Those are great for the range, but take a bit of time to sling up in properly... for field use, I actually make my own type of sling, which I use on my M1A. It is a quick-adjustable 2-point tactical sling with a built-in arm loop for sling-supported shooting that is really quick to get in and out of:
There's a trick to use it for sling-supported positions, you don't use the loop that is there when it's on the rifle, but you pull a loop out of the buckle as shown here.
Even if you get a turner leather sling, you'll want a web sling as a cheap backup and for dirty/wet conditions. BTW here's the turner site. They make the best. I like their national match service rifle sling.
If you google around the web, there are some youtube WWII videos of shooting positions for the Garand (same concept as the M1a) and they show a very helpful way to set up a sandbag as a support for prone shooting with a sling. I've found this technique to give me the smallest groups of anything I've tried including shooting off the bench (I can't get good groups off a bench to save my life).
I have worn out about one Turner 54" NM Sling and a number of sets of leather sling keepers. The sling keepers should be replaced when you replace your barrel as both will be worn out then.
I have met Turner at the Birmingham Gun show and he is an ex Marine from the Marine Rifle Team. He saw a need for a high quality leather sling that was longer than the 48" GI. His were the first slings I saw with number stamping on the hook holes.
I recommend a 54" sling for a Garand/M1a, a 56" sling for a AR. This is assuming you are using a shooting coat.
Recently I have been using his AWS slings as the suckers don't stretch and don't slide. Turner told me he came up with this idea and it cost him thousands to get a machine that would punch out the holes.
I have seen Les Tam slings and they are nice. One year I saw the Marine Team all outfitted with Les Tam slings, Les had stamped the globe and anchor logo and the Marine shooter's name on the slings, and the shooters were all proud of their slings.
Other years I have seen them with Turner's, what the Teams use is often depends on what is donated.
the standard "issue" sling has always worked for me. it was made for a purpose and it still applies. aint gonna go out and spend lots of cash cause someone else thinks you got to have the newest thing. I been seeing the GIs on the news and the slings they use on their M4s etc. there was nothing wrong with what we used, just different thinking. they dont even carry their weapons the way we did 40 years ago, times and thinking change.
Some people also like a Ching Sling or Safari Ching Sling. Kind of like my sling design, they are also designed more for practical field use than for match use.
Turner Saddlery if you want a good leather sling that matches the rifle, and I've got this sling, which makes it a lot easier to get in and out of when you are using it as a cuff sling.
In Bagram I was at the armorer arms shop on my compound, saw a brand new M1907 sling in the bag with NSN #. Talked to the guy there and he gave it to me, promptly put it on my A2. Would not believe how many people I,ve had to explain on how to correctly use it.
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