DCRA Target sling

Dave.S

Dave.S

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
286   0   1
What kind of sling belongs on a DCRA target rifle?What are all the cool kids using?Where can I get one?Dave
 
I don't know where you might get one, but I can tell you what they were like.
Quite wide webbing, with the rear portion with an extra loop. A right handed shooter put his left arm through this loop and tightened a keeper on it, to make it tight on his upper arm. It was adjusted so placing the butt to the shoulder, tightened it right up, in other words, the loop hild the rifle butt TIGHT to the shoulder.
The lower left arm made a twist in the forward part of the sling, then the hand took a grip from under the forestock. When in the shooting position the rifle was held to the body like it was fastened on with screws and glue!
Shooting prone with this was almost as solid as resting over sand bags.
Too bad it is such a lost art that a shooter has to ask what the slings were like.
 
H4831 said:
I don't know where you might get one, but I can tell you what they were like.
Quite wide webbing, with the rear portion with an extra loop. A right handed shooter put his left arm through this loop and tightened a keeper on it, to make it tight on his upper arm. It was adjusted so placing the butt to the shoulder, tightened it right up, in other words, the loop hild the rifle butt TIGHT to the shoulder.
The lower left arm made a twist in the forward part of the sling, then the hand took a grip from under the forestock. When in the shooting position the rifle was held to the body like it was fastened on with screws and glue!
Shooting prone with this was almost as solid as resting over sand bags.
Too bad it is such a lost art that a shooter has to ask what the slings were like.
Click to expand...

Were they different from the US Garand slings?
 
I would be really interested to see what one looked like- I have a "mystery sling" that the trustworthy local surplus shop owner has told me IS a Canadian WWII sling, but what it is off of, no one knows. H4831 got me wondering about mine when he mentioned the "quite wide webbing". Too bad I can't for the life of me figure out how to post pics.
 
This is the real thing, but there may have been other variations. :cheers:
RifleNo4Mk1TwithSlingandPackingCase.jpg
www.milsurps.com
 
In DCRA/PRA shooting, the most common sling used in competition was a 2" wide Parker Hale web sling. Two weights were common, medium and heavy. The sling was fitted from the front swivel to a swivel added at the front trigger guard screw. There is such a swivel on the 4T in the photo.
In use, the sling was given a half twist to form a loop, then the support arm was passed through. When in the aim, the sling passed over the back of the support hand. Sling tension was at three points: front swivel, center swivel, and bicep.
There was also a leather version, but the web ones were far more common. I have a leather one on my II** Ross target rifle, PH web slings on my Lee Enfields.
This setup is referred to as a two point sling.
The 4T was equipped with a US M1907 pattern sling. Its foreward loop is tightened to the support bicep. The loop to the butt is left loose, and is not involved when the sling is used for support. Still used in competition is the US, not so much in Canada. Can be useful on a hinting rifle, for both shooting support and carry.
Modern competition rifles generally use a specialized single point sling - works the same way as the US M1907, but there is no loop attached to the butt swivel.
These slings do turn up from time to time. Paul Reibin's Range Sports Unlimited in BC would be a good place to start looking.
 
The DCRA limited slings in those days to 2" max width. Most were. Sling had to be mounted at 2 places. Single point was not allowed in those days.

Sling went from middle swivel under barrel to around arm and to action screw. My father lopped his over the barrel and then to his arm. I tried that and found it tended to push rifle into a cant.
 
Take a look at the top rifle in the photo:

both%20rifles.jpg


This is basically the same sling that Cantom linked to. It feels quite nice on the rifle, but looks strange when you are used to seeing slings meant for carrying.
 
a typical example. In more recent years they cheapened somewhat and some were nylon. The one in post #7 is converted from a Lewis Gun sling; P-H bought thousands of these in the war surplus sales and sold them for years.

standard.jpg


standard.jpg


standard.jpg
 
There were rules for use of slings in DCRA competitions. As a couple folks pointed out the maximum width is 2" and 3 point contact. I've seen these made from belt webbing and Parker Hale made it fancier with a couple leather tabs. Also in use were leather slings that met the DCRA criteria. These were never meant to carry the rifle like the 1907 leather sling. have seen a few of those on recent DCRA guns and they looked good however were reproductions. Ron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom