Will QD Sling Mounts become the standard for Rifles and Shotguns?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Aim1

member
Joined
Oct 24, 2015
Messages
2,310
Currently regular sling studs are standard on rifles and shotguns and have been for at least a hundred years. However, lately QD Sling Mounts have become very popular. They have been standard on AR type rifles for many years.

QD Sling Mounts are better than standard sling studs for a few reasons, no more studs turning loose and when the sling is removed the stock is flush.

Once upon a time iron sights were standard on all rifles and so was the carry handle on the AR. More, and more rifles came without iron sights and flattop ARs became more prevalent. Eventually both became standard. Some QD mounts are already showing up from the factory on certain rifles I believe.



Will QD Sling Mounts become the standard for Rifles and Shotguns?

Snapchat-443563307.jpg

Snapchat-1090127934.jpg
 
Last edited:
I personally do not like QD sling mounts. I have only tried them with one rifle, but that was enough of a test for me.
 
Not a fan. Have them on 2 PSA SBA3 lower kits and wished I didn't have to use them.
 
I don't see much difference between the old "QD" swivels and the new "mounts". There's still a mount on the stock/barrel somewhere. Neither interferes with shooting if placed properly. Some barrel mounts probably would not work with the new system as well? Nice to have choices tho.
 
Nope. More cost so commodity guns will never have anything that costs a penny more.

Takes a bit of depth, so either sticks out or has to have space in the stock, or mechanicals for it.

Seen >1 fall off without warning. This tends to leave an impression, seen folks change their entire inventory over after this.

I hate all sling swivels. Swivels just cause tangles. I like sling loops. Most of mine then have SR buckles to alllow them to detach. A few times I have indeed hit the release to get un-tangled, and the SR is a lot easier than the pushbutton QD sling swivels, esp in dark, with gloves, etcc.
 
The original question is somewhat confusing because Aim1 seems to equate "QD Sling Mounts" with flush mount, push button swivels. I always thought "QD" mounts were the standard studs.

My feeling is that "a rifle without a sling is like a pistol without a holster." Actually a sling is even more necessary for a rifle than a holster is for a pistol. There's no reason not to have a sling on a rifle. That's why the military has always included sling swivels on long arms.

Removable swivels can get lost. That's why I would prefer permanent, rather than QD, swivels.
 
I can only HOPE not.

I loathe those things in all scenarios and see them popping up far too frequently for my liking on new guns.

Todd.
 
Only thing I can see wanting a QD sling of any kind would be on a bird hunting shotgun. A sling for carrying from the truck to wherever I can start hunting and then take it off so it won't get tangled up in a branch or grass or whatever. Put it back on if the need arises to use both hands and don't want to set a gun on the ground. Rifles I just can't think of a time where I be wanting to attach and detach a sling but I have much less experience carrying around a rifle than about anyone else here so I'm open to scenarios I'm missing.
 
Only thing I can see wanting a QD sling of any kind would be on a bird hunting shotgun. A sling for carrying from the truck to wherever I can start hunting and then take it off so it won't get tangled up in a branch or grass or whatever. Put it back on if the need arises to use both hands and don't want to set a gun on the ground. Rifles I just can't think of a time where I be wanting to attach and detach a sling but I have much less experience carrying around a rifle than about anyone else here so I'm open to scenarios I'm missing.
I like to use what I started with on my swivel-less Savage 24 as a kid whir trapping. An old book showed to make your own hardware-less slings. Both essentially used a *girth hitch* at the barrel or forearm and then one style would do the same at the grip while another advised constructing a *nest* for the butt to sit in.

Never like the nest option as I often carry muzzle-down.

Later, I found BEAUTIFUL versions of these in Europe where they have a grand old tradition.

I think the body guards in the second Godfather movie used something of the sort - for reference.

Todd.
 
My feeling is that "a rifle without a sling is like a pistol without a holster." Actually a sling is even more necessary for a rifle than a holster is for a pistol. There's no reason not to have a sling on a rifle.

