A break-action firearm with a breech housing, a barrel section that can pivot about a hinge bearing on the breech housing, and a removable fore-end, which contains on its front end a locking mechanism and on its rear end a bearing section for pivoting connection to the breech housing. This provides an easy-to-manufacture fore-end of the break-action firearm with minimal overall height, such that the hinge bearing grasps hinge pin, which project laterally inwards from the breech housing and which engage in lateral recesses on opposing side surfaces of a fastener section of the barrel section. In addition, the bearing section has bolts, which project inwards with at least one lateral contact surface and which lead to contact on corresponding abutment surfaces on the two side surfaces of the fastener section.

A harmonic vibration tuning device is provided in the forestock of a rifle engaging a cantilevered barrel forward of the rifle action, for the purpose of effecting a change the harmonic vibration frequency of the barrel, that is generated, as a projectile moves through the barrel to the muzzle. This adjustable change in the harmonic vibration frequency of the barrel causing a controllable change in the impact placement of a plurality of fired projectiles. The harmonic vibration tuning device of the preferred embodiment includes a containment assembly that is mounted in a cavity formed in the forestock. The assembly includes a threaded adjustment shaft extending horizontally through the assembly with the shaft being threadedly mated with a reactive contact means. The reactive contact means, of the preferred embodiment, engages the surface of the barrel permitting a force to be exerted between the forestock and the barrel. The threaded shaft protrudes toward the front surface of the forestock to enable it to be rotationally adjusted. The assembly also contains a shaft inadvertent rotation prevention device to apply sufficient force against the threaded shaft to allow both for desired incremental rotational adjustment of the threaded shaft, while at the same time inhibiting undesirable rotation of the shaft during discharge or handling of the rifle. The threaded shaft is secured to the assembly to prevent undesired longitudinal movement of the threaded shaft and the reactive contact means within the assembly. When the threaded shaft is rotated the reactive contact means moves longitudinally along the axis of the barrel. This motion causes a change in the longitudinal contact point of engagement of the reactive contact means and the barrel. This change of longitudinal positioning of the reactive contact means which is engaging the barrel with sufficient pressure, causes a change in the harmonic vibration characteristics of the barrel.

The trap gun stock has a projection which mates snugly with a complementary-shaped depression in the rear end of the receiver and is secured therein by a spring-loaded stock bolt which extends through the stock and screws into a stud on the receiver. A latch on the fore-end iron engages a barrel lug to releasably secure the barrel to the fore-end iron. An adjustment shoe at the edge of a latch-hole in the fore-end iron engages the barrel lug to ensure precise barrel positioning. A plastic, resilient, low-friction, heat-resistant stabilizing insert fixed to the fore-end wood engages the barrel to facilitate fitting the barrel in non-contacting relationship in a groove in the fore-end wood handgrip. An extractor/ejector mechanism on the barrel and on the fore-end iron operates when the gun is opened to partially extend an unfired shell or to fully eject an empty shell casing. The fire control mechanism is cocked by opening the gun after the action has been unlocked. An action locking bolt slidably mounted on the receiver is movable to lock and unlock positions relative to the barrel by a swingable bolt actuator which, in turn, is swung by a manually rotatable top lever on the receiver. In unlock position the bolt is clear of the barrel locking groove and allows the gun to be opened, but operates an out-of-battery pin to prevent the trigger from being pulled while the gun is open.

A mechanism for holding a barrel in a mortar unit having a ring calibrated in relation to the diameter of the barrel is disclosed. The ring has a tightening mechanism for locking or releasing the ring and the barrel of the mortar. The ring also has a mechanism for avoiding an involuntary release between the barrel and the ring resulting from firing vibrations. Such a mechanism makes it possible to change the firing angle exclusively by manipulating the tightening mechanism without the need for disassembling or handling the ring-barrel assembly. The tightening mechanism is made up of a shoe guided in the ring and movable radially to the barrel by a cam activated by a tightening lever. The mechanism for avoiding an involuntary loosening is made of several pressure washers which press against the shoe. They exert a pressure which can be be regulated by a screw. Several springs are mounted in the screws of the pressure washers and counteract the firing vibrations. Several pins are inserted crosswise into the head of the regulating screws and prevent the screw from turning more than 180.degree..

A firearm assembly includes a stock and an action secured to the stock. The action includes a receiver, a barrel, and a recoil lug that is positionable adjacent a bearing seat of the stock. Various fastener assemblies are provided to assemble the action to the stock with the recoil lug firmly seated against the bearing seat, thus providing longitudinal and torsional stability to the firearm assembly. There is further provided a stock having a bedding portion that includes a surface forming a channel in the bedding block. Either the channel or the receiver includes a number of ribs extending therefrom that support the receiver in the bedding channel when the action is secured to the stock. There is also provided a stock having an action mounting insert. A compressible member is provided between the action mounting insert and the stock.