1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modified butt stock for a tactical weapon. The modified butt stock includes a rounded butt plate and a modified release lever for ease of attachment and removal from a weapon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern military weapons typically are made from a number of components that are designed and configured for easy assembly and disassembly. This allows the weapons to be disassembled quickly and easily for storage, shipping and cleaning As a result, many weapons come with a number of different configurations. There are, for example, a number of different configurations for butt stocks for the standard military assault rifle, the/M-4, which is a modified and updated version of the M-16. Similarly there are numerous versions for the civilian version of the weapon, the AR-15.
These butt stocks are attached to the weapon by means of a tube which projects from the rear of the weapon, known as the buffer tube. Buffer tubes typically have a series of even spaced holes along the bottom of the tube, and the butt stock is secured by a pin that engages within one of the holes. The spaced holes allow the user to adjust the position of the butt stock to shorten or lengthen the total length of the weapon, or more importantly the distance from the back of the weapon, the butt plate, to the trigger and sight of the weapon to accommodate different sized users. A shorter user will desire a shorter distance from the butt plate to the trigger and sight than a taller user. A properly sized weapon will improve the users ability to aim and fire the weapon.
There are a number of common problems with these removable butt stocks. One problem involves the standard release lever. The release lever moves the locking pin which holds the stock into the buffer tube and allows the user to adjust the length of the weapon, or remove the butt stock from the weapon. Most release levers incorporate a locking nut to lock the release lever to secure the butt stock onto the buffer tube. This means that when the user wants to adjust the position of the butt stock he or she has to unscrew the locking nut. This means that it is not particularly easy to remove the removable butt stock. It takes one hand to unscrew the locking nut, and the other to hold and stabilize the body of the weapon. There is a need, therefore, for a simple and user friendly release lever that allows a user to manipulate the release lever with one hand and adjust the position of the butt stock with the other hand.
Another common problem with removable butt stocks is that the buffer tube may not fit perfectly, or snuggly, into the butt stock. This is caused by slight variations in the molding or manufacturing of the butt stock. In those cases the butt stock can have a small shimmy or rattle caused by the movement on the buffer tube in the butt stock. This rattle can cause noise, which could potentially be deadly for the user of the weapon. Many of these weapons are carried by civilian law enforcement agents, and in many situations they do not want their movements or presence known. There is a need, therefore, for a modified butt stock with a means for reducing the potential rattle caused by the misfit between the butt stock and the buffer tube.
Removable butt stocks have been common on military assault weapons for a number of years. Most butt stocks have a butt plate with a slight concave curve. This allows the user to comfortably rest the weapon against the shoulder with the curve of the butt plate cupping around the user's shoulder. This is the common placement of the butt plate in what is known as the classic firing position. U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,743 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,573, both to DiGiovanna, are drawn to a modified butt stock with a two position butt plate. The patents describe in detail the classic firing position. “In the classical shooting position, the butt stock is placed in the shoulder pocket of the shooter. The shooter's shoulders and feet are at approximately a 30° angle to the direction of the firearm and the shooter's head is lowered and forward such that his cheek is firmly on the top of the butt stock and the shooter's dominant eye is aligned with the firearm's sights.”
The widespread introduction of body armor has forced a change in the standard firing position. The classic firing position forces the soldier to stand at an angle to the potential target, and exposes the non-dominant arm which is holding the weapon, and more importantly the arm opening in the body armor. According to the '573 patent, the use of “the classical shooting position while in a tactical or close quarter battle (CQB) situation exposes the shooter to additional risk. In a tactical situation, a shooter typically wears body armor which protects the front and back of the torso of the shooter. However, it does not protect the arms of the shooter and, as such, if the shooter is confronting a threat in the classical shooting position the firearm will typically be pointed towards the threat, the shooter will be standing at a 30° angle to the direction of the firearm, and as such a 60° angle to the threat. This exposes the opening in the body armor where the non-dominant arm goes through the body armor. Upper torso wounds from small arms fire in combat can enter through this opening.”
This has forced a reevaluation of tactics, and the development of the Tactical Fighting Position (TFP). In the TPF, the soldier stands square to the target, which maximizes the coverage of the body armor. This position also allows better movement and a fuller range of vision from the classic angled fighting and firing position. It allows the solder to walk forward with the weapon raised and aimed in the general direction of potential targets. In this position the weapon is held high on the chest with the butt stock resting between the top of the pectoral chest muscle and the clavicle (collar bone). Standard butt stocks, which were designed for the classic shooting position and have concave butt stocks designed to sit comfortably against the shoulder, typically have a sharp end at the bottom of the butt stock, which can dig into the chest muscles in the TFP.
The '573 patent describes the tactical fighting position. “In the tactical shooting position, the shooter stands so that his shoulders and feet are perpendicular to the direction of the firearm. The bottom corner of the butt stock is placed against the shooter's dominant side, upper chest at the mid-clavicular line, while the shooter's head is upright and looking forward. The firearm is carried in the ready position until a threat is confronted. In the ready position, the firearm is pointed downward at a 45° angle towards the ground. Once a threat is confronted, the firearm is raised and pointed toward the threat, and the shooter's shoulders and feet are maintained at a perpendicular orientation to the direction of the firearm. With the firearm in the tactical shooting position, the top of the butt stock is against the shooter's dominant side cheek and the shooter's dominant eye is in line with the sights. The tactical shooting position provides the shooter with an optimal amount of protection from the body armor. It also provides the shooter with a better vision for additional threats coming from the non-dominant side of the shooter.” Movement of the weapon from the ready position to the firing position requires that the weapon be rotated upward with the butt plate against the upper body, which can create pressure and strain on the upper chest muscles, particularly when the butt plate has a pointed end, or has sharp edges. There is a need, therefore, for a butt stock with a rounded bottom and curved edges to allow ease of use and increased comfort in the tactical fighting position.
In the tactical firing position the shooter rests his cheek against the body of the butt stock to properly align his aiming eye with the sight of the weapon. Standard butt stocks have a rounded body, which can become uncomfortable if the cheek is rested against it for a length of time. There is a need, therefore, for a butt stock with a surface designed to properly align with the shooters cheek to provide a comfortable surface. Typical butt stocks also have numerous external parts, most commonly clips for the attachment of the weapon strap or for the attachment of other items. These clips can be snagged on articles of clothing, as well as on trees or bushes in the field. Additionally, if the release lever is exposed it can potentially snag on clothing or other things, and in this situation the position of the butt stock could be inadvertently altered. There is a need, therefore, for a butt stock with an enclosed latch guard handle to prevent the possibility of snagging.
Typical butt stocks are made of cast plastic and often have hollow interior spaces to reduce the weight of the butt stock. It has become common to incorporate storage areas within these hollow spaces so that soldiers or other users can store items in their weapon. One of the most common things to store within the hollow spaces of the weapon are batteries, which are used for a variety of attachable equipment such as flashlights and night vision scopes. It is also common to store weapon cleaning items within these storage tubes. One of the problems encountered with standard storage tubes is providing a proper cover that is secure but easy to attach and remove. Some storage tube covers screw in while others are secured with an O-ring that provides a snug fit. Often these can become too tight and make it difficult to remove the cover. There is a need, therefore, for a storage cap that is easy to install and remove yet remains securely in place.