Supplemental magazine holder for a firearm
View Patent ↗A supplemental magazine holder for a firearm. The holder is configured in the form of a body with a one-piece construction and made of a single piece of material. The body has a longitudinal channel defined by a base and walls extending from the base, a first closed end, and a second open end opposite the closed end. The channel includes opposite first and second inner walls each including a longitudinal groove formed therein. The channel, inner walls and grooves are configured to closely receive and removably hold therein a supplemental firearm magazine.
1 . A supplemental magazine holder for a firearm, the holder comprising:
a body having a one-piece construction and being formed from a single piece of material, the body having a generally C-shaped cross-section and including a base and first and second walls extending from the base, the base and the walls defining a longitudinal channel extending between a first closed end and a second open end opposite the closed end, the channel including opposite first and second inner walls, and each of the first and second inner walls including a longitudinal groove extending substantially along a length of the channel,
wherein the channel, inner walls and grooves are configured to closely receive and removably retain a firearm magazine inserted longitudinally through the second open end,
wherein the first closed end forms a longitudinal stop configured to limit forward movement of the firearm magazine within the channel,
wherein the base further includes at least two spaced-apart through-openings configured to receive threaded fasteners for removably mounting the holder to a structural portion of the firearm, and
wherein the body is formed of a resilient material configured to frictionally engage opposite sides of the firearm magazine within the channel to retain the magazine without additional clamping elements while permitting sliding insertion and removal through the second open end.
2 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the body has the generally C-shaped cross-section along substantially the entire length of the longitudinal channel except at the first closed end.
3 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the body is longitudinally symmetrical about a central axis such that the holder is installable in either orientation relative to the firearm.
4 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the body is made of a hard and dense but resilient plastic material configured to frictionally engage the firearm magazine within the channel.
5 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 4 , wherein the material of the body is durable while exhibiting sufficient flexibility to allow resilient gripping of the firearm magazine during insertion and removal thereof.
6 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the through-openings are configured to receive threaded fasteners cooperating with washer elements configured to engage an accessory rail portion of the firearm.
7 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the first and second walls are configured to resiliently deflect relative to one another to permit insertion and removal of the firearm magazine while maintaining frictional retention of the magazine within the channel.
8 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal grooves are configured to guide insertion of the firearm magazine into the channel.
9 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the holder is configured to be removably mounted to a forward structural portion of the firearm adjacent a barrel of the firearm.
10 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the channel is configured to receive a magazine for an AR-15-style rifle or pistol.
11 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the channel is configured to receive a Glock® pistol magazine.
12 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the body is manufactured by injection molding as a unitary structure.
13 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 1 , wherein the firearm magazine is retained solely by frictional engagement between the walls of the channel and the magazine without clamps, springs, or adjustable fasteners.
14 . A supplemental magazine holder for a firearm, the holder comprising:
a unitary body having a one-piece construction and being formed from a single piece of resilient material, the body being longitudinally symmetrical about a central axis and having a generally C-shaped cross-section, the body including a base and first and second walls extending upwardly from the base, the base and the first and second walls defining a longitudinal channel extending substantially the entire length of the body between a first closed end and a second open end opposite the first closed end, the channel including opposite first and second inner walls, and each of the first and second inner walls including a longitudinal groove extending substantially along the length of the channel,
wherein the channel, inner walls and grooves are configured to closely receive and removably retain a firearm magazine inserted longitudinally into the channel through the second open end,
wherein the first closed end forms a longitudinal stop configured to limit movement of the firearm magazine within the channel,
wherein the base includes at least two spaced-apart through openings extending through the base, the through openings being configured to receive threaded fasteners extending through the base and engaging corresponding washer elements configured to removably secure the body to a structural rail portion of the firearm, and
wherein the first and second walls are resiliently deflectable relative to one another to frictionally engage opposite sides of the firearm magazine within the channel, such that the firearm magazine is retained within the channel solely by frictional engagement between the walls and the firearm magazine without clamps, springs, or adjustable fasteners while permitting sliding insertion and removal of the firearm magazine through the second open end.
15 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 14 , wherein the body has a generally C-shaped cross-section extending substantially along an entire length of the longitudinal channel except at the first closed end.
16 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 14 , wherein the body is longitudinally symmetrical about a central axis such that the holder is installable in either orientation relative to the firearm.
17 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 14 , wherein the body is formed from a hard and dense plastic material selected from the group consisting of Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS).
18 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 14 , wherein the through openings are configured to receive threaded fasteners cooperating with washer elements configured to engage an accessory rail portion of the firearm.
19 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 14 , wherein the first and second walls are configured to resiliently deflect relative to one another to permit insertion and removal of the firearm magazine while maintaining frictional retention of the firearm magazine within the channel.
20 . The supplemental magazine holder of claim 14 , wherein the longitudinal grooves are configured to cooperate with corresponding longitudinal features of the firearm magazine to guide insertion of the firearm magazine into the channel.