Modular barrel assembly
View Patent ↗A modular barrel assembly for firearms that includes a breech section formed from a high-strength material and a barrel section. the barrel section generally is formed separately from the breech section and can be formed from a different, lighter-weight material. Once formed, the barrel and breech sections are attached together to form the complete barrel assembly.
1. A method of making a shotgun, comprising:
forming a tapered breech section, wherein forming the tapered breech section comprises machining a metallic tube;
forming a shotgun barrel section including a composite bore tube;
attaching a barrel connector at a downbore end of the breech section to a rear end of the composite bore tube of the barrel section, wherein the barrel connector includes a locking ring;
attaching a rear end of the breech section to a receiver so that a chamber of the receiver is in communication with the breech section; and
mounting a magazine tube to the barrel assembly using the locking ring.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the breech section and the barrel section form a barrel assembly having a length, a length of the breech section being between one quarter to one third the length of the barrel assembly.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the length of the breech section is between eight to ten inches.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
inserting a muzzle insert at a muzzle end of the barrel section;
mounting a magazine tube to the barrel assembly using a locking ring; and
mounting a ventilated rib on the barrel section.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a tapered breech section comprises machining a metallic tube of uniform cross-section.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting a muzzle insert at a muzzle end of the barrel section.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting a ventilated rib section on the barrel section.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting a magazine tube to the barrel assembly using a locking ring.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the barrel section comprises at least one of roll wrapping, pultrusion, and winding together strips of a unidirectional fabric material about a mandrel.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite bore tube is attached to the barrel connector with adhesive.
11. A method of making a shotgun, comprising:
forming a tapered breech section, wherein forming the tapered breech section comprises machining a metallic tube;
forming a shotgun barrel section including a composite bore tube;
attaching a downbore end of the breech section to a rear end of the barrel section; and
attaching a rear end of the breech section to a receiver so that a chamber of the receiver is in communication with the breech section;
inserting a muzzle insert at a muzzle end of the barrel section;
mounting a magazine tube to the barrel assembly using a locking ring; and
mounting a ventilated rib on the barrel section;
wherein the breech section and the barrel section form a barrel assembly having a length, a length of the breech section being between one quarter to one third the length of the barrel assembly; and
wherein attaching a downbore end of the breech section to a rear end of the barrel section comprises attaching the composite bore tube to a barrel connector, the locking ring comprising a part of the barrel connector.
12. A method of making a shotgun, comprising:
forming a tapered breech section, wherein forming the breech section comprises machining a metallic tube;
forming a shotgun barrel section including a composite bore tube;
attaching a downbore end of the breech section to the composite bore tube of the barrel section with a barrel connector including a locking ring, the breech section and barrel section defining a barrel assembly;
attaching a rear end of the breech section to a receiver so that a chamber of the receiver is in communication with the breech section;
mounting a magazine tube to the barrel assembly using the locking tube; and
inserting a muzzle insert at a muzzle end of the barrel section,
wherein the breech section and the barrel section form the barrel assembly having a length, a length of the breech section being at least one quarter the length of the barrel assembly.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising mounting a magazine tube under the barrel assembly using a locking ring.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising mounting a ventilated rib section on the barrel section.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the length of the breech section is between eight to ten inches.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the barrel section comprises at least one of roll wrapping, pultrusion, and winding together strips of a unidirectional fabric material about a mandrel.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the composite bore tube is attached to the barrel connector with adhesive.
18. A method of making a shotgun, comprising:
forming a breech section, wherein forming the breech section comprises machining a metallic bar;
forming a shotgun barrel section including a composite bore tube;
attaching a barrel connector at a downbore end of the breech section to a rear end of the composite bore tube of the barrel section;
attaching a rear end of the breech section to a receiver so that a chamber of the receiver is in communication with the breech section;
mounting a magazine tube to the barrel and breech sections using a locking ring of the barrel connector; and
mounting a ventilated rib on the barrel section,
wherein the breech section and the barrel section form a barrel assembly having a length, a length of the breech section being at least one quarter the length of the barrel assembly.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the barrel section comprises at least one of roll wrapping, pultrusion, and winding together strips of a unidirectional fabric material about a mandrel.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the composite bore tube is attached to the barrel connector with adhesive.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the breech section is tapered.
22. A method of making a shotgun, comprising:
forming a metallic breech section;
forming a shotgun barrel section including a composite bore tube;
attaching a downbore end of the breech section to a rear end of the composite bore tube of the barrel section with a barrel connector to form a barrel assembly, the barrel connector comprising a locking ring;
inserting a muzzle insert at a muzzle end of the barrel section;
mounting a magazine tube to the barrel assembly with the locking ring of the barrel connector and to a receiver;
mounting a ventilated rib on the barrel section; and
attaching a rear end of the breech section to the receiver so that a chamber of the receiver is in communication with the breech section.