Bolt carrier for magazine-fed firearm

1. A bolt carrier for a firearm wherein the firearm includes a barrel having a loading end and a firing end opposite from the loading end, the firearm further having a magazine well for receiving and seating a magazine containing cartridges, wherein the bolt carrier slides between an open position wherein a bolt is moved away from the barrel and a closed position wherein the bolt is at the loading end of the barrel, and further wherein when the bolt carrier is in the closed position at least a portion of the bolt carrier is aligned directly above the magazine well, the bolt carrier comprising:

an elongated body having a front end with an axial bore for retaining a portion of the bolt;

a lower surface of the elongated body proximate to the magazine well when the bolt carrier is in the closed position; and

a recessed portion in the lower surface located to be aligned with a top cartridge in the magazine when the magazine is fully loaded with the cartridges and received within the magazine well such that the top cartridge nests partially within the recessed portion when the bolt carrier is in the closed position.

2. The bolt carrier of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a sufficient depth such that contact between the top cartridge and the lower surface of the elongated body does not interfere with seating the magazine in the magazine well.

3. The bolt carrier of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a radius equal to or greater than a radius of the cartridges.

4. The bolt carrier of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is laterally offset from a centerline of the elongated body in order to be in alignment with the top cartridge.

5. The bolt carrier of claim 1 , wherein the firearm is a gas-operated firearm.

6. The bolt carrier of claim 5 , wherein the firearm is an AR-15 style firearm.

7. The bolt carrier of claim 5 , wherein the firearm is an M16-style firearm.