Use of a Modern Style Sling

[R.J.Bruce]

Greetings,
                   Assuming that a rifle was designed and built for it, would using a sling in the 20th Century manner, as used to be taught by the Marine Corps and the Army; have any negative effects??

Such as changing barrel harmonics, or possibly the point of aim??

Thanks for your responses,
                                                 R.J.Bruce

[FDR]

I have used a modern sling on 2 TC Hawken type cap guns with no change in point of aim. One swivel stud was mounted on the butt stock and the other was mounted to a ramrod thimble.

Fred

[Elnathan]

Going completely on theory here:

Muzzleloader rifle slings are usually attached to the barrel via a tenon on the underside of the barrel. I would think that any pressure on the sling would change the point of impact at least a bit.  Having said that, the same issue also applies to the use of a shooting sling on even modern guns guns without a freefloated barrel, including most of the weapons used by the US military since the introduction of the shooting sling (notably, the M-16, which also has a swivel directly attached to the barrel), and that hasn't kept slings from being a useful accessory.

My guess is that the influence of the sling is going to depend on a lot of factors, such as the barrel thickness, how far out on the barrel the sling is attached, and how hard you crank down on the sling. With light pressure and a stout barrel, you might not notice anything, particularly at the relatively short ranges that most muzzleloading shooting is done. With a long, skinny barrel such as is popular today and a tight sling, possibly quite a difference.

I recently acquired a shooting sling, but haven't tried to use it yet, much less on a muzzleloader. I can't imagine that one could be used without SOME change of impact (and the resulting increase of group size from the inevitable uneven pressure on the sling), but the better stability might make for a net gain in accuracy. Only way to find out is to try it, I suspect.

[Daryl]

When shooting my match rifle prone in VERY tight Anschutz sling, there was no POI change, however the stock was VERY robust, 3" wide
 with steel channel for the sling stud attachment and the barrel floated, of course.
I would suspect the longer the barrel, the more change there would be in a long rifle.

[hanshi]

If a rifle is designed to use a sling, I don't see a problem.  But guns such as longrifles which tend to be long and trim, I don't see how they could not keep from being affected.

[Elnathan]

It occurs to me that I have seen pictures of British riflemen in the Peninsular War firing from a prone position on their back and hooking their foot into the sling of their Baker rifle to steady it. So perhaps there is precedent....

[Mike Brooks]

It occurs to me that I have seen pictures of British riflemen in the Peninsular War firing from a prone position on their back and hooking their foot into the sling of their Baker rifle to steady it. So perhaps there is precedent....

No doubt, but a Baker rifle is a long stretch from a KY rifle.

[EC121]

I had a flintlock rifle that shifted impact with a sling.  Half stock with the front swivel on the rib.  Shot low with the arm wrap type hold.  28in. tapered .50cal.  barrel.

[R.J.Bruce]

My thoughts were that it would have to be a Jaeger, or early Transitional-style rifle with a relatively short barrel that has thick walls in order to resist the torsional forces that using a sling in the modern manner would entail.

Everyone else's thoughts?

Thanks

[alacran]

When I've used a sling in such  manner , it was for rapid fire sitting, rapid fire prone, and slow fire prone at 600 yards. Never was the sling used offhand. I really do not see any advantage for using a sling in a "short " barreled Jaeger. With open iron sights, a 100 yard shot is about as long as the majority of folks would be capable of doing. I imagine that you envision the use of the sling for hunting and not for target shooting.
An improvised rest in the field will be more beneficial than using a sling, in my opinion.

[R.J.Bruce]

When I've used a sling in such  manner , it was for rapid fire sitting, rapid fire prone, and slow fire prone at 600 yards. Never was the sling used offhand. I really do not see any advantage for using a sling in a "short " barreled Jaeger. With open iron sights, a 100 yard shot is about as long as the majority of folks would be capable of doing. I imagine that you envision the use of the sling for hunting and not for target shooting.
An improvised rest in the field will be more beneficial than using a sling, in my opinion.


Alacran,
               I envision using a sling for sitting, kneeling, and reverse- kneeling shooting in hunting situations. Unsupported, and field expedient supported.

When I return to hunting I do not foresee too many situations where I would shoot from a prone, or unsupported offhand position.

I will, however practise snap shooting out to perhaps 35 yards.

Until I return to shooting, and find out what my 65 year old capabilities are, I have put a conditional limit to keeping my hunting shots under 50 yards.

[Daryl]

When I've used a sling in such  manner , it was for rapid fire sitting, rapid fire prone, and slow fire prone at 600 yards. Never was the sling used offhand. I really do not see any advantage for using a sling in a "short " barreled Jaeger. With open iron sights, a 100 yard shot is about as long as the majority of folks would be capable of doing. I imagine that you envision the use of the sling for hunting and not for target shooting.
An improvised rest in the field will be more beneficial than using a sling, in my opinion.

I agree with the lack of need for a sling in general, however we are all of different skill and sight & can see where someone might need one if of poor steadiness
or lack of confidence. I just cannot "see" using a sling on a long rifle as a sling must be tight to be of help and that will not be "good" for slim wood and barrel.
For carry, yes, perhaps out in the open, but not for a shooting aide.

[Hungry Horse]

 For starters, I don’t know of many events that would allow the use of a sling as a shooting aid.

   Hungry Horse

[OldMtnMan]

Even with a shooting sling, the sights will be moving around compared to a bench rest. To be a good offhand shooter you need to learn to time the movement with trigger release as it moves over the target center. A set trigger helps. As does a heavy barrel.

Nobody can hold steady sights shooting offhand. Sling or no sling.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I added a sling to my Hawken rifle that weighs 12 pounds.  After carrying that rifle for a hunt the previous year, and having to deal with arms that were noticeably longer by the end of the day, I added the sling, but just as a carrying aid.  I rarely have the time to set up with a sling for shooting, in a hunting situation.  But it sure makes toting that beast much better.  I made a simple leather strap sling with lots of adjustment at the muzzle end, where there is a swivel through the rib, and at the butt end, a screwed in swivel.