Rifile/gun steady shot sling and method of use of same

Abstract

A rifle/gun steady shot sling device that is coupled to a hand-held firearm for offhand shooting. A sling strap is fastened to a mount that is affixed to a rifle or gun barrel of the stock. The device has a sling strap having an elongated sling and/or a butt sling. The elongated sling has a looped portion proximal the barrel and support hand of a user. In one embodiment, the elongated sling is coupled with a retractable strap releasably secured within a retractor. In operation, the elongated sling is unclipped from the butt of the rifle/gun while a user stands on a free end. The support hand is raised to aim the rifle or gun, thus causing an increase in tension along the length of the extended elongated sling which helps to steady the support hand and reduces or eliminates the upward recoil action of the firearm when fired.

1 . A rifle or gun steady shot sling device in combination with a rifle or gun for steadying the hand during aiming and firing, the device comprising in combination: 
 an elongated sling having an adjustment end, a free end and a length adjustable middle portion therebetween, with a buckle that has the adjustment end secured thereabout and is interconnected to the elongated sling for increasing and decreasing the length of the length adjustable middle portion;    the length adjustable middle portion is adapted to have its interior diameter increased or decreased for secure placement around a support hand holding the rifle or gun in a position for aiming and firing;    a first fastening means having a first ring for coupling with the length adjustable middle portion of the elongated sling, the first fastening means engagable with a mounting means on a barrel of a rifle or gun;    the free end having a clip;    whereby, when the support hand holds the rifle or gun in the position for aiming and firing, the free end and clip are pressed against the ground by the user, and the interior diameter of the length adjustable middle portion is decreased by the movement of the buckle and forms a looped portion that is tightly positioned around the support hand when the support hand is raised and is proximal the mounting means of the barrel and coupled to the first fastening means; and    the clip having a safety strap.    
   
   
       2 . The rifle or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, included is a butt sling that has a butt end and a sling end, with the butt end being coupled with a second fastening means engagable with a mounting means on the butt of a stock portion of a rifle, and the sling end is capable of coupling with the clip of the free end of the elongated sling part.  
   
   
       3 . The rifle or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, the buckle is an adjustable glide buckle that slides along the length of the elongated sling and is capable of locking into position through the force acting on the buckle when the adjustment end is pulled away from the free end.  
   
   
       4 . The rifle or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, the buckle is a release or press buckle activated by releasing a locking lever so to allow the buckle to slide along the length of the elongated sling and closing the locking lever to secure the looped portion about the support hand.  
   
   
       5 . The rifle or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein, the clip is a snap hook that is engagable with a “D” ring coupled to the sling end of the butt sling to allow the device to be used as a rifle sling for carrying a rifle across the shoulder.  
   
   
       6 . The rifle or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein, the clip is one portion of a side release buckle coupled to the free end of the elongated sling with the other portion of the side release buckle coupled to the sling end of the butt sling.  
   
   
       7 . The rifle or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein a safety strap that has hook and pile type fastener material on one side is fixedly attached to the free end of the elongated sling, with the fastening material of the safety strap capable of engaging hook and pile type fastener material on a corresponding side of the other portion of the side release buckle.  
   
   
       8 . The rife or gun steady shot device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein, the clip is made of a semi-rigid material such that it can withstand a force pressing it against the ground.  
   
