How do you carry your rifle/shotty

[06]

Have long since abandoned carrying my rifles barrel up in the woods/field. The Marines taught us to carry them up but I like barrel down. Makes going through the bush much easier. wc

 

[SquirrelNuts]

Down. I would rather put a hole in the ground, than a bullet up in the air only to come down who knows where.

 

[SoCalShooter]

When I hunt I use one of these.

http://www.kifaru.net/

http://www.kifaru.net/gunbearer_mil.html

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I carry mine pointed down. In the military, you are often carrying it in a crowd of others, an AD or ND with the barrel pointed down is more likely to ricochet and hurt someone. That is their reason for pointing it up, or so I've been told.

 

[bang_bang]

Depends on what kind of area I'm going through. Most of the time, I'm in fields so I throw the sling over my right shoulder with the barrel fairly straight in the air. If I am dragging game or carrying something, I often put my head through the sling as well, making the rifle go diagonal across my back.

 

[Brian Dale]

I'm right handed and right eye dominant. I carry slung rifles either barrel up on my right shoulder or, more often, barrel down behind my left shoulder. I seem to be faster on target with the second of these.

I just bought a Safari Ching Sling for the hunting rifle that I'm likely to use the most next season, so my preference might change when I've practiced with the Ching Sling.

I don't have slings on my shotguns.

 

[phonesysphonesys]

As a battalion scout I carried port arms or at the ready. I also would sling my rifle over my left shoulder, muzzle down. From that position I could bring the rifle up to fire with a hasty sling. It was pretty fast too. In a formation (march) it was muzzle up. I still use the muzzle down a lot hunting.

Semper Fi

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Sling over the shoulder with the barrel up.

I recall a AD situation from Jamestown in History where a young soldier died when hit in leg from another behind him during a drill.

I tell you this. If the barrel is down on that range floor (Poured concrete...) that slug is going to hurt or kill someone really bad if it should go off. At least it will punch the ceiling and that will be that.

 

[desidog]

Precautionary note: At some point a while back, while slung pointed down, a rock rolled out from under my foot, causing me to take a seat...and i got a good three inches of mud up my muzzle. i'm glad i checked it, cause it might have made like a banana.

 

[Brian Dale]

desidog, with long barrelled rifles in "African carry" as you've described, I've sometimes looked down while walking steep hillsides to see my muzzle much closer to the ground (mud, snow, et cetera) than I'd prefer.

Good point.

 

[Sixtigers]

I've always carried African, but am starting to think about trying a 3-point sling. Looks comfortable, and keeps my hands freer...Anybody have bad experiences with this method?

 

[jakemccoy]

I don't currently hunt, but I practice African carry at the range. I have a pump. Without a sling, the range wants me to carry with the action open and the muzzle pointed upward. I've always considered this method of carrying to be unnecessarily aggressive, for lack of a better word. With African carry, it's much easier to approach other shooters without them first giving me a once over. Plus, African carry is comfortable and natural.

 

[jakemccoy]

http://www.kifaru.net/gunbearer_mil.html

Does that holster ever make the gun sweep your head if you're not paying attention?

 

[PTK]

I carry on the back muzzle up on two point slings, across the chest/up/diagonal on three point slings. I don't want my muzzle in the dirt - too many things can go wrong with that.

 

[D-Day]

I use a 3-point sling for my M1A when hiking. Keeps the gun off and pointed down to my left so I can draw the pistol on my right, is comfortble, and allows for good movement and versatility.

Using a standard sling, I don't like how easily it can roll off your shoulder, and especially if carrying a holstered pistol (gets caught on or bangs into the pistol).

And using a standard sling to carry a mag-fed rifle across your back with a protruding charging handle is simply not a comfortable option...

 

[Tycer]

Muzzle down, single point sling on most. The guns I've not added the single point attachment to are muzzle up, weak-side carry. Backpack carry is muzzle down.

 

[jackstinson]

I've always wondered; If a shotgun is a "shotty", why isn't a rifle a "riffy", or a pistol a "pissy" ?

 

[chuckusaret]

I never heard of the shotgun being refered to as a shotty before I started on THR.

 

[Daryll in NW FLA]

OK, got to ask- what is African carry ?

 

[psyopspec]

OK, got to ask- what is African carry?

Muzzle down, slung on the shooting shoulder.

I carry depending on the environment. If it's snowing or raining, African carry. If the hunt's concluded and I'm walking back to my vehicle and taking in the sunset, muzzle up. If I'm hunting or playing Army, it's at the low carry, low ready, or on a 3-point sling.

 

[CWL]

African Carry is muzzle down, slung on weak side, your weak hand on the forearm of the stock.

This allows you to bring your rifle/shotgun up faster and into a firing position by using your weak hand to bring the front into shooting position while you use your strong hand to pull the stock into position and fire.

This method also helps to keep your long gun from tangling with any sidearm and reduces your threat profile when viewed from afar.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

"Does that holster ever make the gun sweep your head if you're not paying attention?"

I was thinking the same thing myself, but with a longer barrel it doesn't seem to have that problem. http://www.kifaru.net/gunbearer_hunt.html

 

[stiletto raggio]

Rifles are slung at the low ready with a two- or three-point sling over my right shoulder. It keeps the muzzle in a safe direction, doesn't dump your muzzle in the dirt like a single-point can, and is fast in action as it allows you to keep one or both hands comfortably on the rifle. Tactical shotguns are the same. I understand not everyone wants a modern sling on their rifles, but there is are good reasons the old strap has gone by the wayside.

Field shotguns are carried (sans sling) at loose port arms, with the barrel more up and more forward. Birdshot is safer fired into the air than anywhere else and this position is natural for mounting the gun after a high target (a bird).

 

[Brian Dale]

I've always wondered; If a shotgun is a "shotty", why isn't a rifle a "riffy", or a pistol a "pissy" ?

I think that "shotty" is usually a Member's attempt to wax a bit poetic.

Some folks have mentioned that using the word "shotty" is a pet peeve for them. On the other hand, somebody wise once wrote that, if you're afraid to make bad art, you'll never practice enough to make good art. Most folks at THR recognize the attempt to use picturesque language as "improving one's writing skills" and cut the poster some slack.

 

[DSAPT9]

I was taught to keep the barrel pointed up in a safe direction. I was also told the reason you do this was to keep the barrel from getting dirt and snow jammed in if you slip and or fall. With the barrel pointed down it would be the first thing stuffed into the dirt and it may happen quick enough you may not notice it happened leaving you with a plugged barrel.

In real life I carry either crossed armed or barrel slightly down in a modified crossed arm position.