This invention provides two broad features. First, there is a firearm having
a movable ramp (20) for receiving a cartridge (12a) stripped
from a magazine (10) thereon. The ramp (20) is situated behind and
below the firing chamber (28) and is movable between a tilted position,
in which the ramp (20) guides the cartridge (12a) upward as
it advances towards the chamber, and an elevated position, in which it supports
the cartridge (12a) in alignment with the chamber (28). The
firearm includes a slide-bolt assembly for advancing cartridges (12a)
into the chamber, and the ramp (20) and the slide-bolt assembly engage each
other such that the ramp (20) moves to the elevated position as the slide-bolt
assembly moves towards the chamber (28). Second, there is a firearm adapted
for a dual clip (116a, 118a) magazine (100)
so that either of two different types of cartridges (102a, 10
4a) may be chosen for firing. The firearm includes a selectable stripping
mechanism which has a moveable selector bar (138) that carries a selector
cam (132), and a stripper bar (128, 130) associated with each of
the clips. Each stripper bar (128, 130) is movable by the select or cam
(132) between an "on" position in which it can strip a cartridge from a
clip and an opposite "off" position in which it bypasses a cartridge. There is
a movable guide ramp (142a, 144a) associated with each
clip (116a, 118a) for guiding and raising the cartridge
to the chamber. The ramps (142a, 144a) and the slide
(122) engage each other via cams (152, 154) such that the ramps (142a,
144a) move to their elevated positions as the slide (122) moves
towards the barrel (26).
