TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a control mechanism for controlling the feed of ammunition in a firearm and specifically relates to magazine cut-off control systems and related methods.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Modern firearms such as shotguns commonly have a magazine that holds several rounds of ammunition. The action assembly of these firearms is operable to automatically withdraw rounds from the magazine and automatically load them into the chamber of the firearm's receiver. After the shooter discharges the round and cycles the action assembly, the used shell is ejected and a new round is advanced into the chamber from the magazine by the action assembly.

[0003] In some situations the shooter desires to manually load a round into the chamber rather than automatically loading a round from the magazine. Thus, some firearms have a magazine "cut-off mechanism that can be used to prevent the automatic advancement of a round from the magazine into the chamber after a discharged round is ejected. When the discharged round is ejected, the chamber remains clear and open and the user may manually load a round into the chamber. The manually-loaded round may be different from the remaining magazine -held rounds, so the shooter can use different ammunition without having to completely unload the magazine and load the new ammunition before shooting again.

[0004] This feature is also useful when the shooter wants to unload a round from the chamber and close the chamber without reloading a new round from the magazine. When crossing a fence, for example, the shooter may safely remove a shell from the chamber of his or her shotgun, close the chamber without loading a new round from the magazine, and cross the fence while the firearm does not have live ammunition in the chamber. This functionality may help avoid unintentional discharge of the firearm and prevent intrusion of dust or debris into the receiver while the shooter is in motion.

[0005] In some existing firearms that have a magazine cut-off mechanism, the magazine cut-off remains in single-shot/manual-loading mode until the user operates the cut-off mechanism to return to continuous/magazine-loading mode. Thus, after setting the firearm to single-shot/manual mode the user has to take an extra step of actuating the cut-off mechanism to return to continuous/magazine-loading mode. This extra action may undesirably take away the shooter's time and attention on the target. Other similar firearms have an automatically-resetting magazine cut-off device that can be set to single-shot mode temporarily. After the manually- loaded round is discharged and ejected, the cut-off mechanism resets to continuous/magazine- loading mode merely by pumping the action assembly. However, changing between single-shot and continuous modes in these firearms is slow and unintuitive. The handgrip of the action assembly must be in a particular unlocked, free-slidable position when the cut-off mechanism is actuated or else the mechanism cannot change modes. Therefore, the shooter must awkwardly only partially pump the action assembly while actuating the cut-off mechanism or else the firearm will remain in continuous/magazine-loading mode after cycling the action.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for improvements to cut-off mechanisms for firearms. SUMMARY

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a resetting magazine cut-off control system for a firearm which comprises a magazine and a control cuff positioned around the magazine. The control cuff may comprise a cuff cam surface and a cuff stop surface, and the control cuff may be operable between a first position and a second position relative to the magazine. An action member may be included that has a first portion and a second portion, with the second portion comprising an action stop surface. Contact between the cuff stop surface and the action stop surface may prevent longitudinal movement of the action member relative to the control cuff when the control cuff is in the first position, and the first portion may be configured to apply a force to the cuff cam surface, with the force moving the control cuff from the first position to the second position when the action stop surface is moved away from the cuff stop surface.

[0008] The first portion may comprise a flexible member extending from the action member. The control cuff may further comprise a deflecting surface, with the deflecting surface being configured to deflect the first portion of the action member laterally around the control cuff when the deflecting surface contacts the first portion. The first portion of the action member may comprise an inner edge and an outer edge, with the outer edge being positioned longitudinally rearward relative to the inner edge. The system may also comprise a receiver, wherein the receiver may have a chamber and wherein contact between the cuff stop surface and the action stop surface may prevent the action member from inducing automatic feed of ammunition from the magazine to the chamber. The control cuff may be operable from the first position to the second position while the action member is in a locked forward position. In some embodiments the control cuff comprises a detent, and a plunger positioned in the detent may retain the control cuff in the first or second position relative to the magazine.

