Bolt releases and firearms including such bolt releases

A firearm, comprising:

• a receiver;
• and
• a bolt release disposed in the receiver, the bolt release comprising:
• a first handle to protrude from a first side of the firearm;
• a second handle to protrude from a second side of the firearm, the first and second handles being integral, the first and second handles to enable the bolt release to be operable from the first and second sides of the firearm, wherein the bolt release comprises a pivot axis adjacent the first side or the second side, the pivot axis to enable the bolt release to be pivoted between a release position and a retained position, the receiver defining a lateral bore receiving a spring, the spring biasing the bolt release toward the release position.

A receiver, comprising:

• a lower receiver;
• a bolt release disposed in the lower receiver, the bolt release comprising:
• a first handle to protrude from a first side of the lower receiver;
• and
• a second handle to protrude from a second side of the lower receiver, the first and second handles being integral, the first and second handles to enable the bolt release to be operable from the first and second sides of the lower receiver, wherein the bolt release comprises a pivot axis adjacent the first side or the second side, the pivot axis to enable the bolt release to be pivoted between a release position and a retained position, a spring urging the bolt release, via the first handle, toward the release position.

A bolt release for use with a firearm, comprising:

• a first handle to protrude from a first side of the firearm;
• a second handle to protrude from a second side of the firearm, the first and second handles to enable the bolt release to be operable from the first and second sides of the firearm, the first handle including a surface structured to be engaged by a spring or a spring-biased follower to bias the bolt release toward a release position;
• an elongated portion coupling the first and second handles, wherein a chamfer is defined between the first handle and the elongated portion to substantially reduce a likelihood of contaminants affecting a pivotal movement of the bolt release, a pivot axis is defined adjacent the chamfer and the first handle, the pivot axis to enable the bolt release to be pivoted between a release position and a retained position, the bolt release is to be biased toward the release position, the first handle, the second handle, and the elongated portion being integral;
• and
• a protrusion to extend into a magazine chamber of the firearm, the protrusion to be engaged by a cartridge loader of a magazine when the magazine is empty, the engagement between the protrusion and the cartridge loader to actuate the bolt release from the release position to the retained position.