Ambidextrous Firearm Bolt Assemblies and Methods of Using the Same

Abstract

Ambidextrous bolts that allow a user to quickly and easily change the side of the firearm from which a spent casing is ejected by application of a simple switching mechanism that does not require disassembly of the firearm. Aspects of the disclosure also include debris shields for improving the longevity and reliability of extractors, firearms that are configured for ambidextrous operation, methods of using firearms, and methods of modifying firearms to incorporate ambidextrous functionality.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An ambidextrous firearm bolt, comprising:
 a bolt body;   first and second extractors pivotally coupled to the bolt body, each of the extractors having an ammunition casing engaging end, the casing engaging ends resiliently biased in a radially inward direction; and   a selector assembly at least partially disposed in the bolt body and configured to selectively disengage one of the extractors to control a side of the bolt a spent casing is ejected from.   
     
     
         2 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 1 , wherein the selector assembly is configured to disengage one of the extractors by pivoting the casing engaging end of the extractor radially outward to prevent the extractor from coupling to an ammunition cartridge casing. 
     
     
         3 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 1 , wherein the selector assembly is configured to be operated during use of the firearm with the firearm fully assembled and without the need to disassemble the firearm. 
     
     
         4 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 1 , wherein the selector assembly includes a cam rotatably disposed in the bolt body, the cam including an extractor engaging end that extends laterally from a rotational axis of the cam, the extractor engaging end configured to provide a cam function that converts at least one of a rotational motion or an upward motion of the cam into a pivoting motion of one of the extractors. 
     
     
         5 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 4 , wherein the cam is resiliently biased in a radially outward direction relative to a central longitudinal axis of the bolt and is configured to be rotated between a left side ejection position and a right side ejection position. 
     
     
         6 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 5 , wherein the cam includes a key that engages a key recess that maintains the cam in the left side or right side ejection position. 
     
     
         7 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 4 , wherein the selector assembly further includes first and second locking pins for selectively locking the cam in the left side or right side ejection position, the locking pins operably coupled to the cam and slidably disposed in the bolt body. 
     
     
         8 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 7 , wherein the cam includes a bottom surface and a locking pin opening located in the bottom surface, an end of each of the locking pins configured to be disposed in the locking pin opening to lock the cam in the left side or right side ejection position. 
     
     
         9 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 4 , wherein the cam is resiliently biased to a locked position. 
     
     
         10 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 1 , wherein the selector assembly is configured to rotate about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis extends through a central longitudinal axis of the bolt, wherein the first and second extractors are located on opposing sides of the rotational axis. 
     
     
         11 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt further includes at least one ejector slidably disposed in the bolt body and resiliently biased to an extended position, the at least one ejector having a first end configured to press against a base of an ammunition cartridge casing coupled to the bolt body to eject the casing from the firearm, wherein the at least one ejector has a non-circular cross sectional shape that is designed and configured to maximize the effectiveness of the ejector to eject a spent casing from either side of the firearm. 
     
     
         12 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one ejector includes only one ejector configured to be operable with either of the first and second extractors to eject a spent casing to either side of the firearm. 
     
     
         13 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt further includes first and second ejectors configured to press against a base of an ammunition cartridge casing coupled to the bolt body to eject the casing from the firearm, wherein the selector assembly is further configured to selectively disengage one of the ejectors to thereby select a side of the firearm a spent casing is ejected from. 
     
     
         14 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 13 , wherein the first extractor and the first ejector are located on a left side of the bolt body and the second extractor and second ejector are located on a right side of the bolt body, the selector assembly configured to simultaneously disengage the first extractor and the second ejector when in a right side ejection configuration and simultaneously disengage the second extractor and the first ejector when in a left side ejection configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 13 , wherein the selector assembly further includes a cam for selectively disengaging one of the ejectors, the cam rotatably disposed in the bolt body. 
     
     
         16 . The ambidextrous firearm bolt of  claim 15 , wherein the selector assembly further includes first and second locking pins for selectively disengaging corresponding ones of the first and second ejectors, the locking pins operably coupled to the cam and slidably disposed in the bolt body and moveable between locked and unlocked positions. 
     
     
         17 . A selector switch for use with an ambidextrous firearm, the selector switch comprising:
 a selector switch configured to be coupled to an upper receiver, receiver, a chassis, a bolt carrier, a slide, or a barrel extension of a firearm and/or operably coupled to an ambidextrous firearm bolt and configured to transition an ambidextrous firearm bolt or slide between left and right side ejection configurations.   
     
     
         18 . The selector switch according to  claim 17 , wherein the selector switch includes a first portion accessible to a user from an exterior of a firearm when the firearm is fully assembled and operable and a second portion configured to move relative to the bolt in a radial direction to engage the ambidextrous firearm bolt or slide. 
     
     
         19 . The selector switch of  claim 18 , wherein during operation, the ambidextrous firearm bolt moves relative to the selector switch in an axial direction between an in battery position and an out of battery position, the second portion configured to couple to the ambidextrous firearm bolt when the bolt is in the in battery position. 
     
     
         20 . A firearm, comprising:
 a left side ejection port located on a left side of the firearm and a right side ejection port located on a right side of the firearm, the firearm configured to selectively eject a spent casing through either of the ejection ports; and   ejection port covers located on corresponding ones of the left side and right side ejection ports that are each operable between a closed position and an open position for closing the one of the ejection ports the firearm is not configured to eject a spent casing through and opening the ejection port the firearm is configured to eject a spent casing through.