How many of you don't like slings and why?

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:22 pm

Other than having to put a hole in the stock is there any good reason for not liking a sling on a hunting rifle?

P.S. I know there are slings that you can use that don't put holes in the stock, but many levergunners still don't like them.

HATCHETTJACK · Post by **HATCHETTJACK** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:24 pm

i like em if i am walking alot... but just going to my ground blind and back i take it off

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:36 pm

Rangerider,
Being an old head in the woods, I learned a long time ago that a sling is as important as the ammo. I don't know about "why not" to put on a sling, but this is why I like to.
1.) When your tired, your shoulder can carry the rifle.
2.) When your hurt, your shoulder can carry the rifle.
3.) When your draggin' your deer, your shoulder can carry your rifle.
4.) When you have to take a leak or glass the surrounding terrain, your shoulder or a tree branch can hold your rifle. (especially in snow, mud, etc.)
5.) When your bs'en with your buddies, your shoulder can carry your rifle.
6.) When traversing tough terrain, your shoulder can carry your rifle.
7.) If some jerk screws up your "stand hunting" by making noise etc. you will need both hands free--one to grab your crotch and the other to flip him the bird--so shoulder that 1886!

---------------------------------------Sixgun

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:40 pm

Well said Jack!!!

I hate not having a sling.

jb

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:55 pm

There isn't any time I don't like a sling, except maybe when I shoot from a rest, if the sling interferes with bedding down the front of the gun in the cradle. I can't see any reason NOT to want a sling otherwise, unless you have a poorly designed floppy, noisy, shiny one on a hunting gun. The only gun I wouldn't put swivels and a sling on would be a 'Safe Queen' that I never shot and just liked to look at. As for the 'damage' the sling causes to the gun, there will be far more damage from NOT having a sling, when it falls, gets dropped, or whatever.

Then again, I don't own any 'collector' guns or 'unfired NIB' guns - they were meant to be used, shot, and taken afield, and that means they'll need a sling in my book...

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:58 pm

Sixgun wrote:Rangerider,
Being an old head in the woods, I learned a long time ago that a sling is as important as the ammo. I don't know about "why not" to put on a sling, but this is why I like to.
1.) When your tired, your shoulder can carry the rifle.
2.) When your hurt, your shoulder can carry the rifle.
3.) When your draggin' your deer, your shoulder can carry your rifle.
4.) When you have to take a leak or glass the surrounding terrain, your shoulder or a tree branch can hold your rifle. (especially in snow, mud, etc.)
5.) When your bs'en with your buddies, your shoulder can carry your rifle.
6.) When traversing tough terrain, your shoulder can carry your rifle.
7.) If some jerk screws up your "stand hunting" by making noise etc. you will need both hands free--one to grab your crotch and the other to flip him the bird--so shoulder that 1886! ---------------------------------------Sixgun

I'm which ya brother! I've gotta get someone to silver solder on a sling stud to my '86's front forearm cap and then figure out what kind of attachment I'm going to use for the buttstock that won't allow the quick disconnect to beat up the wood.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:59 pm

rangerider7 wrote:Other than having to put a hole in the stock is there any good reason for not liking a sling on a hunting rifle?

P.S. I know there are slings that you can use that don't put holes in the stock, but many levergunners still don't like them.

I'm one of the do not like 'em kind. I took the sling studs off of my guide gun because I don't want a game warden to call my wife and tell her they found my gun wrapped around my remains in the bear den.

I especially can't stand the thought of having my rifle tied onto myself when I'm packing a deer out past said bear den. In those cases my only problem is that my rifle won't fire both fore and aft.....

Never saw the Duke slinging a gun. If I'm too decrepit to carry my rifle I'm just stuck with my hand gun.

If you absolutely have to tie a gun onto yourself there is plenty of stuff in the kit to work it out. A bit of parachute cord is handy for lowering a rifle down the steep parts.

It's just me I suppose.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:19 pm

I always have a sling with me. That way I can use it or not depending on the situation at hand. Used one once to drag a deer when I'd forgotten my drag rope and used one once with another hunter to tie a splint on his buddies leg who had broken it falling/stumbling off a small rise.

