To Sling or not to Sling a Dangerous Game Rifle, That is the Question

[Inline6]

I recommend grip exercises and plenty of practice if you are going to African carry.

Personally I don't understand the Africa carry. It is a walking gun safety violation. Have yet to see anyone NOT flag someone. To each their own, it is just something I'm not willing to compromise on.

Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy and take full responsibility. Treat every gun as it is loaded. As far as I know, that holds true not matter where in the world you are or what activities you are doing.

Maybe I am just one of those guys. If that is the case I can live with that better than explaining an accident. My .02 which is worth what you paid for it.

 

[Red Leg]

Personally I don't understand the Africa carry. It is a walking gun safety violation. Have yet to see anyone NOT flag someone. To each their own, it is just something I'm not willing to compromise on.

Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy and take full responsibility. Treat every gun as it is loaded. As far as I know, that holds true not matter where in the world you are or what activities you are doing.

Maybe I am just one of those guys. If that is the case I can live with that better than explaining an accident. My .02 which is worth what you paid for it.

Imagine the response of your guide on a quail plantation or your fellow shooters on a driven pheasant hunt when you showed up with your shotgun in "African carry."

Imagine the reaction of your mullie or elk guide on the front slope of the Rockies if you started to trail him with that trusty .270 in such a carry.

I am fairly confident a stern lecture on gun safety would immediately transpire. But in Africa it is ok because it is cool, or because the PH does it. All I can say is the PH is welcome to carry that way as long as he is in front of me, but no one is carrying that way behind me.

 

[Inline6]

Imagine the response of your guide on a quail plantation or your fellow shooters on a driven pheasant hunt and you showed up with your shotgun in "African carry."

Imagine the reaction of your mullie or elk guide on the front slope of the Rockies if you started to trail him with that trusty .270 in such a carry.

I am fairly confident a stern lecture on gun safety would immediately transpire. But in Africa it is ok because it is cool, or because the PH does it. All I can say is the PH is welcome to carry that way as long as he is in front of me, but no one is carrying that way behind me.

That is almost exactly the way it went down on our Africa trip. PH carried that way and one of the trackers carried his scoped rifle, my son and I let them go first.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

While walking unless told differently clients should never walk in front of PH or tracker.

I think the three best slings are Trader Kieth, Brownells & Murray.

Lon

 

[pilar]

Sling with muzzle down , location dependent

 

[Randy F]

As it is for most things with me, I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. With quick release swivels you get to decide "on the job".

 

[BC Tal]

All very good points and shows that different approaches work for different folks. I think for me, I'll practice on the sticks with the sling and see how it goes. At least I will take it with me and throw it on the rifle if needed.

 

[Piermichele]

every time I forget my rifle sling i regret it

 

[Tanks]

All very good points and shows that different approaches work for different folks. I think for me, I'll practice on the sticks with the sling and see how it goes. At least I will take it with me and throw it on the rifle if needed.

This is how I do it. Pull the sling so it is flat.

And then rest it on the sticks. I am holding the sling and the gun together.

When the recoil lifts the gun up you are still holding both. And can bring the gun down for a second shot without getting tangled up.

 

[Berettaco]

Always exceptions to the rule, but for me - No sling on DG hunts - crawling through the mopani it’s just a pain in the rear. It will get snagged, it can be loud and over all in the way.
As other have stated, the terrain and situation might lend itself to using a sling some of the time but I don’t bother with one. That old Murphy’s law is bound to get you

 

[VertigoBE]

All my rifles wear a sling. Not optional for me.

Without one on the rifle I used during the tracking of an eland, I would have likely left the rifle behind in some bush after 12hrs of continuous hiking.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

This is how I do it. Pull the sling so it is flat.

View attachment 575569

And then rest it on the sticks. I am holding the sling and the gun together.

View attachment 575570

When the recoil lifts the gun up you are still holding both. And can bring the gun down for a second shot without getting tangled up.

View attachment 575571

I do much the same but hold the sling with my small finger and have the rest of my hand directly in the stock

 

[Safari Dave]

Use a sling when making a long walk with little chance of seeing an animal, for goodness sake!

 

[Red Leg]

Always exceptions to the rule, but for me - No sling on DG hunts - crawling through the mopani it’s just a pain in the rear. It will get snagged, it can be loud and over all in the way.
As other have stated, the terrain and situation might lend itself to using a sling some of the time but I don’t bother with one. That old Murphy’s law is bound to get you

Murphy's Law is totally unprejudicial. It works in every direction - especially for accidental discharges.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Get a sling with quick-release swivels. Retain the sling during normal hunting situations and in open terrain. Remove the sling when following up game in thick bush.

 

[Nhoro]

I have gone to and fro on this. Initially I carried my rifle in my hands, left or right and pointing muzzle down. I do a lot of guided walks with 5 to 10 people and it was difficult to keep the muzzle from covering a foot or ankle. So I use a sling, muzzle up. It is only a second to get into action. And shooting someone by accident is unforgiveable and of great consequence missing a shot at a trophy is irritating but of little consequence.

 

[Nyati]

Always used a sling, I´ve had to shoot kneeling and using the sling steadies my aim.

 

[Happy Myles]

To each is own. I rarely use one but always have one in my day pack if I feel I need it. Do have a funny sling story. Ages ago I was in the C.A.R. hunting bongo and my PH insisted I let one of the boys bear my rifle for his prestige. Reluctantly, I did so as usually want to carry my own rifle. Later, we sat down in the jungle for the boys to have a cigarette break and there was a huge loud crash. The boys scattered and I saw my rifle on the bearers back disappearing up a tree, I grabbed him by the pants and hauled him down. Where upon he bounced off the ground and back up the tree. The second time I got hold of him, held him down until I got my rifle. The earlier crash was caused by a bongo bounding off into the jungle. After things settled down I let the chap carry my rifle for a while but I took off the sling and secured it in my day pack where it belonged. Figured he needed his hands to climb trees. I don’t let others carry my rifle.

 

[TOBY458]

I use a simple adjustable nylon sling. I can carry the rifle on my shoulder, then when closing in on game, I simply adjust the sling until it's tight and up against the bottom of the rifle. That way it's out of my way completely.

 

[Barry J]

I usually use a sling, when hunting. The problem with carrying with muzzle up and slung over the shoulder, is that when you rotate the rifle into a shooting position, it is easy to point the muzzle at the person behind you during rotation.
If slung with muzzle down and then rotated into shooting position, the muzzle will go from pointing down to pointing in front of you.
Just my observation.