Enhanced Accuracy Gun Iron Sighting System

Abstract

Rugged, rapid-target-acquisition iron sighting systems in which least one of the front sight and the rear sight has a multiple-lead thread elevation screw post for vertically adjusting a sighting point are disclosed. The use of a multiple-lead thread elevation screw post permits the relatively fast adjustability of a coarse threaded screw post while providing the stability of a fine-threaded screw post. Embodiments of the present invention also include guns equipped such iron sighting systems.

1 . An iron sighting system for a gun comprising a front sight having a sighting point and a rear sight having a sighting point, wherein at least one of the front sight and the rear sight includes a multiple-lead thread elevation screw post for vertically adjusting the sighting point of the front or rear sight of which it is a part. 
     
     
         2 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple-lead elevation screw post has a dual-lead thread. 
     
     
         3 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the rear sight has a multiple-lead elevation screw post and an aperture window, wherein the elevation screw post is adjustably controllable to position the sighting point of the rear sight to a selected location within the aperture window. 
     
     
         4 . The iron sighting system of  claim 3 , wherein the rear sight has a sight tip operably connected to the elevation screw post. 
     
     
         5 . The iron sighting system of  claim 4 , wherein the rear sight also comprises at least one vertically oriented arm having a scale corresponding to target distances in at least one selected from the group consisting of feet, yards, meters, kilometers, and mils, and the sighting tip has at least one horizontal arm adapted to cooperate with the scale to indicate the target distance which corresponds to the vertical position of the sighting point of the rear sight. 
     
     
         6 . The iron sighting system of  claim 5 , wherein the vertically oriented arm comprises a longitudinal slot having opposing walls, and the distal end of the sighting tip horizontal arm is movably confined by the slot walls. 
     
     
         7 . The iron sighting system of  claim 5 , wherein the vertical arm has a side face having a second scale corresponding to target distances in at least one selected from the group consisting of feet, yards, meters, kilometers, and mils, the second scale being adapted to cooperate with the sighting tip to indicate the target distance which corresponds to the vertical position of the sighting point of the rear sight. 
     
     
         8 . The iron sighting system of  claim 3 , further comprising a detent-lockable knob operably connected to the elevation screw post such that rotation of the knob from one detent lockable position to the next corresponds to a vertical movement of the sighting point of the rear sight about one-sixth mil. 
     
     
         9 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front sight and the rear sight further comprises a windage adjustment mechanism adapted to move the sighting point of the front or rear sight of which it is a part transverse to the sighting direction of that front or rear sight. 
     
     
         10 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the rear sight has a windage adjustment mechanism having a windage knob operably connected to a lateral screw post such that rotating the windage knob causes a lateral movement of the sighting point of the rear sight. 
     
     
         11 . The iron sighting system of  claim 10 , wherein the windage knob is detent-lockable and is operably connected to the lateral screw post such that rotation of the windage knob from one detent lockable position to the next corresponds to a lateral movement of the sighting point of the rear sight about one quarter minute of angle. 
     
     
         12 . The iron sighting system of  claim 10 , wherein the windage adjustment mechanism is adapted to permit the windage knob to be selectively located on the shooter's right or left. 
     
     
         13 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front sight and the rear sight comprises a tritium sight insert positioned to indicate the location of the sighting point of the front or rear sight of which the tritium sight insert is a part. 
     
     
         14 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the rear sight further comprises a base, an upper portion, and a plunger position stop, the upper portion being operably connected to the base to permit the upper portion to rotate between a storage position and an operating position, the plunger position stop being operably connected to the base and adapted to releasably lock the upper portion in at least one of the storage position and the operating position. 
     
     
         15 . The iron sighting system of  claim 14 , wherein the plunger position stop has a plunger having at least one selected from the group consisting of a flat head and a V-slot head. 
     
     
         16 . The iron sighting system of  claim 14 , wherein the plunger position stop comprises a plunger and a plurality of springs adapted to urge the plunger against the upper portion. 
     
     
         17 . The iron sighting system of  claim 14 , wherein the base comprises a base plate and a cradle, wherein the cradle is adapted to rotatably carry the upper portion, the base plate is adapted to be fastened to the gun, and the cradle is fastened to the base plate. 
     
     
         18 . The iron sighting system of  claim 14 , wherein the base comprises a cradle, wherein the cradle is adapted to rotatably carry the upper portion and the cradle is adapted to be fastened to the gun. 
     
     
         19 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the front sight has a windage adjustment mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The iron sighting system of  claim 19 , wherein the windage adjustment mechanism has a selectively lockable dovetail joint, the dovetail joint being adapted to selectively allow the sighting point of the front sight to lockably move transversely with respect to the sighting direction of the front sight. 
     
     
         21 . The iron sighting system of  claim 19 , further comprising an upper portion having an aperture window, a detent lockable control knob, and a control knob window, wherein the control knob is retained within the control knob window and is operably connected to the elevation screw post of the front sight so that selectively turning the elevation knob vertically adjusts the sighting point of the front sight within the aperture window. 
     
