Apparatus and Methods for a Pistol Stabilizer

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application, entitled “Apparatus And Methods For A Pistol Stabilizer,” filed on Apr. 3, 2024, and having application Ser. No. 63/574,119, the entirety of said application being incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to firearms. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to a pistol stabilizer and methods for improving aiming of a pistol and shooting accuracy.

Law enforcement officers routinely encounter unpredictable scenarios that may threaten the public, their colleagues, or themselves. In such situations, officers may be required to use firearms, such as handguns, wherein shooting accuracy is crucial. However, handguns are well-known to require extreme precision for accurate shooting. In general, handguns have short barrels and short sight radii, which causes any minor misalignment in the sights to result in a relatively large change in aiming angle. Unfortunately, in high-stress situations sympathetic nervous reactions due to adrenaline, anxiety, and/or fear can negatively impact fine motor skills required for accurately firing a handgun. What is needed, therefore, is a pistol stabilizer for improving shooting accuracy and aiming of a pistol.

An apparatus and methods are provided for a pistol stabilizer. The pistol stabilizer includes a shoulder stock for contacting a shooter's shoulder, a horizontal stabilizer connected to the shoulder stock, and a quick-draw holster for precisely and removably retaining the pistol. The holster is coupled with the horizontal stabilizer by way of a notched shaft that enables adjusting the overall length of the pistol stabilizer to accommodate the arm lengths of different shooters. The holster mates with an illumination system attached to the pistol rather than attaching directly to the pistol. The holster includes a lock switch and a pistol release. The pistol release allows the pistol to be removed from the holster while the lock switch enables locking the pistol in the holster. The holster includes a safety mechanism that ensures that the pistol stabilizer can only be used with specific illumination systems.

In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for a pistol stabilizer comprises: a shoulder stock for contacting a shooter's shoulder; a horizontal stabilizer connected to the shoulder stock; and an interface for precisely and removably receiving the pistol.

In another exemplary embodiment, the interface is coupled with the horizontal stabilizer by way of a mount. In another exemplary embodiment, the mount is configured to receive a ballistic shield system comprising a ballistic shield that includes a bullet resistant viewing window. In another exemplary embodiment, the interface is attached to the mount by way of any suitable fastening assembly or a suitable adhesive. In another exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a quick draw holster that precisely and removably receives the pistol.

In another exemplary embodiment, the interface is configured to mate with an illumination system attached to the pistol. In another exemplary embodiment, the interface includes a lock switch and a pistol release. In another exemplary embodiment, the pistol release is configured to allow the pistol to be removed from the interface. In another exemplary embodiment, the lock switch enables the shooter to switch between allowing removing the pistol from the interface by way of the pistol release and locking the pistol in the interface.

In another exemplary embodiment, the interface is coupled with a shaft comprising a generally elongate, cylindrical member having a rail disposed along a bottom of the shaft. In another exemplary embodiment, the shaft and the rail are configured to be inserted within a hollow portion of the horizontal stabilizer. In another exemplary embodiment, a multiplicity of notches distributed along the rail are configured to be fixedly engaged by a push button selector disposed on a recess housing portion on the bottom of the horizontal stabilizer. In another exemplary embodiment, the notches and the push button selector are configured to facilitate adjusting the overall length of the pistol stabilizer to accommodate the arm length of a wide variety of different shooters.

In another exemplary embodiment, a bend portion is disposed between the shoulder stock and the horizontal stabilizer. In another exemplary embodiment, the bend portion is configured to optimize the ergonomics of the pistol stabilizer by positioning the pistol to be advantageously grasped in the shooter's dominant hand while the shoulder stock contacts the shoulder of the shooter. In another exemplary embodiment, the bend portion may include a cheek weld riser adapted to contact a cheek of the shooter to further enhance stability during aiming and/or firing the pistol.

In another exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a holster that is configured to mate with an illumination system attached to the pistol rather than attaching directly to the pistol. In another exemplary embodiment, the holster includes a safety mechanism that is configured to cooperate with a primary lock and a secondary lock of the holster. In another exemplary embodiment, the holster is configured to receive a flashlight comprising the illumination system while the primary lock and the secondary lock are configured to insert into notches comprising the illumination system so as to retain the pistol in the holster. In another exemplary embodiment, the safety mechanism is configured to ensure that the interface can only be used with specific illumination systems.

These and other features of the concepts provided herein may be better understood with reference to the drawings, description, and appended claims.

While the present disclosure is subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The present disclosure should be understood to not be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the pistol stabilizer and methods disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, specific numeric references such as “first stabilizer,” may be made. However, the specific numeric reference should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order but rather interpreted that the “first stabilizer” is different than a “second stabilizer.” Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. The specific details may be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The term “coupled” is defined as meaning connected either directly to the component or indirectly to the component through another component. Further, as used herein, the terms “about,” “approximately,” or “substantially” for any numerical values or ranges indicate a suitable dimensional tolerance that allows the part or collection of components to function for its intended purpose as described herein.

Law enforcement officers routinely encounter unpredictable scenarios that may threaten the public, their colleagues, or themselves. In such situations, officers may be required to use firearms, such as handguns, wherein shooting accuracy is crucial. However, handguns are well-known to require extreme precision for accurate shooting. In general, handguns have short barrels and short sight radii, which causes any minor misalignment in the sights to result in a relatively large change in aiming angle. Unfortunately, in high-stress situations sympathetic nervous reactions due to adrenaline, anxiety, and/or fear can negatively impact fine motor skills required for accurately firing a handgun. Embodiment disclosed herein provide a pistol stabilizer and methods for improving aiming of a pistol and shooting accuracy.

illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a pistol stabilizerwith a pistolprecisely and removably coupled with a horizontal stabilizerand shoulder stockby way of an interface. As shown in, the interfaceis coupled with the horizontal stabilizerby way of a mount. The interfacemay be attached to the mountby way of any suitable fastening assembly, such as hardware fasteners or a suitable adhesive. In the exemplary embodiment shown in, the interfaceis permanently attached to the mountby way of an adhesive. Further, the interfacepositions the pistolwith respect to the horizontal stabilizersuch that the pistolcan be reloaded without the pistolhaving to be first removed from the pistol stabilizer.

The interfaceis configured to precisely and removably couple the pistolwith the stabilizersimilarly to a quick draw holster, such as, for example, a MasterFire® Pro Rapid Deploy Holster by Surefire. As such, the interfaceis configured to mate with an illumination system(see) attached to the pistolrather than attaching directly to the pistol. For example, the interfacecan be configured to mate with any of Surefire's H-Series Weapon Lights, such as, by way of non-limiting example, Model Nos. XH30, XH50G, X400UH-A-GN, X400UH-A-RD, X400VH-B-IRC, X400TH-A-RD, X400TH-A-GN, and the like. Thus, it is contemplated that the interfacemay be used with any pistolthat can be coupled with the illumination system, as described herein. Details regarding quick draw holsters can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,580 B2, entitled “Quick Draw Gun Holster With Interactive Accessory Device,” granted on Jun. 16, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application.

illustrates an exemplary-use environment wherein a shooteruses the pistol stabilizerto accurately aim the pistol. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the pistolgenerally is grasped by the shooter'sdominant hand and supported by the shooter's nondominant hand, while the shoulder stockcontacts a shoulderof the shooterduring aiming and/or firing the pistol. Further, a checkof the shootermay be placed in contact with the horizontal stabilizerto provide additional support to the pistol. As such, the horizontal stabilizerand the shoulder stockeffectively lock the shooter's wrist and thus eliminate a need for fine motor skills during aiming and firing the pistol, enhancing the shooter'saccuracy with the pistol. Further, in some embodiments, the horizontal stabilizermay include a check weld riser (not shown) adapted to contact the checkof the shooterto further enhance stability during aiming and/or firing the pistol. It is contemplated that the check weld riser can be a separate component that may be mounted onto the horizontal stabilizer, or the cheek weld riser and the horizontal stabilizermay comprise a monolithic component, without limitation.

illustrates an exemplary-use environment wherein the shooterofhas separated the pistolfrom the interfacecomprising the pistol stabilizer. It is contemplated that when the shooterneeds improved shooting accuracy, such as during stressful situations or emergencies, the shootercan remove the pistolfrom a belt holster and simply engage the pistolwith the interface, as described herein. With the pistolengaged with the interface, as described with respect to, the shootercan grasp the pistolwith a dominant hand while pressing the shoulder stockagainst the shoulder. Upon the shootergrasping the pistoland supporting the pistol stabilizerby way of the shoulder, the pistol stabilizerobviates a need for fine motor control and thus enables the shooterto operate the pistolduring emergency situations without the negative effects of anxiety. Further, once the pistol stabilizeris no longer needed, the shootercan simply release the pistolfrom the interface, as shown in, and then return the pistolto the belt holster, as desired. It is contemplated, therefore, that the pistol stabilizerprovides the accuracy of a rifle with the convenience of a pistol.

illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an interfaceand shaftthat may be incorporated into a pistol stabilizeraccording to the present disclosure. As described herein, the interfaceis configured to precisely and removably couple a pistol(see) with the stabilizersimilarly to a quick draw holster, such as, for example, a MasterFire® Pro Rapid Deploy Holster by Surefire. As such, the interfaceis configured to mate with an illumination system(see) attached to the pistolrather than attaching directly to the pistol. Further, the interfaceincludes a lock switchand a pistol release. The pistol releaseis configured to allow the pistolto be removed from the interfaceas shown in. The lock switchenables the shooterto switch between allowing removing the pistolfrom the interfaceby way of the pistol releaseand locking the pistolin the interface. As will be appreciated, moving the switchto the locked position prevents the pistol releasefrom operating.

