Gun guard

Abstract

A guard for protecting the scope and action of a hunting rifle or the action of a shotgun. The guard can be folded around the scope and action of the rifle or around the action of the shotgun and is held in place by magnets positioned along opposite edges of the guard. The other edges of the guard are gathered by elastic material so that when the guard is folded around the scope and action of the rifle or around the action of the shotgun, the other edges form a cuff around the butt of the rifle or shotgun and a cuff around the barrel of the rifle or shotgun.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article for use with a rifle, the rifle comprising a stock having a butt portion, an action attached to the stock, a barrel attached to the action and a telescope sight attached to the action and/or the barrel, the article comprising: a sheet of flexible material comprising first, second, third and fourth edges, the first and second ends being on the opposite sides of the sheet of flexible material, the third and fourth edges being on the opposite sides of the sheet of flexible material and orthogonal to the first and second edges; the third and fourth edges comprising an elastomer so that the third and fourth edges are gathered when the elastomer is relaxed; the first and second edges comprising magnetic elements positioned at or near the ends of the first and second edges so that when the article is folded around the telescope sight and action of the rifle the first and second edges of the article are held together by magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements while the gathered third and fourth edges form a cuff around the butt of the stock and a cuff around the barrel. 
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the magnetic elements of the first and second edges comprise corresponding permanent magnets. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the magnetic elements of the first and second edges comprise a permanent magnet matched with a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 2  further comprising another sheet of flexible material the edge of which is sewn to the sheet of flexible material to form a hem along the first, second, third and fourth edges of the sheet of flexible material, the elastomer of the third and fourth edges being contained in the hems along the third and fourth edges, the magnetic elements of the first and second edges being contained in the hems along the first and second edges. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 3  further comprising another sheet of flexible material the edge of which is sewn to the sheet of flexible material to form a hem along the first, second, third and fourth edges of the sheet of flexible material, the elastomer of the third and fourth edges being contained in the hems along the third and fourth edges, the magnetic elements of the first and second edges being contained in the hems along the first and second edges. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein one sheet of flexible material is colored hunter orange while the other sheet of flexible material comprises a camouflage pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein one sheet of flexible material is colored hunter orange while the other sheet of flexible material comprises a camouflage pattern. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 4 , further comprising additional magnetic elements contained in the middle sections of the hems along the first and second edges. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 5 , further comprising additional magnetic elements contained in the middle sections of the hems along the first and second edges. 
     
     
         10 . A method for covering and uncovering the telescope sight and action of a rifle comprising a stock having a butt portion, an action attached to the stock, a barrel attached to the action and a telescope sight attached to the action and/or the barrel, the method comprising the steps of: folding the article of  claim 1  around the telescope sight and action of the rifle so that the first and second edges of the article are held together by magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements while the gathered third and fourth edges form a cuff around the butt of the stock and a cuff around the barrel to cover the telescope sight and action of the rifle; and pulling the first and second edges of the article with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements to uncover the telescope sight and action of the rifle. 
     
     
         11 . A method for covering and uncovering the action of a shotgun comprising a stock having a butt portion, an action attached to the stock, and a barrel attached to the action, the method comprising the steps of: folding the article of  claim 1  around the action so that the first and second edges of the article are held together by magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements while the gathered third and fourth edges form a cuff around the butt of the stock and a cuff around the barrel to cover the action of the shotgun; and pulling the first and second edges of the article with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements to uncover the action of the shotgun.