Indexing scope mount assembly

Abstract

A riflescope mount assembly that corrects cant is provided. The riflescope mount comprises at least one indexing bar attachable to a riflescope, and a mounting bracket that is mountable or attachable to the riflescope. The mounting bracket may include at least one auto indexing mechanism and at least one mechanical indexing mechanism that engages the at least one indexing bar attached to the riflescope.

Claims

1. A riflescope mount assembly that includes a cant correction mechanism to correct cant introduced when mounting a riflescope to a rifle, the riflescope mount assembly comprising: at least one indexing bar attachable to a riflescope; and at least one riflescope mounting bracket for securing the riflescope to a rifle, the mounting bracket including at least one auto indexing mechanism, wherein the auto indexing mechanism of the riflescope mounting bracket engages the at least one indexing bar attachable to the riflescope to correct cant by aiding in aligning the rifle's vertical reticle to a true vertical position, and wherein the indexing bar comprises an elongated body having a flat top, a rounded bottom, a pair of opposite sides, and a pair of opposite ends.

2. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the indexing bar includes at least a pair of through openings near the opposite ends of the elongated body, the through openings extending from a side to an opposite side, each through opening on the indexing bar concentrically alignable with openings provided on a pair of mounting tabs attachable to a bottom portion of the riflescope.

3. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the riflescope mounting bracket comprises, an upper portion clamp device, and a lower portion attachment device extending downwardly from the upper portion clamp device, the attachment device including a first passageway configured to receive the at least one indexing bar therein, the attachment device including a second passageway, below the first passageway, configured to used to mount the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle.

4. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 3, wherein the lower portion attachment device includes a pair of shoulders that form the second passageway for receiving a mounting rack of the rifle therethrough, the pair of shoulders securely holding the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle.

5. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 3, wherein an interior surface of the upper portion clamp device includes a padded surface that makes contact with the riflescope when the upper portion clamp device is secured to the riflescope.

6. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the auto indexing mechanism includes a pair of resilient members disposed about a bottom portion of the riflescope mounting mechanism, the pair of resilient members configured to engage the at least one indexing bar when the indexing bar makes contact with the bottom portion of the riflescope mounting mechanism to align the vertical reticle of the riflescope to true vertical.

7. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the riflescope mount assembly further comprises a mechanical indexing mechanism, the mechanical indexing mechanism including a pair of set screws disposed about a bottom portion of the riflescope mounting mechanism that are configured to be selectively used to make contact with the at least one indexing bar when the indexing bar makes contact with the bottom portion of the riflescope mounting mechanism.

8. A riflescope mount assembly that includes a cant correction mechanism to correct cant introduced when mounting a riflescope to a rifle, the riflescope mount assembly comprising: a plurality of mounting tabs attachable to a bottom portion of a riflescope; at least two indexing bars, each indexing bar comprising an elongated body having a flat top, a rounded bottom, a pair of opposite sides, and a pair of opposite ends, wherein the at least two indexing bars are attachable to the plurality of mounting tabs when the mounting tabs are attached to the bottom portion of the riflescope; and at least two riflescope mounting brackets for securing the riflescope to a rifle, each one of the mounting brackets including at least one auto indexing mechanism about a bottom portion, wherein the auto indexing mechanism of each of the riflescope mounting brackets engages a central portion of one indexing bar and is usable to correct cant by vertically aligning the rifle's vertical reticle to true vertical when mounting the riflescope to the riflescope mounting bracket and the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle.

9. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of mounting tabs are provided in a plurality of pairs, each pair having two tabs arranged in a spaced-apart relationship forming a gap between each tab, and each pair is spaced-apart longitudinally along the bottom portion of the riflescope to create a passageway.

10. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 9, wherein the indexing bars fit within the gap formed between each pair, and each opposite end of the indexing bar is selectively attachable to a respective pair such that the at least two indexing bars extend one after another along the same longitudinal passage way formed by the plurality of mounting tabs.

11. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 8, wherein the riflescope mount assembly further comprises a mechanical indexing mechanism disposed about the bottom portion of the riflescope mounting mechanism and inferior to the auto indexing mechanism, the mechanical indexing mechanism configured to be selectively engageable with at least one indexing bar when the indexing bar makes contact with the bottom portion of the riflescope mounting mechanism.

12. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 8, wherein each one of the riflescope mounting bracket comprises, a top head portion selectively attachable to a bottom head portion; a neck portion supporting the bottom head portion; and a pair of shoulders extending downwardly from the neck portion.

13. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the top head portion is a concave-shaped head that includes a pair of lateral wings with at least one opening on each lateral wing, and the bottom head portion is a convex-shaped head that includes a pair of lateral wings with at least one opening on each lateral wing, the opening on each lateral wing on the top head portion alignable with the opening on each lateral wing on the bottom head portion, each opening configured to receive a fastener there through to securely fasten the top head portion of the riflescope mounting bracket to the bottom head portion.

14. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 12, wherein an interior surface of the top head portion and the bottom head portion includes a padded surface.

15. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the neck portion includes a first passageway, and disposed on opposite sides of the neck portion is a pair of resilient members with each resilient member piercing into the first passageway, the pair of resilient members configured to engage an indexing bar when the indexing bar is inserted into the first passageway.

16. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the neck portion includes a mechanical indexing mechanism about a first passageway, the mechanical indexing mechanism includes a pair of set screws disposed on opposite sides of the neck portion, inferior to the auto indexing mechanism, the set screws piercing into the first passageway, the pair of set screws configured to engage an indexing bar when the indexing bar is inserted into first passageway.

17. A riflescope mount assembly that includes a cant correction mechanism to correct cant introduced when mounting a riflescope to a rifle, the riflescope mount assembly comprising: a riflescope including a plurality of mounting tabs irremovably attached to a bottom portion of a riflescope, the plurality of mounting tabs provided in a plurality of pairs, each pair having two tabs arranged in a spaced-apart relationship forming a gap between each tab, and each pair is spaced-apart longitudinally along the bottom portion of the riflescope to create a passageway; at least two indexing bars, each indexing bar comprising an elongated body having a flat top, a rounded bottom, a pair of opposite sides, and a pair of opposite ends, wherein the at least two indexing bars are insertable within the passageway and attachable to the plurality of mounting; and at least two riflescope mounting brackets for securing the riflescope to the rifle, each one of the mounting brackets including an auto indexing mechanism and a mechanical indexing mechanism about a bottom portion of the riflescope mounting bracket to aid in aligning the rifle's vertical reticle to a true vertical position.

18. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 17, wherein each one of the riflescope mounting bracket comprises, a top head portion selectively attachable to a bottom head portion, wherein the top head portion is a concave-shaped head that includes a pair of lateral wings with at least one opening on each lateral wing, and the bottom head portion is a convex-shaped head that includes a pair of lateral wings with at least one opening on each lateral wing, the opening on each lateral wing on the top head portion alignable with the opening on each lateral wing on the bottom head portion, each opening configured to receive a fastener there through to securely fasten the top head portion of the riflescope mounting bracket to the bottom head portion; a neck portion supporting the bottom head portion, wherein the neck portion includes a first passageway, wherein disposed on opposite sides of the neck portion is the auto indexing mechanism that comprises a pair of resilient members piercing into the first passageway, the pair of resilient members configured to engage at least one indexing bar when the indexing bar is inserted into the first passageway, wherein the mechanical indexing mechanism includes a pair of set screws disposed on opposite sides of the neck portion piercing into the first passageway, the pair of set screws positioned inferior to the pair of resilient members of the auto indexing mechanism, and the pair of set screws configured to engage an indexing bar when the indexing bar is inserted into the first passageway; and a pair of shoulders extending downwardly from the neck portion, wherein the pair of shoulders form a second passageway for receiving a mounting rack of the rifle therethrough, the pair of shoulders securely holding the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle.

19. The riflescope mount assembly of claim 18, wherein an interior surface of the top head portion and the bottom head portion includes a padded surface.

