Gun stock having memorial cylinder housed therein and method of memorializing

Abstract

Provided herein are a gun stock having a memento cylinder for receipt of a reminder of a deceased person or pet and a method of memorializing a deceased person or pet within a gun stock. The reminder may be the cremated remains of the deceased loved one or may be an article belonging to the deceased. The memento cylinder includes an end cap, which may include a glass viewing port through which the contents may be seen. The gun stock also includes a mechanism for limiting movement of the memento cylinder within the gun stock. The cylinder may be engraved with the name or initials, birth and death dates or years, a likeness of the deceased, or other information about, or messages honoring, the deceased. The gun stock permits a hunter to memorialize the deceased by hunting with, or displaying, a gun outfitted with the memento cylinder.

1 . A gun stock assembly for memorializing a deceased loved one, the gun stock assembly comprising
 a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;   a memento cylinder for housing a memento of the deceased loved one, the memento cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity and being housed within the bolt cavity, the cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the memento cylinder;   means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity; and   a butt plate attached to the rearward end of the gun stock to cover the bolt cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento comprises the cremated remains of the loved one. 
     
     
         3 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento comprises an object belonging to the loved one. 
     
     
         4 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento cylinder is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum, glass, gold, brass, bronze, stainless steel, and blued steel. 
     
     
         5 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento cylinder is transparent. 
     
     
         6 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento cylinder has a length of from about 3 inches to about 5 inches and a diameter of from about ¾ inch to about 1¼ inch. 
     
     
         7 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento cylinder includes an area for inscription with at least one of the name of the deceased, the initials of the deceased, the birth date and death date of the deceased, the birth year and death year of the deceased, a message about the deceased, a message to the deceased, and a likeness of the deceased. 
     
     
         8 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento cylinder comprises a knurled section disposed apart from the end cap. 
     
     
         9 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the memento cylinder further comprises a tapered end. 
     
     
         10 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the end cap of the memento cylinder includes a glass viewing port. 
     
     
         11 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the butt plate is transparent. 
     
     
         12 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the movement-limiting means comprises an O-ring positioned around the memento cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . The gun stock of  claim 12 , wherein the memento cylinder includes a groove for receipt of the O-ring positioned therearound. 
     
     
         14 . The gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the movement-limiting means comprises a compression spring. 
     
     
         15 . The gun stock of  claim 14 , wherein the memento cylinder comprises a tapered end, the tapered end being fitted with a first end of the compression spring. 
     
     
         16 . The gun stock of  claim 15 , wherein the movement-limiting means further comprises an O-ring positioned around the memento cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . A gun stock assembly for memorializing a deceased loved one, the gun stock assembly comprising
 a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;   a memento cylinder for housing a memento of the deceased loved one, the memento cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity and being housed within the bolt cavity, the cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the memento cylinder, the end cap including a glass viewing port;   means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity; and   a butt plate attached to the rearward end of the gun stock to cover the bolt cavity.   
     
     
         18 . A gun stock assembly comprising:
 a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;   a cylinder for housing an object, the cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity and being housed within the bolt cavity, the cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the cylinder, the end cap including a glass viewing port;   means for limiting the movement of the cylinder within the bolt cavity; and   a butt plate attached to the rearward end of the gun stock to cover the bolt cavity.   
     
     
         19 . A method of memorializing a deceased loved one, the method comprising:
 providing a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture drilled therethrough from the forward end to the rearward end, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;   providing a memento cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity, the memento cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the memento cylinder, and further providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity;   transferring a memento of a deceased loved one into the memento cylinder and sealing the memento cylinder; and   inserting the memento cylinder into the bolt cavity and attaching a butt plate to the rearward end of the gun stock.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder comprises providing an O-ring around the memento cylinder to limit the side-to-side movement of the memento cylinder. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of providing the memento cylinder with a tapered end opposite the end cap. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder comprises providing a compressible spring around the tapered end of the memento cylinder to push the memento cylinder against the butt plate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder further comprises providing an O-ring around the memento cylinder to limit the side-to-side movement of the memento cylinder. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of engraving the memento cylinder with at least one of the name of the deceased, the initials of the deceased, the birth date and death date of the deceased, the birth year and death year of the deceased, a message about the deceased, a message to the deceased, and a likeness of the deceased. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of securing the gun stock to a receiver to form a gun assembly before inserting the memento cylinder into the bolt cavity.