Shooting rests for supporting firearms and methods for manufacturing shooting rests

Abstract

Shooting rests for supporting firearms and methods for manufacturing shooting rests are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a shooting rest includes a base and a support assembly pivotably coupled to the base. The support assembly is configured to carry the firearm such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis in a first direction. The shooting rest further includes a resilient member coupled to the base and the support assembly and a triggering mechanism coupled to the support assembly. The resilient member is configured to urge the support assembly about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction. The triggering mechanism is configured to selectively actuate the trigger of the firearm.

1 . A shooting rest for supporting a firearm with a trigger, the shooting rest comprising: 
 a base;    a support assembly movably coupled to the base, the support assembly being configured to carry the firearm such that the recoil of the firearm moves the support assembly about an axis in a first direction;    a resilient member coupled to the base and the support assembly, the resilient member configured to pivot the support assembly about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction; and    a triggering mechanism for selectively actuating the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the resilient member comprises an axially-extendable spring;    the axis is a first axis;    the base comprises a first portion attached to the support assembly and a second portion pivotably coupled to the first portion, the first and second portions being pivotable relative to each other about a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis;    the shooting rest further comprises an inhibiting member positioned to inhibit rotation of the support assembly about the axis in the first direction; and    the triggering mechanism comprises a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including (a) a first portion positioned at least proximate to the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly, and (b) a second portion spaced apart from the support assembly such that an individual can actuate the triggering mechanism without placing a hand over the base and proximate to the support assembly.    
   
   
       3 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including (a) a first portion positioned at least proximate to the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly, and (b) a second portion spaced apart from the support assembly such that an individual can actuate the triggering mechanism without placing a hand over the base and proximate to the support assembly.  
   
   
       4 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a flexible filament.  
   
   
       5 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a housing, a plunger disposed at least partially within the housing, and a flexible filament coupled to the plunger.  
   
   
       6 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member comprises a torsional spring.  
   
   
       7 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member comprises an axially-extendable spring.  
   
   
       8 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the axis is a first axis, wherein the base comprises a first portion attached to the support assembly and a second portion pivotably coupled to the first portion, and wherein the first and second portions are pivotable relative to each other about a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis.  
   
   
       9 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the support assembly comprises a stop for limiting the range of pivot of the support assembly.  
   
   
       10 . The shooting rest of  claim 1  wherein the triggering mechanism is attached to the support assembly.  
   
   
       11 . The shooting rest of  claim 1 , further comprising an inhibiting member positioned to inhibit rotation of the support assembly about the axis in the first direction.  
   
   
       12 . The shooting rest of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle projecting from the support assembly.  
   
   
       13 . A shooting rest for supporting a firearm with a trigger, the shooting rest comprising: 
 a base;    a support assembly for carrying the firearm, the support assembly being pivotably coupled to the base; and    a remotely actuated triggering mechanism for selectively actuating the trigger of the firearm, the remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a first portion positioned at least proximate to the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly, and a second portion spaced apart from the support assembly such that an individual can actuate the triggering mechanism without placing a hand over the base and proximate to the support assembly.    
   
   
       14 . The shooting rest of  claim 13  wherein the remotely actuated triggering mechanism is coupled to the support assembly.  
   
   
       15 . The shooting rest of  claim 13  wherein the support assembly is pivotably coupled to the base such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis.  
   
   
       16 . The shooting rest of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the support assembly is pivotably coupled to the base such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis in a first direction; and    the shooting rest further comprises a resilient member coupled to the base and the support assembly, the resilient member being configured to urge the support assembly about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction.    
   
   
       17 . The shooting rest of  claim 13  wherein the remotely actuated triggering mechanism further comprises a flexible filament.  
   
   
       18 . The shooting rest of  claim 13  wherein the remotely actuated triggering mechanism further comprises a housing, a plunger disposed at least partially within the housing, and a flexible filament coupled to the plunger.  
   
   
       19 . A shooting rest for supporting a firearm with a trigger, the shooting rest comprising: 
 a base;    a support assembly coupled to the base for supporting the firearm; and    a remotely actuated triggering mechanism for selectively actuating the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly, the remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a flexible filament.    
   
