About

GRAVES RTS produces aftermarket and/or OEM proprietary recoil technology systems including manufacturing / distribution licenses, and IP packages for automatic or semi-automatic firearms from handguns to the most powerful rifles, and shotguns.

3 cycle, 2 stroke fluid/gas damper technology can offer multiple advantages, including a controlled slide, bolt or bolt carrier velocity, and reduced heat energy accumulation by active heat energy rejection.

Experimental carbine damper system.

Piston & cylinder type mechanical arrangement.

Simple - Effective - Economical

Features

precision piston geometry
precision cylinder geometry
precision spring guide geometry

Characteristics

controlled slide or bolt opening
controlled slide or bolt dwell
controlled slide or bolt closing

Advantages

enhanced capabilities
enhanced durability

enhanced performance

Active heat energy rejection
Kinetic recoil energy is converted to compression energy and rejected at maximum slide or bolt travel. The rejected compression energy is subtracted from the slide, bolt or bolt carrier kinetic energy. The slide, bolt or bolt carrier kinetic energy may also be further reduced by "pulling a vacuum" in the compression space during the return stroke.

GRAVES RTS motion controls and damper technology can provide a durable and highly effective means for a double acting fluid/gas damper, even within a coiled helical spring of a slide, bolt, or bolt carrier arrangement. The damper may include active heat energy rejection by cylinder volume displacement during part of, or completely throughout a damper's operating cycle. The damper can remove energy from slide, bolt or bolt carrier rearward movement and reject the energy from the system without adding it to the gun bolt's forward movement.

These dampers may be either encased, captive, or remote. They may be used to reduce gun bolt, or slide speed independent of recoil spring energy during both halves of a cycle. They can be used to distribute and reduce recoil, to regulate cyclic rates, to lower thermal, and acoustic signatures, to extend firearm lifespan, to improve feeding systems, and more.

Experimental handgun damper system.

More About GRAVES RTS project

Background
The 3-cycle, 2 stroke Captive Pulse Damper technology used in GRAVES RTS technology products is an evolution of a piston engine motion control system, or damper motor invented by Thomas Allen Graves for application in free-piston engines and overhead valve type 2-stroke engines, and engine valve systems beginning in the early 1990’s. In 2015 the technology was applied to GRAVES G1 COMBAT carbine as a gun bolt motion controlling, energy rejecting recoil damper. After the initial use in GRAVES G1 COMBAT carbine the technology was licensed out and applied to other carbine and rifle systems including commercial, and military applications.

A provisional US utility patent application was filed on April 24, 2017 to formalize core property claims in the field of firearms.
On April 23, 2018 the patent application was filed for examination and ultimately divided into a continuation.
On January 25, 2018 the application was published world-wide by the USPTO.
On January 10, 2019 the application was approved in part as US10502511B.
On June 11, 2021 US10502511B2 was approved.
Another US provisional US utility patent application was filed on July 5, 2021 to extend core property claims in the field of firearms.

Damper motors like GRAVES 1911 V MAX, and GRAVES V2 AR use a 3 cycle type 2 stroke fluid damper device or "captive pulse" technology. This technology works as a reciprocating motor and/or pump using a piston and cylinder type arrangement.

3 cycle is referring to the 3 cycles or phases of operation.

Air compression - at decreasing volume (during slide, bolt or bolt carrier opening)
Air pressure rejection - at minimum displacement volume (up to and during slide, bolt or bolt carrier stop or dwell)
Air pumping - at increasing volume (during slide, bolt or bolt carrier closing)

2 stroke is referring to the 2 strokes of a firearm operating cycle.

rearward slide movement (slide, bolt or bolt carrier opening)
forward slide movement (slide, bolt or bolt carrier closing)

During operation ammunition transfers recoil energy though a slide, bolt or bolt carrier that moves rearward compressing air in a cylinder and absorbing a degree of recoil energy in the process. At the end of slide, bolt or bolt carrier movement the absorbed recoil energy in the form of compressed air is fully rejected from the cylinder and directly removed from the firearm recoil equation.

When the slide, bolt or bolt carrier moves forward to go into battery a vacuum left by the rejection of compressed air will cause even further recoil energy rejection by pumping compression. The recoil energy rejected within the pumping compression phase is also directly removed from the firearm recoil equation.

3 cycle, 2 stroke technology for COLT® 1911 & other 1911 handguns

A cutaway view of a GRAVES 1911 V MAX recoil spring plug and piston assembly with a brass spacer for adjustment.

3 cycle, 2 stroke technology type dampers were a fundamental departure in the art of 1911 recoil systems. This technology provides true energy rejecting recoil spring guide rod type systems with unrivaled functionality and performance.

A cutaway view of a GRAVES 1911 V MAX system in a "solid height" or fully collapsed state with a recoil spring omitted for clarity.

During 2021 GRAVES RTS introduced a GRAVES V2 AR lightweight recoil damper for AR 15 firearm applications.

Replaces carbine length buffers
Lifetime warranty
Made in Central Texas
Compatible with high speed semi automatic triggers
Compatible with standard recoil/reaction springs
3 cycle, 2 stroke Captive Pulse technology based design
Aluminum alloy
.8 ounce piston weight (moving part)
.8 ounce cylinder weight (stationary part)