Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1497523
IF YOU HAVE A LONG GUN, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE SOMETHING TO CARRY IT. SOMETIMES THIS COMES IN HANDY WHEN YOU ARE NOT USING A RIFLE AND YOU NEED TO KEEP IT WITH YOU OR NEED TO CHANGE FROM YOUR PRIMARY TO SECONDARY. OF COURSE, YOU CAN DO IT RED ARMY STYLE AND USE A CORD BUT I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND CHOOSING THE OTHER ROUTE AND LOOKING FOR A WELL-MADE SLING… T he problem with the slings is… variety. There are a who- le lot of them on the mar- ket and at first glance many look similar, while they differ primarily in price. At a second glance, it is already apparent that the differen- ce in price is due to the quality of craftsmanship, materials and ac- cessories used, and "similar" slings tend to differ drastically in terms of design. Let's throw a simple question - what should a gun sling be like? First thing first, two-point slings only, at least IMHO. Nao single-po- ints (especially those with bungee cord) or even two-points with bun- gee. I can't find a reason to use the- se anymore. The main purpose of the sling is essentially a comfort for the sho- oter. This means that there should be a wider part which goes over the shoulder, maybe even softly padded. That part must have ap- propriate length, considering the fact that the sling will move. It can't be too short (uncomfortable in use) nor too long (added bulk, conflic- ting with other gear and limited overall adjustability). BTW, since we are discussing adjustments, the sling should pro- vide the possibility to adjust the length as a "one size fits all" solu- tion (sure, there are sized slings but usually more expensive ones). The adjustment should be done quickly and easily. Keep in mind that tran- sitions for primary to supporting hand, slinging the rifle or maneu- vering with it, requires to increase or decrease the length of the sling. Adjustment should be smooth but firm. The situation when I need to place the rifle on my back, to climb the ladder, and the sling will beco- me loose under the weight is unac- ceptable. Smoothness is critical. Sling must be easy and intuitive. Ove- rengineered adjustment systems are too complex and are increasing reaction time. Adjustment pull-tab is another essential thing, can't be too big, can't be too small. Sho- oting with gloves or in cold weather definitely requires some additional grip. Long time ago I had a sling where to shorten the length you had to pull a two-folded piece of webbing and to extend the length, you had to squeeze a cordlock on the end of the padded part. Yes, one piece was used to make the sling longer and another to make it shorter. And when the sling was moving around my body, none of these adjustment points were in the same place. I prefer slings with a single adjustment point – push away from the body to extend, pull to shorten. More adjustments ran- EQUIPMENT