Rifle sling for bear defense

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Prophet

Prophet

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I recently picked up a lever action 45/70 for bear defense and am looking for a way to carry it across my chest while hiking that doesn’t swing or bump around so it is available and ready to use if I need it. I’m looking at the Gunslinger rifle sling and it seems like it would work but I would need QD mounts on my rifle. I’m wondering if anyone knows of someone who makes something similar to the attached photo for the Marlin 1895, and what people would suggest for the buttstock end of the rifle. Perhaps some folks would have some other realistic suggestions as far as slings, carry etc. is concerned. Thanks!

A11411A6-CC4E-4AD4-AC72-F40E2693BE4B.png
 
I don't live where there are bears, but how, (and how often) do you accidentally stumble upon a half tonne of animal??
 
A standard carry strap works just fine, it just means you practice using it. If there is any possibility of an attack the sling should be in your pack and the rifle in hand.

but how, (and how often) do you accidentally stumble upon a half tonne of animal??
Click to expand...

Unless you're in a handful of specific locations in Alaska or near the arctic circle anywhere you don't. And if you are in those locations a 45-70 would be way down on the list of cartridges suitable for the job.
 
I have a GS. Honestly it is a bit too long and too heavy to carry "across the chest" or in any sort of single point sling. Then again maybe I'm just a traditionalist in the way I carry slung arms. With this setup you don't unsling the rifle to get it to your shoulder. You simply slide the but around to the shoulder (I hope that makes sense). The holosight is, for me, faster than any red dot. Since you look through it you have a full field of view at all times.
RvyHwmo.jpg
Honestly, I'm not concerned about bears much in the areas I frequent. The larger concern would be puma or coyote (and then only if they are totally habituated to people or rabid). I could carry a smaller rifle caliber levergun or even a pistol caliber one for my purposes. But I really like the way the GS handles. Unlike some I like that thick fore end.
 
MihiT said:
I don't live where there are bears, but how, (and how often) do you accidentally stumble upon a half tonne of animal??
Click to expand...

I live in a part of Alaska that has a bear population of 1 brown bear per square mile. Yesterday while I was looking for a sling for my new rifle someone’s dog got killed protecting a hiker on a trail my wife and I were planning to hike this week. It’s incredibly frequent here, multiple encounters per year. As to y’alls opinions on bear defense I appreciate it but there are a plethora of opinionated threads on the topic and I’m not going to get into it.

What I’m really looking for is a way to carry my rifle across my chest in a ready position and suggestions for making that possible. Thanks!
 
Prophet said:
I recently picked up a lever action 45/70 for bear defense and am looking for a way to carry it across my chest while hiking that doesn’t swing or bump around so it is available and ready to use if I need it. I’m looking at the Gunslinger rifle sling and it seems like it would work but I would need QD mounts on my rifle. I’m wondering if anyone knows of someone who makes something similar to the attached photo for the Marlin 1895, and what people would suggest for the buttstock end of the rifle. Perhaps some folks would have some other realistic suggestions as far as slings, carry etc. is concerned. Thanks!

View attachment 839925
Click to expand...
Carry it in your hand or leave it at home.
 
@drobs thanks for the response! Based partly on your recommendation this is the direction I've chosen to go and have ordered a similar sling (Ferro Concepts Slingster). Now I just need to figure out mounting it to the actual rifle.

The problem is I have the traditional studs on the bottom of the stock and hand guard cap and want to mount the sling to the left side of my rifle so it doesn't have a tendency to hang upside-down in front of me.