[0009] Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a resetting magazine cut-off control system for a firearm comprising a receiver having a chamber, a magazine, a switch operable relative to the magazine between a single-shot position and a continuous feed position, and an action assembly operable between a first position coinciding with the chamber being closed and a second position coinciding with the chamber being open. The switch may be operable between the continuous feed position and the single-shot position when the action assembly is in the first position. When the switch is in the single-shot position, operation of the action assembly from the first position to the second position may open the chamber without attempting to advance ammunition from the magazine into the chamber, and operation of the action assembly from the second position to the first position may automatically move the switch to the continuous feed position. When the switch is in the continuous feed position, operation of the action assembly between the first and second positions may open the chamber and attempts to advance ammunition from the magazine into the chamber.

[0010] In some arrangements, the action assembly may be lockable in the first position, with the switch being operable between the single-shot position and the continuous feed position while the action assembly is locked in the first position. The switch may also comprise a cuff at least partially positioned around the magazine. The switch may be rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the magazine. The action assembly may have a portion longitudinally aligned with a portion of the switch when the switch is in the single-shot position. The action assembly may comprise an action cam surface and the switch may comprise a switch cam surface, wherein movement of the action assembly from the second position to the first position may drive the action cam surface into contact with the switch cam surface to move the switch from the single-shot position to the continuous feed position.

[0011] Yet another aspect of the disclosure relates to methods of controlling a magazine cut-off system in a firearm, wherein one such method may comprise providing a firearm having a magazine, a receiver, an action assembly, and a switch, positioning the action assembly in a forward locked position, moving the switch from a first setting to a second setting, sliding the action assembly rearward to a rearward stop position, and sliding the action assembly toward the forward locked position, wherein the action assembly may move the switch from the second setting to the first setting while moving toward the forward locked position from the rearward stop position.

[0012] The action assembly may contact the switch in the rearward stop position. Moving the switch from a first setting to a second setting may comprise rotating the switch around the magazine. The method may further comprise sliding the action assembly rearward to an eject-and-feed position, with the eject-and-feed position being further rearward relative to the magazine than the rearward stop position.

[0013] The action assembly may also comprise a spring which contacts the switch and moves the switch from the second setting to the first setting. The forward locked position may coincide with the receiver being closed, and the rearward stop position may coincide with the receiver being open. The receiver may comprise a feed mechanism operable to move ammunition from the magazine into the receiver. The feed mechanism may not actuate when the action assembly slides between the forward locked position and the rearward stop position. [0014] The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The Figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify one or more preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings and figures illustrate a number of exemplary embodiments and are part of the specification. Together with the present description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of this disclosure. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm according to the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a detail bottom view of the firearm of FIG. 1.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 1 with a handgrip portion removed.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 4.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 5.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 4 with a control cuff in a relatively rotated position.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 7.

[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a control cuff of a firearm according to the present disclosure. [0025] FIG. 10 is a detail top view of the control cuff of FIG. 9.

[0026] FIG. 11A is a front view of a flexible member of a firearm according to the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 1 IB is a rear view of the flexible member of FIG. 11 A.

[0028] FIG. 11C is a side view of the flexible member of FIG. 11 A.

[0029] FIG. 1 ID is a bottom view of the flexible member of FIG. 11 A.

[0030] FIG. 12 is a detail perspective view of a firearm according to the present disclosure in a first configuration.

[0031] FIG. 13 is a detail perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 12 in a second configuration.

[0032] FIG. 14 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 13.

[0033] FIG. 15 is a detail perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 12 in a third configuration.

[0034] FIG. 16 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 12 in a fourth configuration. FIG. 16A is a detail bottom view of the firearm of FIG. 16.

[0035] FIG. 17 is a detail perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 12 in a fifth configuration.

[0036] FIG. 18 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 12 in a sixth configuration.

[0037] FIG. 19 is a detail perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 18.

[0038] FIG. 20 is a detail side view of the firearm of FIG. 12 in a seventh configuration.

