Pistol converter

1. A pistol converter for a pistol including a barrel, a frame and a hand protecting protrusion on a rear of the frame, the protrusion protecting a hand from a slide of the pistol, the converter comprising:

a body having a pistol-engaging assembly for holding a pistol; and

a stock coupled to said body;

said pistol-engaging assembly including:

a pistol barrel engaging portion in the front of the body; and

a rear engagement member in said body, said rear engagement member including a spring loaded element defining a groove, said groove firmly and releasably engaging the hand protecting protrusion on the rear of the frame of the pistol mounted in said body;

said spring loaded element configured to urge the rear engagement member and a pistol mounted in the body forwards towards the pistol barrel engaging portion to firmly grip the pistol and prevent movement thereof in the converter.

2. The pistol converter of claim 1 , wherein said barrel engaging portion includes a spring biased element, which urges the pistol rearwardly towards rear engagement member for firm engagement of a pistol in the converter.

3. The pistol converter of claim 1 , wherein said body includes a cut-away rear opening through which sights on the pistol can be used.

4. The pistol converter of claim 1 , wherein said stock is mounted on a hinge for folding adjacent the body.

5. The pistol converter according to claim 1 , wherein said body includes a pair of mounting grooves, and said rear engagement member further includes complementary rails slidingly mounted in said mounting grooves.

6. The pistol converter according to claim 1 , wherein said stock includes a closure plate for supporting said rear engagement member, and a hinge for pivoting said closure plate away from said body.

7. The pistol converter according to claim 1 , wherein said rear engagement member is removably mounted in said body.

8. The pistol converter of claim 1 , wherein said converter body includes at least one mounting rail for removably mounting an accessory on said body.

9. The pistol converter of claim 1 , wherein said stock is a hinged, folding stock.

10. A method for forming a pistol converter for holding a pistol having a barrel, a frame and a hand protecting protrusion on a rear of the frame, the protrusion protecting a hand from a slide of the pistol, the method comprising:

forming a body defining a pistol barrel engaging portion in the front of the body;

mounting, in the body, a rear engagement member including a spring loaded element urging the rear engagement member and a pistol mounted in the body forwards towards the pistol barrel engaging portion, thereby firmly gripping the pistol and preventing movement thereof in the converter;

defining a groove in said spring loaded element for firmly and releasably engaging the hand protecting protrusion on the rear of the frame of the pistol mounted in the body; and

coupling a stock to said body.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of coupling includes coupling by means of a hinge permitting folding adjacent the body.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of forming includes forming a body defining a spring loaded barrel engaging portion.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of forming includes forming a body defining at least one mounting rail for removably mounting an accessory on said body.