20. A riflescope mount assembly that includes a cant correction mechanism to correct cant introduced when mounting a riflescope to a rifle, the riflescope mount assembly comprising: at least one indexing bar attachable to a riflescope; and at least one riflescope mounting bracket for securing the riflescope to a rifle, the mounting bracket comprises, at least one auto indexing mechanism, an upper portion clamp device, and a lower portion attachment device extending downwardly from the upper portion clamp device, the attachment device including a first passageway configured to receive the at least one indexing bar therein, the attachment device including a second passageway, below the first passageway, configured to used to mount the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle, wherein the auto indexing mechanism of the riflescope mounting bracket engages the at least one indexing bar attachable to the riflescope to correct cant by aiding in aligning the rifle's vertical reticle to a true vertical position, and wherein the lower portion attachment device includes a pair of shoulders that form the second passageway for receiving a mounting rack of the rifle therethrough, the pair of shoulders securely holding the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle.

21. A riflescope mount assembly that includes a cant correction mechanism to correct cant introduced when mounting a riflescope to a rifle, the riflescope mount assembly comprising: at least one indexing bar attachable to a riflescope; and at least one riflescope mounting bracket for securing the riflescope to a rifle, the mounting bracket comprises, at least one auto indexing mechanism, an upper portion clamp device, and a lower portion attachment device extending downwardly from the upper portion clamp device, the attachment device including a first passageway configured to receive the at least one indexing bar therein, the attachment device including a second passageway, below the first passageway, configured to used to mount the riflescope mounting bracket to the rifle, wherein an interior surface of the upper portion clamp device includes a padded surface that makes contact with the riflescope when the upper portion clamp device is secured to the riflescope, and wherein the auto indexing mechanism of the riflescope mounting bracket engages the at least one indexing bar attachable to the riflescope to correct cant by aiding in aligning the rifle's vertical reticle to a true vertical position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 presents a perspective view of a riflescope mounted to a rifle with a first embodiment of the riflescope mount assembly of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 presents an exploded view of the first embodiment of the riflescope mount assembly of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 presents a bottom perspective view of the riflescope mount assembly mounted to a rifle scope;

(5) FIG. 4 presents a bottom perceptive, partial exploded view of the riflescope mount assembly originally presented in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 presents a perspective view of the mounting bracket of the riflescope mount assembly of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 presents an exploded view of the mounting bracket of the riflescope mount assembly presented in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 presents a cross-sectional view of the mounting bracket presented in FIG. 5 attached to a riflescope mount;

(9) FIG. 8, presents a cross-sectional view of the mounting bracket attached to a riflescope mount; and

(10) FIG. 9 presents a cross-sectional view of the mounting bracket attached to a riflescope mount.

(11) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

(13) Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward a riflescope mount assembly that corrects scope and reticle cant that is usually introduced by a user when mounting a riflescope to a rifle with conventional mounts. Generally, a user has to utilize external tools or methods to correct the cant unavoidably introduced. The present invention, however, eliminates the need of external tools and methods because the invention includes an auto indexing mechanism that corrects cant unavoidably introduced when mounting the riflescope to a rifle.

(14) Referring initially to FIGS. 1 through 6, and FIGS. 4-6 in particular, a riflescope mount assembly 100 is generally shown in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The riflescope mount assembly 100 generally comprises at least one indexing bar 102 (FIG. 4) and a mounting bracket 116 (FIG. 5) that are attachable or mountable in combination to a riflescope 200. As discussed further, the combination of the indexing bar 102 and the mounting bracket 116 are designed and otherwise configured to correct or eliminate cant introduced when a user (not shown) mounts the riflescope 200 using the riflescope mount assembly 100 (hereinafter “mount assembly”) to a mounting rack 210 on a rifle 212 (FIG. 1).

(15) Referring to FIG. 4, the indexing bar 102 of the mount assembly 100 is attachable or mountable to a riflescope with the use of mounting tabs 204. Generally, riflescopes do not include mounting tabs 202. Therefore, the mounting assembly 100 of the present invention may be implemented in two versions, one where the mounting tabs 202 are added to the riflescope 200 in a retrofit configuration, and two, where the mounting tabs 202 are a built-in component incorporated to the riflescope 200 during the manufacturing process. In the case of the former version, the mounting tabs 202 may be attached, bonded, adhered, or fused to the riflescope in any conventional manner that does not damage or alter the casing of the riflescope. As shown, the mounting tabs 202 are attachable to the riflescope 200 in pairs. Each pair of mounting tabs 202 are adjacent one another and in a spaced-apart relationship, thus providing a passageway 206. Each mounting tab may include an aperture 204 configurable to receive a fastener 114. The plurality of pairs of mounting tabs 202 are arrangeable in a sequential line order to faun a passageway 206 that is configured to receive the indexing bar 102 of the mounting assembly 100. When the mounting tabs 202 are built-in to the riflescope 200 during the manufacturing process, it should be readily apparent that the arrangement of the mounting tabs 202 remain the same as described herein above.