[0039] FIG. 21 is a detail perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 20. [0040] While the embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods that may improve magazine cut-off control mechanisms for magazine-loading firearms. Using the present apparatuses and methods, a user may readily switch a firearm between a single-shot/manual- loading mode and a continuous/automatic-loading mode by actuating a switch or control cuff member between two different positions. In single-shot mode, the action assembly may allow manual loading of a single round of ammunition and then may automatically reset to continuous mode after the action assembly is actuated. Thus, the shooter may more quickly and conveniently load a single shot and seamlessly change back to magazine-loaded rounds without having to take additional action. Furthermore, a switch or control cuff member of the cut-off mechanism may be used to change between modes even if the action assembly is locked at its extreme forward or rearward positions. As a result, the shooter may change shooting modes without having to hold the action assembly handgrip in certain positions such as the unstable positions required by conventional automatic -resetting magazine cut-off devices.

[0042] In some embodiments, the cut-off control system may include a receiver, a magazine, a switch operable between a single-shot position and a continuous feed position, and an action assembly operable between a first position and a second position. When the switch is in the single-shot position, operating the action assembly from the first position to the second position opens the chamber without attempting to advance ammunition from the magazine into the chamber. Operation of the action assembly from the second position to the first position automatically moves the switch to the continuous feed position. When the switch is in the continuous feed position, operating the action assembly between the first and second positions opens the chamber and attempts to advance ammunition from the magazine into the chamber since the action assembly may move into an "eject-and-feed" position relative to the receiver.

[0043] The magazine cut-off mechanism may be automatically reset to a continuous feed mode by interfacing and bringing into contact a cam surface on the cut-off control cuff with a cam surface on the action assembly. When the action assembly is moved from one position to another, a force may be applied by the cam surface of the action assembly to force movement of the cam surface of the control cuff. The movement of the cam surface may coincide with movement of the control cuff from the single-shot position to the continuous feed position when the action assembly is moved away from the control cuff. Thus, movement of the action assembly may automatically reset the magazine cut-off in a manner that does not distract the shooter's attention.

[0044] The present description provides examples, and is not limiting of the scope, applicability, or configuration set forth in the claims. Thus, it will be understood that changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add other procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, the methods described may be performed in an order different from that described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in other embodiments.

[0045] Turning now to the figures in detail, FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of a firearm 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The firearm 100 may comprise a stock 102, a receiver 104 connected to the stock 102, and a barrel 106 connected to the receiver 104. The firearm 100 shown in the figures is a shotgun. In some embodiments other types of firearms may be used with the present systems and methods, such as, for example, rifles and smooth-bore long arms. Thus, although the firearm 100 comprises a magazine 108 configured to hold shotgun shells and a receiver 104 and barrel 106 configured to shoot shotgun shells, other types of ammunition may be held in a magazine and shot from a receiver in a different type of firearm implementing action assemblies and magazine cut-off features described herein.

[0046] The stock 102 may comprise a grip portion 110 and a heel portion 112. The grip portion 110 may be grasped by the shooter when using the firearm 100, and the heel portion 112 may be braced against the shooter to absorb recoil when the firearm 100 is discharged. The receiver 104 may comprise an internal chamber 114 and may be connected to an action assembly 116. The barrel 106 may extend from the receiver 104 and may be longitudinally aligned with the chamber 114.

[0047] The magazine 108 may be tubular and may extend parallel to the barrel 106. The magazine 108 may comprise a rearward end 118 and a forward end 120. The rearward end 118 may be longitudinally connected to the receiver 104, and the forward end 120 may be laterally connected to the barrel 106. The magazine 108 may have an internal chamber in which rounds of ammunition may be loaded and from which ammunition may be transferred into the receiver 104 to be loaded into the chamber 114.

