portion also extends axially away from the inner portion in a second axial direction, the second axial direction being opposite the first axial direction. 
     
     
         9 . The spacer of  claim 6 , wherein the inner wall is parallel to the central axis. 
     
     
         10 . The spacer of  claim 6 , wherein the annular inner has a proximal surface and a distal surface adjacent the central opening and wherein the barrel engaging portion has a barrel engaging surface and the muzzle device engaging portion has a muzzle device engaging surface, wherein the annular body has an inner thickness as measured between proximal surface and the distal surface parallel to the central axis, and the annular body further has an outer thickness measured between the barrel engaging surface and the muzzle device engaging surface parallel to the central axis such that the outer thickness is greater than the inner thickness. 
     
     
         11 . A spacer for coupling a muzzle device to a muzzle of a barrel of a firearm, the spacer comprising:
 an annular body having:   an inner portion having an inner wall defining a central opening and a central axis, the inner portion having an inner thickness as measured at the inner wall as measured parallel to the central axis;   an outer portion extending radially outward from the inner portion, the outer portion having a barrel engaging surface and a muzzle device engaging surface, the outer portion having an outer thickness as measured between the barrel engaging surface and the muzzle engaging surface parallel to the central axis; wherein a channel is defined between the barrel engaging surface and the muzzle device engaging surface; wherein the outer thickness is greater than the inner thickness.   
     
     
         12 . The spacer of  claim 11 , wherein the channel is sized such that a compressive force applied to the annular body via the barrel engaging portion and the muzzle device engaging portion reduces an axial width of the channel.