Shotgun mounting system

1. A shotgun mounting system comprising in combination:

a shotgun having a receiver provided with a firing chamber adapted to receive and eject shotgun cartridges therefrom;

a shell mounted on and at least partially covering the receiver; and

a rail arrangement located on the shell and adapted to mount a shotgun accessory to the shell in an adjustable position on the rail arrangement,

wherein the shell has an inverted, generally U-shape defined by an upper wall that connects a pair of sidewalls depending from the upper wall,

wherein the shell has a front edge that extends to a front end of the receiver, a back edge that extends to a back end of the receiver, and a air of bottom edges that lie adjacent a bottom end of the receiver,

wherein the upper wall extends rearwardly from the front edge and includes a tapered portion that slopes downwardly towards the back edge, and includes an elongated aperture receiving a portion of the receiver,

wherein one of the sidewalls is formed with an elongated opening designed to be aligned with an ejection port in the receiver, and the other of the sidewalls has upper and lower portions formed with separate reticulated surfaces, and

wherein the rail arrangement includes a top rail structure extending longitudinally along the upper wall between the front edge and the elongated aperture, a first side rail structure extending longitudinally along the one sidewall between the elongated opening and the back edge and a second side rail structure extending longitudinally along the other of the sidewalls between the front edge and the back edge and between the reticulated surfaces.

2. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the shell is removably mounted to the receiver.

3. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the upper wall of the shell lies adjacent an upper portion of the receiver, and the sidewalls of the shell lie adjacent side portions of the receiver.

4. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the upper wall has a solid surface along one portion thereof, and a reticulated surface along another portion opposite the one portion.

5. The mounting system of claim 4 , wherein the one of the sidewalls has a generally solid planar surface depending from the solid surface of the upper wall.

6. The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein the one sidewall has a mounting hole configured to receive a retainer that passes transversely through the receiver to secure the shell thereto.

7. The mounting system of claim 6 , wherein the other of the sidewalls has a mounting hole aligned with the mounting hole formed in the one sidewall.

8. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the rail arrangement has a dovetail cross section and a grooved outer surface.

9. A shotgun accessory mount comprising:

an inverted generally U-shaped shell having a front edge and a back edge adapted to be slip fit over the receiver of the shotgun, the shell having a pair of sidewalls connected by an upper wall; and

a rail arrangement located on the shell and formed with a dovetail cross section adapted to slidably mount a shotgun accessory to the shell,

wherein the upper wall includes a tapered portion that extends towards the back edge and is formed with an elongated aperture adapted to receive a portion of the receiver,

wherein one of the sidewalls is formed with an elongated opening adapted to be aligned with an ejection port in the receiver, and the other of the sidewalls has upper and lower portions formed with separate reticulated surfaces, and

wherein the rail arrangement includes a top rail structure extending longitudinally along the upper wall between the front edge and the elongated aperture, a first side rail structure extending longitudinally along the one sidewall between the elongated opening and the back edge and a second side rail structure extending longitudinally along the other of the sidewalls between the front edge and the back edge and between the reticulated surfaces.

10. The accessory mount of claim 9 , wherein the upper wall has a solid surface along one portion thereof, and a reticulated surface along another portion opposite the one portion.

11. The accessory mount of claim 9 , wherein the one of the sidewalls has a generally solid planar surface depending from the solid surface of the upper wall.

12. The accessory mount of claim 11 , wherein the one sidewall has a mounting hole configured to receive a retainer.

13. The accessory mount of claim 12 , wherein the other of the sidewalls has a mounting hole aligned with the mounting hole formed in the one sidewall.

14. The accessory mount of claim 9 , wherein the rail arrangement is provided with a grooved outer surface.