[0048] The action assembly 116 may comprise a grip 122, an action bar 124, and a feed assembly 126. See FIGS. 2-3, which respectively show a side view and a bottom view of the firearm 100 at the interface between the magazine 108 and the receiver 104. The grip 122 may be referred to as a forearm. The grip 122 may be positioned surrounding the lateral sides and bottom of the magazine 108. The grip 122 may be connected to a forearm tube 128 positioned within the grip 122 and around the magazine 108. See FIGS. 4-5. The grip 122 and forearm tube 128 may be configured to move between a forward position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 12), a first rearward position (shown in FIG. 18 with the grip 122 removed), and a second rearward position (shown in FIG. 15 with the grip 122 removed).

[0049] Moving the grip 122 from the forward position to at least one of the rearward positions and back to the forward position may be referred to as "pumping" or "cycling" the action assembly of the firearm 100. Pumping the firearm may actuate the action assembly 116 in various ways, including, for example, causing the action assembly 116 to open and close a door or other cover for the chamber 114 (i.e., open or close the chamber), to eject a round from the chamber 114, and/or load a round from within the magazine 108 into the chamber 114. When the grip 122 is in the forward position, the chamber 114 may be closed. When the chamber 114 is closed, any ammunition in the chamber 114 may be retained in a position oriented to be discharged through the barrel 106. When the grip 122 is moved rearward to the first rearward position, the chamber 114 may be opened and any round still in the chamber may be ejected from the chamber 114 through an opening 130 in the receiver 104. See FIG. 3. The first rearward position may be referred to as an "open," "eject," or "manually-loading" position. If the grip 122 is moved even further rearward to the second rearward position, a round may be moved from the magazine 108 into the feed assembly 126. The second rearward position may therefore be referred to as an "eject-and-feed" position or a "continuous-feed" position. When the grip 122 is then moved back to the forward position from the second rearward position, the round may be fed to the firing position (i.e., aligned with the barrel 106) in the chamber 114 and the chamber 114 may be closed again.

[0050] The grip 122 may be configured to be locked in place in the forward position. This feature may prevent the grip 122 from being pumped while a live round of ammunition is loaded in the chamber 114. However, the grip 122 and action assembly 116 may be unlocked and able to move rearward by pulling the trigger of the firearm 100 or actuating a slide release switch 132 on the receiver 104. See FIG. 1.

[0051] The action bar 124 may be attached to the forearm tube 128 and/or the grip 122 in a manner that causes the action bar 124 to synchronously slide with the movement of the forearm tube 128 and/or grip 122 when the firearm 100 is pumped longitudinally along the magazine 108. The action bar 124 may therefore translate between the forward position and the first and second rearward positions.

[0052] The action bar 124 may comprise a flexible member 134 and a rigid member 136. The action bar 124 may also extend around or attach to the forearm tube 128 with a cuff portion 138. The action bar 124 may slide into and out of the receiver 104 along an axis that extends parallel to the longitudinal axes of the barrel 106 and the magazine 108. Thus, the action bar 124 may have a slide axis A, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0053] The magazine 108 may comprise a control cuff 140 at its rearward end 118. The control cuff 140 is shown in detail in FIGS. 9-10. The control cuff 140 may be referred to as a switch. The control cuff 140 may comprise a general C-shape, wherein the control cuff 140 comprises two free ends 142, 144 spaced apart from each other. The control cuff 140 may be positioned at least partially surrounding the magazine 108, with the cuff 140 positioned at least on the lateral left and right sides and the bottom of the magazine 108. The control cuff 140 may comprise a bottom portion or central portion 146 positioned between the free ends 142, 144. The central portion 146 may comprise a protrusion or grip portion 148 that extends radially away from the central portion 146. The grip portion 148 may also extend longitudinally away from the central portion 146.

