Ballistic range finding reticle for modern sporting rifle

Abstract

A gunsight reticle suitable for rapid and accurate target distance measurement and compensation or rapid close quarters target acquisition. Reticle may incorporate members and markings suitable for use in scale based, bracket at distance, and power ring rangefinding techniques. Reticle may include thick central aiming elements suitable for rapid target acquisition. Reticle may include horizontal bracket at distance members and vertical scale members which overlap on a vertical axis passing though the primary aiming point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gunsight reticle comprising:
 (a) a primary aiming point;   (b) at least one marking on the reticle to be used in combination with a power ring range denominators on a rifle scope, the at least one marking operable to bracket a target within the at least one marking on the reticle to determine a range of the target using a power ring method;   (c) a plurality of horizontal ranging members operable to determine the range of the target using a bracket distance method; and   (d) a plurality of scale members placed along a axis at a predetermined interval, the plurality of scale members being operable to determine the range of the target using a scale-based method.   
     
     
         2 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the primary aiming point is a top vertex of a first thick central aiming element. 
     
     
         3 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 2 , further include a second thick central aiming element, wherein the second thick central aiming element generally surrounds the first thick central aiming element. 
     
     
         4 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 3 , wherein the second thick central aiming element including a plurality of scallops thereby avoiding a windage members, scale members, horizontal ranging members or a combination thereof 
     
     
         5 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marking includes a semicircular marking is operable to surround a known dimension of the target. 
     
     
         6 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marking includes a first horizontal marking and a second horizontal marking bracketing a known dimension of the target. 
     
     
         7 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein if a known dimension of the target appears smaller than the at least one marking, then a power ring on the rifle scope is rotated in a direction of higher magnification. 
     
     
         8 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein if a known dimension of the target appears larger than the at least one marking, then a power ring on the rifle scope is rotated in a direction of lower magnification. 
     
     
         9 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein if a known dimension of the target is bracketed within the at least one marking, then the range of the target many be read off the power ring range denominators at the point adjacent to a indicator mark on the rifle scope. 
     
     
         10 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of horizontal ranging members are further vertically displaced from the primary aiming point at distances in accordance with a predetermined ballistic profile forming a secondary aiming guides. 
     
     
         11 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the scale members include a plurality of horizontal scale member along a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         12 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the scale member include a plurality of vertical scale members along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         13 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of horizontal ranging members are interspersed vertically with the plurality of vertical scale members and are coaxial along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         14 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of windage members operable to indicate drift of a projectile at a specific range and a wind value, the plurality of windage members being both vertically and horizontally displaced from the primary aiming point at distances in accordance with the predetermined ballistic profile. 
     
     
         15 . The gunsight reticle of  claim 1 , wherein the scale based method, bracket at distance method and windage members are calibrated to a specific magnification. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using a gunsight reticle of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A gunsight reticle comprising:
 (a) a primary aiming point;   (b) a plurality of horizontal ranging members operable to determine a range of a target using a bracket distance method; and   (c) a plurality of vertical scale members placed along a vertical axis at a predetermined interval, the plurality of vertical scale members being operable to determine the range of the target using the scale-based method;   (d) wherein the plurality of horizontal ranging members and vertical scale members are coaxial along a vertical axis passing through the primary aiming point.   
     
     
         18 . All patentable subject matter herein.