Hello all, I recently bought a copy of Jack O'Connor's book of rifles and shotguns in my pursuit of becoming a better rifle shot from field positions and am intrigued by his views of the available rifle slings. Now from what I understand, this is pretty much a strictly American thing, as I have never seen anybody use a shooting sling (or even a hasty sling) to support a shooting position around here. Personally I picked up a Rhodesian sling a few months ago and am now wondering how the old instructions on shooting with a sling apply to it, as it's lacking any of the fasteners and just relies on a loop. Sadly it slides off the shoulder quite easily.

I'd like to know what kind of slings you all on the fire have on your rifles. It seems O'Connor was a big proponent of the "Whelen-type" sling, but I have never seen one in the wild.

If it won't stay on your shoulder,
And it offers no shooting support,
what good is it?

I like the neoprene ones, they stick pretty well.
As I have gotten older (thicker?) Slings sliding have
become more of an issue.

My rifles have the 1" wide Nylon Uncle Mike's camo or black slings sewn on for no buckle rattle. Mine are long enough to go over my head and right shoulder for when I climb trees. I missed getting a shot at a big buck once because my rifle was slung over my shoulder and from that day on I said to myself that if I was too tired to carry my rifle in my hand, I was too tired to be out hunting. I'll only sling when I don't plan on using the rifle. My buddy dropped his 6.5x55 out of a tree that he was climbing into when the sling pulled through a buckle. My shots here have been so close that wrapping into a sling for stability has never been necessary.

Several years ago I made a couple of Whelen slings and they work well enough but, I like the Latigo sling better. I bought a couple of Montana slings which are an easier adjustable Whelen sling but, I don't know how long the knot will perform it's job. All in all I prefer the Latigo with the 1907 military sling a second choice only because it weighs slightly more.

you need a frankenstud Sling keeper

I like the Montana Sling and have a couple. They have worked well and no complaints.

I also like the leather sling with slide from Murray Leather.

https://www.murraycustomleather.com/slings.htm

Hi, I also like the Montana sling, I used it this past elk season in prone position. I like that I was able to adjust the length in position. The hide side of the leather sticks to the shoulder much better than nylon and the knot does not slip when carrying it.

The Montana sling would be tough to beat, there are some equal to it, but none are better.

WHY would you climb a tree with a rifle?? Get a hoist. Climbing is hazardous enough with out worrying about a rifle getting in your way

Uncle Mike’s/Butler Creek Mountain Slings here.

The Whelen sling was designed to be a shooting sling, not just a carry strap. The shooting loop is held in place with leather laces rather than brass frogs. I have a Hunter brand sling and have to put some extra holes in it to get a good fit, but it seems solid.

https://sportingroad.com/2018/10/04/jack-oconnors-whelen-rifle-sling/

405wcf

I l9ike the Montana sling but the knot does, eventually start to slip. I ended up removing the knot and lacing the sling at the appropriate length. I like the old military slings but the Montana, as I have it, is a very good sling. GD

Another vote here for the Montana sling. I have two and they’re about all I use for hunting rifles other than a couple of 3/4” .22 lr slings.

I use The Claw sling on all of my hunting rifles, resists water, stays on your shoulder and is pliable enough for triangle support shooting.

2nd that, especially when on a multi-day backpack hunt. with a Ruger M 77 rifle. Otherwise, I have the Brownell Latigo slings.

I use only boonie packer/ safari slings.

I use Uncle Mike's Mt Sling for standard swivels. I prefer Pat's 1" Montana Sling (https://www.montanagunslings.com/) by a long shot for look and feel, but I get rained on as much as I don't and the nylon....well, it's just nylon.

I use The Wilderness Basic Carry Sling with GrovTec QD push button swivels on stocks with left side flush cups.


Sling swivels and scope base/ring screws are two of the rusting'est things I've ever found. I think they come packed in salt......

Yep, this is the answer.

I use an SKS sling with QD swivels.


Stays in my vest till its time to drag/pack out.

