California-compliant trigger guard for ar-15 rifle equipped with a pistol grip stock

Abstract

A trigger guard is provided for installation on an AR-15 rifle having a military-specification lower receiver. The trigger guard converts a standard pistol grip to a California-legal non-pistol grip by lowering the exposed top of the trigger to such an extent that the webbing of the hand between the thumb and forefinger is above the exposed top of the trigger when the grip is held with the hand, the barrel of the rifle is held horizontal, and the trigger is pulled with the index finger of the same hand. Some non-military-specification AR-15 rifles have a trigger guard that is incorporated in the lower receiver; in other words, the trigger guard is cast as part of the lower receiver. The present invention is not compatible with such rifles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A trigger guard for installation on an AR-15 rifle lower receiver compliant with military specifications, said trigger guard comprising:
 a lower portion, positioned below the trigger, and shaped like a conventional trigger guard;   a spacer portion which fits against an upper edge of a trigger recess, said spacer portion having a vertically-oriented aperture which fits over a trigger and which, when fully installed, wraps around an upper portion of the trigger; and   an aft link portion, positioned behind the trigger, which interconnects the lower portion and the spacer portion, and which is integral with the lower portion and spacer portion.   
     
     
         2 . The trigger guard of  claim 1 , which further comprises an anterior link portion, positioned in front of the trigger, which also interconnects the lower portion and the spacer portion, and which is integral with the lower portion and the spacer portion. 
     
     
         3 . The trigger guard of  claim 2 , wherein said trigger guard is annularly shaped. 
     
     
         4 . A method of achieving compliance with a proposed California statute that bans the sale of AR-15 rifles having a pistol grip stock, said method comprising the steps of:
 replacing the standard trigger guard with a new trigger guard that incorporates a spacer that fits against an upper edge of a trigger recess, said spacer having a vertically-oriented aperture which fits over a trigger and which, when fully installed within the trigger recess, wraps around an upper portion of the trigger, thereby forcing a gunner to lower his finger on the trigger so that a web of his trigger hand is above an exposed portion of the trigger when a barrel of the rifle is held horizontal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of achieving compliance of  claim 4 , wherein the new trigger guard includes a lower portion below the trigger, the spacer portion, and an aft link portion, positioned behind the trigger, which interconnects the lower portion and the spacer portion, and which is integral with the lower portion and the spacer portion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of achieving compliance of  claim 5 , wherein the new trigger guard is annularly shaped, and includes a lower portion below the trigger, the spacer portion, an aft link portion, positioned behind the trigger, and an anterior link portion, positioned in front of the trigger, both link portions interconnecting and integral with the lower portion and the spacer portion. 
     
     
         7 . A trigger guard for installation on an AR-15 rifle lower receiver that achieves compliance with a proposed California statute that bans the sale of AR-15 rifles having a pistol grip stock, said trigger guard comprising a spacer portion which fits against an upper edge of a trigger recess, said spacer portion having a vertically-oriented aperture which fits over a trigger and which, when fully installed, wraps around an upper portion of the trigger, thereby forcing a gunner to lower his finger on the trigger so that a web of his trigger hand is above an exposed portion of the trigger when a barrel of the rifle is held horizontal. 
     
     
         8 . The trigger guard for installation on an AR-15 rifle lower receiver of  claim 7 , which further comprises:
 a lower portion, positioned below the trigger, shaped like a conventional trigger guard, and conventionally secured with the trigger recess and;   an aft link portion, positioned behind the trigger, which interconnects the lower portion and the spacer portion, and which is integral with the lower portion and spacer portion.   
     
     
         9 . The trigger guard for installation on an AR-15 rifle lower receiver of  claim 8 , which further comprises an anterior link portion, positioned in front of the trigger, which also interconnects the lower portion and the spacer portion, and which is integral with the lower portion and the spacer portion. 
     
     
         10 . The trigger guard for installation on an AR-15 rifle lower receiver of  claim 9 , wherein the trigger guard is annularly shaped.