Reticle for telescopic gunsight and method for using

• US 20050210727A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas D Smith, III
• Original Assignee: Thomas D Smith, III
• Inventors: Smith, Thomas D. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,222,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/122
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/38 Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance telescopic sights in general G02B; Supports or mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/473 for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/32 Fiducial marks and measuring scales within the optical system

Abstract

A gunsight reticle defines a system of dimensioned indicia spaced at specific separations to improve aiming accuracy of a gun. The indicia may include perpendicularly intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines, and four (or more or less) horizontal range-marker lines disposed at specific angular separations below the horizontal hairline in bisected relationship with the center vertical hairline. Spacing of the range marker lines below the center horizontal hairline is proportional to bullet drop at selected ranges, depending upon ballistic characteristics of bullet used. Relative lengths of said range-marker bars on each side of the central vertical crosshair are proportional to a specific crosswind (say 10 mph) at target range reflected by respective range marker. The method involves employing this reticle to determine distance to target, and using distance thus determined to ascertain a precise aiming point on the reticle. These indicia also have other useful characteristics that allow the shooter to easily mentally calculate corrections for crosswind, moving targets and shooting at targets that are above or below the shooter at a significant angle.

Claims

1. A reticle for use in a telescopic gunsight, the reticle comprising:

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines;

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second predetermined gun factor; and

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor.

2. The reticle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second indicia are further operable for distance measurement.

3. The reticle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the distance of separation between the first and second indicia from the intersection of the center vertical hairline and the center horizontal hairline are such as to cause the sequential spacing between the first and second indicia to progressively increase.

4. The reticle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second predetermined range and the third predetermined range are the same.

5. The reticle in accordance with claim 4 wherein the second predetermined range and the third predetermined range are about 300 yards.

6. The reticle in accordance with claim 5 wherein the difference between the first and second predetermined ranges is about 100 yards and the difference between the third and fourth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards.

7. The reticle in accordance with claim 6 wherein the first and third predetermined ranges are about 200 yards and about 300 yards, respectively, for the first gun factor, and the second and fourth predetermined ranges are about 300 yards and about 400 yards, respectively, for the second gun factor.

9. The reticle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the intersection of the first indicia and second indicia with the center vertical hairline correspond to spacings of a first bullet trajectory from a line of sight at one set of predetermined ranges for the first gun factor and correspond to spacings of a second bullet trajectory from the line of sight at another set of predetermined ranges for the second gun factor.

10. The reticle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first spacing distance and a spacing distance between the first indicia and the second indicia are different.

11. The reticle in accordance with claim 10 wherein the first spacing distance is about 2.0 and the second spacing distance is about 4.8, and wherein these spacing dimensions correspond to inches of subtention at 100 yards.

12. The reticle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a first length and the second indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a second length, the first length of the first indicia less than the second length of the second indicia.

13. The reticle in accordance with claim 12 wherein the first length of the first indicia and the second length of the second indicia are operable to provide adjustment for a predetermined cross-wind at a corresponding range.

14. The reticle in accordance with claim 13 wherein the first length of the first indicia is about 4 and the second length of the second indicia is about 6, and wherein these length dimensions correspond to inches of subtention at 100 yards.

15. A reticle for use in a telescopic gunsight, the reticle comprising:

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines;

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second predetermined gun factor;

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor; and

third indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the second indicia and further disposed at a third spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the third indicia and the center vertical line providing the aiming point at a fifth predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and providing the aiming point at a sixth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor.

16. The reticle in accordance with claim 15 wherein the first, second and third indicia are further operable for distance measurement.

17. The reticle in accordance with claim 15 wherein the second predetermined range and the third predetermined range are the same, and the fourth predetermined range and the fifth predetermined range are about the same.

18. The reticle in accordance with claim 17 wherein the second predetermined range and the third predetermined range are about 300 yards, and the fourth predetermined range and the fifth predetermined range are about 400 yards.

19. The reticle in accordance with claim 18 wherein the difference between the first and second predetermined ranges is about 100 yards, the difference between the third and fourth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards, and the difference between the fifth and sixth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards.

20. The reticle in accordance with claim 19 wherein the first, third and fifth predetermined ranges are about 200 yards, about 300 yards, and about 400 yards, respectively, for the first gun factor, and the second, fourth and sixth predetermined ranges are about 300 yards, about 400 yards, and about 500 yards, respectively, for the second gun factor.

