Ballistic reticle for projectile weapon aiming systems and method of aiming
First Claim
1. A reticle for a projectile weapon aiming system, comprising:
- a primary aiming mark indicating a primary aiming point adapted to be sighted-in at a first selected range;
a plurality of secondary aiming marks spaced progressively increasing incremental distances below the primary aiming point and indicating corresponding secondary aiming points along a vertical axis intersecting the primary aiming mark, the secondary aiming points positioned to compensate for ballistic drop at preselected regular incremental ranges beyond the first selected range for a group of ammunition having similar ballistic characteristics; and
a set of windage aiming marks spaced apart along a secondary horizontal axis intersecting a selected one of the secondary aiming points, the set of windage aiming marks including at least (a) first and second windage aiming marks spaced apart to the left of the vertical axis at distances from the vertical axis selected to compensate for leftward crosswinds of preselected first and second incremental velocities, respectively, at the range of said selected secondary aiming point, and (b) third and fourth windage aiming marks spaced apart to the right of the vertical axis at distances from the vertical axis selected to compensate for rightward crosswinds of preselected third and fourth incremental velocities equal and opposite the respective first and second incremental velocities of the leftward crosswinds, at the range of said selected secondary aiming point, the reticle thereby facilitating aiming compensation for ballistics and windage for two or more preselected incremental crosswind velocities, at one or more preselected incremental ranges.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reticle of a projectile weapon aiming system such as a riflescope includes a primary aiming mark adapted to be sighted-in at a first selected range and further includes a plurality of secondary aiming marks spaced apart below the primary aiming mark. The secondary aiming marks are positioned to compensate for ballistic drop at preselected incremental ranges beyond the first selected range, for a selected group of ammunition having similar ballistic characteristics. Angles subtended by adjacent aiming marks of the reticle can be adjusted by changing the optical power of the riflescope, to thereby compensate for ballistic characteristics of different ammunition. In some embodiments, the reticle includes a set of windage aiming marks spaced apart along at least one secondary horizontal axis intersecting a selected one of the secondary aiming marks, to facilitate compensation for the effect of crosswinds on the trajectory of the projectile.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A reticle for a projectile weapon aiming system, comprising:
-
a primary aiming mark indicating a primary aiming point adapted to be sighted-in at a first selected range;
a plurality of secondary aiming marks spaced progressively increasing incremental distances below the primary aiming point and indicating corresponding secondary aiming points along a vertical axis intersecting the primary aiming mark, the secondary aiming points positioned to compensate for ballistic drop at preselected regular incremental ranges beyond the first selected range for a group of ammunition having similar ballistic characteristics; and
a set of windage aiming marks spaced apart along a secondary horizontal axis intersecting a selected one of the secondary aiming points, the set of windage aiming marks including at least (a) first and second windage aiming marks spaced apart to the left of the vertical axis at distances from the vertical axis selected to compensate for leftward crosswinds of preselected first and second incremental velocities, respectively, at the range of said selected secondary aiming point, and (b) third and fourth windage aiming marks spaced apart to the right of the vertical axis at distances from the vertical axis selected to compensate for rightward crosswinds of preselected third and fourth incremental velocities equal and opposite the respective first and second incremental velocities of the leftward crosswinds, at the range of said selected secondary aiming point, the reticle thereby facilitating aiming compensation for ballistics and windage for two or more preselected incremental crosswind velocities, at one or more preselected incremental ranges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A riflescope comprising:
-
an elongate housing supporting an objective lens and an eyepiece lens proximate opposite ends of the housing, and further supporting a power-adjusting erector lens assembly between the objective lens and the eyepiece lens;
a power selector mechanism operably coupled to the erector lens assembly for adjusting an optical power of the riflescope;
a reticle positioned between the erector lens assembly and the eyepiece, the reticle including;
(a) a primary aiming mark indicating a primary aiming point adapted to be sighted-in at a first selected range, and (b) a plurality of secondary aiming marks indicating corresponding secondary aiming points spaced apart below the primary aiming point along a vertical axis intersecting the primary aiming point, the secondary aiming points positioned to compensate for ballistic drop at preselected incremental ranges beyond the first range; and
a set of fiducial marks positioned along the power selector mechanism and prescribing at least two different optical power settings corresponding to at least two different groups of ammunition, each of the fiducial marks indicating an optical power setting at which the secondary aiming points accurately compensate for ballistic drop for a selected group of ammunition at the preselected incremental ranges. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of aiming a gun with a riflescope, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) displaying, via the riflescope, a primary aiming mark indicating a primary aiming point;
(b) displaying, via the riflescope, a plurality of secondary aiming marks indicating secondary aiming points spaced apart below the primary aiming point along a vertical axis intersecting the primary aiming point, the primary and secondary aiming points subtending preselected angles therebetween at a first optical power of the riflescope so that the secondary aiming points can be used to compensate for ballistic drop at preselected incremental ranges beyond a first range of the primary aiming point;
(c) sighting-in the riflescope at a predetermined first range so that the primary aiming point of the reticle is superposed with a nominal point of impact of a projectile shot from the gun at the first range;
(d) loading a selected ammunition into the gun;
(e) adjusting an optical power setting of the riflescope until the angles subtended by the adjacent aiming points correspond to the selected ammunition;
(f) determining an observed range to a target; and
(g) aligning the gun so that a primary or secondary aiming point corresponding most closely to the observed range is superposed over a desired point of impact on the target. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification