The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores Slings on DG Hunts...Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Most of you have missed the point. A sling is so you can put your rifle on your shoulder when following up DG so you have both hands free to fend them off when they charge/attack. Ever try to fight off a wounded buffalo with one hand? How about a leopard? Shheeesh! Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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On my first trip to the rifle range, as a young Marine officer candidate, I was instructed in the use of the sling as a marksmanship aid. I used it to great effect in roughly 50 years of competitive shooting. On my first trip to Africa, my Winchester Model 70 .300 H&H was equipped with a 1 1/4" military sling of the same description as the one I use in high power competition. However, in a cumulative eleven weeks of hunting in Africa, I used it as a shooting aid only once, when I had a clear shot at a zebra from the sitting position. Using a "hasty" sling in the standing position is against the rules in competition, and I never found it very useful in any case. I have killed rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard and never used a sling, either to carry with or to shoot with, although my rifles were all equipped with studs for quick detachable sling swivels. I was young, healthy, in good shape, and carrying a 8 3/4 pound rifle in my hand was not an onerous burden, and in one case saved me in a very tight situation. In Europe, it is very common for shotguns and drillings to be equipped with slings, and although my drillings are equipped with sling swivels, I have never been tempted to use a sling on one, any more than I have been tempted to use a sling on a shotgun. If someone else thinks otherwise, then he is welcome to his opinion. I will not try to convert him to my habits. | |||
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A lot of strange responses to the question asked in my opinion. How many times in a hunters life will he be ambushed by dangerous game without having any warning so he has time to grasp the rifle in ready position? Also how much faster do you guys think it is to draw the gun from on shoulder carry position compared to from a sling? Especially I find the speed difference minimal if i carry the rifle muzzle down on a sling, I just rotate it into the shoulder position. Probably the best way to carry would be army style sling mount on chest, would also help stabilize offhand shooting. | |||
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I voted with the poll majority. I always use a sling. I am very fast off the shoulder, a result of 40 years hunting with a sling. Five DG trips to Africa, 2 more this year, I see no need to change now. BUTCH C'est Tout Bon (It is all good) | |||
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In my case, once, but if I had been carrying the rifle with a sling, the results would have been disasterous. We were pursuing an unwounded rhino down hill when we lost his tracks. The group (PH, tracker, two gunbearers) spread out in an attempt to rediscover them. The PH found the tracks, and snapped his fingers to attract our attention. We were instantly charged by the rhino, which had circled around behind us in order to charge down hill. I managed to get a shot into him which caused him to reverse his direction and start back the way he came. I then was able to put two more shots into his shoulder and a third into his stern as he disappeared into the brush. He went about 100 yards before piling up. The PH fired also, but only as the rhino was disappearing. One shot hit in the rump, the other glanced off the horn. Neither had any effect. All this is incidental to my habit of going without a sling. I was a dedicated quail hunter at the time, and it was not unusual for me to spend an entire day hunting, carrying a shotgun "at the ready". Carrying a rifle in the same manner was not a great effort. Nowadays, when I'm deer hunting. I use a sling. I either carry my rifle muzzle down over my left shoulder, so I can swing it up into shooting position in one motion, or across my chest, muzzle pointed up at a 45 degree angle, looping the sling around my forearm to help support it. However, I have never been charged by a deer. I am not sure if this is what is referred to earlier as "army style sling mount on chest", but film clips of soldiers carrying their rifles horizontally across their chests as they go out on patrols in Iraq or Afghanistan fill me with horror. Carrying a rifle in this manner, it is impossible not to point it at other soldiers or bystanders, simply by turning around, and if my experience in Vietnam is any guide, must be the cause of innumerable accidents or near accidents. I consider the only two options for carrying a rifle safely are with its muzzle pointed either up or down. | |||
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With all due respect, in the situation you describe here, most of us who use a sling from time to time would probably have the rifle in the hand under these circumstances. I only have the rifle slung over the shoulder when going from point A to B, such as returning to the truck or trekking to get into a position for a final stalk, not while actively pursuing game. Also, hunting is not combat, no matter what Will says!  I'm just not going to buy the argument that using a sling is putting your life in danger on a hunt. Ain't gonna happen! | |||
