Firearm bolt assembly

A firearm comprising:

• a firearm housing;
• a bolt assembly moveably contained within the firearm housing;
• a barrel disposed adjacent the bolt assembly;
• a recoil spring engaged with the bolt assembly;
• at least one actuator generally disposed between the firearm housing and the bolt assembly for retarding movement of the bolt assembly in response to a firing;
• the bolt assembly including at least one dampening spring and a head engaged with the dampening spring;
• and
• wherein the head is mounted adjacent to the actuator such that in response to the firing, the actuator is urged into engagement with the head causing the head to compress the dampening spring and absorb at least some of the energy associated with the firing.

A firearm bolt assembly comprising:

• a bolt assembly housing;
• a dampening spring carried within the bolt assembly housing;
• an actuator moveably retained by the bolt assembly housing;
• and
• a head moveably retained within the bolt assembly housing, and disposed between the dampening spring and the actuator such that movement of the actuator displaces the head relative to the bolt assembly housing, thereby compressing the dampening spring.

A method of dissipating recoil energy in a firearm, the method comprising:

• displacing an actuator retained by a movable bolt assembly;
• translating the actuator displacement into a compressive force;
• and
• directing the compressive force into a dampening spring carried within the bolt assembly.