     
         22 . The iron sighting system of  claim 21 , wherein the elevation screw post of the front sight has a slot and the upper portion has a pin, the pin and slot cooperating to prevent the elevation screw post of the front sight from rotating about its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         23 . The iron sighting system of  claim 19 , wherein the elevation screw post of the front sight includes a tritium sight insert positioned to indicate the location of the sighting point of the front sight. 
     
     
         24 . The iron sighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         25 . The iron sighting system of  claim 3 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         26 . The iron sighting system of  claim 5 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         27 . The iron sighting system of  claim 9 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         28 . The iron sighting system of  claim 10 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         29 . The iron sighting system of  claim 14 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         30 . The iron sighting system of  claim 19 , further comprising a gun, wherein the front sight and the rear sight are operably connected to the gun. 
     
     
         31 . A rear sight for a gun iron sighting system comprising a sighting point and a multiple-lead thread elevation screw post for vertically adjusting the sighting point. 
     
     
         32 . The rear sight of  claim 31 , further comprising a sight tip operably connected to the elevation screw post. 
     
     
         33 . The rear sight of  claim 32 , further comprising at least one vertically oriented arm having a scale corresponding to target distances in at least one selected from the group consisting of feet, yards, meters, kilometers, and mils, and the sighting tip has at least one horizontal arm adapted to cooperate with the scale to indicate the target distance which corresponds to the vertical position of the sighting point. 
     
     
         34 . The rear sight of  claim 33 , wherein the vertically oriented arm comprises a longitudinal slot having opposing walls, and the distal end of the sighting tip horizontal arm is movably confined by the slot walls. 
     
     
         35 . The rear sight of  claim 33 , wherein the vertical arm has a side face having a second scale corresponding to target distances in at least one selected from the group consisting of feet, yards, meters, kilometers, and mils, the second scale being adapted to cooperate with the sighting tip to indicate the target distance which corresponds to the vertical position of the sighting point. 
     
     
         36 . The rear sight of  claim 31 , further comprising a detent-lockable knob operably connected to the elevation screw post such that rotation of the knob from one detent lockable position to the next corresponds to a vertical movement of the sighting point of about one-sixth mil. 
     
     
         37 . The rear sight of  claim 31 , further comprising a windage adjustment mechanism having a windage knob operably connected to a lateral screw post such that rotating the windage knob causes a lateral movement of the sighting point. 
     
     
         38 . The rear sight of  claim 37 , wherein the windage knob is detent-lockable and is operably connected to the lateral screw post such that rotation of the windage knob from one detent lockable position to the next corresponds to a lateral movement of the sighting point of about one quarter minute of angle. 
     
     
         39 . The rear sight of  claim 37 , wherein the windage adjustment mechanism is adapted to permit the windage knob to be selectively located on the shooter's right or left. 
     
     
         40 . The rear sight of  claim 31 , further comprising a tritium sight insert positioned to indicate the location of the sighting point. 
     
     
         41 . The rear sight of  claim 31 , further comprising a base, an upper portion, and a plunger position stop, the upper portion being operably connected to the base to permit the upper portion to rotate between a storage position and an operating position, the plunger position stop being operably connected to the base and adapted to releasably lock the upper portion in at least one of the storage position and the operating position. 
     
     
         42 . The rear sight of  claim 41 , wherein the plunger position stop has a plunger having at least one selected from the group consisting of a flat head and a V-slot head. 
     
     
         43 . The rear sight of  claim 41 , wherein the plunger position stop comprises a plunger and a plurality of springs adapted to urge the plunger against the upper portion. 
     
     
         44 . The rear sight of  claim 41 , wherein the base comprises a base plate and a cradle, wherein the cradle is adapted to rotatably carry the upper portion, the base plate is adapted to be fastened to the gun, and the cradle is fastened to the base plate. 
     
     
         45 . The rear sight of  claim 41 , wherein the base comprises a cradle, wherein the cradle is adapted to rotatably carry the upper portion and the cradle is adapted to be fastened to the gun. 
     
     
         46 . A front sight for a gun iron sighting system comprising a sighting point and a multiple-lead thread elevation screw post for vertically adjusting the sighting point. 
     
     
         47 . The front sight of  claim 46 , further comprising a windage adjustment mechanism. 
     
     
         48 . The front sight of  claim 47 , wherein the windage adjustment mechanism has a selectively lockable dovetail joint adapted to selectively allow the sighting point to be lockably moved transverse to the sighting direction of the front sight. 
     
     
         49 . The front sight of  claim 46 , further comprising an upper portion having an aperture window, a detent lockable control knob, and a control knob window, wherein the control knob is retained within the control knob window and is operably connected to the elevation screw post so that selectively turning the elevation knob vertically adjusts the sighting point within the aperture window. 
     
     
         50 . The front sight of  claim 49 , wherein the elevation screw post has a slot and the upper portion has a pin, the pin and slot cooperating to prevent the elevation screw post from rotating about its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         51 . The front sight of  claim 46 , wherein the elevation screw post includes a tritium sight insert positioned to indicate the location of the sighting point.