Apr 7, 2026

US12595982 - Ambidextrous bolt release mechanism for firearm

A firearm with ambidextrous bolt release mechanism includes a barrel and a bolt slideably mounted in the receiver for axial movement between forward closed breech position in battery with the barrel and a rearward open breech position. A recoil spring biases the bolt forward. A side-mounted bolt catch lever is configured and operable to selectively hold the bolt in the open breech position, and disengage the bolt to reclose the breech when manually actuated. A transversely movable actuator plunger allows a user to release the bolt from the side of the firearm opposite the bolt catch lever side. The plunger comprises an inclined camming surface which slideably engages a mating inclined camming ramp on the lever. Wedging action applied to the bolt catch lever by the plunger rotates the lever about its pivot axis to disengage and release the bolt.

Inventors: Reed Matthew Hubbell, Benjamin Gerard Hawkins, Frank J. Saunders, Jr.
Filing date: 2024-04-25

firearmmechanismboltreleaseambidextrous

The patent describes an ambidextrous bolt release mechanism for firearms that allows users to operate the bolt catch lever from either side of the receiver. This mechanism includes a transversely movable actuator plunger that engages the bolt catch lever to release the bolt from an open breech position.

Claim 1

1 . A firearm with ambidextrous bolt release mechanism comprising: a longitudinal axis; a barrel; a bolt slideably movable between a forward closed breech position in battery with the barrel and a rearward open breech position; a recoil spring biasing the bolt forward towards the closed breech position; a manually actuated bolt catch lever movably mounted on a first lateral side of the receiver, the bolt catch lever being axially elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the bolt catch lever being pivotably movable about a pivot axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position; the bolt catch lever including a bolt catch protrusion configured and operable to selectively (1) engage a locking ledge formed on the bolt for holding the bolt in the open breech position when the bolt catch lever is in the engaged position, and (2) disengage the locking ledge for releasing the bolt from the open breech position forward when the bolt catch lever is in the disengaged position; a manually depressible actuator plunger slideably movable and extending transversely from a second lateral side of the receiver to the first lateral side, the actuator plunger comprising an operating end including an exposed head disposed on the second lateral side and a working end disposed on the first lateral side which is selectively engageable with the bolt catch lever; wherein the actuator plunger when actuated via the operating end is operable to engage and rotate the bolt catch lever from the engaged position to the disengaged position. a longitudinal axis; a barrel; a bolt slideably movable between a forward closed breech position in battery with the barrel and a rearward open breech position; a recoil spring biasing the bolt forward towards the closed breech position; a manually actuated bolt catch lever movably mounted on a first lateral side of the receiver, the bolt catch lever being axially elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the bolt catch lever being pivotably movable about a pivot axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position; the bolt catch lever including a bolt catch protrusion configured and operable to selectively (1) engage a locking ledge formed on the bolt for holding the bolt in the open breech position when the bolt catch lever is in the engaged position, and (2) disengage the locking ledge for releasing the bolt from the open breech position forward when the bolt catch lever is in the disengaged position; a manually depressible actuator plunger slideably movable and extending transversely from a second lateral side of the receiver to the first lateral side, the actuator plunger comprising an operating end including an exposed head disposed on the second lateral side and a working end disposed on the first lateral side which is selectively engageable with the bolt catch lever; wherein the actuator plunger when actuated via the operating end is operable to engage and rotate the bolt catch lever from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12595982

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12595982