Shotgun forend sling adaptor and method of installation

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a shotgun sling adaptor and method of installation. The shotgun sling adaptor and method of installation of the present invention allow a shotgun that does not have the capability for shoulder carrying to be outfitted with a shotgun sling. The shotgun sling adaptor and method of installation of the present invention do not require the permanent installation of any hardware and can be removed at any time.

1 . A shotgun sling adaptor, comprising: 
 a grommet formed of a relatively thin, flexible material having an annular opening sized to receive an end of a magazine tube of a shotgun and sized to be held relative to the magazine tube by a stock magazine cap; and    a sling connector configured for attachment to the grommet, wherein the sling connector is configured to couple an end of a gun sling to the grommet.    
   
   
       2 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the grommet allows the attachment of the stock magazine cap to the magazine tube with the grommet held thereinbetween.  
   
   
       3 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular opening is configured with a diameter less than an outside diameter of a magazine tube and including radial scoring to effectively increase the annular opening diameter to about the external diameter of the magazine tube.  
   
   
       4 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises a resiliently elastic material.  
   
   
       5 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible material is comprised of at least one of rubber, reinforced rubber, neoprene, nylon, plastic, denim, leather and synthetic leather.  
   
   
       6 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the sling connector comprises at least one of a metal ring and a plastic ring.  
   
   
       7 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the sling connector comprises a buckle.  
   
   
       8 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 7 , wherein the buckle comprises a quick-release buckle.  
   
   
       9 . The shotgun sling adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the sling connector is attached to the grommet by a loop of the grommet material.  
   
   
       10 . A shotgun sling comprising: 
 a strap having a first end for coup[ling proximate a butt end of a shotgun and a second end; and    a shotgun sling adaptor configured for coupling to the second end of the strap, wherein the shotgun sling adaptor comprises: 
 a grommet formed of a flexible material defining an annular opening and a sling connector portion; and  
 a sling connector configured for attachment to the sling connector portion, wherein the sling connector is configured to couple to the second end of the strap.  
   
   
   
       11 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the annular opening is configured with a diameter of approximately the external diameter of a shotgun magazine tube.  
   
   
       12 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the annular opening is configured with a diameter less than a diameter of a magazine tube and including radial scoring to effectively increase the annular opening diameter to approximately the diameter of the shotgun magazine tube.  
   
   
       13 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the flexible material comprises a resiliently elastic material.  
   
   
       14 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of one of rubber, reinforced rubber, neoprene, nylon, plastic, denim, leather and synthetic leather.  
   
   
       15 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the sling connector comprises at least one of a metal ring, a plastic ring, a buckle and a quick-release buckle.  
   
   
       16 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the sling connector is attached to the grommet by a portion of the grommet forming a loop.  
   
   
       17 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the grommet further defines a relief for reducing the amount of flexible material of the grommet between a shotgun barrel and a magazine tube.  
   
   
       18 . The shotgun sling according to  claim 10 , wherein the first end is coupled to the butt end of the shotgun with a butt sleeve.  
   
   
       19 . A method of installing a shotgun sling including a shotgun sling adaptor on a shotgun, comprising: 
 providing a shotgun sling adaptor including a grommet formed of a flexible material defining an annular opening and an integrally formed sling attachment portion configured for attachment to a gun sling, wherein the sling attachment portion is configured to attach to be coupled to an end of a shotgun sling;    coupling the sling attachment portion of the shotgun sling adaptor to the end of the shotgun sling;    placing the annular opening over a shotgun magazine tube; and    securing the shotgun sling adaptor to the shotgun magazine tube by threading a magazine cap onto the magazine tube.