Last year was my first deer season and I missed two of them. I plan on spending more time at the range this year, and want to set up for success. We chase with dogs in mixed and hardwood bush, so most shots are quick, short range and off hand, no tree stands either. I'm interested in shooting slings, like a Latigo sling, to stabilize my gun, a model 94. Anyone shooting with this style of sling? How did you install the swivel on the foreend of the gun? Any and all advice is welcome.
Shooting slings with a Model 94
- Thread starter abramh
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I think a shooting sling is a marvelous aid to field marksmanship from supported positions, but the 94 Winchester is probably not the best platform for it. The magazine tube is attached to the barrel by a clamp near the muzzle, so any pressure you put on the magazine tube by slinging up to a magazine tube mounted sling, will tend to deflect the barrel. What you need to do though is try it for yourself, and see if the difference is enough to cause you to miss with your unslug zero. If the benefit you get from slinging up outways the deflection you observe on the target, you're good to go. Either way, it will be clear to you in short order whether or not to pursue it.
You do have options of where to attach the front swivel though. If it was me, instead of using the common magazine band for the front sling swivel, I'd drill and tap the forend retaining band, and use a threaded sling swivel stud, Loctited in place. With the swivel attached to the forend band, the pressure that slinging up puts on the barrel is nearer the receiver, and should have less affect on the barrel.
So I just reread your post, and now I'm not so sure a shooting sling is what you're after. Your shots are made quickly, and probably from off-hand rather than from supported field positions, which is where the greatest benefit of slinging up is realized. Some folks claim to have a steadier hold off-hand with a shooting sling, but there's really no reason for that to be the case, whereas from a supported position the rifle is stabilized against a solid surface, such as your arm against your leg, or your your arm against the ground. Off hand is the most difficult position to shoot from, there's no getting around that, and the answer to the problem is practice. The one technique I've found to be beneficial is a little counter intuitive, since we're told to relax when we make a shot, but if you try it, you'll find that your sights freeze in place for a moment, and for a moment only, and you have to break the shot the instant you see it. So bring your rifle to bear, steady your sights on the target, then tense your stomach muscles hard. The sights freeze on the target, and you press, not snatch, the trigger, the shot breaks, and you score a hit. The most demanding part of this technique is good trigger control, because the temptation is to snatch the trigger. You have to press the trigger like its a warm summer day, you have all the time in the world, and not a care, but you have to do it in a compressed period of time, or the sights will once again be in motion, and you'll have to start over.
If you do intend to go ahead with the shooting sling, there are two I recommend, the first is the one I primarily use, the Safari Ching Sling from Galco International. The problem here is that Galco shipping charges to Canada are slightly outrageous, and you'll have to phone in your order. The second sling I recommend is Les Tam's 1907 military sling. This might very well be the best quality sling available anywhere in the world, and is custom made to your height and physique, yet its only $75 USD. Even if you choose to go with another brand, I strongly urge you to Google Les Tam's slings and read the information he has on his website. A military sling isn't quite as quick as the Safari Ching Sling, but its not that much slower once you get the hang of it, and you can sling up early, in preparation to shoot.
Hope this helps
You do have options of where to attach the front swivel though. If it was me, instead of using the common magazine band for the front sling swivel, I'd drill and tap the forend retaining band, and use a threaded sling swivel stud, Loctited in place. With the swivel attached to the forend band, the pressure that slinging up puts on the barrel is nearer the receiver, and should have less affect on the barrel.
So I just reread your post, and now I'm not so sure a shooting sling is what you're after. Your shots are made quickly, and probably from off-hand rather than from supported field positions, which is where the greatest benefit of slinging up is realized. Some folks claim to have a steadier hold off-hand with a shooting sling, but there's really no reason for that to be the case, whereas from a supported position the rifle is stabilized against a solid surface, such as your arm against your leg, or your your arm against the ground. Off hand is the most difficult position to shoot from, there's no getting around that, and the answer to the problem is practice. The one technique I've found to be beneficial is a little counter intuitive, since we're told to relax when we make a shot, but if you try it, you'll find that your sights freeze in place for a moment, and for a moment only, and you have to break the shot the instant you see it. So bring your rifle to bear, steady your sights on the target, then tense your stomach muscles hard. The sights freeze on the target, and you press, not snatch, the trigger, the shot breaks, and you score a hit. The most demanding part of this technique is good trigger control, because the temptation is to snatch the trigger. You have to press the trigger like its a warm summer day, you have all the time in the world, and not a care, but you have to do it in a compressed period of time, or the sights will once again be in motion, and you'll have to start over.
