Cross draw for handgun when slinging an rifle?

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3Crows

3Crows

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I am just curious, for those of you who sling your rifle "American Carry" or even "African Carry" do you carry your hand gun cross draw or opposite side of the rifle? I mostly carry my rifle, if slung, American Carry on my right shoulder which means the rifle hangs on my hand gun if it too is strong side, for me right handed (mostly). But the other reason and may be the same reason, my grandfather and father carried as such if they had a rifle and a handgun down in Louisiana. But up here in the Midwest I was asked last fall why do I carry cross draw, as if I was trying to be a gunfighter or cool. Which has nothing to do with my being cross draw. I am just trying to keep them apart for access and to prevent banging into one another, especially if moving fast (as in running from a bore) to get to a tree ;) . Is it a regional thing?

3C
 
no. i sling my rifle on the support side and my handgun on strong side.

african carry means a lot of different things to different people (google image search and you may be surprised what people describe as african carry)

but i tend to think of it as this:
9k70q0yukn331.jpg
if you're right handed, you'd sling over left shoulder muzzle down and forearm forward, and to shoot, you grab the forearm with your support hand and bring the rifle up to shoot. it's never on your strong side, so wouldn't interfere at all with your pistol.

i think of american carry as like shown in the graphic, EXCEPT with your head through the sling with muzzle high on strong side and butt low on support side. when you think you might want to shoot, you grab the butt and rotate it up around your body so that the rifle is now across your chest, butt high on strong side and muzzle low on weak side in front of you, close to a low-ready. again this doesn't interfere with your strong side holstered pistol. (and unlike shown in the pic, it IS relatively secure because your head and one arm are through the sling so it won't easily fall off which can happen in african carry if you let go of the strap and have to lean over or move suddenly)

if you think of american carry as shown in the pic, yes it would interfere with your pistol. however, the correct course of action would be to pick a better method of slinging a rifle, instead of using a worse method of holstering a pistol
 
When I said "American Carry" and "African Carry" I mean as in your diagram above. Carry with the muzzle up and cross chest, not sure, I assume that is GI carry or American Carry for long distance hiking.

The rifle is always primary for me, the pistol or revolver is secondary for camp duty etc. I am not going to drop a rifle that makes 3,000+ fpe for a handgun that makes at best half that.

But this is not about bear carry or any of that, a handgun is often more convenient for close in dispatch or a coup de grace if an animal (hog) is still alive. The rifle being primary is why I put this question in the rifle forum. The revolver is a Single Six 22 Magnum, one in the ear if the hog i still wiggling or whatever. I rougher country I might pack a BH .45 Colt with +P loads.

3C
 
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I prefer to crossdraw carry on my left and carry my rifle strong side (right) muzzle down just like the poster above. I didn’t know it was known as “African Carry”.
When I carried my 327 Night Guard when hunting I actually wore it on my left in my right side / strong side holster. Mostly because I wanted that gun on me and I didn’t have a proper crossdraw holster. It actually worked okay.
When hunting with my brother in Pennsylvania years ago, other hunters thought I was a little nutty for wanting to carry a handgun.
 
Any method used in true conditions by Ukrainian soldiers would be fine with me. They might also know something.

This could even work near grizzly bears carrying a .338 etc?

ukrainian-soldiers-carry-empty-bottles-to-collect-water-as-they-walk-picture-id457772746.jpg

I would even imitate what the ladies do, when moving around the front lines of their "college safe space". Not kidding.

7da5707ef5cde86a323ef68dfaa39296.jpg
 

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A lot of this depends on what you expect your most pressing firearm needs are. When I was deployed to a combat theater I carried my rifle in low ready and my sidearm centered on my chest where I could grab it with either hand. That way, if my rifle was down for whatever reason I could grab my sidearm/pistol (really a backup weapon as far as the military is concerned) with either hand.

Many of the times I have gone hunting, a sidearm was to dispatch an animal that has been wounded. And as such, plays a similar secondary role to the rifle. Rifle as your primary means of dispatching an animal. Whether planned or by surprise. So where the handgun is placed is a secondary thought in terms of speed or accessibility. In hunting I carry my rifle in low ready (out of Army habit) or slung American style as shown above over my left/non dominant shoulder. With my handgun being carried cross draw or strong side OWB depending on holsters I have.
 
Ukrainians which picked up a rifle for the first time about 45 days ago wouldn’t be the first reference I would recommend…

In my part of the Midwest, we sling on our non-dominant shoulder so our dominant hand is free to perform other actions while our left hand/arm/elbow aids in retaining the firearm. Wire fence gates have a bit to do with that. No conflict with a sidearm.
 
Ah this is when being cross eye dominant comes into its own. I shoot long guns left hand and shoot pistols right hand (using left eye). I sling my hunting rifles just like my AR rifles so that all I have to do is reach for it with my left hand and bring it up to my shoulder. I can move the file out of the way with my left while wrapping my pistol with my right hand at the same time.
 