[0054] The free ends 142, 144 of the control cuff 140 may differ from each other. At least one of the free ends 142, 144 may be a control end 142 or cam end of the control cuff 140 that may comprise a plurality of surfaces configured to engage and contact portions of the action assembly 116. The control end 142 may comprise a front side 150 and a rear side 152. The front side 150 may include a stop surface 154 and a deflecting surface 156, and the rear side 152 may comprise a cam surface 158 and a detent 160. The stop surface 154 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal forward direction that extends along the magazine 108. The deflecting surface 156 may be oriented at an angle B relative to the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 10. The deflecting surface 156 may be configured so that it has one edge coincident with the stop surface 154. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the front edge of the deflecting surface is coincident with the stop surface 154. The stop surface 154 may be narrower than a rear face 162 at the control end 142 of the control cuff 140, as shown by comparison of widths Wi and W ₂ . As a result, the stop surface 154 may have a smaller lateral clearance than the rear face 162 when the control cuff 140 comes into contact with the action bar 124. [0055] The grip portion 148 of the control cuff 140 may extend radially away from the magazine 108, as shown in FIGS. 2-3. The grip portion 148 may be a portion of the control cuff 140 that the user can grasp or push against to move the control cuff 140 relative to the magazine 108. By radially extending from the magazine 108, the grip portion 148 may be easier to rotate around the magazine 108. The control cuff 140 may be configured to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the magazine 108. In some embodiments, rotated positions of the control cuff 140 may indicate and correspond with a single-shot mode or a continuous-feed mode for the cut-off mechanism. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the control cuff 140 may be in single-shot mode when the grip portion 148 is further to the right side of the firearm 100 (i.e., toward the lateral side shown in FIG. 2, as shown by the position of the control cuff 140 in FIGS. 16-19), and the control cuff 140 may be in continuous-feed mode when the grip portion 148 is rotated around the magazine 108 further toward the left side of the firearm 100 (i.e., toward the side opposite that shown in FIG. 2, as shown by the position of the control cuff 140 in FIGS. 2-8 and 12-15).

[0056] The detent 160 of the control cuff 140 may be used to guide and retain the rotated position of the control cuff 140 relative to the magazine 108. The detent 160 may comprise an upper detent 164 and a lower detent 166. See FIGS. 8-9. A biased plunger 168 may be seated in one of the upper and lower detents 164, 166. The plunger 168 may be biased in a forward direction (i.e., into the detent 160 and away from the receiver 104) and may therefore help bias the control cuff 140 either to a position where the plunger 168 is in the upper detent 164 or where the plunger 168 is in the lower detent 166. If a rotational force is applied to the control cuff 140 that would cause the control cuff 140 to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the magazine 108, the plunger 168 may apply a moment to the control cuff 140 resisting movement of the control cuff 140. However, if sufficient force is applied, the plunger 168 may retract in a rearward direction into the receiver 104 and may therefore allow the control cuff 140 to rotate relative to the magazine 108. The plunger 168 may, however, remain biased against the inner surfaces of the upper or lower detent 164, 166 such that the plunger 168 is biased outward in the forward direction when being positioned in the upper or lower detent 164, 166 and thereby bias the control cuff 140 into either the single-shot mode position of FIG. 8 or the continuous-feed position of FIG. 6.

[0057] An embodiment of the flexible member 134 is illustrated in FIGS. 11A-11D. FIG. 11A shows a front view, FIG. 11B shows a rear view, FIG. 11C shows an outer side view, and FIG. 11D shows a bottom view. The flexible member 134 may be a clip or spring that is attachable to the action bar 124. The action bar 124 may comprise a groove or notch into which the flexible member 134 may be attached. Thus, the flexible member 134 may be attached to the action bar 124 at a predetermined longitudinal position on the action bar 124. Movement of the action bar 124 may not change the longitudinal position of the flexible member 134 relative to the action bar 124. The flexible member 134 may be attached using a clip 170 that comprises the top portion of the flexible member 134. The clip 170 may be configured to wrap around the action bar 124 and engage the action bar 124 on four sides. The flexible member 134 may comprise a resilient, flexible material so that its bottom ends 171, 172 can spread apart and then clamp around the action bar 124 when released. Alternatively, the flexible member 134 may be attached to the action bar 124 by being stamped or bent into position once the clip 170 is partially positioned around the action bar 124.

