Firearm accessory mounting system
View Patent ↗An accessory rail mounting system for a firearm comprises an elongated stock defining a downwardly open magazine well cavity, and a magazine well insert comprising an elongated body including a mounting portion and elongated coupling rail cantilevered from the mounting portion. The mounting portion is configured for detachable mounting to a bottom surface of the stock at the magazine well cavity. Threaded fasteners may be used for mounting. The mounting portion includes an elongated magazine aperture configured to receive an ammunition magazine therethrough and latching feature configured to engage a latch of the magazine to releasably retain the magazine in the firearm. The coupling rail is configured to detachably couple and mount a firearm accessory thereto. The coupling rail may have numerous rail configurations compatible with mounting interfaces of various types of firearm accessories, such as bipods, tripods, and other accessories. Mounting portions may be varied to accept different magazines.
1 . An accessory rail mounting system for a firearm comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
an elongated stock defining a downwardly open magazine well cavity;
a stock insert comprising a longitudinally elongated body including a mounting portion configured for detachable mounting to a bottom surface of the stock at the magazine well cavity, and an elongated coupling rail cantilevered from the mounting portion;
the coupling rail being configured to detachably couple a firearm accessory thereto;
wherein the coupling rail extends forwardly from the mounting portion of the stock insert; and
wherein the coupling rail comprises an arcuately curved top surface defining an axially elongated concavity, the stock comprising an arcuately curved bottom surface which is at least partially nested in the concavity.
2 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein a rear end of the coupling rail is vertically offset from the mounting portion of the stock insert forming a shoulder therebetween.
3 . The mounting system according to claim 2 , wherein the mounting portion defines a horizontal mounting axis extending between a front end and a rear end of the mounting portion, and the coupling rail defines a support axis extending between a rear end and a front end of the coupling rail, the mounting axis and support axis being vertically offset from each other.
4 . The mounting system according to claim 3 , wherein the support axis is disposed at an acute angle to the mounting axis.
5 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the stock insert is a magazine well insert, the mounting portion including a longitudinally elongated magazine aperture configured to receive an ammunition magazine therein.
6 . The mounting system according to claim 5 , wherein the stock insert includes a magazine latching feature configured to releasably engage a latch lever of the magazine which is operable to retain the magazine in the stock insert.
7 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of magazine well cavity of the stock comprises an axially elongated entrance recess formed in the bottom surface of the stock, and wherein at least an upper portion of the mounting portion of the stock insert is received within the entrance recess.
8 . The mounting system according to claim 7 , wherein a majority of the mounting portion of the stock insert is received within the entrance recess.
9 . The mounting system according to claim 8 , wherein a bottom of the mounting portion of the stock insert is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the stock of the firearm when the stock insert is mounted to the stock.
10 . The mounting system according to claim 8 , wherein the bottom of the mounting portion of the stock insert is arcuately curved from side to side.
11 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the stock insert has a monolithic structure in which the mounting portion and cantilevered coupling rail are formed as integral unitary parts thereof.
12 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling rail of the stock insert has a configuration selected from the group consisting of an ARCA rail, a Picatinny rail, a rail including longitudinal openings configured to receive T-shaped nuts on a firearm accessory which are then rotated and locked in place on the rail, and a dovetail rail.
13 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion of the stock insert includes a pair of longitudinally spaced apart mounting holes each configured to receive a threaded fastener for coupling the stock insert to the stock of the firearm.
14 . The mounting system according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the pair of mounting holes is formed at least partially through the coupling rail of the stock insert.
15 . The mounting system according to claim 13 , wherein the coupling rail is a discrete part separate from the mounting portion of the stock insert, one of the threaded fasteners coupling the coupling rail to a forward portion of the stock insert.
16 . The mounting system according to claim 13 , further comprising a receiver detachably coupled to the stock above the stock insert by the threaded fasteners, the threaded fasteners acting to draw the receiver, stock, and stock insert together when the threaded fasteners are tightened.
17 . The mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the firearm accessory is a bipod or a tripod configured and operable to support the firearm from a support surface.
18 . The mounting system according to claim 17 , wherein the bipod or tripod comprises a pair of movable jaws configured and operable to lockingly engage the coupling rail of the stock insert to mount the bipod or tripod to the firearm.
19 . An accessory rail mounting system for a firearm comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
an elongated stock defining a downwardly open magazine well cavity;
a stock insert comprising a longitudinally elongated body including a mounting portion configured for detachable mounting to a bottom surface of the stock at the magazine well cavity, and an elongated coupling rail cantilevered from the mounting portion;
the coupling rail being configured to detachably couple a firearm accessory thereto;
wherein the coupling rail extends forwardly from the mounting portion of the stock insert;
wherein the firearm accessory is selected from the group consisting of a flashlight, laser sight, vertical grip, and rail sling mount.
20 . An accessory rail mounting system for a firearm comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
an elongated stock defining a downwardly open magazine well cavity;
a stock insert comprising a longitudinally elongated body including a mounting portion configured for detachable mounting to a bottom surface of the stock at the magazine well cavity, and an elongated coupling rail cantilevered from the mounting portion;
the coupling rail being configured to detachably couple a firearm accessory thereto;
wherein the coupling rail extends forwardly from the mounting portion of the stock insert;
wherein the mounting portion has a lateral width which is larger than a lateral width of the coupling rail.
21 . An accessory rail mounting system for a firearm comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
an elongated stock defining a downwardly open magazine well cavity;
a stock insert comprising a longitudinally elongated body including a mounting portion configured for detachable mounting to a bottom surface of the stock at the magazine well cavity, and an elongated coupling rail cantilevered from the mounting portion;
the coupling rail being configured to detachably couple a firearm accessory thereto;
wherein the cantilevered coupling rail is detachably coupled to the mounting portion of the stock insert via a threaded fastener.