Slings please

[Dennis]

I'd like to get a couple of slings for my AR's. I've never used a sling. I have no idea what to look for or how to use them. What should I look for and what should I stay away from? I'd like something that would work for both my wife and I. So good adjustability is important. Everyone seems to have there own preference. Is this similar to holsters in that I'm gonna need another drawer for the ones that don't work so well?

I'd also like to take some classes on using them correctly. Yet, I've never seen a class offered that focuses on sling work. (Sac. Area) That said, I'm not a regular on here. Checking in only occasionally. I've never actively sought one out until recently.

Besides the military, where do you learn to properly use a sling? What to get?

[smoothy8500]

Yet, I've never seen a class offered that focuses on sling work. (Sac. Area)

Besides the military, where do you learn to properly use a sling? What to get?

Appleseed events teach basic marksmanship and use of the sling. They occasionally have events at SAC Valley

https://www.appleseedinfo.org/search-states-location.php?locationid=110

[tomk556]

Start with a simple GI Web sling. If nothing else that will give you the ability to carry the carbines and if you learn it, some basic support.

Fwiw, after about 15 years I’ve settled on an MS3 sling, a single point sling adapter plate, a CTR stock with a QD mount, and a BCM mount with a QD in the front. That gives me a lot of options.

In the least, for any carbine you buy, throw at least the ten dollar web sling on it.

[xblax619]

Appleseed events teach basic marksmanship and use of the sling. They occasionally have events at SAC Valley
https://www.appleseedinfo.org/search...locationid=110

i second this. if i had gone to one of this a long time ago i probably wouldn’t have spent so much on “tactical” slings and stuck with a basic gi sling for most, if not all, my long guns.

[IVC]

Let's start from the beginning and look into purpose and types of slings, then how to use them.

Modern slings serve two significantly different purposes. One is carrying the rifle, in the same way that holster is used for carrying a handgun. You can think of a sling as "rifle holster." If you have multiple weapons, the rifle is on a sling when you don't use it, while you use your handgun, and after you're done using the rifle. On a cold range, it will be carried with a flag in the chamber and bolt down. On a hot range, or during a course of fire, it will be carried with a round chambered and safety on, much like hot pistol in the holster.

The second use for sling is as a shooting aid. This is more of an old school use, but it's a legitimate use. When using sling to shoot, you wrap it in a specific way around your support arm so that the sling pushes the rifle into your shoulder, giving you extra stability. It's good to know this technique, but you will rarely use it - it's much faster to go prone or use a support structure to get better stability for harder shots.

As for the types, the primary difference is in the number of attachment points. You have single-point slings, the standard two-point slings and the somewhat obsolete three-point slings. The three point slings are generally not used anymore, so I would skip them. But between single and two point slings, there is quite a bit of debate.

Single point slings give you the most freedom and are very convenient for home defense or competition. They have two very specific negatives. The biggest one is that they don't hold rifle next to you if you run or are in a very active environment, so the rifle will bounce around. Also, if you "abandon" the rifle to a sling by putting it on safe and dropping it, it will hit you between the legs. The other negative is that you cannot use them as a shooting aid, at least not nearly as much as you could a two point sling. They could still help if you really wanted to use them this way, it's just not something you'd normally do.

Two point slings are practically the standard, they can be used for carrying and as a shooting aid, the rifle is secure over your chest or back when not in use, a quick rotation brings the rifle into shooting position on your shoulder. One negative for me is that moving a two point slinged rifle around your body snags and hits all the gear you have on your belt, and since my belts are set up mostly for pistol competition, this means hitting the magazines and often pulling them out of the pouches.

Finally, you have materials and attachment methods. You can go with leather, the same way you would with leather holsters - for nostalgia reasons. Otherwise stick to synthetic materials. For attachment, QD rules and there is little reason to play with various clips and proprietary releases. They all end up in the way or make your experimenting more difficult. QD slings will attach in various configurations so that you can find what works.

As a recommendation, here's what I'd look into. Viking Tactics standard two point sling or something similar, with or without padding. But make sure you get QD swivel attachments and a "2 to 1" buckle that allows you to QD sling to itself, so you can convert your two point to single point on demand. Don't get hunting style quick releases designed for studs in wooden stocks, that's not for ARs. (Note that I'm just giving you one manufacturer from the top of my head, there are many high quality brands out there, but they will all be similar.)