If you do intend to go ahead with the shooting sling, there are two I recommend, the first is the one I primarily use, the Safari Ching Sling from Galco International. The problem here is that Galco shipping charges to Canada are slightly outrageous, and you'll have to phone in your order. The second sling I recommend is Les Tam's 1907 military sling. This might very well be the best quality sling available anywhere in the world, and is custom made to your height and physique, yet its only $75 USD. Even if you choose to go with another brand, I strongly urge you to Google Les Tam's slings and read the information he has on his website. A military sling isn't quite as quick as the Safari Ching Sling, but its not that much slower once you get the hang of it, and you can sling up early, in preparation to shoot.
Hope this helps
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A shooting stick can be helpful, but another thing to pack around.
Been using this technique for the last number of years when invited out on
gopher duty and getting pretty proud of meself with the distances I've been
getting on hits.D
Dad taught me how to swing past the target a couple of times and time your
pull on the trigger for poi.
Worked that one year on the big bull I managed to score. Yup, I got fur fever that day
and gave meself a good talking to.
Plunked me butt down on the wet ground and did the one, two ...........three........bang flop.
Been using this technique for the last number of years when invited out on
gopher duty and getting pretty proud of meself with the distances I've been
getting on hits.D
Dad taught me how to swing past the target a couple of times and time your
pull on the trigger for poi.
Worked that one year on the big bull I managed to score. Yup, I got fur fever that day
and gave meself a good talking to.
Plunked me butt down on the wet ground and did the one, two ...........three........bang flop.
For this type of hunting I don't see the sling being useful as a shooting aid since shots are quick and brush is thick.
I'd suggest looking at what some of the tactical guys are doing for "patrol carry". IE: if you're a right handed shooter - find a way to attach sling somewhere up front on the left side of gun but not way up front, you want closer to the receiver. Sling goes under your left armpit and up over your right shoulder. Find a way to attach sling to the right side of stock toward the back and toward the top of stock. Has to be towards the top to work.
Obviously the two point quick adjustable slings like the Blue Force VCAS are the way to go here. Set sling length so it doesn't hang down too much but you can still quickly bring it on target. When you let go of the gun if done properly it will comfortably lay flat again your body on its left side. Sling is also quick adjustable if you need to change it for some reason.
I've yet to find a better way to carry a hunting rifle at the ready. For a carbine length quick shooting application nothing beats this method.
Once you try this for YOUR APPLICATION you will never go back.
I'd suggest looking at what some of the tactical guys are doing for "patrol carry". IE: if you're a right handed shooter - find a way to attach sling somewhere up front on the left side of gun but not way up front, you want closer to the receiver. Sling goes under your left armpit and up over your right shoulder. Find a way to attach sling to the right side of stock toward the back and toward the top of stock. Has to be towards the top to work.
Obviously the two point quick adjustable slings like the Blue Force VCAS are the way to go here. Set sling length so it doesn't hang down too much but you can still quickly bring it on target. When you let go of the gun if done properly it will comfortably lay flat again your body on its left side. Sling is also quick adjustable if you need to change it for some reason.
I've yet to find a better way to carry a hunting rifle at the ready. For a carbine length quick shooting application nothing beats this method.
Once you try this for YOUR APPLICATION you will never go back.
For that type of shooting I think a sling would be more of a hindrance than a help. Practice. practice, practice offhand and then practice a little more. If you use iron sights like those standard on the 94 you could be shooting high which isn't unusual when shooting quickly with iron sights, rushing and not getting the bead down into the groove. I use an aperture sight or "peep" on my 94's, you might want to look into it. Impossible to overshoot on fast shots unless you have your eyes closed.
If you can find a safe place to do it a friend of mine used to fill the entire center of old tires with cardboard painted white and then roll the tires down a hillside and shoot offhand for the center. Sounds weird but the uneven speed and sudden bounces simulate a running deer in the woods much better than shooting stationary targets.
BTW, where do you live that allows hound hunting of deer? Never heard of such a thing.
If you can find a safe place to do it a friend of mine used to fill the entire center of old tires with cardboard painted white and then roll the tires down a hillside and shoot offhand for the center. Sounds weird but the uneven speed and sudden bounces simulate a running deer in the woods much better than shooting stationary targets.
BTW, where do you live that allows hound hunting of deer? Never heard of such a thing.
303EppsFan
CGN Regular
- Location
- Almonte,Ontario
This is excellent advice. I presume he's from Ontario. Fast and furious shooting when using hounds for deer.
Hey guys, thanks for all the advice. I've heard of the tire down a hill target, haven't had a chance to try it yet. A nearby range has a running deer target, I am thinking abobut joining it. I'm only just getting into shooting, so I'm not really sure what I want yet. Maybe the sling isn't what I need. I wasn't planning on using it to carry the gun, I usually have it in a ready position, we see as many deer walking to the watch as we do when we are chasing. I'm using the Tru Glo lever action sights, I'd like to get good with them since I don't want to put any extra holes in the gun for a red dot. I live and hunt in Eastern Ontario, units 55A and 57, most camps here use hounds during rifle season. We have a good one, he's old and slow, so he doesn't head to the next county when he's on the trail. 
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