As shown in, the interfacemay be coupled with the shaftby way of the mountshown in. In the illustrated embodiment, the interfaceis permanently attached to the mountby way of an adhesive. In other embodiments, however, the interfacemay be attached to the mountby way of a suitable fastening assembly, such as hardware fasteners, without limitation. In some embodiments, the mountmay be configured to receive a ballistic shield system that enables the shooterto very accurately fire the pistolwhile remaining well protected behind a ballistic shield and looking through a bullet resistant viewing window coupled with the shield. Details regarding ballistic shield systems and methods for attaching ballistic shields to the mountcan be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/420,035, entitled “Ballistic Shield System And Methods,” filed on Jan. 23, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application.

The shaftis a generally elongate, cylindrical member having a raildisposed along a bottom of the shaft. The shaftand railare configured to be inserted within a hollow portionof the horizontal stabilizer, as shown in. As shown in, a multiplicity of notchesare distributed along the rail. The notchesare configured to be fixedly engaged by a push button selectordisposed on a recess housing portionon the bottom of the horizontal stabilizer, as shown in. The recess housing portionis configured to slidably receive the railinto the hollow portion. The notchesand the push button selectorenable fixating the shaftwith respect to the hollow portion. As will be appreciated, the notchesand the push button selectorenable the shooter(see) to adjust the distance between the shoulder stockand the interface. Thus, the notchesand the push button selectorfacilitate adjusting the overall length of the pistol stabilizerto accommodate the arm length of a wide variety of different shooters.

As shown in, a bend portionis disposed between the shoulder stockand the horizontal stabilizer. The bend portionis configured to optimize the ergonomics of the pistol stabilizerby positioning the pistolto be advantageously grasped in the shooter'sdominant hand while the shoulder stockcontacts the shoulderof the shooter, as shown in. Further, a checkof the shootermay be placed in contact with the bend portionto provide additional support to the pistol. As such, the bend portionand the shoulder stockeffectively lock the shooter's wrist and thus eliminate a need for fine motor skills during aiming and firing the pistol, enhancing the shooter'saccuracy with the pistol. In some embodiments, the bend portionmay include a cheek weld riser (not shown) adapted to contact the checkof the shooterto further enhance stability during aiming and/or firing the pistol. It is contemplated that the check weld riser can be a separate component that may be mounted onto the bend portion, or the check weld riser and the horizontal stabilizermay comprise a monolithic component, without limitation.

illustrates an interior view of an exemplary embodiment of an interfacethat may be implemented in the pistol stabilizershown in. As described herein, the interfaceis configured to precisely and removably couple a pistol(see) with the stabilizersimilarly to a quick draw holster, such as, for example, a MasterFire® Pro Rapid Deploy Holster by Surefire. As such, the interfacecomprises a holsterthat is configured to mate with an illumination system(see) attached to the pistolrather than attaching directly to the pistol.

As shown in, the holsterincludes a primary lock, a secondary lock, and a safety mechanism. The holsteris configured to receive a flashlightcomprising the illumination systemshown in. The primary and secondary locks,are configured to insert into notchesdisposed at the bottom of the flashlight. The primary and secondary locks,are configured to be retained by the notchessuch that the pistolremains seated in the holsteruntil the primary and secondary locks,are operated to release the pistol. The primary lockis operable by way of the pistol releasewhile the secondary lockis operable by way of the lock switch, as shown in. The pistol releaseallows the pistolto be removed from the interface, as shown in, while the lock switchenables the shooterto lock the pistolin the interface.

The safety mechanismis configured to ensure that the interfacecan only be used with specific illumination systemsrather than being attached directly to the pistol. As such, it is contemplated that the safety mechanismcan ensure that the interfacecan be mated with any of Surefire's H-Series Weapon Lights, such as, by way of non-limiting example, Model Nos. XH30, XH50G, X400UH-A-GN, X400UH-A-RD, X400VH-B-IRC, X400TH-A-RD, X400TH-A-GN, and the like. Details regarding coupling the illumination systemwith the interface can be found in above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,580 B2, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Moreover, the interfaceincludes a forward openingand a slotdisposed along the bottom of the interface. The forward openingis configured to allow light emitted by the flashlightto be project forward of the interface. The slotis configured to allow an unobstructed path for a targeting laser emitted from a laser sightcomprising the illumination system, as shown in.

While the pistol stabilizer and methods have been described in terms of particular variations and illustrative figures, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the pistol stabilizer is not limited to the variations or figures described. In addition, where methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in certain order, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the ordering of certain steps may be modified and that such modifications are in accordance with the variations of the pistol stabilizer. Additionally, certain of the steps may be performed concurrently in a parallel process, when possible, as well as performed sequentially as described above. To the extent there are variations of the pistol stabilizer, which are within the spirit of the disclosure or equivalent to the pistol stabilizer found in the claims, it is the intent that this patent will cover those variations as well. Therefore, the present disclosure is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein, but only by scope of the appended claims.