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While perusing Herr Doktor Professor Petzal's tips and observations in "The Total Gun Manual," I find that he is slightly ambivalent on the subject of slings. In one area, he allows slings are useless,(102), in another,(126) he advocates the upside down carry as a means to quickly come up with your rifle in a hasty sling. How many of you serious rifle shooters use a sling, and shoot from same when actually hunting?
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Do I "use" a sling? Yes. As a member in good standing of the "Old Fart Society", I depend on a sling to carry a gun.
Do I "shoot" with a sling as an aid? Heck no! That's what shooting sticks/bags are for! LOL!
Yep! I normally remove a sling once in a stand. Thank you Uncle Mike's QD Sling Swivels! -
I think a sling is a must for carrying, but never use it for shooting. The ones made with rubberized lining are great for keeping the sling from sliding off your shoulder.Comment
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Not me.
Ah gotta Disabled Hunter placard.
This gives me access to gated areas and Ah kin shoot from the road from inside mah van, using the door for a rest.
Or ah kin assign trigger-pulling duties to a passenger, and he kin shoot outta the other window.
Just gotta be careful to not set the headliner afar.Comment
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You bring up a good point. I'm primarily a varminter now, and I use a sling or carrying strap to haul my (light or heavy) artillery to my chosen position. I also carry a daypack full of "stuff". All my varminters are equipped with QD swivels so, once I'm in position, the sling comes off. I do occasionally use the sling when target-shooting, or firing from the kneeling position, but I rely on it primarily to free my hands when hiking to a firing position.
In a situation when an opportunity can develop at any moment, priorities change and I will carry a woods rifle or "walking varminter" in my hands with the sling in a pack or pocket.Comment
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I never used a sling for anything but carrying a gun and only in the "upright" position. I've never been an advocate of fast shooting when hunting. Opens the door for fast accidents or poorly shot animals. I have detachable slings on my shotguns. I'll detach the goose gun sling after I have set up the decoys and rehang it when I walk out at the end of the day. I carry the sling in the game pouch of my uplands vest and attach it at the end of the day when I'm walking out at the end of the day.
If I have the time to use the sling for shooting my rifle, I have the time to get to a solid rest (a tree or sitting position) which provides a much steadier shot.Comment
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I have a sling on my duck gun, my turkey gun and my treestand deer rifle. I don't however have one on my brush gun for deer. I was taught at a young age to use a sling for shooting, but don't seem to find myself doing it very often at all.Comment
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Sling for carry only.
When I started hunting my Winchester '94 had no swivels so I carried a extra length of clothes line. After getting something I would tie the clothesline through the lever, and again around the barrel so I could carry the rifle on my back as I pulled the deer out.Comment
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I have a sling on my duck gun, my turkey gun and my treestand deer rifle. I don't however have one on my brush gun for deer. I was taught at a young age to use a sling for shooting, but don't seem to find myself doing it very often at all.Comment
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I use mine to carry only. I always carry barrel up to avoid a plugged barrel from a slip. I use a tree usually to shoot or the rice paddy squat.Comment
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I depend on a sling as I hike the prairies, hills and mountains. I don't enjoy sitting in a blind nearly as well as roaming the outdoors so the sling is a must. I don't use it for shooting at all. If I am shooting at range, I depend on a solid rest, bipod or shooting sticks as the terrain requires.Comment
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Slings are great tools when used to aid shooting accuracy when you have just a second or two to make a shot. I use them extensively to carry and shoot when hunting dark timber.
I also use them on my practice rifles and .22 rimfire when hunting squirrels. I use identical slings on these rifles and practice quick shots on targets and small game.
Soft rests are always better if you have the time. If you are hunting dark timber, you won't have the time.
As for Petzal, you will find apparent discrepancies in his recommendations if you regularly read his work. Or, he might say he hasn't changed his mind, he is just expanding his explanation.Comment
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It would appear that I am in the minority here. I rarely carry a rifle slung over my shoulder, mostly prefering to carry at a high port position, with the sling wrapped on my right arm. When I lift the weapon, it is already in the "hasty sling" position I was taught many long years ago. I will utilize the sling when shooting offhand, out of an elevated stand, or (rarely) sitting or kneeling.
I shot a cow elk in New Mexico a few years back, one of those "quick happening" situations, and cannot tell you to this day if I aimed through the scope, or used iron sights. I can tell you, without a doubt, that I was firmly wrapped in that sling with my left hand working the bolt when that elk went down.Comment
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I'll typically make sure I shoot a couple of times at the range while utilizing the sling, but there are very few times when I have actually utilized a sling to shoot at a deer. Maybe one time I can specifically recall because I was caught in the open and a tree or moving prone wasn't an option. With proper stand and body position, a sling can be a pretty good tool to stabilize the rifle in a pinch.
I also have the added benefit of typically training with a sling from the military...granted military tactics are waaaay different than deer hunting, but I'm a little more comfortable having a sling on a rifle and shooting with it. Unfortunately, military habits also makes me want to carry a rifle at low ready all the time rather than keeping it slung over my shoulder (muzzle up) which is a lot more comfortable.Comment
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Where do you think I aquired the habit?Comment
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