Using sling to stabilize modern rifle?

[as_rocketman]

Glad that explanation made sense. Of course this is the kind of thing that you can test yourself if you're curious. Or, you can come to an Appleseed and ask us.

I'm not sure why the AR-15 attracts rumors like this while others don't (for instance, my BAR hunting rifle, which similarly has a sport contour barrel and the sling swivel fitted into its gas block). My guess is that it's because of the popularity, the number of new shooters who are interested in them, and the wealth of gadgets available for it which are purported to fix problems that may or may not exist...

The AR-15 is a fantastic design. But it is neither handed down from on high by the titans, nor secretly cursed with serious flaws. What it has in common with other rifles greatly exceeds its differences.

[Eljay]

A couple of thoughts.

With any gun if you're going to shoot it with a sling you should zero it with a sling in the most stable position you'll be using (prone normally) and make some effort to always sling up with about the same tension once you find something you like.

It's not a bad thing to play with the sling tension with any gun. I usually like it pretty tight and with a free float AR I can score in the 230s at 25m and have a high of 47/50 at distance using the "hits count" method (they're either in the black or not - our targets only had centers, not the full 3 zone.) so it doesn't seem to be hurting me too much. With my more old school AR it seems like going a little easy on the sling tension is more of a sweet spot. People might have different experiences and you should definitely see what works for you instead of listening to Internet gurus to excess.

Seated and standing your groups are going to open up enough any effects from sling tension are neither here nor there no matter what you do. With fast prone it seems like if the sling is tighter maybe it gives you a little more margin of error if your trigger control is a bit off, but it's definitely not critical.

[as_rocketman]

Correct. Plus pros shoot sighters. That takes care of a lot of day-to-day variation -- the range isn't quite the distance advertised, light levels mess up the target, wind, issued ammo versus practice load, how the body is doing that particular day, and wrapped up in all of that somewhere is today's sling tension.

When you're really used to the program, however, I'll argue the correct sling tension is the one that puts you in the Rifleman's Bubble.

I like it tight. Not cut-off-all-circulation tight, but just about. Calms me down.

[Eljay]

Agreed. For that matter some powders are pretty temperature sensitive - nothing like zeroing on a warm afternoon and then doing a match in the early morning up in the hills and finding your velocity is lower than expected. Another case of trust but verify I suppose.

One little thing I like about Appleseed is the consistency of the range commands. By the time they get to "fire" I'm pretty much in the zone even if I wasn't focused before. Almost as good as "Are you ready? Stand by... BEEP!".

But any little rituals that'll get you there help and there's something comforting about that sling tension and even the awkwardness of the strain from having that elbow right under the gun and having that leg pulled up until it's just a little annoying. That little discomfort from a really good prone position is actually kind of reassuring. If my flexibility improved I'd be screwed. ;-)

[as_rocketman]

That little discomfort from a really good prone position is actually kind of reassuring. If my flexibility improved I'd be screwed. ;-)

That's an interesting comment, but probably not.

For example, I've always shot the "high kneeling" position, always always. (As Instructors you have to be able to do ALL the seated positions, not just the best one which for me is cross-legged, so I practice them all). This means support shin is vertical, trigger foot has bent toes on the ground and my heel under my rump.

Except starting in August, after years of practice and stretching, I discovered that the "low kneeling" position was more stable. This means trigger foot turned inside, sitting on the ankle, while the support foot comes in closer to maintain weight balance.

It didn't throw me at all. My targets from that kneeling position are the best ever by a wide margin (about 5 MOA). That's how I do it now.

There are little annoyances that help me focus, like being showered with brass -- sounds weird, but it's true! -- however, the more fidgets that get out of the position, I think the deeper into the bubble you'll get. So don't fear.

[Eljay]

There are little annoyances that help me focus, like being showered with brass -- sounds weird, but it's true

Yeah, that's weird.