(16) With continued reference to FIG. 4, the index bar 102 of the mounting assembly 100 generally comprises an elongated body having a flat top 104, a rounded bottom 106, opposite sides 108 that are flat, and opposite ends 112 that are also flat. The index bar 102 may also include at least two apertures 110 that are disposed about the opposite sides 108 of the elongated body and near the opposite ends 110 thereof. As is best understood by the drawings, the width of the index bar 102 is smaller than the width of the passageway 206 formed between each pair of mounting tabs 202 attached or formed on the riflescope 200.

(17) Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the indexing bar 102 of the mounting assembly 100 is securably attachable to the riflescope 200 by using the mounting tabs 202 on the riflescope 200. This is done by inserting or sliding the index bar between passageway(s) 206 until the apertures 110 of the index bar 102 are concentric with the apertures 204 on at least two pairs of mounting tabs 202. As shown in FIG. 3, the flat top 104 of the index bar 102 makes contact with the exterior casing of the riflescope 200, with the rounded bottom 106 of the bar facing in the opposite direction, or away from the exterior casing. The index bar extends along the centerline A of the riflescope that aligns perfectly with the vertical crosshair 208 on the reticle (FIG. 7). The index bar 102 is securable between the pair of mounting tabs 202 with a fastener 114 that is press-fitted through the concentric apertures of the mounting tabs 202 and index bar 102. The attachment of the index bar 102 to the riflescope 200 using the mounting tabs 204 form an integral one-piece construction (FIG. 2). Thus as assembled, any input directed to the index bar 102 will affect the rest of the riflescope 200. The index bar 102 and mounting tabs 202 of the mount assembly 100 are made out of composite material, metal, durable plastic, or the like that is attachable, fuseable, or bondable to the riflescope 200.

(18) Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the mounting bracket 116 of the mounting assembly 100 comprises a top element 118 and a bottom element 120. The top element 118 includes a top head 122 and a pair of lateral ledges 124 that extend outwardly from the top head 122. As is shown, the top head 118 of the mounting bracket 116 may include a shaped-head that matches the contour or exterior profile of the riflescope. In one exemplary form, the top head 118 of the mounting bracket includes a concave-shaped head and is made out of a hard material, such as hard plastic. Alternative materials, however, such as metal, composites, or the like may be the source material used to make up the top element without departing from the scope of the invention. With continued reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the bottom element 120 of the mounting bracket 116 includes a bottom head 130, a neck portion 136 supporting the bottom head 130, and a pair of mounting shoulders 142 extending downwardly from the neck portion 136, all-of-which are in a unitary construction. In similar fashion to the top head 118, the bottom head 130 of the bottom element 120 may include a pair of lateral edges 132 that extend outwardly from the bottom head 130. The bottom head 130 of the mounting bracket 116 may also include a shaped or formed head that matches the contour of the riflescope 200. Thus in one exemplary form, the bottom head includes a convex-shaped head.

(19) The neck portion 136 of the mounting bracket that supports the bottom head 130 of the mounting assembly 116 are integrally formed to provide a unitary body. Unlike the bottom head 130 that generally has a curved shape, the neck portion 136 of the mounting bracket 116 has a rectangular shape that includes a passageway 146. The neck portion 136 of the mounting bracket may also include an auto indexing mechanism 156 that corrects cant usually introduced when the user mounts the riflescope to the rifle. How the auto indexing mechanism 156 corrects cant will be described further herein below. In a preferred embodiment, the auto indexing mechanism 156 comprises a pair of resilient members 148 that engage the index bar 102 attached to the riflescope 200. In one exemplary form, the resilient member 148 may include a spring-loaded ball detent that forms a bearing surface that retracts and snaps back into an opposing hole or groove. The mounting bracket 116 may also include a mechanical indexing mechanism 158 that allows for manual correction to account for windage or elevation. In one exemplary form, the mechanical indexing mechanism may include a pair of members 150, such as set screws that engage the indexing bar 102 at its opposite sides 112.