21. The reticle in accordance with claim 15 wherein the intersection of the first, second and third indicia with the center vertical hairline correspond to spacings of a first bullet trajectory from a line of sight at one set of predetermined ranges for the first gun factor and correspond to spacings of a second bullet trajectory from the line of sight at another set of predetermined ranges for the second gun factor.

22. The reticle in accordance with claim 15 wherein the first spacing distance, a spacing distance between the first indicia and the second indicia, and a spacing distance between the second indicia and the third indica, are different the first spacing distance and a spacing distance between the first indicia and the second indicia are different.

23. The reticle in accordance with claim 15 wherein the first spacing distance is about 2.0 and the second spacing distance is about 4.8 and the third spacing spacing is about 7.5 and wherein these spacing dimensions correspond to inches of subtention at 100 yards.

24. The reticle in accordance with claim 15 wherein the first indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a first length, the second indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a second length, and the third indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a third length, and wherein the first length of the first indicia is less than the second length of the second indicia which is less than the third length of the third indicia.

25. The reticle in accordance with claim 24 wherein the first length of the first indicia, the second length of the second indicia, and the third length of the third indicia are operable to provide adjustment for a predetermined cross-wind at a corresponding range.

26. The reticle in accordance with claim 25 wherein the first length of the first indicia is about 4, the second length of the second indicia is about 6, and the third length of the third indicia is about 8, and wherein these length dimensions correspond to inches of subtention at 100 yards.

27. A reticle for use in a telescopic gunsight, the reticle comprising:

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines;

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second predetermined gun factor;

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor;

third indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the second indicia and further disposed at a third spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the third indicia and the center vertical line providing the aiming point at a fifth predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and providing the aiming point at a sixth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor; and

fourth indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the third indicia and further disposed at a fourth spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the fourth indicia and the center vertical line providing the aiming point at a seventh predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and providing the aiming point at an eighth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor.

28. The reticle in accordance with claim 27 wherein the first, second, third and fourth indicia are further operable for distance measurement.

29. The reticle in accordance with claim 27 wherein the second predetermined range and the third predetermined range are the same, the fourth predetermined range and the fifth predetermined range are about the same, and the sixth predetermined range and the seventh predetermined range are the same.

30. The reticle in accordance with claim 29 wherein the second predetermined range and the third predetermined range are about 300 yards, and the fourth predetermined range and the fifth predetermined range are about 400 yards and the sixth predetermined range and the seventh predetermined range are about 500 yards

31. The reticle in accordance with claim 30 wherein the difference between the first and second predetermined ranges is about 100 yards, the difference between the third and fourth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards, the difference between the fifth and sixth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards and the difference between the seventh and eighth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards.

32. The reticle in accordance with claim 31 wherein the first, third, fifth and seventh predetermined ranges are about 200 yards, about 300 yards, about 400 yards and about 500 yards, respectively, for the first gun factor, and the second, fourth, sixth and eighth predetermined ranges are about 300 yards, about 400 yards, about 500 yards and about 600 yards, respectively, for the second gun factor.

33. The reticle in accordance with claim 27 wherein the intersections of the first indicia, second indicia, the third indicia and fourth indicia with the center vertical hairline correspond to spacings of a first bullet trajectory from a line of sight at one set of predetermined ranges for the first gun factor and correspond to spacings of a second bullet trajectory from the line of sight at another set of predetermined ranges for the second gun factor.

34. The reticle in accordance with claim 27 wherein the first spacing distance, a spacing distance between the first indicia and the second indicia, a spacing distance between the second indicia and the third indicia, and a spacing distance between the third indicia and the fourth indicia, are different.

35. The reticle in accordance with claim 34 wherein the first spacing distance is about 2.0, the second spacing distance is about 4.8, the third spacing distance is about 7.5, and the fourth spacing distance is about 10.5, and wherein these spacing dimensions correspond to inches of subtention at 100 yards.

36. The reticle in accordance with claim 27 wherein the first indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a first length, the second indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a second length, the third indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a third length, and the fourth indicia comprises a horizontal bar having a fourth length, and wherein the first length of the first indicia is less than the second length of the second indicia which is less than the third length of the third indicia which is less than the fourth length of the fourth indicia.

37. The reticle in accordance with claim 36 wherein the first length of the first indicia, the second length of the second indicia, the third length of the third indicia and the fourth length of the fourth indicia are operable to provide adjustment for a predetermined cross-wind at a corresponding range.

38. The reticle in accordance with claim 37 wherein the first length of the first indicia is about 4, the second length of the second indicia is about 6, the third length of the third indicia is about 8, and the fourth length of the fourth indicia is about 9 to 10, and wherein these length dimensions correspond to inches of subtention at 100 yards.

