US Patent Issued to Smith & Wesson on July 14 for "Buffered bolt catch" (Massachusetts, Rhode Island Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 14 -- United States Patent no. 12,680,773, issued on July 14, was assigned to Smith & Wesson Inc. (Maryville, Tenn.).

"Buffered bolt catch" was invented by Jason Dubois (North Smithfield, R.I.) and Brett Curry (Monson, Mass.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A bolt catch is movably mounted on a firearm. A first surface of the bolt catch is configured to engage a bolt to retain the bolt in a first position. The bolt catch has a second surface that is configured to engage a follower of a magazine when the magazine is empty to position the bolt catch in a catching configuration in which the first surface is within a path of travel of the bolt. The bolt catch includes an elonga...