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A configurable sight for a firearm is provided including a plunger that is coaxially disposed within a bore of a sight element and a bias element that biases the sight element to an upright position, where the plunger selectively interlocks in the bore in different orientations to secure the sight i

A configurable sight for a firearm is provided including a plunger that is coaxially disposed within a bore of a sight element and a bias element that biases the sight element to an upright position, where the plunger selectively interlocks in the bore in different orientations to secure the sight in different positions, such as an upright position or a down position. The plunger can be slidably locked and unlocked relative to the sight element on a longitudinal axis, and the sight element can be rotated about the same axis. The sight element bore can be defined by a sleeve fixedly mounted in the sight element, and that sleeve can include a slotted crown that selectively engages the plunger depending on the position of the sight element to lock the sight element in position. A related method is provided.

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1. A selectively configurable sight for a firearm comprising: a base including a mounting portion mountable on a firearm rail, the mounting portion including a front side, a rear side, opposing lateral sides, a bottom, and a fastener configured for mounting the base to the firearm rail, the base inc

1. A selectively configurable sight for a firearm comprising: a base including a mounting portion mountable on a firearm rail, the mounting portion including a front side, a rear side, opposing lateral sides, a bottom, and a fastener configured for mounting the base to the firearm rail, the base including spaced apart first and second upright flanges, the first upright flange defining a first plunger hole, the upright second flange defining a second plunger hole bounded by a second plunger hole perimeter wall;a sight element pivotally mounted to the upright first and second upright flanges of the base, the sight element including a first side surface and an opposing second side surface, a front surface and a rear surface with a sight window defined by the sight element, extending from the front surface to the rear surface, the sight element selectively configurable in an upright position and in a down position;a bias element engaged with the sight element and the base to urge the sight element to the upright position;a tubular sleeve extending between the first side surface and the second side surface of the sight element, the tubular sleeve defining a sleeve bore therethrough and including a longitudinal axis, the tubular sleeve including a first sleeve locking surface, the tubular sleeve being generally fixed and non-rotatable relative to the sight element; anda plunger disposed in the sleeve bore, the plunger extending along the longitudinal axis, the plunger including a first end and a second distal end, the second distal end including a head, the head being registered in the second plunger hole such that the head engages the second plunger hole perimeter wall so that the plunger head is non-rotatable relative to the second upright flange, the head including a first head locking surface and a second head locking surface offset from the first head locking surface,wherein the plunger is reciprocally slidable in the sleeve along the longitudinal axis,wherein the plunger is configurable in an upright locking mode in which the first head locking surface engages the first sleeve locking surface to maintain the sight element in the upright position, while the head at least partially protrudes into the second plunger hole,wherein the plunger is configurable in a down locking mode in which the second head locking surface engages the first sleeve locking surface to maintain the sight element in the down position, while the head at least partially protrudes into the second plunger hole,wherein the plunger is configurable in a free mode in which the head is disengaged from the first sleeve locking surface so that the sight element can be rotated from the upright position to the down position. 2. The sight of claim 1 comprising: a button joined with the first end and manually operable to move the plunger from the down locking mode to the free mode;a shaft extending from the first end to the second end at which the shaft is joined with the head;wherein the button is threadably engaged with the shaft at the first end,wherein the bias element is configured to urge the sight element to the upright position when the plunger is in the free mode. 3. The sight of claim 2, wherein the bias element is a coil spring extending around the shaft,wherein the bias element includes a first spring portion that engages the mounting portion and a second spring portion that projects into a spring hole defined by the sight element. 4. The sight of claim 3, comprising: a plunger spring distal from the coil spring and disposed between the first upright flange and the button, the plunger spring configured to urge the button away from the first upright flange. 5. The sight of claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve defines a lock slot adjacent the second end of the plunger,wherein the first sleeve locking surface bounds a first portion of the lock slot,wherein the lock slot and tubular sleeve rotate about 90° relative to the head when the sight element rotates from the upright position to the down position. 6. The sight of claim 5, comprising: a second sleeve locking surface that bounds a second portion of the lock slot across the longitudinal axis from the first sleeve locking surface,wherein the first sleeve locking surface and second sleeve locking surface are substantially vertical when the sight element is in the upright position,wherein the first sleeve locking surface and second sleeve locking surface are substantially horizontal when the sight element is in the down position. 7. The sight of claim 1, wherein the second plunger hole perimeter wall is constructed from steel,wherein the head of the plunger is constructed from steel,wherein the base and the sight element are constructed from aluminum. 