(20) As briefly mentioned above, the mounting assembly 116 includes a pair of mounting shoulders 142 that extend downwardly from the neck 136 of the mounting assembly 116. The mounting shoulders 142 form a passageway 144 that engages the mounting rack 210 included on the rifle 212 (FIG. 1). It should be readily apparent that the shape of the shoulders 142 of the mounting assembly 116 may be altered to match the different types of mounting racks that are included in different rifles. Therefore, the description detailed above is exemplary and not limiting.

(21) Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 7, an exemplary description is now provided describing the assembly process of how the mount assembly 100 may be mounted to the riflescope 200.

(22) Referring to FIG. 4, the assembly process generally comprises attaching the mounting tabs 202 to the rifle scope 200 if the riflescope has not been pre-manufactured with the mounting tabs (as described above). After the mounting tabs 202 are attached or integrally formed to the riflescope 200 the attachment of the index bar 102 follows. Although there are many ways on how one would attach the index bar 102 to the mounting tabs 202, one exemplary form is now described. As illustrated in FIG. 4, there are at least four pairs of mounting tabs disposed about the bottom of the rifle scope. Each pair of mounting tabs include an aperture that are concentrically aligned with one another. Between each pair of mounting tabs is a passage way 206 that is of a necessary width to receive the index bar 102. Accordingly, an index bar 102 is placed, slid, or inserted between the passageway 206. The apertures 110 that are disposed about the opposite sides 108 of the index bar and are proximate to the opposite ends thereof, are aligned with the apertures 204 of two pairs of mounting tabs 202, which is shown in FIG. 5. Once the apertures are aligned, a fastener 114 is fitted into each aperture to secure the index bar 102 to the riflescope 200.

(23) Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 7, before or after the index bar 102 is secured to the riflescope 200, the bottom element 120 of the mounting bracket 116 may be attached to the rifle 212. In one exemplary embodiment, this can be done by sliding the channel or passageway 144 formed by the shoulders 142 of the bottom element 120 through the mounting rack 212 included on the rifle 212. The shoulders 142 of the bottom element securely engage the mounting rack 212 of the rifle, which prevents the bottom element from accidently disengaging the rifle. After the bottom element 120 of the mounting bracket 116 is secured to the rifle 212, the riflescope 200—which at this time has the index bar 102 attached to it—engages with the bottom element 120 of the mounting bracket 116. After the riflescope 200 engages the bottom element 120, the top element 118 of the mounting bracket 116 is disposed over the top portion of the riflescope. The top element 118, and in particular, the extending ledges 122 of the top element 118 are aligned and placed over the ledges 136 of the bottom element 120 until both sets of ledges are in contact (FIG. 3). The apertures 126 on the top element 118 are aligned with the apertures 134 of the bottom element 120, and a fastener 152 is then inserted through and fastened with a nut 154. To ensure that the riflescope is not damaged when the mounting bracket 116 is secured to the riflescope, the mounting bracket 116 includes padding 128 that is disposed about the interior surface of the top and bottom head of the bracket. The padding 128 included in the mounting bracket 115 provides a protective layer that allows the mounting bracket to be firmly secured to the riflescope without damaging the exterior casing of the riflescope.

(24) With quick reference to FIG. 3, an alternative assembly process may be employed. For example, after the index bar 102 has been secured to the riflescope 200, the mounting bracket 116 may be securely mounted to the riflescope before the riflescope is attached to the rifle. Once the mounting bracket has been mounted to the riflescope, the shoulders of the bottom element can then be used to engage the mounting rack of the rifle to securely mount the riflescope to the rifle.

(25) Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 7-9, an exemplary description is now provided describing how the auto indexing mechanism 156 and the mechanical indexing mechanism 158 on the mount assembly 100 function.

