Rifle Retainer

Abstract

Apparatus for retaining a rifle by its sling on a person. An upper anchorage pins the sling to a backpack harness strap, and a lower anchorage pins the rifle stock to a strap near the waist of the user. The upper anchorage provides a hook preventing the sling from slipping off the shoulder of the user. The lower anchorage provides a holster encircling the rifle stock and clamping to a harness strap near the waist.

I claim: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for securing a rifle supported by a sling of the rifle on a user wearing a harness comprising straps, the apparatus comprising:
 an upper anchorage securing the sling at a shoulder of the user, the upper anchorage comprising:
 a foldable loop bearing a fastener, the foldable loop configured to encircle a shoulder strap of the harness, and 
 a strap hook open towards a neck of the user when the foldable loop encircles the shoulder strap; and 
   a lower anchorage for grasping the rifle at a stock of the rifle, the lower anchorage comprising:
 a holster comprising a lateral wall configured to define a pocket partially encircling the stock of the rifle, the lateral wall including an open portion and a pocket axis passing through the pocket parallel to the lateral wall, wherein the open portion of the lateral wall is configured to enable the stock to be moved into and withdrawn from the pocket when a longitudinal axis of the rifle is parallel to the pocket axis, 
 a closure releasably securing the stock of the rifle in the pocket, and 
 a retainer configured to engage a strap of the harness. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the strap hook of the upper anchorage is rigid and the foldable loop of the upper anchorage is flexible. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral wall of the holster is rigid. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the lateral wall of the holster includes an outer layer of yielding material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the yielding material comprises a fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the yielding material comprises leather. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the closure of the holster comprises a flexible strap. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the holster comprises a holster hook, and the flexible strap comprises a strap loop configured to engage and be releasably retained by the holster hook. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the strap loop is elastic. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a pull tab projecting from the strap loop. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising an adjustment feature configured to enable the flexible strap to be drawn tight against the stock of the rifle when the stock is in the holster. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment feature comprises a cinch maintaining tightness of the flexible strap after the flexible strap has been drawn tight against the stock of the rifle. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer of the lower anchorage comprises a flap configured to close over and retain a strap of the harness. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein
 the retainer of the lower anchorage comprises a flap configured to close over and retain a strap of the harness, and   the cinch of the lower anchorage is located along the flexible strap of the lower anchorage such that the cinch is covered by the flap.