Question about slings for Appleseed

[nugi]

Getting ready to attend an Appleseed event and trying to figure out the sling piece. Everyone seems to say you have to get the GI Sling to really learn their rifleman technique but for the life of me I can't see what the difference is between the sling they recommend:

https://www.bisontactical.com/usgi-appleseed-sling/

And something like this one from Viking Tactics:

https://www.vikingtactics.com/product-p/vtac-mk1.htm

I know with the Viking sling you can adjust the length very quickly and this Appleseed sling seems like a slow way to do the same thing. What am I missing?

 

[nugi]

Or the Magpul rifleman sling https://magpul.com/rls-sling.html?mp_global_color=118

It’s a two loop sling. I don’t see what’s different about it. But according to others online it’s not quite right (they don’t seem to say why)

 

[Captains1911]

With the GI sling, you can detach the sling from the rear of the rifle and put your arm through the loop, tightening it around your bicep, to aid in stability. I’m not sure those other ones have that capability. You can get by an Appleseed without one, but you’ll get more out of it with.

 

[nugi]

With the GI sling, you can detach the sling from the rear of the rifle and put your arm through the loop, tightening it around your bicep, to aid in stability. I’m not sure those other ones have that capability. You can get by an Appleseed without one, but you’ll get more out of it with.

Ah interesting, ok. Could it just be a loop on a quick detach?

 

[Captains1911]

Ah interesting, ok. Could it just be a loop on a quick detach?

Perhaps. You need to be able to tighten it down, and it needs to be fairly stiff. Google image “loop sling” to get a better idea of the technique.

 

[Charlie98]

You can get by an Appleseed without one, but you’ll get more out of it with.

They loaned me a Carbine sling when I shot an Appleseed... it made all the difference. I turned around and bought 4 of them for my rifles.

The key is tension on the bicep loop... you normally can't do that with a standard sling. What makes the web sling the best is the quick adjustable clamp.

 

[nugi]

Ok, thanks guys, makes sense now! I think I see the difference, the rear clamp with the bicep loop is attached totally differently. (if there's a difference with the fore-end clamp I don't see that, it seems similar but slower to the others I linked to)

Let me run a second question by you - any reason not to use a QD sling swivel instead of the j-hook? Push button to pop the sling off, QD swivel stays on it like the J-hook would otherwise

 

[Captains1911]

Ok, thanks guys, makes sense now! I think I see the difference, the rear clamp with the bicep loop is attached totally differently. (if there's a difference with the fore-end clamp I don't see that, it seems similar but slower to the others I linked to)

Let me run a second question by you - any reason not to use a QD sling swivel instead of the j-hook? Push button to pop the sling off, QD swivel stays on it like the J-hook would otherwise

It doesn't matter if you detach the J-hook from the QD swivel, or the QD swivel (along with the J-hook its connected to) from the rifle. Detaching the QD swivel is probably easier.

 

[CapnMac]

any reason not to use a QD sling swivel instead of the j-hook?

Well, the GI ones are still cheap and plentiful, so, finding one to adapt to QD is generally not worth the effort.

The GI sling (an M-36 in the parlance) is as simple as it gets.
Adjust the loop to fit on your arm.
Clip the clip over the rear sling mount, then thread the other end through the front mount, then close the spring clamp.

In wartime use, you were meant to have the clamp "open" to the weapon; for Appleseed, it makes sense to reverse that, as you can dump the tension by just pulling down on the tail end of the strap against the tab of the clamp.

I've seen the newer style used and coached folk with them--what I have seen is that the fiddly "bits," the various straps and snaps and things, mostly dangle about and wind up an annoyance or a distraction, right as you are trying to find that focus, that balance of body & mind which is NPOI (Natural Point of Aim).

I've made a similar argument against the leather M-1903 sling--that it's more distraction than help, until you get to that thousandth repetition or so, to where it's second nature. And it's curst tough enough to get to a hundredth mounting up in these hectic modern times. At one range trip per month, it's eight and a third years. Even if you get the free time to set up at home in dry-fire mode once a week, you are still at twenty-five months.

 

[taliv]

I’m a fan of the Armageddon gear version. I use it on my bolt guns. https://www.armageddongear.com/Precision-Rifle-Sling

the 1907 sling is pretty fast once you figure it out. The amount of practice described above is somewhat exaggerated if you get someone to teach you proper technique. it has the advantage of being far far more stable and consistent through strings of fire. And can be quickly returned to the exact right setting when switching back and forth between prone and sitting positions. You can adjust the gi sling and use a sharpie to mark the length you need though to do basically the same thing.

I also like the quick cuff slings. You basically sew the sling cuff into your jacket so your arm is always through it. Just buckle in when you need to shoot and you have less stuff dangling from your rifle when walking about. The downside is you need to be wearing your jacket