[0058] The flexible member 134 may comprise an elongated end 172. The elongated end 172 may be narrowed relative to the top and other side 171 of the clip 170, see FIGS. 11C- 11D, and may extend further downward than the other side 171of the clip 170, see FIGS. 11A- 11C. The elongated end 172 may comprise an angle changing area 174 positioned at the bottom end of the clip 170 of the flexible member 134 and at the top of the elongated end 172. The elongated end 172 below the angle changing area 174 is oriented at an angle C relative to the elongated end 172 above the twisted area 174. See FIG. 11D. Thus, the elongated end 172 below the angle changing area 174 may comprise a front angled surface 176 configured to be angled facing forward relative to the firearm 100 and a rear angled surface 178 configured to be angled facing rearward.

[0059] The flexible member 134 may also comprise a front edge 182 and a rear edge

180. A bottom edge 184 is positioned between the front and rear edges 182, 180. The bottom edge 184 may alternatively be referred to as a cam surface of the flexible member 134. The bottom edge 184 may be curved, such as by having the semicircular shape shown in FIG. 11C. The curvature of the bottom edge 184 may allow the bottom edge 184 to more smoothly slide against a cam surface of the control cuff 140 when they engage, as described in further detail below.

[0060] The operation of the action assembly 116 and magazine cut-off is described with reference to FIGS. 4-8 and 12-21 below. The forward position of the action assembly 116 and forearm tube 128 is shown in FIGS. 4-8 and 12. In the forward position, the action assembly 116 may be locked in place. With the action assembly 116 in the forward position, the control cuff 140 may be operated to the continuous-feed position relative to the magazine 108, as shown by the control cuff 140 in FIGS. 4-6 and 12, or to the single-shot position relative to the magazine, as shown by the control cuff 140 in FIGS. 7-8. To operate the control cuff 140, the grip portion 148 may be actuated along rotational directions Di and D ₂ around the magazine 108. See FIG. 12. When the action bar 124 is in the forward position, the chamber 114 is closed.

[0061] With the control cuff 140 in the continuous-feed position, the stop surface 154 and deflecting surface 156 may be out of longitudinal alignment with the flexible member 134 and the rigid member 136. Accordingly, rearward longitudinal movement of the flexible member 134 and rigid member 136 (parallel to axis A) may not be inhibited by the control cuff 140. In other words, the flexible member 134 and rigid member 136 may be spaced away from and pass vertically over the control cuff 140 without contacting the control cuff 140. FIGS. 13- 14 show a perspective view and side view, respectively, of the flexible member 134 and rigid member 136 being drawn longitudinally rearward near the control cuff 140 in the continuous- feed position. FIG. 14 shows that a plane of separation Pi may lie vertically between the control cuff 140 and the flexible and rigid members 134, 136. Thus, the flexible and rigid members 134, 136 may freely pass over the control cuff 140 and into the receiver 104 with the control cuff 140 in continuous-feed mode. See FIG. 15.

[0062] Moving the action bar 124 from the forward position to the partially withdrawn position shown in FIGS. 13-14 may open the chamber 114 and eject any round or casing within the chamber 114. In this position, a single round may be loaded into the chamber, and if the action bar 124 is moved to the forward position, the chamber 114 will close with the single round ready to fire. However, moving the action bar 124 from the partially withdrawn position of FIGS. 13-15 to the fully withdrawn position of FIG. 15 may actuate the feed assembly 126 and advance a round from the magazine 108 into the feed assembly 126 in the chamber 114. In that case, a single round cannot be added manually into the chamber 114 because the chamber 114 will contain the round from the magazine 108. [0063] When the control cuff 140 is in the single-shot position shown in FIGS. 7-8, the stop surface 154 and deflecting surface 156 may be positioned longitudinally aligned with the flexible member 134 and the rigid member 136. Thus, in a direction parallel to axis A, the control cuff 140 may be positioned such that it may come into contact with at least one of the flexible member 134 and the rigid member 136.