The only time I put a sling on my rifle is when I'm dragging a deer out of the woods. Otherwise it's in my hand or hands ready to use.
 
My feeling is that "a rifle without a sling is like a pistol without a holster."


I disagree. I've yet to see a competitive bench shooter with a sling on their rifle. If all you do with a rifle is target shoot I dont see the need. In fact they just get in the way.

That being said all my rifles have the standard swivel studs but I dont keep slings on them. I have a couple slings but rarely hunt and that's the only scenario for me where I'd obviously want one.

My AR has QD's but I dont keep a sling on that either. I dont use it for HD its strictly a SHTF gun and fun plinker. I figure if the apocalypse happens I'll have plenty of time to attach a sling to the "quick" disconnects.
 
The only time I put a sling on my rifle is when I'm dragging a deer out of the woods. Otherwise it's in my hand or hands ready to use.

When hunting I always sling my rifle but once in my stand I un-sling because I don't want to attempt to make a shot and a deer catches the slings movement.

Probably unlikely but I don't like to take chances if I dont have to.
 
i'm surprised by the responses to this thread. perhaps if it was posted in rifle country, the responses would be different.

the "flush cups" style is definitely an improvement over the stud style for lots of reasons.

if you look across the various rifle competition disciplines, i'd say approximately 100% of PRS style shooters have flush cups and a sling, but most rarely actually use the sling anymore (though it was often required in the past). it's fairly common for stocks to have 5-6 flush cups, front and back on left and right and possibly the bottom. Most of my stocks have this. I have a flush cup attached to my rear bag, plugged into the rear of the stock, so that i never forget it. and it's easy to move to the front for barricade work. having two flush cups up front lets me use the sling and bag at the same time. i occasionally attach other things, such as a rope for support. they're quite handy.

Roughly 100% of Service rifle shooters in CMP and NRA HP use slings but have sturdier mounting options which were built into their guns. I doubt most studs as pictured in the OP would hold up to the torque applied when shooting slung over the course of a season. I couldn't speak to 3gun shooters these days, but my guess is that the overwhelming majority use flush cups because they're built into lots of AR15 style forearms.

that said, i would not expect flush cups to become standard on cheap hunting rifles and shotguns.
 
No system is perfect, but I do like to use a sling on rifles and field shotguns. The old style QR has been noisy and clumsy in my experience. The flush QD system, which has been around for many years but became more common in the "tactical" era, is much less obtrusive and quicker to use. Easy to have multiple attachment points, and no protrusions to snag. I just wish I could find cap for my Beretta 391 20 ga to use with the push button system.
 
Thanks. So basically built-in?
yeah, you can insert a standard type pin or any type you like. Some holes can be rotation limited if desired or freely spin 360°, just depends on what you prefer. I use a single point sling for the back of my rifle but the sling has qd buckles on it as well that can be detached to make the sling 2 point or any which way you like it. I really don't understand any hate at all for this system, if the rifle is equipped this way standard sling points can be placed and used traditionally if desired and removed just as easily. I'm no operator so perhaps it's beyond me. I see no disadvantage but maybe someone who does can chime in. Everyone is different so options are good, I don't see any other system with as much flexibility . in my experience it's plenty strong - stronger than a screw turned into wood at least.
 
yeah, you can insert a standard type pin or any type you like. Some holes can be rotation limited if desired or freely spin 360°, just depends on what you prefer. I use a single point sling for the back of my rifle but the sling has qd buckles on it as well that can be detached to make the sling 2 point or any which way you like it. I really don't understand any hate at all for this system, if the rifle is equipped this way standard sling points can be placed and used traditionally if desired and removed just as easily. I'm no operator so perhaps it's beyond me. I see no disadvantage but maybe someone who does can chime in. Everyone is different so options are good, I don't see any other system with as much flexibility . in my experience it's plenty strong - stronger than a screw turned into wood at least.


It's actually nicer for bolt action rifles and such because it is flush when you don't have the sling on.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top