Method and apparatus for mounting an auxiliary sighting aid on a firearm

The method of installing an auxiliary sighting aid such as an optical scope on a firearm such as a rifle, shotgun or pistol, wherein the sighting aid is connected to a base having a configuration that fosters a desired alignment of the sighting aid with the bore of the firearm, and the firearm having an aperture in a structural part of the firearm, and the aperture being bounded internally by a structural lip, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a rigid post that protrudes outwardly from the base for a distance that is sufficient to extend through the firearm's aperture, said post being generally cylindrical and having a generally smooth exterior surface and having no external threads that are exposed where they might be damaged or fouled, and said post also having a transverse recess near its distal end;
• and
• (b) connecting the post to the firearm structure by inserting the distal end of the post into the aperture and selectively locking the post in said position by first pushing the post sideward until the recess on the post engages the lip that is around the aperture, and then inserting a blocking member behind the post so that the post cannot be returned to a position that would permit it to be withdrawn from the aperture.

The method of installing an auxiliary sighting aid such as an optical scope on a firearm such as a rifle, shotgun or pistol, wherein the sighting aid is connected to a base having a configuration that fosters a desired alignment of the sighting aid with the bore of the firearm, and the firearm having an aperture in a structural part of the firearm, and the aperture being bounded internally by a structural lip, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a rigid post that protrudes outwardly from the base for a distance that is sufficient to extend through the firearm's aperture, said post being generally cylindrical and having a generally smooth exterior surface and having no external threads that are exposed where they might be damaged or fouled, and said post also having a transverse recess near its distal end;
• and
• (b) securing the post to the firearm structure by downwardly inserting the distal end of the post into the aperture and selectively locking the post in said position by first pushing the post sideward until a recess on the post engages the lip that is around the aperture, and then rotating a knob that is threadably engaged with the top of the post, and the threaded engagement being operative to withdraw the post upwardly until a surface of the post adjacent the recess bears tightly against the lip as the knob is rotated in a first direction.

The method of selectively attaching an auxiliary sighting aid to firearms including rifles, shotguns and pistols, comprising the steps of:

• (a) initially attaching the auxiliary sighting aid to a self-contained mounting device having no separable parts, said mounting device having a protruding post with a longitudinal axis and a diametrical cross-section and a generally smooth exterior surface, and the mounting device having a hook at the distal end of the protruding post, and the transverse cross-section of the hook being small enough to fit within the spatial envelope defined by the diametrical cross-section of the post, whereby the hook may be inserted into any opening that is sized so that it will admit the post;
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• (b) selectively attaching the protruding post to the firearm with a planned orientation by inserting the post into an aperture on the firearm's structure and engaging the hook with a portion of the firearm's structure in such a way that tension may subsequently be introduced into the hook.