[0064] The action bar 124 and flexible and rigid members 134, 136 may be drawn rearward from the forward position to a partially rearward position shown in FIG. 16. In the position of FIG. 16, the flexible member 134 is adjacent to and in front of the stop surface 154 and deflecting surface 156 relative to the longitudinal axis A. In this position, there may still not be contact between the flexible member 134 and the stop surface 154 because the angle changing area 174 of the flexible member 134 turns the rear angled surface 178 and rear edge 180. FIG. 16A shows a cross-sectional bottom view showing the orientation of the flexible member 134 relative to the stop surface 154 and deflecting surface 156 at the partially rearward position of FIG. 16. The rear edge 180 of the flexible member 134 may be laterally offset from the stop surface 154 and longitudinally aligned with the deflecting surface 156. Thus, when the rear edge 180 moves rearward (e.g., in direction D3 shown in FIGS. 16-16A), the rear edge 180 may laterally pass by the stop surface 154. The rear angled surface 178 may then come into contact with the deflecting surface 156 as it moves in direction D3.

[0065] FIG. 17 shows the action bar 124 moved rearward relative to the position shown in FIG. 16. The flexible member 134 is now partially laterally positioned relative to the stop surface 154 and the deflecting surface 156. In this position, the rear angled surface 178 contacts and rests against the deflecting surface 156. The flexible member 134 may at least partially deflect laterally outward (e.g., along direction D ₄ shown in FIG. 16A) while the rear angled surface 178 contacts the deflecting surface 156. As the flexible member 134 is urged rearward (in direction D3), the amount of lateral deflection (in direction D ₄ ) may increase until the front surface 182 is moved rearward past the control cuff 140.

[0066] Once longitudinally clearing the control cuff 140, the flexible member 134 may resiliently deflect back to its rest position relative to the action bar 124. The flexible member 134 is shown in this position in FIGS. 18-19, where it is rearward of the control cuff 140. When the flexible member 134 is in this position, it is longitudinally rearward of at least the cam surface 158 of the control cuff 140. The rigid member 136 remains longitudinally forward of the control cuff 140 and may contact the stop surface 154, as shown in FIG. 18. As shown in FIG. 16A, the rigid member 136 may be wider or thicker in the lateral direction than the flexible member 134. It may also comprise a more rigid material than the flexible member 134. Thus, the shape and material of the rigid member 136 may prevent it from laterally deflecting when it comes into contact with the control cuff 140. Once the rigid member 136 comes into contact with the stop surface 154, it may prevent any further rearward motion of the action bar 124. The longitudinal position of the action bar 124 in FIGS. 18-19 coincides with the longitudinal position shown in FIGS. 13-14. Therefore, contact between the rigid member 136 and the control cuff 140 may keep the action bar 124 at a position wherein the chamber 114 is open and any round or casing in the chamber 114 is ejected, but the feed assembly 126 does not prepare to receive and feed a new round from the magazine 108 into the chamber 114. A round may be manually loaded into the open chamber in this position.

[0067] To close the chamber 114, the action bar 124 is moved forward again along the longitudinal axis A. As the action bar 124 is moving forward from the position shown in FIGS. 18-19, the front edge 182 and/or bottom edge 184 of the flexible member 134 may come into contact with the cam surface 158 of the rear side 152 of the control cuff 140 due to the front and/or bottom edges 182, 184 being longitudinally and laterally aligned with the cam surface 158. As shown in FIGS. 20-21, continued forward movement of the action bar 124 may drive the front and/or bottom edge 182, 184 against the cam surface 158 and apply a downward force on the cam surface 158 that urges the control cuff 144 to rotate downward upon overcoming the biasing force applied by the plunger 168 in the lower detent 166. The plunger 168 may recede into the receiver 104, the control cuff 140 may rotate away from the flexible member 134 relative to the magazine 108, and the flexible member 134 may move forward. FIGS. 20-21 show a midpoint of this simultaneous movement wherein the bottom edge 184 of the flexible member 134 is contacting the cam surface 158 and has partially driven the control cuff 140 downward (i.e., the control cuff 140 is positioned between the single-shot position of FIGS. 18- 19 and the continuous-feed position of FIGS. 12-15). The ramped shape of the cam surface 158 allows the front and/or bottom edges 182, 184 of the flexible member 134 to gradually apply the downward force as the flexible member 134 moves forward.