   
       20 . The shooting rest of  claim 19  wherein the support assembly is pivotably coupled to the base such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis.  
   
   
       21 . The shooting rest of  claim 19  wherein: 
 the support assembly is pivotably coupled to the base such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis in a first direction; and    the shooting rest further comprises a resilient member coupled to the base and the support assembly, the resilient member being configured to urge the support assembly about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction.    
   
   
       22 . The shooting rest of  claim 19  wherein: 
 the flexible filament comprises a proximal end attached at the support assembly and a distal end opposite the proximal end; and    the remotely actuated triggering mechanism further comprises (a) a housing proximate to the distal end of the filament, and (b) a plunger disposed at least partially within the housing and coupled to the distal end of the filament.    
   
   
       23 . A shooting rest for supporting a firearm with a trigger, the shooting rest comprising: 
 a base;    a support assembly for supporting the firearm, the support assembly being movably coupled to the base such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis in a first direction;    means for urging the support assembly about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction; and    means for selectively actuating the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is supported by the support assembly.    
   
   
       24 . The shooting rest of  claim 23  wherein the means for urging the support assembly comprise a spring coupled to the support assembly and the base.  
   
   
       25 . The shooting rest of  claim 23  wherein the means for selectively actuating the trigger comprise a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including (a) a first portion positioned at least proximate to the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly, and (b) a second portion spaced apart from the support assembly such that an individual can actuate the triggering mechanism without placing a hand over the base and proximate to the support assembly.  
   
   
       26 . The shooting rest of  claim 23  wherein the means for selectively actuating the trigger comprise a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a flexible filament.  
   
   
       27 . The shooting rest of  claim 23  wherein the means for selectively actuating the trigger comprise a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a housing, a plunger disposed at least partially within the housing, and a flexible filament coupled to the plunger.  
   
   
       28 . A shooting rest for supporting a firearm with a trigger, the shooting rest comprising: 
 a base;    a support assembly for carrying the firearm, the support assembly being movably coupled to the base such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis in a first direction;    a resilient member for urging the support assembly to pivot about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction, the resilient member being coupled to the base and the support assembly; and    an inhibiting member positioned to inhibit rotation of the support assembly about the axis in the first direction.    
   
   
       29 . The shooting rest of  claim 28  wherein the inhibiting member is aligned with the axis and positioned between the base and the support assembly.  
   
   
       30 . The shooting rest of  claim 28  wherein the inhibiting member comprises a spacer.  
   
   
       31 . The shooting rest of  claim 28  wherein the inhibiting member comprises a torsional spring.  
   
   
       32 . The shooting rest of  claim 28  wherein the inhibiting member inhibits rotation of the support assembly about the axis in the first direction without a spring.  
   
   
       33 . A method for manufacturing a shooting rest for supporting a firearm with a trigger, the method comprising: 
 pivotably coupling a support assembly to a base with the support assembly configured to carry the firearm such that the recoil of the firearm pivots the support assembly about an axis in a first direction;    attaching a resilient member to the base and the support assembly for urging the support assembly to pivot about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction; and    coupling a triggering mechanism to the support assembly for selectively actuating the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein attaching the resilient member comprises coupling an axially-extendable spring to the base and the support assembly.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein attaching the resilient member comprises coupling a torsional spring to the base and the support assembly.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein coupling the triggering mechanism comprises attaching a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including (a) a first portion positioned at least proximate to the trigger of the firearm when the firearm is carried by the support assembly, and (b) a second portion spaced apart from the support assembly.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33  wherein coupling the triggering mechanism comprises attaching a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a flexible filament.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33  wherein coupling the triggering mechanism comprises attaching a remotely actuated triggering mechanism including a housing, a plunger disposed at least partially within the housing, and a flexible filament coupled to the plunger.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising attaching an inhibiting member to at least one of the support assembly or the base for inhibiting rotation of the support assembly about the axis in the first direction.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 33  wherein pivotably coupling the support assembly to the base comprises attaching the support assembly to a base having (a) a first portion attached to the support assembly and (b) a second portion pivotably coupled to the first portion.