In a pinch, most Model 94s/92s/73s can be slipped into your belt if you don't have a sling. A little harder to do with Model 86s/95s/bigger guns.

CEMENTHEAD · Post by **CEMENTHEAD** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:22 pm

Mark me for not liking them.

I still hunt mostly and slings hang up in the brush, thus making noise.....no good. It still goes with me in my blaze orange vest game pocket in case I need a drag or need to make a splint.

Thanks, Tom

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:23 pm

The only rifles I will tolerate a sling on are scoped bolt guns, and only then to get a better rest by wrapping my fore arm in the sling for a brace. My shoulders slope too much and are too bony to make a sling work for me, it keeps sliding off and is more work than just carrying the rifle. Personal preference and body type.

Ed

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:41 pm

I have spent so much time useing a sling as a firing aid in the Corps that I feel darn right strange when out with a rifle that doesn't have one. I do have a few that dont have slings but the ones I hunt with the most all have one.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:58 pm

I don't use a sling much anymore because my hunting is now mostly done from permanent blinds or stands. I had a sling on everything when we lived in Idaho and most of my hunting consisted of miles of walking, spot and stalk type hunting.

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:00 pm

My first experience with slings was on my M60 and M16 in the Army. It seems like every time you needed your weapon quickly you had to first contend with the sling hanging on something...branch, the equipment on your body, etc. You could tape them to not rattle but the snag factor always drove me away from them....never used them on civilian rifles.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:05 pm

I am with JReed --- i have an extensive military background and sling supported shooting positions are in-grained behavior i suppose

----- I am opposite in that i dont like them mucking up the looks of my bolt rifles, but i think a cool sling (hand tooled leather - all that stuff -- looks right on the lever guns. My favorite was made out of an old western belt with little woven inlays and conchos --- stuff like that soothes my soul

dimrod · Post by **dimrod** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:42 am

None of my firearms wear a sling!

I hunt in Alaska. My rifle is either in a case on the ATV or snowmachine until I take it out to stalk my quarry. When I go sheep hunting, it is attached to my backpack. The sling is just extra weight and something to interfere with the shouldering of the weapon.

Bruce Scott · Post by **Bruce Scott** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:00 am

For me a sling is something I expect to have on a rifle. Probably due to my army background, although they were always removed but on the man when patrolling.

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:18 am

it dose not really worry me if i have a sling or not i do use them to shot quite often on bolt guns
as for deploying your weapon when something nasty is wants you you'd be surprised how fast you can get that dam thing off your
shoulder when you need to (but if im somewhere i think i need it it already in my hand)
but none of my levers were a sling ????

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:18 am

I'm with Sixgun on this one for sure

BwanaDave · Post by **BwanaDave** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:09 am

I like slings but they are ugly on lever guns. Slings help you shoot better and make life easier when hiking. The best sling I have found for a traditional gun is the canvas web and leather sling sold by Trader Keith. Sling studs are a problem but Pacmyer makes some nice flush mount studs.

I have a Stainless Synthetic Sako 75 that I use for western deer hunting and on that rifle I just purchased some black webbing and a coulpe of fittings for the sling, I think it costs about three bucks at Home Depot and that sling is as good as any sling sold made of synthetic materials.

Dave

tman · Post by **tman** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:35 am

i shoot better using a sling as support. i learned to shoot that way. big difference in hitting the target ,for me, anyway.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:22 am

[I've gotta get someone to silver solder on a sling stud to my '86's front forearm cap and then figure out what kind of attachment I'm going to use for the buttstock that won't allow the quick disconnect to beat up the wood.]

Kim - Last year, IIRC, a fellow levergunner posted an idea that may work for you.

He used a second, replacment buttplate (I think it was) and a leather strap about 3" long as a rear sling swivel receiver.
The extra BP got inletted for the 1"-wide strap, which was secured by the lower BP screw and ran straight down to hang about 1" below the toe of the stock. That's where the rear sling swivel hooked up.

That said, I don't use a shooting sling, just a carrying strap - which spends most of it's life looking at the insides of my haversack or pocket.

.

flb · Post by **flb** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:26 am

If you don't like slings you've never spent much time in the Rockies climbing up and down boulders as big as jeeps to get where you are going. Depends on the terrain I suppose but here you gotta hava a sling.

shdwlkr · Post by **shdwlkr** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:20 pm

I don't like slings that have to have the studs drilled into the stock on my lever guns but my bolt actions all have slings. I used one a lot in the military also but they do get hung up on things like twigs, roots, limbs and anything that can make it hard for you to shoulder your firearm.
I have hunted so much with a muzzle loader that doesn't have a sling that other then being able to hang it off my shoulder when tired I don't know of a good use for one. If I ever put one on one of my levers or muzzle loaders it will be the kind that you lace up on the butt and tie to the barrel.
If I am where I need it in my hands unless you tape it up out of the way it will catch on everything and swinging on the stud can make a really disturbing squeaking sound which is not good if you don't want to be heard.
Guess then I would use one if I needed but would rather not kind of guy.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:09 pm

I like Sling-supported-offhand if I get the chance... long-time Target-rifle/Military training I suppose.

That said, I like a good combat-port("tactical")/saddle-ring-sling for GP/carry... I HATE a sling that wants to turn a rifle upside-down, and I HATE uver-the-shoulder sling carry. Impossible with a loaded ruck and a tactical nightmare in a pinch...

DBW · Post by **DBW** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:45 pm

C. Cash wrote:My first experience with slings was on my M60 and M16 in the Army. It seems like every time you needed your weapon quickly you had to first contend with the sling hanging on something...branch, the equipment on your body, etc. You could tape them to not rattle but the snag factor always drove me away from them....never used them on civilian rifles.

Same here when I did four in the Air Force as a SP. As a 155# M60 gunner that sling was a welcome addition whenever playing somewhere on a exercise. In my day to day job of walking around E3 AWACs at Tinker AFB the sling on my M16 was welcome also since I stood most of the time at some entry gate or post.

As for my leverguns, I prefer no sling. Just seems natural for them to go naked.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:58 pm

This is a useful sling:

This is a useful sling:
(please pardon the ugly coot that should still be posting here...)

IMO, muzzle-up, behind the shoulder, is NOT a useful sling arangement...

FWIW, as a 130# M60 gunner, I appreciated the tactical, front-of-body sling on it. Made that pig ballance my ruck right nicely. Carrying the pig I was able to ad 25# of extra stuff (usually pyrotechnics) to my ALICE.

pharmseller · Post by **pharmseller** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:30 pm

I like slings but I don't hunt with the sling attached. I carry a cheapie in my backpack. I put the sling on if I need both hands to drag a deer or such like. Several times (but not nearly enough) I have hung my rifle from the antler of a big ol' bull riding my back on the packout to camp.

No way to do that without a sling.

P

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:40 pm

Slings are cool and useful.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:14 am

don't like it but gotta have it. Mine is too thick to be a good shooting aid, which is why I don't like it. Also it has a buckle on it that always seems to rattle on something. Maybe it's time to go shopping.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:33 am

This is a useful sling:

I'm not sure. Looks good for walking around the lawn after it's mowed. But it looks like it's in the mud if you bend over. What say you?

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:24 am

He carries it lower in that picture than I do, and I usually put the gun in front of my body 3-point style with the Saddle ring right at or a little higher than belt level. All I need is enough slack to shoulder the gun.

I also usually have the crown taped when I'm out and about just because of the potential mud issue.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:44 am

I also usually have the crown taped when I'm out and about just because of the potential mud issue.

I use tape also. That's a good call.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:23 am

OI - You are right. Junior should still be posting here but after the remark that someone made to him that his grandaughter should have been aborted because Junior believed in abortion, I don't blame him for not coming here anymore.

That is a useful sling that Junior makes. You ought to check out his web site/blog. Very useful and good, entertaining info on it. You can get to it throug this link:

http://www.castbullet.com/srsling.htm

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:34 am

Modoc ED wrote:OI - You are right. Junior should still be posting here but after the remark that someone made to him that his grandaughter should have been aborted because Junior believed in abortion, I don't blame him for not coming here anymore....

