Ballistic shield and methods of use

1. Ballistic protection apparatus comprising:

a ballistic shield having a body formed at least in part of ballistic material;

said shield body configured to provide frontal ballistic protection at least in part to the torso of an individual when the shield is located in front of the individual;

said shield body having a support on one side thereof for mounting a long gun and configured to enable an individual to simultaneously grasp the long gun and the support by one hand with a barrel of the long gun projecting from the shield body to an opposite side of the shield from the individual and to simultaneously effectively operate the long gun using both hands;

said shield body including a central portion and a pair of side portions on respective opposite sides of said central portion to maintain ballistic protection both frontally and in part from the sides;

said support including a handle spaced from and extending generally vertically and parallel to said central portion of the shield body; and

wherein said handle includes a recessed surface along a side thereof remote from said central portion for receiving a grip of the long gun, thereby enabling the individual to simultaneously grasp the handle and grip of the long gun.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support is secured to a backside of the central portion of the shield.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said support includes a cradle defining a trough extending generally perpendicular from the backside of the central shield portion for receiving portions of the barrel of the long gun.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said cradle extends to a location remote from said shield body and terminates adjacent an upper end of said handle.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said support includes a support element extending from a lower end portion of said handle toward said central shield portion enabling said handle to support the shield from said cradle and said support element.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said cradle includes a pair of rails having sides inclined downwardly towards one another to form the trough for cradling the long gun barrel.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shield body includes an opening therethrough above the location of said support, said opening being defined in part by lateral margins of said side portions diverging from one another in a general upward direction.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said opening opens through an upper edge of the shield body and is in the general shape of a truncated V.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 including resilient material on the backside of said central shield portion straddling said support and engageable with the one hand of the individual when the individual grasps the long gun and the support with the one hand.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support is secured to a backside of the central portion of the shield and includes a cradle defining a trough extending generally perpendicular from the backside of the central shield portion for receiving portions of a barrel of the long gun, said cradle extending to a location remote from said shield body and terminating adjacent an upper end of said handle, said support including a support element extending from a lower end portion of said handle toward said central shield portion enabling said handle to support the shield from said cradle and said support element, said shield body including an opening therethrough above the location of said support, said opening being defined in part by lateral margins of said side portions diverging from one another in a general upward direction.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including resilient material on the backside of said central shield portion straddling said support and engageable with the one hand of the individual when the individual grasps the long gun and the support with the one hand.

12. Ballistic protection apparatus comprising:

a ballistic shield having a body formed at least in part of ballistic material capable of stopping a bullet;

said shield body configured to provide frontal ballistic protection at least in part to the torso of an individual when the shield is located in front of the individual;

said shield body having a support for mounting a long gun and configured to enable an individual to simultaneously grasp the long gun and the support by one hand with a barrel of the long gun projecting forwardly from the shield body and to simultaneously effectively operate the long gun using both hands;

said shield body including a central portion and a pair of side portions on respective opposite sides of said central portion to maintain ballistic protection both frontally and in part from the sides;

said shield body including an opening therethrough above the location of said support, said opening being defined in part by lateral margins of said side portions diverging from one another in a general upward direction to an upper edge of said shield body; and

said support including a handle extending generally vertically and parallel to said central portion of the shield body, enabling the individual to simultaneously grasp the handle and grip of the long gun.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said handle includes a recessed surface along a side thereof remote from said central portion for receiving a grip of the long gun.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said support includes a cradle defining a trough extending generally perpendicular from the backside of the central shield portion for receiving portions of the barrel of the long gun.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said cradle extends to a location remote from said shield body and terminates adjacent an upper end of said handle.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said support includes a support element extending from a lower end portion of said handle toward said central shield portion enabling said handle to support the shield from said cradle and said support element.

17. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said cradle includes a pair of rails having sides inclined downwardly towards one another to form the trough for cradling the long gun barrel.

18. Ballistic protection apparatus comprising:

a ballistic shield having a body formed at least in part of ballistic material;

said shield body including a central portion and a pair of side portions on respective opposite sides of said central portion to provide ballistic protection both frontally and in part from the sides to the torso of an individual when the shield is located in front of the individual;

said shield body having a support on one side thereof for mounting a long gun and configured to enable an individual to simultaneously grasp the long gun and the support by one hand with a barrel of the long gun projecting from the shield body to an opposite side of the shield from the individual and to simultaneously effectively operate the long gun using both hands;

said support including a handle spaced from said central portion of the shield body; and

wherein said support includes a cradle defining a trough extending generally perpendicular from the backside of the central shield portion for receiving portions of the barrel of the long gun.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said handle includes a recessed surface along a side thereof remote from said central portion for receiving a grip of the long gun, thereby enabling the individual to simultaneously grasp the handle and grip of the long gun.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said shield body includes an opening therethrough above the location of said support, said opening being defined in part by lateral margins of said side portions diverging from one another in a general upward direction.