Sling Selection: Barrel Length vs. My Height vs. Sling Configuration

[Anthony]

Hello Everyone,

I'm kind of new to slings and need some advice.

I have a number of military style rifles I am going to be fitting tactical slings to and was wondering if there is a rule of thumb on selecting a single point or 3-point tactical sling for full length rifles?

I'm 5'9" with very broad shoulders.

Should I avoid certain sling configurations for full length (e.g., FAL, M1A) rifles to prevent the muzzle from digging into the ground or bouncing against my legs?

Are there any particular brands/models of slings that have a particularly good track record in the field?

Thanks for the input.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

A single-point sling is handy if you need to transition from one side to another (either to shoot from different sides of a barrier or to tuck the rifle under your arm while transitioning to pistol). It is a real simple sling that doesn't hang on gear and mostly stays out of the way. It does let the muzzle swing freely and it can put your muzzle in the dirt when you kneel or bend over if you aren't paying attention to it.

The three-point sling is designed to act as a more traditional 2-point sling while still allowing you to sling it in front of you "patrol" style. Some versions also allow you to flip a buckle and lengthen the sling to transition to the other side of the body. The downside is that they tend to have a lot of nylon straps and can get hung up on things.

The hot new thing is the Vickers VCAS. It is a two point sling that is usually attached to a single-point plate at the rear of the receiver and a QD sling mount at the back of the railed handguard. This allows both supported sling use and easy transitions without the extra mess of a 3-point sling. It also controls the muzzle better than a single-point. I haven't got around to trying one of these out yet since my single-point does well enough for me; but I will probably succumb soon and give it a try.