I have CLAW slings on most of my guns. They are nylon web with a very "sticky" rubber pad. They stay put on your shoulder and do not slip. I do not like the swivels that come with them though. I replace them with Talon or Uncle Mike swivels. Of course I was taught that slings are for carrying your gun before and after the hunt and that your weapon should be in your hands while hunting. Just because you have a sling on your rifle does not mean it has to be on your shoulder.

I took a Westley Richards canvas sling on my last safari and we walked many miles several days. The sling never got unpacked.

quote:

Originally posted by Vlam:
Jetdrvr

Would like to see the results with the tungsten cores.
I have seen a pmp solid from a .375 come back to a guy shooting at a peice of tempered steel at 30m. He got lucky, almost earned himself a darwin award. Shards cut him above the eye and left quite a welt. Moral of the story, stay well back.

Good luck
Ian

I was shooting prone at 100 yds. The core shed the jacket and punched a clean hole right through the steel. Couldn't find the core slug in the dirt. That thing whould penetrate an elephant's skull like a knife through hot butter.

I shot a buff with one a few years ago and I think the bullet's still going. Didn't slow down.

Speer dropped them from their line when Federal bought Speer. I called them and they said the cost of manufacture was prohibitive. Plus, Federal pushes the Sledgehammer solid, which wont touch the African Gand Slam for penetration.

There are a couple of guys manufacturing them in the states. Larry at Superior Ammunition in Surgis, SD loads them. They cost five bucks apiece. Mine are very accurate. I picked up 150 Speers off the Net a few years ago, but they are impossible to find now.

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Originally posted by JTHunt:

quote:

Originally posted by odie:
I have used the same Uncle Mike's nylon slings for the past 15 years.

It's wide, non slip and very comfortble.

Here's one PH who insists on slings and I also like the Uncle Mike's. Slings enforce or at least assist safe gun handling, there is nothing worse than watching a movie of a safari line moving thru the bush in single file, everybody pointing their rifle at the man in front of him. Plus PH's everyday weapons are primarily binos, then shooting sticks - then rifle.

When in thick bush or following DG, remove the sling and put in pocket, trackers back pack whatever. BUt PLEASE don't carry your rifle African carry over your shoulder with the barrel pointing at the PH's or trackers backs!

Having been trained in safe gun handling by my father over 50 years ago, I never cover another individual with the muzzle, regardless of the type of carry.

When doing the over the shoulder muzzle forward carry, I always ensure that the muzzle is clear. It's either off to the side out of the general axis of the group traveling in line, or pointed downward when a group forms to discuss the situation. Anyone who doesn't carry with that muzzle in mind is being quite careless.

For those who get the wobbles on sticks, try it with your arm wrapped in the sling. It's 100 % better. This alone is good enough reason for me. Not to mention, you walk your fanny off hunting in Africa and the sling makes that much more comfortable. With the "African Carry", besides being dangerous (yea yea, we know, you always control your muzzle), not only are you putting the weight of the rifle on your shoulder, but also the weight of your other arm. And if the bush is that thick, that you can't use a sling, it's too thick to walk through.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
For those who get the wobbles on sticks, try it with your arm wrapped in the sling. It's 100 % better. This alone is good enough reason for me. Not to mention, you walk your fanny off hunting in Africa and the sling makes that much more comfortable. With the "African Carry", besides being dangerous (yea yea, we know, you always control your muzzle), not only are you putting the weight of the rifle on your shoulder, but also the weight of your other arm. And if the bush is that thick, that you can't use a sling, it's too thick to walk through.

I am sure I could go without a sling, but it has become second nature to wrap my arm in the sling as I bring the rifle to shoulder.

Wrapping your arm in the sling makes you much steadier in all field positions, sticks or not. IMO

I agree with Russ on wrapping your arm in the sling, along with using the sticks. Where you have time to do so it makes a big difference in steadiness.