Failsafe training firearms and blank firing adapter therefor

Abstract

A modified barrel and vented blank firing adapter for a failsafe firearm suitable for training exercises and in particular for MILES exercises. A preferred modified barrel includes a plurality of blow out apertures spaced about the barrel's longitudinal axis at a location adjacent to a case of a live ammunition cartridge when loaded in the firearm, the blow out apertures venting from the case a substantial portion of combustion gases produced by firing the live ammunition cartridge; a laterally vented blank firing adapter for producing flash at the muzzle upon firing of a blank ammunition cartridge; and a gas port in the barrel sized for admitting to the firearm's cycling gas tube sufficient combustion gases produced by firing the blank ammunition cartridge for implementing cycling operation of the firearm. The laterally vented blank firing adapter preferably includes a cavity for trapping projectile material when a live ammunition cartridge is fired.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to firearms useful in training exercises for firing blank ammunition cartridges, and more particularly to a barrel assembly and blank firing adapter for such firearms for preventing the projection therefrom of projectile material from inadvertently fired live ammunition cartridges. [0002] The United States Army's Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) is an effective combat simulation training exercise system wherein participants carry a firearm equipped with a laser transmitter and wear a laser detector harness. Whenever a laser pulse is fired which hits a target harness sensor, corresponding signals are transmitted to a control center and a target participant is made instantly aware of the accuracy of the simulated shot by such means as audio alarms and visual displays. [0003] Automatic rifles employed in MILES exercises, such as Colt M4 and M16 carbines, utilize blank ammunition cartridges for simulating the s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention resolves these problems in connection with the modified firearm barrel by providing a vented blank firing adapter at the barrel's muzzle while assuring that the gas port to the gas tube is sufficiently large to effect cycling operation of the firearm. In addition to the blow out apertures, the modified barrel may include enlarging the gas port for increasing the quantity of gas entering the gas tube for reliably effecting cycling operation of the firearm, and further vents sufficient combustion gases at the muzzle for creating sufficient flash for triggering the laser transmitter. Additionally, the preferred embodiment of the blank firing adapter of the present invention is laterally vented and includes provision for trapping projectile material for preventing projection of such projectile material from the barrel's muzzle.

Problems solved by technology

The chamber of such firearms will accept live ammunition cartridges, so that the firing of an accidentally chambered live ammunition cartridge may have catastrophic effects when fired during a MILES exercise.

Although the prior art blank firing adapter ostensively serves the further purpose of blocking a fired bullet from an accidentally chambered live ammunition cartridge from being projected from the barrel's muzzle, it has been experienced that the great force generated by the combustion gases of the fired live ammunition cartridge on occasion causes the bullet, or at least fragments of the bullet, as well as fragments of the fractured muzzle plug, to be projected from the barrel's muzzle.

Although the lower pressure of the combustion gases generated by the firing of a blank ammunition cartridge does not blow out the cartridge case at the barrel apertures, the blank cartridge case normally does not completely seal the barrel apertures so that combustion gases from the fired blank cartridge may leak from the barrel through the apertures.

Such leakage tends to deprive combustion gases within the barrel of sufficient back pressure to pressurize the gas tube for proper cycling operation of the firearm.

Such a solution, however, would prevent the combustion gases from producing flash at the barrel's muzzle to trigger the laser transmitter, rendering the firearm incompatible with MILES exercises.

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