But I'm an eastern woods hunter and spend the majority of my time sneaking around. A rifle on my shoulder will do nothing but cost me opportunities. A rifle in my hands is ready to do its job.

I use a Whelen sling too. I have both a 1" and a 1.25" from back in the day, which are beautifully broken in, and recently bought a current production Hunter brand version just to have a "backup." The leather on the new one is, IMO, too thick compared to the older ones.

BTW, good article and resources that you linked, but ironically, the sling on the nice Sako at the beginning of the story is on backwards. Compare it to the pics of JOC using his in the actual article, and the Hunter assembly instructions below the article (where the muzzle is to the right for all three diagrams).

Cheers,
Rex

Based on my experience and travels, using a shooting sling is a dying art/skill these days. Can't really say why. Maybe it's the popularity of bipods, daypacks and other various forms of improvised rests. Nevertheless, a hunting rifle with a shooting sling can be very effective in the field when the shooter knows how to use it.

My hands down favorite on a hunting rifle is the Brownell's Latigo. It's quick and easy to set up (that is: to change from a carry strap to a shooting sling - the Brownell's lit even calls it "quick set") in the field. Likewise, when you're finished shooting it's easy to reposition the front "loop" back to a carry sling. In use, it's similar to the hasty sling in that you wrap your support forearm around the sling for tension, but where the hasty sling is under tension its entire length a properly set up Latigo is taught only in the front loop (attached to the front swivel stud). Keeping the butt stock free from tension helps make shot set-up a little easier than a hasty sling, and more importantly isolates the support tension to the forearm only which eliminates the possibility of pulling the shot because of butt stock movement due to the sling.

These days I often hunt with a bipod attached to my bolt rifle, but I always have a Latigo sling attached just in case the need arrises. You never know when it might come in handy. I often ask guides and fellow shooters/hunters if they have ever seen or used a Latigo. I can't remember even one person knowing what it was, let alone how to use it - including some very accomplished shooting instructors.

I carry a cheap black nylon sling in my coat pocket for drag outs. I stillhunt and don't sit in tree stands. While hunting, I carry in the crook of my left arm or in my hand at either side.

When out west, I shoot off my pack whenever possible, but have stix for a standing shot that I've only had to use once.

I started using the “ultimate rifle sling” a few years ago.
It doesn’t slip and is comfortable. It’s about 1in wide and can be used as a shooting sling.
I tried it because I was tired of dealing with slings sliding around on my shoulder. So far it has worked as advertised.
https://www.ultimategunsling.com/

I also use the Latigo Sling as a go to, with the 1907 Military sling on other rifles.

I have been looking at that Ultimate Gun Sling with interest and am thinking I would like that material in a Latigo Sling format. Pretty sure that would be perfect.

I have Montana slings on my stutzen stocked Mannlicher and Interarms Mauser carbines since the swivels aren't QD. I use Butler Creek mountain slings on my other rifles because while hunting I remove the slings.

Same thing here, except I use M1 Garand web slings. I haven't bought one lately, but I used to get them for $8.

I have all kinds, doesn’t really matter to me.

I have all kinds, doesn’t really matter to me.

1-1/4" G.I. Cotton web w/ QD swivels - all.






GR

I like the Latigo.

See the instructions at: https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/learn/Inst-116%20Latigo%20Sling.pdf


Okie John

Same here

I bought one of these to try out for awhile... then I bought three more.
Mine are all an inch and one quarter wide.

I like the Montana sling. If one gets too loose I'll replace it. Many put them on the rifle with the loop end attached to the forearm. I put the loop end on tbe buttstock, and hook my left arm in the loop. Have it marked so I can adjust it quickly. It steadies the aim quite a bit, with the pressure on the buttstock so it doesn't affect POI.

