Firearm barrel change apparatus

• Main Author: Gwinn, Jr., Mack W
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.08.2003

Firearms with barrels that are removable without the need to use special barrel changing equipment such as a barrel wrench and a barrel vise have been in use for a number of years. Sporting firearms with this feature, such as take down firearms, have been popular since they allow a firearm to be broken down into two relatively small packages for transportation purposes and then be readily assembled by the shooter when it is desired to use the firearm. Unfortunately, this type of firearm requires that the receiver and the barrel of the firearm be designed with take down features and this increases the complexity of the firearm. Also, in many cases firearms with this take down feature are not as accurate as rigid firearms without this feature. Firearm barrel change apparatus for a firearm having a receiver and a barrel with a portion configured to slide into the receiver. The firearm barrel change apparatus also includes a barrel receiving nut having provisions for slidably receiving the inner portion of a firearm barrel and a barrel retention member. The barrel retention member has a portion thereof sized and shaped to cooperate with the barrel receiving nut to lock the firearm barrel to the receiver. A special handguard assembly is also provided that allows the barrel retention member to be used with the barrel receiving nut without removing the handguard assembly.