IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,607,425
Granted Patent B2
US 12,607,425 · App. 18/744,772 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Opposing force recoil reduction in a firearm

Inventors: Darren J Booth (Lavalette, WV); Steven Clark Butterfield (Carthage, MO)
Assignee: 3D Defense, LLC
F41A3/86F41A19/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,607,425
App. No.
18/744,772
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A firearm which provides recoil reduction using the kinetic energy of the hammer to cancel a portion of the bolt's recoil after a round has been fired. After the bolt starts to move rearward in response to the detonation, the hammer's forward kinetic energy is transferred onto the bolt by striking it at the moment the bolt starts to travel rearward or after the bolt has started its rearward motion.

Claims (39)

1 . A firearm with an opposing force recoil reduction system comprising:

a barrel with a chamber for holding a round;

a bolt that moves within an upper housing from a rearward position to a forward position in contact with the barrel;

a firing pin within the bolt for contacting a primer in the round to fire the round;

a hammer that moves behind the bolt in the upper housing;

a trigger assembly with a sear that holds the hammer in a cocked position for firing;

at least one hammer spring that moves the hammer forward toward the bolt to engage the firing pin and the bolt in response to a user operating the trigger assembly;

wherein the hammer moves forward to engage the firing pin and detonate the primer to fire the round; and

wherein the hammer in the same forward movement engages and comes in first contact with the bolt as the bolt moves rearward after the primer is detonated and transfers kinetic energy of the hammer to the bolt thereby reducing recoil of the firearm.

2 . The firearm of claim 1 , wherein the hammer includes a cavity with a plurality of moveable weights inside a center portion the hammer where the moveable weights provide kinetic energy to the bolt after the hammer contacts the bolt.

3 . The firearm of claim 1 , wherein the bolt and the hammer have a same shape.

4 . The firearm of claim 3 , wherein the bolt and hammer are a shape of a cuboid.

5 . The firearm of claim 1 , wherein a mass of the hammer is about 50% of a mass of the bolt.

6 . The firearm of claim 1 , wherein a mass of the hammer is greater than 50% of a mass of the bolt.

7 . The firearm of claim 1 wherein the sear holds the hammer in the rearward position by engaging the hammer and movement of the sear is controlled by the trigger assembly, and wherein the bolt strips a round from a magazine when moving to the forward position.

8 . The firearm of claim 1 wherein the hammer is a two-piece hammer comprising a hammer sliding weight moving on a saddle portion of the hammer and the hammer sliding weight provides kinetic energy to the bolt after the hammer contacts the bolt.

9 . The firearm of claim 1 wherein the hammer is a three-piece hammer comprising two hammer sliding weights moving on either side of the center portion the hammer and the hammer sliding weights provides kinetic energy to the bolt after the hammer contacts the bolt.

10 . A method for reducing recoil in a firearm comprising:

a. placing the firearm in a cocked state with a hammer held in a rearward position by a sear and a bolt in a forward position against a barrel with a chambered round;

b. releasing the hammer from the sear in response to a user activating a trigger;

c. accelerating the hammer in a forward movement by a hammer spring to strike a firing pin in the bolt;

d. driving the firing pin into a primer of the chambered round to detonate the primer and fire the chambered round; and

e. subsequent to the detonation of the primer, in the same forward movement as striking the firing pin, the hammer striking the bolt for the first time as the bolt moves rearward and transferring kinetic energy of the hammer to the rearward moving bolt.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the hammer includes a cavity with a plurality of moveable weights inside a center portion the hammer where the moveable weights provide kinetic energy to the bolt after the hammer contacts the bolt.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the bolt and the hammer have a same shape.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the bolt and hammer are a shape of a cuboid.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a mass of the hammer is at least 50% of a mass of the bolt.

15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the hammer is moved forward by at least one spring attached to the hammer.

16 . The method of claim 10 wherein the sear holds the hammer in the rearward position by engaging a slot in front of the hammer and movement of the sear is controlled by the trigger assembly, and wherein the bolt strips a round from a magazine when moving to the forward position.

17 . The method of claim 10 wherein the hammer is a two-piece hammer comprising a hammer sliding weight moving on a saddle portion of the hammer and the hammer sliding weight provides kinetic energy to the bolt after the hammer contacts the bolt.

18 . The method of claim 10 wherein the hammer is a three-piece hammer comprising two hammer sliding weights moving on either side of the center portion the hammer and the hammer sliding weights provides kinetic energy.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the hammer is pushed forward by a single spring pushing on the hammer and the spring guided by a spring guide which also protrudes through the hammer.

20 . A method for reducing recoil in a firearm comprising:

a. placing the firearm in a cocked state with a hammer held in a rearward position by a sear and a bolt in a forward position against a barrel with a chambered round;

b. releasing the hammer from the sear in response to a user activating a trigger;

c. accelerating the hammer in a forward movement by a hammer spring to strike a firing pin in the bolt;

d. driving the firing pin into a primer of the chambered round to detonate the primer and fire the chambered round;

e. subsequent to the detonation of the primer, in the same forward movement as striking the firing pin, the hammer engages the bolt for the first time as the bolt moves rearward in response to detonation of the primer to transfer kinetic energy of the hammer to the bolt thereby reducing recoil of the firearm; and

f. wherein the bolt and hammer are a shape of a cuboid and a mass of the hammer is at least 50% of a mass of the bolt.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2024
From: BOOTH, DARREN J; BUTTERFIELD, STEVEN CLARK
To: 3D DEFENSE, LLC
Reel/Frame 067740/0434 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20260049780A1 · Feb 19, 2026
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