These instructions describe using the Latigo as a hasty sling and don't describe the "proper" way to use it as a shooting sling. Maybe this is why they're not more popular? Or maybe I've been using it wrong all these years? It's possible, but I don't think so. Anyways, here's how I use it:

- To make the shooting loop, pull the outside front strap all the way down, and keep the "keeper" up towards the front swivel.
- Insert your support arm (left for righties, and right for lefties) into and through the loop (that its the outside front strap and the inside front strap)
- Bring the bottom of the loop snug up towards your armpit
- Pull the keeper down to cinch the loop tight around your support arm
- Wrap you support around the upper portion of the loop like you would a hasty sling
- Note: the connection of the strap from the loop to the butt-stock should be loose
- aim and fire
- when finished shooting, unwrap from the sling, pull the inside front strap to shorten it to the carry strap configuration

I must have had some one teach me this years ago because there's no way I'd figure this out from he supplied instructions. Unless of course I've missed something, which is very possible.

A hand full of years ago , before I found Safari slings ,I made my own like it out of paracord. I ended up buying one. It gets used every time I hunt--- It allows different positions for carry with both hands free. Muzzle is either up, to the front, or straight down. Blink of an eye and both hands on the rifle or shotgun ,shouldered and ready to fire. If you walk a lot it's a must in my book.

I don’t use slings on rifles, they don’t work for me.

I purchased a Rhodesian shooting sling from Andy's Langlois Leather and like it a lot. It's an 1 1/2 wide and set to my upper physic using the buckle and belt hole on the sling. I used to use a shooting sling made by Hunter which was the U.S Army loop and brass keeper style.

Once practiced, the Rhodesian sling is very fast to get into - a lot faster than the Hunter sling and locks up solid for ME, putting lots of pressure between the rifle forend and elbow. It's good when standing and really great when sitting, kneeling or going prone because of the solid connection to the ground.

Since I use the Uncle Mike's stud and swivel setup on all my rifles including my 22 - I just swap the sling from rifle to rifle.

Once the sling is set up, it's just a matter of lifting the sling off the shoulder - sliding the rifle forward and at the same time shoving your hand and arm as far into the forward loop as you can - twisting your wrist slightly around the sling - grasping the forend and you're in business.

It shoulders well and doesn't seem to slip off.

I'm not sure what kind of Rhodesian sling the OP has but my experiences with this style have been the opposite to his.

Previous posters are right that the shooting sling is a dying art as most hunters I encounter seem to prefer bipods, sticks or shooting off their backpack. I learned my technique at Gunsite - To each his own I guess.

I guess I'm the only guy left standing who relies on, and likes, the old gov't M1907 slings - a couple vintage ones in beautiful condition and a couple "modern" MRT versions.

I have a couple of those. I tend only to use them for Service Rifle match.

I learned the value of a shooting sling 40 or so years ago, when I was shooting a lot of ISU Smallbore and some Fullbore (here that means shooting from prone, with sling, at distances out to 1000 yards with a rifle in 7.62 NATO with peep sight). For these the single-point sling reigns supreme, and enables you to shoot 1 MOA consistently from prone without a rest with the right rifle.

I have also done a good bit of Service Rifle, including when I was in the service. Some of that was with a webbing sling used "hasty" style. Some by making the webbing sling into a single point loop (ie only attached at the forward swivel), which works much better for accurate shooting, and a good deal of it with a M1907 type sling adjusted properly for the purpose.

For hunting, I made myself a Whelen sling out of harness leather many years ago, and used it a fair bit, especially for varminting. As I got older I came to the view that in the places I go I'll usually have ready access to a rest, such as a tree, stump, rock etc, or I'll have my pack, so more often than not I simply have a carry strap on the rifle. Lighter and simpler than a shooting sling.I might very rarely use it as a hasty sling, but not enough to go back to a shooting sling

I only ever use the sling for carrying the rifle if I am not hunting and need my two hands free. This might be for climbing a steep bank, or dragging a dead critter to somewhere where I can dress it. When I'm hunting I always have the rifle in one or both hands, so the sling doesn't get much use. A simple narrow carry strap is all I use - no padding or fancy gee-gaws.

I like Montana slings very much, but I like the Murray Quick Set sling even more.

https://www.murraycustomleather.com/slings.htm