Slings - Is it time to look past the classic??

Canuck223

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(Full disclaimer - This posting is prompted in large part by my seeing BBB's new single point sling adapter. Please decide for yourself if I'm pimping for da man.)

OK, I confess. I don't hunt. I've got one uncle who used to, but essentially the men in my family hunted meat at the A&P.:)

As I've never hunted, and didn't go into policing or the military, I've never bothered with slings. When i began to play with the black rifles, I still shot from the bench, so my only sling was attached to the gunbag. Still, being a 325 pound 6 foot 2 inch monster, I felt that the "tactical" slings and gizmo's would make me look like a mall ninja goof.

Well today i got to inspect the single point sling adapter Badboybeeson and his partner have been making. The more i think about it, the more sense it seems to make.

I've always seen the rifle or shotgun sling as the classic set up, over the strong shoulder, muzzle up. However, thinking about it, it seems awkward and potentially dangerous, as well as inconvienient. Since many guys use the 18 inch shotguns for deer season, it would seem that the muzzle is damn close to your head. I don't know if i trust the safety that much.

Looking at the single point harness, it seems like it might be a decent hunting tool. The harness is a simple adjustable loop that goes over your neck and under one arm, like your wife might carry a purse. The sling adapter is a metal plate that fits between the stock and the reciever, with a loop on the body side. When in your hands, the sling is loose enough for free movement. If you need the gun out of the way, you just rotate the beast and the sling so it's behind you. For negotiating bush or climbing a tree stand, I can see a real benefit.

What's your view?
 
Canuck223 said:
What's your view?

Using a sling means you won't be ready to shoot when that 12 point monster buck jumps out in front of you.

I'm not sure I understand how your sling works though... seems like if you hunt alone, it's ok, but if you have someone else with you, might not be the best of plans... you can never really control the direction where your barrel is pointing?

Am I right? maibe I just don't visualise it correctly.


edit: who has one of those "this thread is useless without pics" emoticons? :D
 
...............My sling stays in my pack. I attach it and use it when i am dragging/packing out game. Other than that, the sling is off my rifle or carbine till i need it.
 
I use a dual point 1907 sling. It allows me to hasty or fast sling on my forward arm for quick shots in all positions and to use it as a single point sling for slow, sey up shots.
 
I've got one of those quick-adjusting Super Slings on my 30-06. It seems to do the job just fine :p I find it extremely easy to just zip it out to longer lengths for packing (I pack muzzle-up, unloaded, on safe, with the mag in my pocket), then slide it back to shooting length. I wrapped a piece of white hockey tape around the fixed strap, so I can repeatably slide it back to where it's most comfortable for shooting. I'm not a big guy either, 6'0" and about 165 pounds, so I find that a good sling hold is really necessary for keeping the rifle stable on standing shots and handling recoil a bit :D

That being said, I do like those single point slings, mostly for carrying and keeping the rifle handy for shooting, especially offhand shots in the bush where you don't have time to fiddle around with your sling. I can see it being more useful with a short carbine and iron sights, or a shotgun with a red-dot, or even a lever-action, as opposed to a bolt gun. It's a question of the right tool for the right job, I suppose.

I don't really like the concept of carrying muzzle-down, though. It does seem safer, especially if you're bushwacking with a couple buddies, but I've stubbed my rifle into the dirt a few times when carrying muzzle-down without a sling, so it makes me squeamish :rolleyes: If you have a removable mag, there's no reason not to carry muzzle-up, it's no less safe than carrying muzzle-down. If you have a tube-mag shotgun/lever gun though, or a blind mag, carrying muzzle down with nothing in the pipe would be the safest alternative. But I digress...
 
Here are a few pics I did real quick.

These are in the single point sling style ( these slings will also do 2 and 3 point)

DSCF0004.jpg

DSCF0005.jpg


Here it is used with my Ithica. With the sling plate put on an 870 it will hold the shotgun closer to the body and up a bit higher.
DSCF0007.jpg


This is one with the vest sling attached to my issue vest.
DSCF0008.jpg
 
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Farmboy said:
Mine or his?
His. The guy in the pix from the link has his AR slung like 5 different ways (horizontal waist-height, muzzle down x-sling in the middle of his back, single-point style up at the shoulder, etc).