[0068] Once the flexible member 134 has sufficiently moved forward, the control cuff 140 will either be completely pushed out of the way of the flexible member 134 by the flexible member 134 or the control cuff 140 will have rotated sufficiently relative to the magazine 108 that the biasing force of the plunger 168 helps snap or slide the control cuff 140 away from the flexible member 134 as the plunger 168 moves into the upper detent 164. Thus, the forward movement of the flexible member 134 causes the control cuff 140 to return to the continuous-feed position of FIGS. 12-15. With the control cuff 140 moved out of the way, the action bar 124 may return to its forward position, thereby locking the action assembly 116. [0069] As a result of the interaction between the flexible member 134 and the control cuff 140, the movement of the action bar 124 from the rearward position of FIGS. 18-19 automatically sets the rotated position of the control cuff 140 from the single-shot position of FIGS. 18-19 back to the continuous-feed position of FIGS. 12-15. Accordingly, pumping or cycling the action assembly 116 and moving the action bar 124 may automatically change the control cuff 140 from the single-shot mode to the continuous-feed mode (when the control cuff 140 is in the single-shot mode originally) without the user having to manually adjust the position of the control cuff 140 away from the single-shot mode. Using this functionality, a shooter may quickly load a single shot round into the chamber, fire it, then pump the action assembly 116 and immediately and continuously start firing rounds from the magazine 108. Accordingly, the user's attention can be more focused on the target rather than on the operation of his or her firearm.

[0070] Some embodiments of the present disclosure include methods. While various methods are inherently described above in connection with the operation of the cut-off mechanisms, one of these methods may comprise providing a firearm having a magazine, a receiver, an action assembly, and a switch. Providing the firearm may comprise providing the firearm 100 shown in the figures. The method may also include positioning the action assembly of the firearm in a forward locked position, such as the position shown in FIGS. 4-5, and moving the switch from a first setting to a second setting, such as moving the control cuff 140 from a first position corresponding to a continuous-feed position to a second position corresponding to a single-shot position. The action assembly may slide rearward to a rearward stop position and then slide toward the forward locked position. In that movement, the action assembly may move the switch from the second setting to the first setting while moving toward the forward locked position from the rearward stop position.

[0071] While operating the action assembly, it may contact the switch when it is in the rearward stop position. Moving the switch from a first setting to a second setting may comprise rotating the switch around the magazine of the firearm, such as by moving a switch along direction Di or D ₂ shown in FIG. 12.

[0072] In some embodiments, the method may comprise sliding the action assembly rearward to an eject-and-feed position, wherein the eject-and-feed position is further rearward relative to the magazine than the rearward stop position. Moving the action assembly to the eject-and-feed position may eject any ammunition in the chamber of the firearm from the chamber and may automatically feed ammunition from the magazine into the chamber. In some configurations the action assembly may comprise a spring, and the spring may contact the switch. The spring may move the switch from the second setting to the first setting.

[0073] The forward locked position of the action assembly may coincide with the receiver being closed and the rearward stop position of the action assembly may coincide with the receiver being open. The receiver may comprise a feed mechanism that is operable to move ammunition from the magazine into the receiver. The feed mechanism may be part of the action assembly that does not actuate when the action assembly slides between the forward locked position and the rearward stop position. Thus, the feed mechanism may operate to feed ammunition from the magazine into the chamber when the action assembly is moved from the rearward stop position to the eject-and-feed position.

[0074] Various inventions have been described herein with reference to certain specific embodiments and examples. However, they will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventions disclosed herein, in that those inventions set forth in the claims below are intended to cover all variations and modifications of the inventions disclosed without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The terms "including:" and "having" come as used in the specification and claims shall have the same meaning as the term "comprising."