Is that why he pulled out? I never knew...

stew71 · Post by **stew71** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:16 pm

I've been using a sling to shoot competition for the last 15 years so I feel naked without one on my hunting rifles. About the only time I wouldn't use one is to take that short range snap shot or that long range prone pack-supported shot. I hike and pack into many of my hunting areas very early in the AM, so I like to have the rifle slung over my shoulder during the march. I do remove it, however, once I reach my stand.

morgan in nm · Post by **morgan in nm** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:45 pm

I don't like a sling on my leverguns just because I don't personally like to see the wood messed with but if a hunting rifle has swivels, I'll use em. Sometimes, depending on the hunt, I carry a saddle scabbard with a sling fashioned to it.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:57 pm

Old Ironsights wrote:
Modoc ED wrote:OI - You are right. Junior should still be posting here but after the remark that someone made to him that his grandaughter should have been aborted because Junior believed in abortion, I don't blame him for not coming here anymore....
Is that why he pulled out? I never knew...

That had a hell of a lot to do with it. I don't have that post bookmarked but Junior does. One of the worst slams on a guy that I've ever read on the internet.

1894 · Post by **1894** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:35 am

I always have a sling when I'm hunting . It holds that Justin Case extra coat around my waist. If I need to use it it's there.
Also a big fan of JRs saddle ring sling , since I always one or two hand carry my rifle anyways I don't have to lean the rifle against a tree to grab a snack , check map and compass , take a leak , ect ect it's that third hand when you need it.

Miss Juniors posts as well.

Post by **Old Savage** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:49 am

I think that in Junior's case it was semi constantly having to defend being a democrat. If you get someone who's grand daughter was aborted and did not want that and had no control over the event and someone says they support it ---- you are likely to get that sort of response -- and which would have suffered the greater loss/insult/travesty?

Junior the gun guy and Junior politically always seemed incompatible and was always going to raise someone's ire in a discussion given the stance of most gun/second amendment supporters and their common religious affiliations.

Anyone who espouses support for the political side which is most incompatible with gun/2nd/religious positions which often go together is going to experience regular opposition if not outright attack from a variety of changing people depending on what the discussion revolves around.

Just my observation of how these boards go.

BTW, it works the same on some golf boards if you aren't a Tiger worshiper.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:14 am

Yep, you are right Fred about Juniors opposing political beliefs and his apparent gun rights beliefs. Made for many heated threads/posts but we all went into it with eyes-wide-open. You made some good points that I think are valid. Maybe it was the personal, family, slights that closed the final curtain but only Junior knows why he left -- apparently for good.

Post by **Old Savage** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:29 am

You may very well be right.

I had a short interchange with him on another board on the source of antigun legislation. In my view he still wants to turn a blind eye to what I see as the obvious truth politically.

In the time I have been on this board there have been a few guys that tried to swim against the tide and that seems not to work for them for long.

Again, my observation of how things go.

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:43 am

My take on a rifle sling??

I love em. I also love scopes. But if we are talking lever guns, "love" becomes too strong of a word. I realize both are useful and improve the performance of any gun. But short, light, fast handling guns that are well balanced and a joy to carry are ill effected by both. My Win. Trapper (now gone) had a receiver sight and no sling. Carrying the gun was a joy and almost an extension of my arm. I never once thought about putting a sling on it. My current 94AE has a scope. It doesn't feel like an extension of my hand and doesn't seem anymore balanced or easier to carry than my bolt guns. Just doesn't feel right. But for the shooting and hunting I want to do the scope is a great aid so there it sits atop the gun. But I can't imagine it not having a sling on it. I already ruined it's feel with the scope and the sling now seems like a requirement.

If I want to keep a gun short, light and handy I don't want things adding bulk and hanging off of it. If I want to hit smaller targets and more of a "carried lots, shot little" hunting rig, a scope and sling are great aids.

Just to be clear though, all my long guns have slings, even my bird gun. But all my slings are either 1" leather or 1" nylon. Never cared much for other sling designs or wider ones.

LK

Post by **Old Savage** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:53 am

There was another fellow here who had a trapper in 45 so decked out and he traveled on quad with it for deer. Interesting outfit and he was quite successful with it.

Travis Morgan · Post by **Travis Morgan** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:54 pm

The only sling I like on a levergun is a CQB type, attached to the saddle ring. It holds your gun where you need it, keeps it in a "ready position", and you don't have to "ugly up" a perfectly nice gun!