Rifle stock with pivoting detachable sling support element

Abstract

A rifle stock with pivoting detachable sling support element has a body configured for connection to a rifle, the body defining a pocket, the pocket being configured to removably receive a sling support element, the pocket defining a pivot axis, a sling support element removably received in the pocket, and the sling support element being pivotally received in the pocket to pivot about the pivot axis. The stock may define a primary stock axis associated with a longitudinal axis of the rifle, and the pivot axis may be parallel to the primary stock axis. The stock may define a bore having a bore axis and configured to receive a rear cylindrical protrusion of the rifle, and the pivot axis may be parallel to the bore axis. The sling support may include a nose portion having a plurality of retractable latch elements. The retractable latch elements may be balls.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A rifle stock comprising:
 a body configured for connection to a rifle;   the body defining a pocket;   the pocket being configured to removably receive a sling support element;   the pocket defining a pivot axis;   a sling support element removably received in the pocket; and   the sling support element being pivotally received in the pocket to pivot about the pivot axis.   
     
     
         2 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the stock defines a primary stock axis associated with a longitudinal axis of the rifle, and wherein the pivot axis is parallel to the primary stock axis. 
     
     
         3 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the stock defines a bore having a bore axis and configured to receive a rear cylindrical protrusion of the rifle, and wherein the pivot axis is parallel to the bore axis. 
     
     
         4 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the sling support includes a nose portion having a plurality of retractable latch elements. 
     
     
         5 . The rifle stock of  claim 4  wherein the retractable latch elements are balls. 
     
     
         6 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the sling support element includes an actuator biased to a retention position and operable to move to a released position, and wherein the sling support element is secured against extraction from the pocket when in the retention position and enabled for extraction from the pocket when in the released position. 
     
     
         7 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the sling support element includes a sling retention loop. 
     
     
         8 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the sling retention loop includes a straight bar perpendicular to and offset from the pivot axis. 
     
     
         9 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  including an arm pivotally connected to the body and defining the pocket. 
     
     
         10 . The rifle stock of  claim 9  wherein the arm defines an arm pivot axis about which the arm pivots with respect to the body, the arm pivot axis being parallel to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         11 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the pocket has a cylindrical form. 
     
     
         12 . The rifle stock of  claim 11  wherein the pocket has a circular opening. 
     
     
         13 . The rifle stock of  claim 11  wherein the pocket defines an internal circumferential groove. 
     
     
         14 . The rifle stock of  claim 13  wherein the internal circumferential groove is positioned away from an opening of the pocket and away from a floor of the pocket opposite the opening. 
     
     
         15 . The rifle stock of  claim 1  wherein the sling support element is an elongated body having a nose element adapted to be received in the pocket at one end, and which defines a sling passage at an opposite end.