Edit; I was wrong, I just took a closer look and the sling from the link doesn't allow the rifle to be carried single-point style, like Farmboy's. It looks kinda confusing to use actually, I'm still not 100% sure how the damn thing works :redface:
 
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The sling shown in my picture is the Blue Force Gear SOC-C sling.

It will do 1, 2 and 3 point with the one sling, it has modular adaptors to use with any firearm out there, it is ambidexterious, IR coated and will do everything shown in the link :D

However wearing it and any other sling across your back in an X could be a major PITA if at any point you need to remove it and shoot. :eek:
 
Win94 said:
...............My sling stays in my pack. I attach it and use it when i am dragging/packing out game. Other than that, the sling is off my rifle or carbine till i need it.

I'm with Win94 on this. I don't need or want a sling getting caught on the bush while I'm trying to walk quietly. Nor do I want my rifle anywhere but in my hands. Others may disagree, and that's their perogative.
 
quoted: "However, thinking about it, it seems awkward and potentially dangerous, as well as inconvienient. Since many guys use the 18 inch shotguns for deer season, it would seem that the muzzle is damn close to your head. I don't know if i trust the safety that much."





If you are worried about the safety malfunctioning and blowing your head off, when carried with a sling over the shoulder DON'T HAVE A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER!!!!

they drilled this into us at hunters training...
 
Farmboy said:
...However wearing it and any other sling across your back in an X could be a major PITA if at any point you need to remove it and shoot. :eek:
I agree. Practical for scaling a cliff with your rifle; maybe. Practical for hiking in the bush; probably not. I can see myself getting the sling wrapped around my neck and throttling myself trying to set up for a shot quickly :p
 


Do you use your Savage for hunting or just shooting? I need a sling on mine when hunting :p To much work otherwise!! :D But then again I'm one of those yahoos that leaves my bipod on as well.
 
Farmboy said:
Do you use your Savage for hunting or just shooting? I need a sling on mine when hunting :p To much work otherwise!! :D But then again I'm one of those yahoos that leaves my bipod on as well.

I haven't shot anything with the Savage...yet. I'm not Win94 with 32" biceps so the Savage lives in the safe in favour of the M70. Damned thing is no NULA!
 
powder burner said:
quoted: "However, thinking about it, it seems awkward and potentially dangerous, as well as inconvienient. Since many guys use the 18 inch shotguns for deer season, it would seem that the muzzle is damn close to your head. I don't know if i trust the safety that much."





If you are worried about the safety malfunctioning and blowing your head off, when carried with a sling over the shoulder DON'T HAVE A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER!!!!

they drilled this into us at hunters training...

Ok you have a point
but!
Most hunters do keep ther gun fully loaded with one in the chamber and safety on.
Any hunter that says that they have there gun in there hands and ready to shoot, while walking in the bush for 3hrs without puting it over ther shoulder it just plain full of it.
What i would say is with a single point sling you do have it as the ready but If you do plan to do plan to do anything like climb a fence or tree you get to keep the gun with you without worrying about puting if down or it falling off you shoulder as you need both hands.
If your in a boat or 4wheeler around the farm, the gun is right there on you lap in front of you, no matter what happens your gun is not going anywhere.
Farmboys SOC sling can do just about anything as he said 1 ,2 or 3 point sling.
As for anyone using there sling to wrap around the wrist as a brace while hunting, 99% of hunters i see do this quick end up with there gun canted hard to one side as they put more grip on the gun.
bbb
 
As for anyone using there sling to wrap around the wrist as a brace while hunting, 99% of hunters i see do this quick end up with there gun canted hard to one side as they put more grip on the gun.

I kind of agree with you Beeson... What you are describing above is called the "hasty sling" position and is used to steady a rifle for an off-hand shot. Unfortunately most guys do not use the proper sling or do not know how to adjust it to use it as a hasty sling so when they crank their forearm around the strap they end up in an awkward position.
I have tried every sling on the market over 30 years of hunting and I can tell you that for off hand shooting there are two slings that work well.

Murray makes a sling called a Quick Set... It is a very good sling and adjusts faster than any sling made for carrying or off hand "hasty sling" shooting.
http://www.murraycustomleather.com/sling1.htm

Galco makes the best off hand shooting sling I have ever used and it is the Safari Ching Sling... http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_1_50/ai_110470548

I really don't know what to think of your set up or how it would work in the field for hunting... but I would sure like to try one...;)
You can send my test sling immediately...:)
 
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