Weapon firearm with magazine

In combination, a firearm and cartridge magazine, said firearm comprising a receiver opening for receiving cartridges from said magazine seriatim, said magazine having an elongated generally cylindrical configuration and a longitudinal axis, means to store a relatively large number of cartridges in said magazine, said magazine comprising means forming a helical cartridge feed path therein, said cartridges being stored in said magazine with their axes generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said magazine, said magazine comprising cartridge exit means positioned on said magazine at the front end thereof, said cartridge exit means being cooperable with said firearm receiver opening to feed said cartridges into said opening seriatim, power driving means for feeding said relatively large number of cartridges in said helical feed path through said magazine and out said exit means, said power driving means comprising a helical torque spring having sufficient strength to drive all of said relatively large number of cartridges out of said magazine, means for selectively and manually energizing said power driving means including means to permit winding of said helical spring independently of the loading and unloading of cartridges into and out of said magazine;

• whereby said cartridges may be loaded into said magazine with said power driving means relaxed and whereby said power driving means may be manually energized immediately prior to use of said firearm and magazine;
• and means to mount said magazine above said firearm with its longitudinal axis parallel to the line of fire of said firearm and with said exit means in operative cooperation with said receiver opening and with the weight of said magazine and of said relatively large number of cartridges located rearwardly of said receiver opening means in said firearm and above and in line with the line of fire of said firearm.