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I always use a sling, a leather M1907 US military type for the 90% of the time we are simply walking. Like Todd Williams said, I take the rifle off my shoulder and hold it at the ready whenever we suspect game is near. I have NEVER had the sling get snared by brush. Also, although I use QD swivels, I have never taken the sling off the rifle. I do not use it for shooting. After several decades of high power matches, I can shoot offhand as well as I can with a hasty sling and shooting sticks are much better. If you don't use a sling, you will probably end up using the "African carry," where you rest the rifle fore end on your shoulder, point the muzzles forward, and hold onto the barrel. I think this is dangerous and whenever I see anyone do it, they end up pointing the muzzles at a tracker or someone. And what if you fall? With the rifle over my right shoulder, i can guide which way it's pointing with my right hand on the butt stock. Indy Life is short. Hunt hard. | |||
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Well I for sure don't have as much Dangerous game experience as Will, but I'll bet that I have way more Trigger Time under my belt than he does and am a damn better shot. Wanna compare trophies? I always use a sling whenever I possibly can, because I like to shoot offhand and a sling helps considerably particularly if the shots over 75 yards.i usually don't even bother with the sling under 50 yrds. On my DGRs I use a modified Ching sling that's fast as hell to get in or out of. Damn handy when taking a piss in the bush too. Still have to keep an eye on Wills broomstick leaning on the mopane bush and hope it doesn't fall over.He doesnt use safeties either.His guns are never unloaded either, cause then they would be useless. These things just confuse Will.He likes simplicity. -Rob Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers to do incredibly stupid things- AH (1941)- Harry Reid (aka Smeagle) 2012 Nothing Up my sleeves but never without a plan and never ever without a surprise! | |||
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I mostly hunt big game in the mountains here in Norway and we do not use trucks (there are no roads) so we have to cover great distances, also climbing, on foot. That kind of hunting is not feasible carrying the gun around without a sling. Dangerous game hunting just walking short distances away from a jeep is probably possible gun in hand but as Rob writes offhand shooting is greatly assisted by using a sling, it doesn't matter how good you are, unless of course you are shooting at ranges less than 50 yards. | |||
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No sling when the chips are down. Gets in the way. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Hunting Dangerous game, in thick brush at close range is no place for a sling. Your just better off without it if you want to make a quick accurate shot, without Murphies law taking over. | |||
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Has anyone here used the Boonie Packer type of sling carry? What think ye? Thanks +-+-+-+-+-+-+ "A well-rounded hunting battery might include: 500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" -- Conserving creation, hunting the harvest. | |||
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I would never use sling for any accuracy shot if it's barrel band mounted. Mounted to the forearm it's great aid to enhance accuracy. The only question here is how many real DG rifles have their sling mounted to their forearms ? | |||
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Thats why they make quick detactable sling swivels. One can take them off if they are going to get in the way. I almost always when there is a chance to shoot game I have the sling off and around my waist. I seen way to many people miss beable to shoot because they have their rifle slung. I have had and seen slings get hung up on brush causing someone not to get a shot off. Fast off the shoulder right it is twice to 3 times slower if not more then haveing the rifle in your hands. When split seconds count I don't want the rifle slung on my shoulder. I do put the sling on when I need both hands to do something else or when there is not much of a chance to shoot game. | |||
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If your PH has a sling on his rifle on a DG hunt, should you change PH's immediately? _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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So no one has safari experience with the two-hands free, lateral-carry Boonie Parker? Looks like pretty fast access to shooting. Lift point shoot. I might try one out in a couple of months. +-+-+-+-+-+-+ "A well-rounded hunting battery might include: 500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" -- Conserving creation, hunting the harvest. | |||
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