Sling Options?

[deadwooddan]

Wanting to add a sling to my Win. 94AE trapper and was curious what others have used. If you have pictures that would be great!

thanks

[nemhed]

I just put a Montana sling on my 1894 Marlin. I think it is very slick and unique looking. It has no hardware beyond the sling swivels themselves. It is well worth the $32 dollars I paid.
Pictures and description on the company website:

http://www.montanagunslings.com/

[deadwooddan]

what hardware did you use with it? How do you attach a sling to front magazine tube?

[nemhed]

I'm sorry, I guess your original post goes beyond the actual sling. The Montana sling comes with Uncle Mike sling swivels that attach to standard sling studs. It's just made in such a way that it doesn't use any buckles or other hardware for adjustment or to attach to the swivels. All that being said there are other options available for lace-on slings and such that don't need swivels or studs. There are also clamp on type swivel mounts made to go on mag tubes, They just don't look right to me and I would worry about them slipping or damaging the tube. I guess I was just real anxious to tell someone about my Montana sling.

[GonnePhishin]

You have to be real careful about tying rawhide lacing to the rifle barrel or mag tube, because they can pick up moisture over time and rust or pit the metal. (I think someone was selling a levergun on this forum a while back whose metal was corroded for the same reason).

[AJMD429]

Uncle Mike's has two types of magazine-tube sling swivel bases.
One encircles the whole tube, with a thinning out of the top part to clear the barrel.

A couple sizes exist and you can file down the bottom 'split' part that forms the sling attachment point quite a bit to decrease the diameter if need be.

The other type is two "C" shaped pieces with a set-screw arrangement that clamps them over the tube, and maybe five or six diameters are available, with the screws taking most slack and no need for filing.


I've used both, and they do very well. The "C" type do best with some lock-tite or doublesided tape under them. The Marlins and Pumas I've used the "O" type on did have enough room (maybe credit-card thickness at most) between the barrel and magazine tube to work, but a super-tight gun mightn't work). The "C" type also works on over-under "combo" guns like the Savage .410/22 LR breakopens.

Uncle Mike's also has a short threaded 'stud' type that can go into a drilled/tapped forend cap or foend band as long as it is maybe 1/8" thick, and those are even better, but involve 'alteration' of the gun.

For a genuine antique, you could get a spare band to drill & tap, and use it for daily use, holding the untouched original if you need to sell the gun later as 'original'.

Uncle Mike's has regular screw-in buttstock studs as well,

and some other company makes a kind that is a thin band of steel that slips under most buttstock plate/pads and is held in place by the lower buttstock pad screw, with the protruding end serving as a sling attachment point. I made one myself years ago with a folded tape-measure steel, and a spare 'oval' from another sling swivel.

Other companies like 'Shooters Ridge' and 'BlackHawk' make generics that are similar to the Uncle Mike's ones. The hardest part is finding the right diameter ones, as I've yet to see them all listed in one place (even the Uncle Mike's website http://www.uncle-mikes.com/ doesn't list ALL their swivel bases, nor have them by size all listed in one place ), but MidwayUSA has most sizes and they aren't too hard to find once you're used to their 'search' function. Here's the URL for the 'page' I found most helpful: http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseP ... andId=1398

[J Miller]

nemhed,

You can tell me about the Montana Sling. I looked at the site and like what I saw. But I'd really like to see a better pic of point where the one piece slides through the other piece.

My Marlin MR-7 could use a sling like that.

Joe

[O.S.O.K.]

The Montana sling is the only one I buy any more. I've got several and they are great. I prefer the 1" version.

[nemhed]

JMiller, I don't have a better picture and I don't think the company wants to show you a better picture. There is a patent on their sling and when you see the design of the adjustable triple wrap, it's just ingenious. I'll try to post a picture soon!

[MrMurphy]

I run a cobra sling "backwards", the fat part under the stock not up front, because I always carry muzzle down.

[AJMD429]

I run a cobra sling "backwards", the fat part under the stock not up front, because I always carry muzzle down.

Plus, it's easier to wrap the front part of the sling around your forward arm, if you shoot that style.

[J Miller]

nemhed,

I have no intention of trying to duplicate their design, was just curious about it. I appreciate the pic when you can.

I have one of the wider at the top slings on my Marlin. Problem with it is it's not really long enough to wrap around the arm to steady your aim. Kinda useless for anything but carrying really.

Joe

[Malamute]

The picture doesnt show much, but I like to drill the fore end band, using a long machine threaded stud (for bolt actions, same with the nut) and inlet a knurled nut in the wood under it. I've drilled and tapped the band, but you only get about 1 1/2 threads, which looks a bit thin to me. I did it that way for many years, but added the nut on all of them a few years ago. I've heard that the Marlin bands fit Winchesters, and they have a stud on them. I can't confirm that. I set the rear stud about 3" forward of the butt plate. I toss the white spacers they often provide.



I don't really care for the looks of the band around the magazine tube.

[AJMD429]

I don't like the 'magazine band' look as much, either, so I've been doing more of the tapping of the forend bands. I find that if I drill, tap, and degrease, then use either epoxy or hard threadlock, they are in fully as solid as the rear stock screw ones get.