Given that the forward sling swivels are attached directly to the rifle barrel I have always made sure there is no tension on the sling when I shoot. Am I correct or does anybody use the sling as a shooting support (wrapped around the arm) and does it affect accuracy in a negative way.

I've never used the slings as a shooting aid, but it poses a good question. I'll have to try it both ways. It will take a bit of shooting to set a "pattern".

Good point - all my other rifles are set up for a 'hasty' sling.

I tend to use the Drilling with bi-pod sticks for 'rifle' use.

Will see what mine does when next up at the range.

Rgds

Ian

Thanks, likewise will give it a try. I suppose my thinking has been warped with modern thinking on bolt actions with free floating barrels where nothing must touch the barrel. The old mousers / rigby etc all had barrel bands for slings and would they have used hasty slings? The bedding was generally full length pressure type bedding.

I tried using a sling while shooting my Zoli combi and the results were less than inspiring. I use the sling to pack it around nothing more. I found that even shooting it off my hand vs resting on a bench bag made a difference in impact point.

I think that varing force on barrel itself, unavoidable do to variations in clothing, position, how tired you might be, will only hurt accuracy. I use a sling often with my long range varmint rifles, but the sling is attached to the stock not the barrel. Even then I have to pay attention to the amount of down pressure I apply at very long ranges.

I shoot with a tight sling. Just becareful the forend is truly freeloated (where the sling swivel is attached) and the wood work does not shift under sling tension, with the forend coming into contact with the barrel.

I have found bipods also affect the point of impact for some of my rifles.

Experiment & be careful.

Rob,

I think any change of hold in a standard rifle can make a big difference in how it shoots. I find the same thing you mention when using a bipod.

Anything that resists the up-lifting forces at the shot will adversely affect accuracy, IMO. The recoil starts as the bullet moves, not as it exits the barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by luv2safari:
Rob,

I think any change of hold in a standard rifle can make a big difference in how it shoots. I find the same thing you mention when using a bipod.

Anything that resists the up-lifting forces at the shot will adversely affect accuracy, IMO. The recoil starts as the bullet moves, not as it exits the barrel.

The recoil absolutely starts as soon as the powder is set off, and as you say anything that retards the rise of the barrel effects accuracy, but where the muzzle is pointing when the bullet EXITS the muzzle is what determines the POI on the target. The effect is even greater on cape guns because they not only rise but recoil away from the other barrel as well; like a side by side double rifle.

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