Firearm frame with a relief

Abstract

Firearm with a relief for debris. The relief can sit below where the barrel would typically sit once assembled with the frame. The relief can be shaped such that the debris that would typically be held in the barrel void would instead fall into the relief.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A firearm comprising:
 a slide assembly;   a barrel, the barrel having a muzzle end, an exterior surface, and a cylindrical body;   a frame configured to mate with the slide assembly to house the barrel and comprising an inner surface;   a slide stop coupled to the frame and being configured to move in and out of engagement with the slide assembly and is configured to engage with a slide stop notch; and   at least one relief located in the inner surface of the frame, the at least one relief extending coaxially along the inner surface of the frame, terminating at a location proximate a muzzle end of the barrel, being located between the exterior surface of the barrel and the inner surface of the frame when the barrel is housed in the frame, and the at least one relief extending in a parallel direction to the exterior surface of the barrel from the muzzle end towards the slide stop, wherein the at least one relief is shaped to capture debris.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief comprises a plurality of reliefs. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief does not provide a void for a component of the firearm to function. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief terminates before the muzzle end of the barrel in the frame. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief comprises a channel. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief has one of: sharp edges, curved edges, beveled edges, chamfered edges, or sheer walls conducive to trapping debris. 
     
     
         8 . A firearm frame comprising:
 an inner surface; and   at least one relief located in the inner surface of the firearm frame.   
     
     
         9 . The firearm frame of  claim 8 , firearm frame being configured to receive a barrel assembly, the barrel assembly having an exterior surface and a muzzle end. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm frame of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one relief is located between the inner surface of the firearm frame and the exterior surface of the barrel assembly when the barrel assembly is received in the firearm frame. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm frame of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one relief extends axially along the firearm frame from a first location proximate a distal end of the firearm frame configured to house the muzzle end of the barrel assembly to a second location proximate an opposite end of the firearm frame. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm frame of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one relief terminates before the distal end of the firearm frame. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm frame of  claim 8 , wherein the at least relief comprises a channel configured to capture debris in between the exterior surface of the barrel and the inner surface of the firearm frame. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm frame of  claim 13 , wherein the channel is curved.