[mk2dave]

Sling configurations all generally have different pros and cons, so none are perfect. I know it doesn't look high speed, but the traditional two point GI sling is surprising useful. One point sling I generally see being used by CQB types kicking down doors. Three point slings are nice when you have to have the rifle with you, but you have to do something besides hold the rifle.

You might be able to find useful info on utube?

If the sling is for shooting, I am not a fan of elastic sections of the sling. This seems to be popular in the less expensive options. But if you solely intend to use the sling for carrying, I imagine the elastic is more comfortable.

[200Apples]

I put an adjustable Magpul sling on my AR. I rather like it. It's easy to change the sling's length when already over my shoulder, and from low and loose to high n tight. I used Magpul sling swivels and a mount for the MOE forend (if that's how it's known/said/pronounced - I'm not a tacticool dude).

I use an Andy's Leather Rhodesian sling on my .308 scout rifle, another on my CZ 527 Carbine and I even bought a third one for a short-barreled 870.

[jarhead714]

AmmoGarand.com. $24.99 for a USA made GI web sling. I got a couple, they are excellent. The primary use of the sling is NOT to carry the rifle. It’s primary use is to immensely improve your chances of scoring a hit by dramatically decreasing the movement of the rifle when aiming down the sights.

[madland]

A padded sling might be more comfortable for your wife, so there's that to consider as well.

I have a T-Rex Arms sling, a Magpul (can't remember which version) and a BFG Vickers sling. I like them all. Haven't used any of them in awhile so I can't say which one I like best. They all have their pros/cons.

https://www.strikeindustries.com/si-qdsl.html

For sling qd mounts I use these. The standard ones. I prefer them over the standard round ones that to me seem like they could get pressed by accident resulting in the sling coming off the long gun and it falling onto the carpet. Lol

[Mayor McRifle]

For a wood stock, olive drab is the way to go. But for an AR, you gotta go with black . . .

One: https://www.amazon.com/AmmoGarand-Ga...s%2C156&sr=8-4

Two-Pack: https://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-AmmoGa...s%2C156&sr=8-5

[Scratch705]

I bought the blue force gear vickers sling when they had sale.

I believe i got more slings than rifles to put them on. My only issue is getting the different attachment equipment to fit different styles of rifles or for use with QD

[L84CABO]

The question you need to decide before you buy is do you want a single point sling or a two point sling?

There are pros and cons to each but because you've never used a sling before, you will have no freaking idea which one you prefer.

FORTUNATELY, you do not have to choose anymore. There are several great MFG's on the market that offer convertible slings where you can easily switch them on the fly from single point to two point.

My advice is to get one of these because it's great to have the option depending on what your need is at any given time. And honestly, I don't know why anyone would ever go with a sling that can't convert. The only possible downside to a convertible sling is that they may be slightly more expensive due to a little extra hardware. But this is negligible when you consider the sling should last for years.

Here are two options...

Option 1: Savy Sniper Quad with dual QD's. This is a great sling and very high quality. Note that the sling normally comes with a bungee section...which is also purely personal preference. But you can order it without the bungee too.

https://savvysniper.com/slings

Option 2: Good old Magpul...either the MS4? Dual QD Sling GEN2, or their MS4? QDM Sling which has their proprietary QD mounts. It's Magpul so you know the quality is solid.

https://magpul.com/firearm-accessories/slings/slings.html

[JohnnyMtn]

I am a huge proponent of slings on rifles mainly for the purpose of marksmanship. Using a hasty sling just becomes second nature once you adopt that method. And once you start using that you just use that method every time you pick up the rifles

As far as what slings you use, OP, if you?re just starting to use slings then get a GI web sling. And get yourself to an Appleseed. There you will learn everything you would need to learn. And for an amazing price.

For some other slings, I have a Vikings Tactics on one rifle and Vickers slings on two others. And then I have web slings on 5 other rifles. The Vickers padded is my favorite.

Oh, did I mention Appleseed? Get yourself to one of their weekend shoots.

[IVC]

Using a hasty sling just becomes second nature once you adopt that method. And once you start using that you just use that method every time you pick up the rifles

The problem is that "hasty sling method" locks up your support arm and you cannot use it effectively to reload. In modern technique and competition, reloads are required and performed on the clock. The benefit in accuracy comes at a great expense in time and the gain in precision isn't sufficient to make a difference on combat style targets.

[Mayor McRifle]

The problem is that "hasty sling method" locks up your support arm and you cannot use it effectively to reload.

Get thee to an Appleseed!