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Shooting using a sling. Thoughts?

M

mikep

Professional
I do a fair amount of .22 rifle shooting using both old and newer rifles outfitted with any combination of scopes, iron sights, peep sights and even a red dot. It is all for fun. I shoot from a bench with a bag or bipod an have been working on shooting offhand, which has been a humbling experience and the maximum distance I can shoot at my range is only 40 yards. There are no competitions (except against myself) and most of my knowledge/skill has been obtained by reading and trial and error, which for me is the fun part.

I've been reading about the use of a sling and recently purchased an inexpensive 2-point sling and swivels for one of my newer 22's, an MLR22 with an Archangel stock. I plan on using it as a hasty sling while shooting offhand because, well, why not?

Do any of you use a sling for hunting/plinking/target shooting? If so, has it helped in any way with stability and/or accuracy? Once again, I do this for fun and like to try different techniques while punching holes in paper.
 
mikep said:
I do a fair amount of .22 rifle shooting using both old and newer rifles outfitted with any combination of scopes, iron sights, peep sights and even a red dot. It is all for fun. I shoot from a bench with a bag or bipod an have been working on shooting offhand, which has been a humbling experience and the maximum distance I can shoot at my range is only 40 yards. There are no competitions (except against myself) and most of my knowledge/skill has been obtained by reading and trial and error, which for me is the fun part.

I've been reading about the use of a sling and recently purchased an inexpensive 2-point sling and swivels for one of my newer 22's, an MLR22 with an Archangel stock. I plan on using it as a hasty sling while shooting offhand because, well, why not?

Do any of you use a sling for hunting/plinking/target shooting? If so, has it helped in any way with stability and/or accuracy? Once again, I do this for fun and like to try different techniques while punching holes in paper.
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If you are shooting unsupported (standing), a sling makes a massive positive difference. It should always be used. Lots of resources on how to use it properly.
 
A properly employed sling makes a massive difference in accuracy in prone, kneeling, and sitting.

But a "hasty sling" in offhand? I ran my own extensive tests a decade or so ago using several different rifles with several different sighting systems. I found that the "hasty sling" gave a certain feeling of stability, BUT, to my surprise, the targets showed NO improvement in grouping over pure offhand or standing. :oops:

I've concluded that the "hasty sling's" effect in offhand is entirely psychological. And a waste of time. (If you HAVE the time to hasty-sling up, no harm no foul, but no benefit either.)

Let the arguments begin. :LOL:
 
Recusant said:
I have slings on all of my rifles if for no other reason a sling allows me to carry a load rifle with the muzzle pointed up in a safe manner. As for using a sling to provide more stability and accuracy I refer you to the following:

https://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/Portals/207/Docs/wtbn/MPMS/DIV 05 Positions and Slings.pdf?ver=2015-06-15-135035-440

www.shootingillustrated.com

An Official Journal Of The NRA | How To Properly Use a Sling

Shooting with a speed sling gives you a better platform for engaging targets at distance.
www.shootingillustrated.com www.shootingillustrated.com
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thanks. that is one of the articles i read.
 
Snake45 said:
A properly employed sling makes a massive difference in accuracy in prone, kneeling, and sitting.

But a "hasty sling" in offhand? I ran my own extensive tests a decade or so ago using several different rifles with several different sighting systems. I found that the "hasty sling" gave a certain feeling of stability, BUT, to my surprise, the targets showed NO improvement in grouping over pure offhand or standing. :oops:

I've concluded that the "hasty sling's" effect in offhand is entirely psychological. And a waste of time. (If you HAVE the time to hasty-sling up, no harm no foul, but no benefit either.)

Let the arguments begin. :LOL:
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stirrin' the pot... i like it.
i've read both pro and con for the hasty sling. i too was going to do some testing. i figure for the $20 i spent for the sling and the swivels it couldn't hurt to play around with it.
i will probably try a loop sling too at some point.
 
mikep said:
stirrin' the pot... i like it.
i've read both pro and con for the hasty sling. i too was going to do some testing. i figure for the $20 i spent for the sling and the swivels it couldn't hurt to play around with it.
i will probably try a loop sling too at some point.
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I encourage you to run your own tests to see what works for YOU. I only related my own experiences. As always, YMMV. ;)

For example, I once ran tests on the accuracy of a "normal" peep sight (USGI size) vs "ghost ring." I shot two very different rifles on two different days, but ran the tests using both type of sights on the SAME rifle, if I've explained that clearly enough. In one test, the normal peep was measurably more "accurate" than the ghost ring; in the other, there was no significant/appreciable difference. So I can't say anything definitive.

I did learn one thing, though: FOR ME, the ghost ring was no faster to use at all, and was sometimes slower. I attribute this to the fact that I'm quite accustomed to shooting GI/mil peeps, but not with the ghost ring. I was spending just WAY too much time trying to make sure the front sight was "perfectly centered" in the big hole. I'm sure with a lot more shooting, I could learn to gain confidence in the ghost ring sight picture, just as I have with the "normal" peep. ;)
 
I'm not familiar with the turm "hasty sling". I know that before the m16, the army taught the use of the sling to help stabilize the wepon.
 
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