(26) To understand how the present invention corrects or eliminates cant, it is important to discuss how cant is introduced when mounting a riflescope to a rifle. Before the actual mounting of the riflescope takes place, the rifle is placed on a grain vice or gun cradle. The rifle must be perfectly level before moving to the next step. Typically, a bubble level tool is used to ensure that the rifle is completely level. After it is believed that the gun is level, the riflescope is attached to the rifle and again checked with a bubble level to ensure that the scope is level with the rifle. Initially, one must understand that bubble levels may not be accurate enough to eliminate cant. A faulty bubble level will show that the rifle and scope are level, when in reality that is not the case. As discussed above, 3 degrees of cant can represent 3 inches off center.

(27) Furthermore, cant may also be introduced when the riflescope is attached to the mounting bracket that is used to attach the riflescope to the rifle. A conventional riflescope mount includes two pieces that are clamped to a riflescope. Generally, a riflescope has a cylindrical shaped body. The shape of the riflescope makes it exceedingly difficult to gauge what is the optimal position that the riflescope should be placed in between the clamps of the riflescope mount. The slightest error in the plane angle will introduce cant, and thus, affect the trajectory of a bullet in a long range shot. As a result, the riflescope is continuously being adjusted (i.e., rotated within the clamp) to correct the angular error (i.e., cant) introduced during the mounting process.

(28) Unlike existing products, the present invention obviates all of those issues that produce cant when mounting the riflescope to the rifle. As shown in FIG. 7, the index bar 102 runs along the same plane as the vertical crosshair 208 on the scope's reticle 214. When the riflescope 200 is mounted to the bottom element 120 of the mounting bracket 116, the index bar 102 attached to the riflescope 200 engages the auto indexing mechanism 156 that peer through the opening 138 on the neck portion 136 of the bottom element 120. The auto indexing mechanism engages the index bar and positions the scope to its true vertical plane VT, which in-turn causes the reticle to match the same vertical angle. The auto indexing mechanism eliminates the need to rotate the riflescope in the clockwise or counter clockwise position to correct cant.

(29) Turning now to FIGS. 8 and 9, although the auto indexing mechanism 156 aligns the scope to its true vertical plane V′r, the riflescope mount assembly 100 includes a mechanical indexing mechanism 158 that can be used to alter the position of the riflescope within the mount 116. The mechanical indexing mechanism 158 may be used in two exemplary ways. For example, in the first instance where the mechanical indexing mechanism 158—which may include in one exemplary from a pair of setscrews 150 that peer through a threaded hole 140 provided on the neck portion of the mounting bracket—may be tightened or moved inwardly until the head of each setscrew 150 makes contact with an opposite side 108 of the index bar 102. The setscrews 150 hold or lock the index bar (and in-turn the riflescope) in place. Using the mechanical indexing mechanism to lock the index bar in place may be useful when mounting the riflescope to the rifle (as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3), so that the riflescope does not shift during the mounting process. Alternatively, the mechanical index mechanism may be used while actively shooting to prevent the riflescope from jarring loose or shifting position.

(30) Sometimes during a difficult shot, windage and elevation must be accounted for. Typically, the riflescope's turrets are used to adjust for windage and elevation. When minor corrections are necessary but are nonetheless made with the turrets, the turrets become ineffective because the necessary change needed is outside of its purview. Accordingly, the present invention provides means to address such drawbacks. Turning now to FIG. 9, the mechanical indexing mechanism 158 may be used to make minor corrections and shift or adjust the reticle from its original position V.sub.1 to a second position V.sub.2. This is done by tightening one element 150 of the mechanical indexing mechanism to pivot index bar 102. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the right element 150 of the indexing mechanism may be tightened more than the left element 150, causing the rounded bottom 106 of the index bar 102 to rotate about a pivot point P. As the rounded bottom 106 of the index bar pivots about point P, the top portion of the index bar leans towards one side causing one of the indexing mechanism 156 to compress. As the index bar pivots the scope also changes position. It should be readily apparent that the corrections made by the mechanical indexing mechanism are minor and used when the use of a scope turret is ineffective, and thus, the mechanism is not design to eliminate or substitute scope turrets.

(31) Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, it is understood that any of the features presented in the embodiments may be integrated into any of the other embodiments unless explicitly stated otherwise. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.