Barrel Throat Insert

Abstract

Assemblies such as firearms having a barrel including a throat insert are disclosed. In some embodiments, an assembly includes a barrel, a throat region having a throat insert disposed therein, and a bore extending away from the throat region to a muzzle end of the barrel. During firing, a bullet from an ammunition cartridge disposed within the chamber passes through an insert passage and the bore, and exits from the bore through a discharge opening. The throat insert is formed of a material (e.g. brass, titanium, etc.) that is at least one of harder or more durable than the material of the barrel. Because the throat insert is proximate the chamber, the throat insert bears the extreme environment (e.g. heating, pressure, etc.) during firing of the ammunition cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly, comprising:
 a barrel having a throat end positionable proximate to a chamber, a throat region disposed within the throat end of the barrel, and a bore extending away from the throat region to a muzzle end of the barrel spaced apart from the throat end, the bore being configured to allow a bullet from an ammunition cartridge disposed within the chamber to pass through the bore and to exit through a discharge opening proximate the muzzle end; and   a throat insert disposed within the throat region of the barrel, the throat insert including an insert passage substantially aligned with the bore, the insert passage being configured to allow the bullet from the ammunition cartridge to pass through the insert passage and into the bore, the throat insert being formed of a different material than the barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the insert passage comprises a rifled insert passage. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel comprises an elongated cylindrical barrel formed of a first material, and wherein the throat insert comprises a cylindrical throat insert formed of a second material, the second material being at least one of harder or more durable than the first material. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first material includes a steel, and wherein the second material comprises at least one of brass, titanium, tungsten, chromium, or a hardened steel. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a chamber body coupled to the throat end of the barrel, the chamber body having the chamber formed therein, the chamber being configured to securely position the ammunition cartridge during firing of the ammunition cartridge, the chamber having an exit opening aligned with the insert passage of the throat insert.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the chamber body further includes a first ring groove formed therein and disposed about the exit opening, and wherein the barrel further includes a second ring groove formed therein and disposed about an entrance to the insert passage, and wherein the assembly further comprises a pressure ring disposed at least partially within the first ring groove and at least partially within the second ring groove and fittingly engaged between the chamber body and the barrel. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the pressure ring is fittingly engaged between the chamber body and the barrel to substantially prevent a pressure release within at least one of the insert passage and the chamber during firing of the ammunition cartridge. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a receiver operatively coupled to the chamber body, the receiver adapted to receive the ammunition cartridge and to position the ammunition cartridge into the chamber of the chamber body. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a stock coupled to at least one of the receiver, the chamber body, or the barrel. 
     
     
         10 . A firearm assembly, comprising:
 a chamber configured to securely position an ammunition cartridge, the chamber having an exit opening configured to allow a bullet from the ammunition cartridge disposed within the chamber to pass through the exit opening;   a barrel having a throat end proximate to the chamber, a throat region disposed within the throat end, and a bore extending away from the throat region to a muzzle end of the barrel spaced apart from the throat end, the bore being configured to allow the bullet from the ammunition cartridge disposed within the chamber to pass through the bore and to exit through a discharge opening proximate the muzzle end; and   a throat insert disposed within the throat region of the barrel, the throat insert including an insert passage substantially aligned with the exit opening of the chamber and substantially aligned with the bore, the insert passage being configured to allow the bullet from the ammunition cartridge to pass through the insert passage and into the bore, the throat insert being formed of a different material than the barrel.   
     
     
         11 . The firearm assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the insert passage comprises a rifled insert passage having rifling disposed on an inner surface thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the barrel comprises an elongated cylindrical barrel formed of a first material, and wherein the throat insert comprises a cylindrical throat insert formed of a second material, the second material being at least one of harder or more durable than the first material. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a chamber body coupled to the throat end of the barrel, the chamber body having the chamber formed therein. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the chamber body includes a first ring groove formed therein and disposed about the exit opening, and wherein the barrel further includes a second ring groove formed therein and disposed about an entrance to the insert passage, and wherein the firearm assembly further comprises a pressure ring disposed at least partially within the first ring groove and at least partially within the second ring groove, the pressure ring being fittingly engaged between the chamber body and the barrel to substantially prevent a pressure release within at least one of the insert passage and the chamber during firing of the ammunition cartridge. 
     
     
         15 . The firearm assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the pressure ring fittingly engages a portion of the throat insert. 
     
     
         16 . A firearm assembly, comprising:
 a stock;   a receiver coupled to the stock, the receiver configured to receive an ammunition cartridge;   a chamber body coupled to the receiver, the chamber body having a chamber configured to receive the ammunition cartridge from the receiver and to securely position the ammunition cartridge for firing, the chamber having an exit opening configured to allow a bullet from the ammunition cartridge to pass through the exit opening;   a barrel having a throat end coupled to the chamber body, a throat region disposed within the throat end of the barrel, and a bore extending away from the throat region to a muzzle end of the barrel spaced apart from the throat end, the bore being configured to allow the bullet from the ammunition cartridge to pass through the bore and to exit through a discharge opening proximate the muzzle end; and   a throat insert disposed within the throat region of the barrel, the throat insert including an insert passage substantially aligned with the exit opening of the chamber and substantially aligned with the bore of the barrel, the insert passage being configured to allow the bullet from the ammunition cartridge to pass through the insert passage and into the bore, the throat insert being formed of a different material than the barrel.   
     
     
         17 . The firearm assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the insert passage comprises a rifled insert passage having insert rifling disposed on an inner surface thereof, the insert rifling being substantially similar to a rifling of the bore. 
     
     
         18 . The firearm assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the barrel comprises an elongated cylindrical barrel formed of a first material, and wherein the throat insert comprises a cylindrical throat insert formed of a second material, the second material being at least one of harder or more durable than the first material. 
     
     
         19 . The firearm assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the chamber body includes a first ring groove formed therein and disposed about the exit opening, and wherein the barrel further includes a second ring groove formed therein and disposed about an entrance to the insert passage, and wherein the firearm assembly further comprises a pressure ring disposed at least partially within the first ring groove and at least partially within the second ring groove and fittingly engaged between the chamber body and the barrel to substantially prevent a pressure release within at least one of the insert passage and the chamber during firing of the ammunition cartridge. 
     
     
         20 . The firearm assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the pressure ring fittingly engages a portion of the throat insert.