Slings That Will Improve Your Shot

A quality rifle sling can make you a more accurate shooter and more effective hunter. Hunting often requires two hands whether you’re working a slate turkey caller, banging rattling horns, or using binoculars. Unless you have your rifle or shotgun securely on your shoulder, you’ll be doing a juggling act. This spring I was turkey hunting when I suddenly walked up on a coyote looking the wrong way. In an instant, I had the shotgun off my shoulder and nailed the huge male before it saw me.

Rifle slings don’t get a lot of attention from manufacturers, but they should — a sling helps you be more effective, safe, and accurate. Limbsaver recently introduced a full line of hunting slings for rifles, bows, and crossbows. They have greatly improved two elements of the sling — ease of carry and comfort, with a special handle and non-slip groves built in. When walking on a hunt, I’ve found it quite comfortable to keep my hand on the sling. In addition to a carry tool, the sling quickly becomes a “Hasty Sling” by wrapping your forearm around it for greater off-hand shooting stability.

If marksmanship is your key, you may opt for a shooter’s sling that creates a figure eight with two loops like the Galco Gunleather Orion Sling, shown at left. The upper loop slides over your biceps and serves as an anchor for the resting hand and locks the body into a tripod for much greater stability. The Hasty Sling method takes about two seconds, while this more deliberate tactic takes a bit longer.

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