If I don't use African method, I'm slinging it across the body like I did in the Army. Either way, my sidearm isn't in the way.
I seldom use my cross-draw holsters, but they're great in the car.
 
I use the American carry. It's not slow at all.

Reach back, grab buffet tube, spin carbine forward and up to my eye. Sling falls off of my shoulder.

If hiking, I'll toss the sling over my head and have the rifle across my back, or chest. Now that's slow. The pistol becomes my primary.
 
Ignition Override said:
Any method used in true conditions by Ukrainian soldiers would be fine with me. They might also know something.

This could even work near grizzly bears carrying a .338 etc?

View attachment 1073016

I would even imitate what the ladies do, when moving around the front lines of their "college safe space". Not kidding.

View attachment 1073018
Click to expand...

I like to call that Communist Carry and have switched my AR15's to longer slings to allow for Commie Carry. With a long enough sling you can quickly shoulder the rifle with the sling still in place.
 
I carry lots of different stuff, a number of different ways.

What is the purpose, traveling, actively hunting, just don’t want the rifle banging into a strong side belt level holstered handgun?
What are you going to be packing, a hand gun or hand cannon?
What is being slung?
What are you wearing?

Pants and shirt make almost any carry position pretty easy to access. Winter coveralls make almost any position inside the garment less easy to access.

Over the years, I have used all of them I guess. When I am making my rounds out for the lone boars, these days, I have the rifle slung in a “low ready” position. Mostly because I am using it often (thermal/dark) vs just hauling it around until I need to shoot something. I can also use either or both hands, like opening a gate and not letting the chain bang against anything as I go through and shut it. At that point any pistol method, except shoulder/chest is accessible, again depending on clothing.
 
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jmorris said:
I carry lots of different stuff, a number of different ways.

What is the purpose, traveling, actively hunting, just don’t want the rifle banging into a strong side belt level holstered handgun?
Click to expand...

The purpose is multiple as I described. 1) Still Hunting, in the classic sense and transport of the rifle between areas to be still hunted. Once game is located and I shift from still hunting to stalking and then of course the rifle is no longer slung but in my hand. 2) And fixed position hunting where the rifle must be carried some distance to the fixed position, a blind or such. 3) Hiking (possibly solo and multiple days afoot) with no intent to hunt, the hike is the interest, to visit the back country afoot and explore. But carrying both a rifle for primary defense and a handgun for secondary use once in camp.

When I started this thread, really, number one was my question. For number 1 and number 2 I would likely carry a Single Six 22 Magnum or a Blackhawk .45LC. For number 3 it might be an auto pistol, a 1911 .45ACP or a Glock 19 or a 10mm if I owned one.

3C
 
Methinks a cross-draw is what really works best. It's fast, it's out of the way, and with a little cant, and a generous loop on the holster pulls towards your center when you want to sit down under a tree and have a snack or some coffee.

I detach the slings on my rifles and put them in my cargo-pocket, so I won't be tempted to sling the rifle. Dragging out a deer (or whatever) is about the only time I need a sling. Throwing the rifle over my shoulder, for me, is about as comfortable as slinging it.

For hiking/exploring/trekking I might use a sling, in which case it will be on my right side, and I sure don't want my rifle banging into my pistol, although all my holsters are flap style, so it wouldn't really be a problem. Still, for me, packing a pistol on my right side is of no advantage that I can think of.
 
We often teach “cross slinging” across the back for distance hiking or if you need both hands. It looks like the soldier carrying the water jugs; the butt is up on your weak side, sling is diagonal from weak shoulder across chest to strong hip, rifle muzzle is carried down near strong hip. I wouldn’t carry this way if a fast reaction is expected, but to get from truck to blind, or back to camp, its an easy way to sling the rifle.

Stay safe.
 
I think too many people focus on the tactical aspect of carry these days and not on the practical aspect of carrying a relatively heavy and unwieldy long gun any amount of time and distance.

Slinging a rifle/shotgun frees up arms and hands to do other important things while tromping around in the wilderness. It also conserves strength.

And how you sling it may vary based on the situation. Muzzle up or down, over one shoulder or crossed over one arm and head, etc. If you're climbing to a steep hill, better security and protection of the rifle while freeing your hands for support and balance is a priority. Tracking prey means a method which makes the rifle easier and quicker to deploy.

I say experiment and see what works best for your circumstances. And don't hesitate to switch it up if need be.
 
For years, I carried right side holster and dad not sling rifle (or off side, occasionally).
Got a shoulder holster and could sling rifle right side and things seemed better.

Started CAS and using a cross draw. Found cross draw more comfortable when driving, on horseback, working on pasture and hiking.

Major fan of cross draw holsters.
 
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