Claims

1. A recoil device for a rifle comprising:

a lug configured to sit in line between a barrel and an action receiver, said lug having a top, the action receiver having a dorsal surface, and the top of the lug comprising a key; and

a rail configured to attach to the dorsal surface of the action receiver, the rail having a bottom, and the bottom of the rail comprising a keyseat to receive the key;

wherein, when the key mates with the keyseat, the key holds the rail in tandem with the lug and restricts its movement in a forward and backward direction relative to the barrel's direction of firing.

2. The device of claim 1, the key having a top, the keyseat having a ceiling, and the key being shorter than the keyseat, such that when the key is in the keyseat there is a gap between the top of the key and the ceiling of the keyseat.

3. The device of claim 1, the keyseat having a geometric shape and the key having a matching geometric shape, wherein when the key is in the keyseat, each one of the sides of the key touches at least one of the walls of the keyseat.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the key is permanently attached to the keyseat.

5. The device of claim 1, the keyseat having a stadium shaped wall and a key having a corresponding shape, such that the key fits the keyseat with an interference fit, so that if the action receiver moves in any horizontal direction the rail moves with it.

6. The device of claim 1, further wherein when the key mates with the keyseat, the key and keyseat reinforce the connection reinforce the connection between the rail and the action receiver against rearward shear forces during recoil.

7. A device for a rifle comprising: a washer and a picatinny rail,

the washer configured to sit between a barrel and an action receiver, said washer having a protrusion on at least one side;

the rail having a bottom, the protrusion configured to fit into a pocket in the bottom of the rail;

wherein, when the protrusion mates with the pocket, the protrusion holds the rail in tandem with the washer in a forward and rearward direction relative to the barrel's direction of firing.

8. The device of claim 7, the pocket further comprising a stadium shaped wall and the protrusion having a matching shape, wherein the circumference of the protrusion fits the circumference of the wall in an interference fit, restricting independent movement along a horizontal plane.

9. The device of claim 7, the pocket further comprising at least one wall forming a geometric shape and the at least one wall of the protrusion having a matching geometric shape, wherein the entire geometric shape of the wall fits the entire geometric shape of the side of the protrusion in an interference fit.

10. A rail for attaching a scope to a rifle comprising:

a rail, having a bottom, the bottom of the rail further comprising a keyseat having a geometric shape configured to receive a matching key of a recoil lug, wherein when the recoil lug having a matching key is positioned between an action receiver and a barrel, with the key positioned above a dorsal surface of the action receiver and the rail is seated on an action receiver, the key is inserted in the keyseat, and the key restricts movement of the rail in every horizontal direction relative to the key, the barrel, and the action receiver.

11. The device of claim 10, the rail further comprising two ends, and the keyseat is located off center toward one end of the rail.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the key restricts movement of the rail by pinning the rail to the recoil lug.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the keyseat passes all the way through the rail forming a hole in the rail, and the key extends through the top of the rail when the key is inserted in the keyseat.

14. A method for maintaining the calibration of a rifle scope on a rifle comprising:

positioning a lug on a threaded end of a barrel between the barrel and an action receiver, the lug configured to sit in line between a barrel and an action receiver, said lug having a top, the action receiver having a dorsal surface, and the top of the lug comprising a key; and

fastening a rail to the dorsal surface of the action receiver using fasteners, the rail having a top and a bottom, and a pocket located in the bottom of the rail to receive the key,

wherein the key mates with the pocket of the rail when the rail is fastened to the action receiver thereby connecting the rail to the barrel by holding the rail in tandem with the lug and restricting the rail's movement in a forward and backward direction relative to the barrel's direction of firing.

15. The method of claim 14, further wherein every side of the key fits every wall of the pocket with an interference fit.