39. A reticle for use in a telescopic gunsight, the reticle comprising:

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines;

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first gun and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second gun; and

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first gun and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second gun; and

wherein the caliber of the first gun is different from the caliber of the second gun.

40. The reticle in accordance with claim 39 wherein the first indicia and the second indicia are are formed by horizontal hairlines of sequentially incremental length disposed in vertically bisected relationship with the center vertical hairline.

41. A telescopic gunsight comprising:

a transparent reticle having distance-measuring and aiming indicia, the reticle comprising,

intersecting center vertical hairline and a first horizontal hairline, and

two or more range-marker and aiming indicia disposed below the intersection of the center vertical and first horizontal hairline, wherein at least two of the range-marker and aiming indicia are formed by horizontal hairlines disposed in vertically bisected relationship with the center vertical hairline.

42. The telescopic gunsight in accordance with claim 41 wherein the two or more range-marker and aiming indicia are unevenly spaced below the intersection, and wherein no additional indicia bisect the center vertical line between the first horizontal hairline and a first range-marker and aiming indicia and no additional indicia bisect the center vertical line between the first range-marker and aiming indicia and a second range-marker and aiming indicia.

43. The telescopic gunsight in accordance with claim 41 further comprising:

a forward objective lens element;

a rear eyepiece lens element;

an erector lens element disposed between the forward objective lens element and the rear eyepiece lens element, wherein forward objective lens element, rear eyepiece lens element, the erector lens element and the reticle are aligned along a line of sight with the reticle disposed between the forward objective lens element and the erector lens element; and

an elongate tubular housing adapted to be securely affixed to a gun and protectively confining the forward objective, rear eyepiece, and erector lens elements and the reticle.

44. A reticle of an optical system, the reticle comprising:

intersecting hairlines;

a plurality of range-marker indicia corresponding to a trajectory from a line of sight at a first set of predetermined ranges for a first gun type and corresponding to a trajectory from the line of sight at a second set of predetermined ranges for a second gun type, the second set of predetermined ranges different from the first set of predetermined ranges.

45. The reticle in accordance with claim 44 wherein the first gun type is a Factor rifle and the second gun type is a different Factor rifle.

46. A telescopic gunsight comprising,

a forward lens element

a rear lens element, the forward lens element and the rear lens element being aligned upon an optical axis and protectively included with an elongated tubular housing adapted to be affixed to a gun;

and

a transparent reticle comprising,

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines,

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second predetermined gun factor, and

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor.

47. The gunsight in accordance with claim 46 wherein the first predetermined gun factor comprises a first predetermined grouping of gun factors and the second predetermined gun factor comprises a second predetermined grouping of gun factors.

48. A gun comprising,

a telescopic gunsight comprising:

a forward lens element;

a rear lens element, the forward lens element and the rear lens element being aligned upon an optical axis and protectively included with an elongated tubular housing and affixed to the gun; and

a transparent reticle comprising,

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines,

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second predetermined gun factor, and

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor.

49. The gun in accordance with claim 48 wherein the first predetermined gun factor comprises a first predetermined grouping of gun factors and the second predetermined gun factor comprises a second predetermined grouping of gun factors.

50. A reticle for use in a telescopic gunsight, the reticle comprising:

orthogonally intersecting center vertical and center horizontal hairlines, the intersection of the center vertical and center horizontal hairlines operable for providing an aiming point at a first predetermined range from the reticle for a first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a second predetermined range from the reticle for a second predetermined gun factor, the first predetermined range and the second predetermined range being different.

first indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed at a first spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the first indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a third predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a fourth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor, the third predetermined range and the fourth predetermined range being different; and

second indicia intersecting the center vertical hairline and disposed below the first indicia and further disposed at a second spacing distance below the center horizontal hairline, the intersection of the second indicia and the center vertical line operable for providing the aiming point at a fifth predetermined range from the reticle for the first predetermined gun factor and for providing the aiming point at a sixth predetermined range from the reticle for the second predetermined gun factor, the fifth predetermined range and the sixth predetermined range being different.

51. The reticle in accordance with claim 50 wherein the fourth predetermined range and the fifth predetermined range are the same.

52. The reticle in accordance with claim 51 wherein the fourth predetermined range and the fifth predetermined range are about 300 yards.

53. The reticle in accordance with claim 51 wherein the difference between the difference between the third and fifth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards and the difference between the fourth and sixth predetermined ranges is about 100 yards.