8. The sight of claim 7, wherein the sight element rotates about the longitudinal axis when the plunger is depressed linearly along the longitudinal axis. 9. The sight of claim 1, wherein the first head locking surface and the second head locking surface are offset from one another 90° about the longitudinal axis,wherein the first head locking surface and the second head locking surface are each offset at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis. 10. A selectively configurable sight for a firearm comprising: a base including a mounting portion mountable on a firearm rail, the mounting portion including a flange defining a plunger hole;a sight element pivotally mounted to mounting portion, the sight element including a first side surface and an opposing second side surface, a front surface and a rear surface with a sight window defined by the sight element, extending from the front surface to the rear surface, the sight element selectively configurable in an upright position and a down position;a bias element configured to engage the sight element and urge the sight element to the upright position;a bore extending between the first side surface and the second side surface of the sight element, the bore including a longitudinal axis and a first surface; anda plunger reciprocally slidable in the bore along the longitudinal axis, the plunger including a first end manually engagable by a user, and a second distal end, the second distal end including a head registered in the plunger hole such that the plunger head is non-rotatable relative to the flange, the head including a first head locking surface and a second head locking surface offset from the first head locking surface,wherein the plunger is configurable in an upright locking mode in which the first head locking surface engages the first surface to maintain the sight element in the upright position, while the head at least partially protrudes into the plunger hole,wherein the plunger is configurable in a down locking mode in which the second head locking surface engages the first surface to maintain the sight element in the down position, while the head at least partially protrudes into the plunger hole,wherein the plunger is configurable in a free mode in which the head is disengaged from the first surface so that the sight element can be rotated about the longitudinal axis from the upright position to the down position. 11. The sight of claim 10, wherein the plunger hole is bounded by a steel insert,wherein the head is constructed from steel,wherein the head remains in the plunger hole in the upright locking mode, the down locking mode and the free mode. 12. The sight of claim 11, wherein the plunger includes a shaft,wherein the shaft has a shaft axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis,wherein the bore is defined by a sleeve fixedly mounted in the sight element,wherein the sleeve is configured to rotate around the shaft when the plunger is in the free mode. 13. The sight of claim 10 comprising: a button joined with the first end and manually operable to move the plunger from the upright locking mode to the free mode;a shaft extending from the first end to the second end at which the shaft is joined with the head;wherein the sight element is rotatable about the shaft,wherein the bias element is a coil spring extending around the sleeve and the shaft,wherein the coil spring includes a first spring portion that engages the sight element and a second spring portion that engages the base. 14. The sight of claim 10, wherein the plunger hole is generally rectangular,wherein the head is generally rectangular so that when the head is in the plunger hole the plunger is impaired from rotating relative to the flange. 15. The sight of claim 10, wherein the head is a polygonal shape and the hole is the same polygonal shape,wherein the head interfaces with the hole to prevent rotation of the plunger relative to the base. 16. The sight of claim 10, wherein the bore is defined by a sleeve fixedly mounted in the sight element,wherein the sleeve is configured to rotate around the shaft when the plunger is in the free mode,wherein the sleeve includes a crown defining a slot within which the first surface is disposed, the slot being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the crown being disposed inside the sight element without extending past the second side. 17. The sight of claim 16, wherein the first head locking surface is acutely angled relative to the longitudinal axis,wherein the first surface is acutely angled relative to the longitudinal axis,wherein the first head locking surface slides relative to the first surface when the plunger is in the free mode. 18. The sight of claim 10, wherein the plunger includes a button at the first end, opposite the head,wherein the button is coaxial with the longitudinal axis,wherein the plunger extends through the sight element first side and second side,wherein the sight element rotates about the plunger when the plunger is in the free mode,wherein the bias element is a coil spring extending around the plunger. 19. A method of selectively configuring a sight comprising: providing a base including a mounting portion defining a plunger hole;sliding a plunger along a longitudinal axis in a first direction in a plunger bore defined by a sight element in a down position, the plunger including a first end and a second distal end, the second distal end including a head, the head sliding in the plunger bore, so as to configure the plunger in a free mode in which the head disengages the plunger bore so that the sight element is free to rotate about the longitudinal axis from the down position to an upright position;biasing the sight element from the down position toward the upright position with a bias element; andreleasing the plunger when the sight element attains the upright position so that the plunger slides along the longitudinal axis in a second direction, so the head engages the plunger bore so as to configure the plunger in a locked upright mode so the sight element is locked in the upright position. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the bias element is a spring,wherein the spring automatically rotates the sight element toward the upright position when the sight element is in the free mode.