I like this strap idea for the buttstock (attached image) and think it would work quite well, but having more than one D-ring attachment point would be nice, such as on the side and pointing rearward. I have access to an industrial sewing machine so I could add an extra ring or two myself. That leaves me to the hand guard end of the rifle. Something like the attached would work great, I could find a rail mount sling adapter and attach it that way but this is rather far forward on the rifle and want something that's closer to the position of the factory stud. Heck, if the stud were rotated and located at the 6 o'clock position where the cap screw is currently located it would work perfectly!

viktac.png hand guard cap.jpg GrizCus.jpg
 
Prophet said:
I recently picked up a lever action 45/70 for bear defense and am looking for a way to carry it across my chest while hiking that doesn’t swing or bump around so it is available and ready to use if I need it. I’m looking at the Gunslinger rifle sling and it seems like it would work but I would need QD mounts on my rifle. I’m wondering if anyone knows of someone who makes something similar to the attached photo for the Marlin 1895, and what people would suggest for the buttstock end of the rifle. Perhaps some folks would have some other realistic suggestions as far as slings, carry etc. is concerned. Thanks!

View attachment 839925
Click to expand...

Many years ago I was taught by a ww2 vet how to dismount a rifle off your shoulder in a hurry.
With a lever action, there might be complications, I've never tried it, but with an AR, I grab the buffer tube and bring the butt forward and just keep going up, and with a little practice you can bring the rotation straight to your shoulder as fast as a single point can be rotated around.
It's a lot easier to demonstrate than it is to describe, but it is extremely fast.
 
Dangit Drobs, I should have waited a while and bought this instead of the other sling. That's exactly what I need for the front end right there. I wonder if there's a way just to get that front end part of the sling to mount to? ​

front.png
 
jmr40 said:
Unless you're in a handful of specific locations in Alaska or near the arctic circle anywhere you don't. And if you are in those locations a 45-70 would be way down on the list of cartridges suitable for the job.
Click to expand...
Tbh I keep two rounds of 220 gr 30-06 at the top of my magazine when walking in bear country. That is plenty in a reliable Mauser. I have a 375, but that I’ve learned is too tailored to only dangerous game to warrant carry, I don’t want to obliterate the sheep or deer. I’d only bring the 375 if I was hunting big bears and I don’t hunt big bears. I just hunt near them.

As slings go, I have a standard swivel mounted sling
 
MihiT said:
I don't live where there are bears, but how, (and how often) do you accidentally stumble upon a half tonne of animal??
Click to expand...
Bears can be very quiet when they want to be.
As for a solution for the OP, I recommend African carry-Muzzle down on the off shoulder. It's the quickest way to deploy a slung rifle without carrying in a ready position.
 
Prophet said:
Dangit Drobs, I should have waited a while and bought this instead of the other sling. That's exactly what I need for the front end right there. I wonder if there's a way just to get that front end part of the sling to mount to? ​

View attachment 841271
Click to expand...

I have that sling for my Mini-14 Tactical. At the time - 6 years ago, I couldn't figure how to get that front portion to attach to the rifle. It's yours if you want it / if I can find it.
 
Maybe you e already found what you need but for reference this is what I’d recommend: (not this exact one but similar with threads for wood)
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...tach-universal-sling-mount-for-polymer-stocks Flush mount quick detach points can be had with various threads a sizes for installing into any wood portion of the stock much like Browning’s flush mounts. You could put on one or several then use any standard ‘tactical’ single point harness or two point sling. Myself If I wanted to carry across the chest I’d put a flush cup on the lower part of the pistol grip and use a single point.

For the doubters, bears of the non-teddy species are real and encounters , even surprise encounters can be frequent. I am currently working in the woods on an island near Juneau Alaska where the bears outnumber people 4 to 1.
I am still lookin for a good carbine to compliment my 44mag so I’ll be interested to see/hear what you settle on for your setup
 
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Thank you all so much for your help and suggestions, yall who have been helpful are why I always keep coming back to this community whenever I need advice. Drobs is a stand-up guy and sent me a stock cuff he wasn't using and it works magnificently.

I contacted Specter and they put together two front end cuffs for me, one in 1in webbing, the other 1 1/4. They were super helpful and accommodating in building me the front end piece for $10 a pop without the sling.

Once I have those in hand and installed I will post photos of how everything works.
 
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