Methods of manufacturing firearms and firearms components comprising bonded multi-metallic materials
View Patent ↗Methods for manufacturing firearms and firearm components from bonded multi-metallic base materials comprising at least two dissimilar metallic materials having different properties, such as weight, density, wear resistance, durability, hardness, and the like, bonded to one another are provided. The bonded multi-metallic materials may be explosively bonded multi-metallic materials. The methods involve providing a bonded multi-metallic substrate material, cutting the rough shape of a component from the bonded multi-metallic substrate material, and machining the rough component shape to a desired three dimensional configuration of the component.
1. A method of manufacturing a firearm component comprising: providing a bonded multi-metallic substrate material comprising at least two metallic materials having different properties bonded to one another at a planar bond region, wherein a greater wear and impact resistant metallic material is arranged at a portion of the firearm component that experiences wear, impact, or movement in relation to other surfaces or components, and wherein the bonded multi-metallic substrate material is at least thick as the final thickness of a desired firearm component; mechanically dividing the substrate material and producing a rough component blank; and further refining the rough component blank to produce the desired three dimensional configuration of the component.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anted multi-metallic substrate material is provided as a sheet material.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonded multi-metallic substrate material is an explosively bonded multi-metallic material.
4. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising orienting a component pattern on the bonded multi-metallic substrate material prior to producing the rough component blank.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein mechanically dividing is achieved by cutting, machining, punching, water jetting or sawing.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein further refining is achieved by machining.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonded multi-metallic material comprises an iron-containing metal bonded to a metal having lighter weight properties.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one metallic material is selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, an aluminum-containing alloy, niobium, an iron-containing alloy, titanium, a titanium-containing alloy; tantalum, magnesium, a magnesium-containing alloy, and a copper-containing alloy.
9. The Method of claim 1 , wherein the component is selected from the following: frame or body; slide; barrel; sear; stock; handle; extractor; sub-frame; receiver; block; door; roller; trunion; actuator; magazine well; housing component; trigger mechanism; safety mechanism; firing chamber; grip; plunger; ejector and sights.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a semi-automatic pistol slide.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a semi-automatic pistol frame.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a thickness dimension of the at least two metallic materials is unequal.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least two metallic materials have different properties selected from the group of: weight; density; durability; hardness; toughness; magnetic properties; metallic luster; color; rigidity; cost; corrosion-resistance; fracture toughness; fatigue-resistance; creep-resistance; elastic modulus; yield strength; resistance to stress or cracking; machinability; and anti-galling properties.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonded multi-metallic material composed of at least three metallic layers, wherein at least one intermediate layer having a generally lighter weight property is bonded on either side along substantially planar bond regions to heavier weight materials having generally hard, impact- and wear-resistant properties.
15. A method of manufacturing a firearm component comprising: providing a bonded multi-metallic substrate material comprising at least two metallic materials having different wear and impact resistant properties in a flat sheet form having a thickness at least as thick as the final thickness of the desired firearm component, wherein a greater wear and impact resistant metallic material is arranged at a portion of the firearm component that experiences wear, impact, or movement in relation to other surfaces or components; cutting the rough shape of the component from the bonded multi-metallic substrate material; and machining the rough component shape to the desired three dimensional configuration of the component, wherein a greater wear and impact resistant metallic material is arranged at a portion of the firearm component that experiences wear, impact or movement in relation to other surfaces or components.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the component is selected from the following: frame or body; slide; barrel; sear; stock; handle; extractor; sub-frame; receiver; block; door; roller; trunion; actuator; magazine well; housing component; trigger mechanism; safety mechanism; firing chamber; grip; plunger; ejector and sights.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonded multi-metallic substrate material is provided as an explosively bonded material fabricated by stacking dissimilar metallic layers having a flat sheet form and using explosive charges to bond them to one another.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonded multi-metallic substrate material is provided using a technique selected from the group consisting of: metal cladding; high pressure bonding; thermal bonding; roll bonding; and casting.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonded multi-metallic substrate material comprises multiple metallic bond regions formed using different techniques.