   
       9 . A method of using a rifle or gun steady shot sling device for counteracting the upward force or side swaying of a rifle or gun being held and fired by a user comprising the steps of: 
 coupling a sling strap formed by an elongated sling and a butt sling, with a minimum length extending from a forward position when a first fastening means is proximal a barrel of a rifle or gun to a rearward position where a second fastening means is coupled with a mounting means on a butt of the stock of the rifle or gun, and having a maximum length extending from a forward position proximal the barrel end of the rifle or gun to a distal position wherein a free end of the elongated sling is held under a user's lead foot and an inner diameter of a length adjustable middle portion of the elongated sling part is decreased, thereby providing a looped portion which has its greatest diameter near the free end of the elongated sling, the maximum length of the sling strap is limited to a distance extending from the lead foot of the user to the aiming position of a support hand holding the rifle or gun for firing;    sliding a buckle, secured to an adjustment end of the elongated sling part and inter-connected to the elongated sling, along the length of the adjustable middle portion until a looped portion is formed;    placing the support hand in the looped portion;    releasing a safety strap located on a clip on a free end;    releasing the free end from a sling end of the butt sling prior to extending the support hand for aiming and firing the rifle or gun and allowing the elongated sling to swing away from the user's body;    standing on the free end of the elongated sling with the lead foot of the user so that the elongated sling runs downward toward the lead foot of the user;    continuing to slide the buckle by moving the support hand with a rocking motion until the looped portion is tightly and securely positioned around the support hand;    extending the elongated sling downward from the support hand at an oblique angle towards the lead foot of the user and adjusting the loop so that tension increases along the length of the elongated sling between the support hand and the position under the lead foot reducing side swaying and providing resistance against upward recoiling of the rifle or gun;    steadying rifle or gun and using the tension of the elongated sling as extended; and    firing the rifle or gun and allowing the tension of the extended elongated sling to counteract the upward recoiling of the rifle or gun.    
   
   
       10 . The method as in  claim 9 , wherein, the butt sling has a butt end that is coupled with the second fastening means and the clip is engagable with the sling end of the butt sling when the sling strap is coupled to the rifle or gun.  
   
   
       11 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein, the buckle is an adjustable glide buckle that slides along the length of the elongated sling part and is capable of locking into position through the force acting on the buckle when the adjustment and is pulled away from the free end.  
   
   
       12 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein, the buckle is a release or press buckle activated by releasing a locking lever so to allow the buckle to slide along he length of the elongated sling part and closing the locking lever to secure the looped portion about the support hand.  
   
   
       13 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein the clip is a snap hook that is engageable with a “D” ring coupled to the sling end of the butt sling to allow the device to be used as a rifle sling for carrying a rifle across the shoulder.  
   
   
       14 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein, the clip is one portion of a side release buckle with the other portion of the side release buckle coupled to the sling end of the butt sling.  
   
   
       15 . The method as in  claim 14 , wherein a safety strap that has hook and pile type fastener material on one side is fixedly attached to the free end of the elongated sling, with the fastening material of the safety strap capable of engaging hook and pile type fastener material on a corresponding side of the other portion of the side release buckle.  
   
   
       16 . The method as in  claim 10  wherein, the clip is made of a semi-rigid material such that it can withstand a force pressing it against the ground.  
   
   
       17 . A rifle or gun steady shot sling device in combination with a rifle or gun for steadying the hand during aiming and firing, the device comprising in combination: 
 a retractable strap having an attachment end and a free end;    a retractor for housing a portion of the retractable strap, the retractor having an eye-loop coupled with a means for mounting to the barrel portion of the stock of a rifle, the retractor having a spool for receipt of the attachment end of the retractable strap such that a portion of the retractable strap is releasable secure within the retractor;    an elongated sling having an adjustment end, a free end and a length adjustable middle portion therebetween, with a buckle that has the adjustment end secured thereabout and is inter connected to the elongated sling for increasing and decreasing the length of the length adjustable middle portion;    a first fastening means having a first ring for coupling with the length adjustable middle portion of the elongated sling, the first fastening means engagable with the free end of the retractable strap;    the free end of the elongated sling having a clip for coupling with a mounting means on a butt of a rifle; and    whereby, when a support hand holds the rifle or gun in the position for aiming and firing, the free end and clip of the elongated sling are pressed against the ground by a rifle user, and the retractable strap releasable secured within the retractor may be proportionally adjusted relative to the height of the support hand having been raised during aiming and firing of a rifle.    
   
   
       18 . The rifle or gun stead shot as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein, the free end of the retractable strap has a “D” ring or finished end.  
   
   
       19 . The rifle or gun stead shot as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein, the first fastening means is a clip, a swivel fastener or a buckle.  
   
   
       20 . The rifle or gun stead shot as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein, the means for mounting to the barrel portion of the rifle is a clip or swivel fastener.