How important is a sling?

[10wt308]

I believe paracord though uncomfortable would still be a sling.

 

[FrankT]

you can make a real sling with a lot of paracord but a single strand is at best a holder, not a sling

 

[M118LR]

At the low ready position. So not just in your hands but also in your shoulder pocket and slightly raised

Guess you had a run in with those same Old Timers. LOL

 

[Jerry]

A paracord sling on a 8-12 lb loaded rifle would be a PITA after about an hour stalk hunting or just walking around surveying property before the season. Not to mention a full day afield. Although you would need a chiropractor after the paracord.
As a simple stabilizer it wouldn't be my "Go-To" sling either.
Shoestrings tied together would also work. Maybe I should market those?
Wait, that's why they make real SLINGS, right?

 

[M118LR]

A paracord sling on a 8-12 lb loaded rifle would be a PITA after about an hour stalk hunting or just walking around surveying property before the season. Not to mention a full day afield. Although you would need a chiropractor after the paracord.
As a simple stabilizer it wouldn't be my "Go-To" sling either.
Shoestrings tied together would also work. Maybe I should market those?
Wait, that's why they make real SLINGS, right?

Well, I don't recall ever stalking anything tied in tight to the sling, with both hands at the ready on the rifle a free-floating sling is more common. A sidearm, like a dog needs nothing more than a leash should it get out of your control suddenly. Can't recall ever having a sling on a double shotgun, yet every single barrel shotgun I've ever owned & taken afield has had one in some form or another. Perhaps Jump Shooting firearms, (always carried at the alert) only call for a sling after use? But even a lever action deep woods rifle benefits from a hasty in a clearing, or slung over your shoulder when transporting a harvest. Still, don't recall ever having a sling of any type on a double barreled shotgun?

 

[Jerry]

Well, I don't recall ever stalking anything tied in tight to the sling, with both hands at the ready on the rifle a free-floating sling is more common. A sidearm, like a dog needs nothing more than a leash should it get out of your control suddenly. Can't recall ever having a sling on a double shotgun, yet every single barrel shotgun I've ever owned & taken afield has had one in some form or another. Perhaps Jump Shooting firearms, (always carried at the alert) only call for a sling after use? But even a lever action deep woods rifle benefits from a hasty in a clearing, or slung over your shoulder when transporting a harvest. Still, don't recall ever having a sling of any type on a double barreled shotgun?

I had a 12ga Savage Fox side by side and I carried it over my shoulder with the breach open.
Fit nicely there. No sling because it was used for a different type hunting.

 

[Raven]

Guess you had a run in with those same Old Timers. LOL

I didn't have a dad. I was raised by my grandfather (RIP), who was raised by World War 2 and Korean War combat vets who had just come back from seeing a thing or two. Real old timers, yessir. And then everything my Pop showed me was reinforced by the USMC and Senior Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Allen. But the funny thing is that my mom was about as far left anti-gun as could ever be, the product of her abusive exhusband who was a gun nut. I came along after he was gone. So while all my cousins were knocking things down with firearms at like 3 years old, I was limited to pellet rifles and BB guns. And I'm better because of it. I learned to stalk and get in close. I learned to shoot and run at the same time, hit my target who was camouflaged, small, running and jumping fast. Hit him like 10 times while leading him and accounting for serious bullet drop and windage on the fly, all with iron sights and little BB's. Never could afford a scope. Never had a sling. Always in my hands. Good times. I went from never having shot an actual firearm rifle outside of my hunter safety course (much less an M16) to going to Basic Training and qualifying Expert on the 500 yard known distance range, with iron sights, learning how to use a sling properly. I would not have been able to do what I did at the 500, much less the 200 and 300, without the proper use of a sling. Surprised myself.... even got called a liar by my Youth Minister (a real Fudd who'd never shot anything past 100) in front of the whole Youth Group on boot leave after Basic Training. Left home and swore I'd never come back. I've been trying to come home and stay home ever since.

 

[M118LR]

Just had to revisit some of that Old Mil Training last weekend, while helping a Friend break-in a new barrel. Sitting with a Hasty @ 100 yard KD Line with nothing more than Old Fashioned iron sights. (during that 1 round one cleaning repeated 10 times I didn't think I should ever be at the 100 yard line with irons ever again.) Once the ten round cleaning & break in was complete it was time to settle down and load doubles. Using a 4:30 edge of the black hold I began connecting on the center of the X and ran a string of ten rounds that all touched each other. It's a good thing that the Kentucky windage let me use the edge of the BLACK @ 4:30 otherwise I wouldn't have had the eyesight to take a dead on hold. Believe me, that Turner 1907 sling made allot of difference. HOME is a nice place, which with any luck someday all of Us shall reach. JMHO.