Shoulder sling rifle carry - muzzle down?

I tend to carry muzzle down on right side. Perhaps because it's a short carbine with the sling going into the left side of the butt, so it carries relatively high. With a longer barrel, I might do either shoulder with barrel up.
 
Trimmer 905 said:
Not too darn many that I've ever seen. It's too easy to pack the muzzle with mud and crud. I'm surprised at people putting tape over the muzzle,too. Anything that restricts or blocks the muzzle can result in barrel rupture and banana peel. Not good!
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People have been taping and recommending taping barrels since the invention of Scotch tape, it doesn't create a blockage.
Muzzle down cry has also been advocated since before any of us was born and is considered a viable way of carrying by many real expert hunters and guides.
Cat
 
Hard to break the habit of Patrol Carry with a long quick adjust sling which one learns when people shoot at you.

Only other I use once in awhile is muzzle down on weak side, African Carry. Fast to shoulder.

Always with a small ballon on barrel.
 
Trimmer 905 said:
Not too darn many that I've ever seen. It's too easy to pack the muzzle with mud and crud. I'm surprised at people putting tape over the muzzle,too. Anything that restricts or blocks the muzzle can result in barrel rupture and banana peel. Not good!
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Tape won't cause a barrel rupture. Give your head a shake.

Carrying a rifle muzzle down has never made sense to me. Too easy to jam the barrel into the dirt and they don't carry as well. A better alternative is to carry the rifle in front of your shoulder rather than on your back.
 
I always tape the muzzle regardless of whether the rifle is slung, carried on the quad, in the truck or whatever, never have I buggered a muzzle.
If slung its carried barrel up because with my short legs the barrel would leave a skid mark behind me otherwise...
 
conor_90 said:
I have always carried my gun on my left shoulder muzzle facing the ground. Well not always, when I started hunting I carried it right shoulder muzzle up, many a tree was hit with the barrel of the rifle.

Also I can transition from slung to shouldered a whole lot faster with the "African" carry.

Another way I will carry it if I'm tracking something or think there is imminent contact with game is with the butt resting on my right shoulder and my right hand on the barrel (bad! bad! ruins the bluing, I know), man can you ever get the rifle to shoulder quick from that position though. I don't know the name of this carry.
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I've seen that carry in a video somewhere. I think it was one of those brownells videos. The guy one the video was doing it in Africa for dangerous game.
 
Have used electrical tape on the barrel ever since I can remember. As far as muzzle down or up , mainly in the up position.
 
If in the imminent presence of game, I carry in my hands, " ready carry" like upland bird hunting. But when tiring of that, I carry muzzle down, left side ( RH shooter) quite often. Allows very quick shot if left hand is on the fore end already.
Or I carry muzzle up, right side, with rt. hand on the heel of the stock. Sling must be loose enough to allow the rifle to be pivoted on a vertical plane, while slipping the sling on the shoulder. That is pretty quick too, but a pre-requisite is nobody behind the shooter because the muzzle goes in an arc backwards, down then up & forward.
The most useless sling for me are those ridiculous wide top "cobra" style that are so common in stores lately. They do not lend themselves to either style of use. And they are no good as as a shooting aid either. I wonder how they got so popular?
I tape my muzzle when in thick bush and rough or wet/snowy conditions.
 
Always carry weak side, sometimes muzzle up, sometimes down. Often with a bipod I'll carry weak side muzzle forward with my week hand holding the bipod. Very quick and comfortable.
 
Boomer said:
African carry or Jaeger carry makes it faster to acquire the gun than strong side carry. If you are wearing heavy outdoor gear, when reaching under your strong arm for the rifle, you might discover that the forend is out of reach, whereas the other carries allow you to easily grasp the forend, and push the muzzle out in front of you, bringing the wrist of the rifle within easy reach of the shooting hand. Either alternate carries provides superior muzzle control when moving through heavy cover; Jaeger carry quickly transitions to African carry; the muzzle protruding above your shoulder with strong side carry is a branch magnet.
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Boomer;
Good evening to you sir, I'm hoping this finds you doing acceptably well.

I've quoted your response as it's more succinct than mine typically are.

Oh, I'm all of 5'6" with my arms waving in the air and I've still got no issues carrying a 24" rifle muzzle down, weak side while traversing our BC shin tangle covered mountainsides.

Thanks for the response and all the best to you this week.

Dwayne
 
I carry muzzle down on my right shoulder (I shoot left handed) with my right hand on the forarm. Was shown this by a drill sargeant in 1969 although, at that time, I shot right handed so carried on my left shoulder, muzzle down. If I'm just traveling, it's carried muzzle up. If I'm carrying a pack, the rifle is in my hand. I've been taping the muzzle for fifty years.
 
Diagonally muzzle up and taped. Muzzle by my left ear. I put quick snaps like on packs on both ends of my sling. On long walks i cinch it up good and tight, one snap and the rifle is in my hands, no fidgeting or fatigue. I gladly trade having to resnap the sling, for added comfort on a long walk.
 
I have seen many German you tube clips where they carry muzzle down.
I suppose it all depends on how one was raised and trained with regards to safety .
Does it affect my shooting with a buddy who carries muzzle down?
Not in the least, been hunting buddies for many years.
Tight Groups,
Rob
 
Trimmer 905 said:
Not too darn many that I've ever seen. It's too easy to pack the muzzle with mud and crud. I'm surprised at people putting tape over the muzzle,too. Anything that restricts or blocks the muzzle can result in barrel rupture and banana peel. Not good!
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Taping the muzzle has no effect on restricting the flight of the bullet or accuracy. We have tested this many times and the tape is well out of the way before the bullet ever comes close to it.
 
Prefer muzzle up .... When traversing rough ground, large rocks, fallen trees, and thick brush, etc, I find muzzle control is easier when pointed up. YMMV
 
BC30cal said:
Boomer;
Good evening to you sir, I'm hoping this finds you doing acceptably well.

I've quoted your response as it's more succinct than mine typically are.

Oh, I'm all of 5'6" with my arms waving in the air and I've still got no issues carrying a 24" rifle muzzle down, weak side while traversing our BC shin tangle covered mountainsides.

Thanks for the response and all the best to you this week.

Dwayne
Click to expand...

Ok this is without a doubt the most polite post ever in any CGN thread.
 
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