When planning a hunt, the excitement of choosing your kit is one of my favorite parts. As a hunter who likes to walk, I choose what I carry and how I carry it very carefully. One of the most important and most overlooked items of interest is the sling in which you carry that very expensive rifle. Sure, you could tie a piece of baling twine around your swivels and call it good, but if you’ve ever carried a slung rifle for any distance, you know that’s not going to cut it.
Never fear! I have a list of 5 great slings that I personally have tried and found good enough to hold my “Excalibur” in even the toughest most uncomfortable conditions:
Blue Force Gear has been providing our fighting men and women with slings and mounts for years. It was only natural they teamed up with veteran and firearms guru Larry Vickers to design this piece of Cordura. This model comes with QD swivels already sewn in to get in and out of the sling in a hurry and has an adjustment handle for tightening on the go.
Another well-known name in the accessory game is Magpul. Their handguards and accessories took the AR15 game by storm more than 15 years ago and they haven’t slowed down. The day they introduced the MS series of slings, their usual attention to quality and detail shined. Another two-point sling with QD swivels, this one is also adjustable on the go and very durable. They are available in several colors too!
Another favorite of mine is the T Sling from Troy. This sling is very low profile and lightweight and doesn’t require the QD sling mounts. Just thread the 1” ballistic nylong webbing though your rifle’s sling loops and you’re ready to rock and roll. With polymer buckles to protect the finish on your rifle, Troy has delivered another home run.
Some folks aren’t fans of the nylon or Cordura slings and that’s ok. For those people, I humbly introduce 1791 Gunleather’s Premium Rifle Sling with Suede Slip-Resistent Backing. Yes, it’s a mouthful to say but it feels so good! The leather is thick and American and the suede really does help keep your rifle from sliding on your shoulder. You’ll need to add your favorite swivels, but let me assure you THIS is the Mercedes of slings.
I saved this gem for last for one simple reason. As the great John Madden used to say, “Some sling is better than none sling.” Well, he said “yards” not “slings” but you get the point. There are many cases where you won’t need a sling, but when you do this tried-and-true nylon strap will get you where you need to be. Outfitted the world over by millions, you don’t always have a bunch of money for a sling and its always better to have something there to help lighten the load. If you need a sling, this one will get the job done.
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