First and foremost, a GI Web sling, of which Appleseed promotes the use of is sufficient. In fact, I know many High Masters that use a GI web sling.
However, I also know many High Masters that prefer the use of the leather sling of 1907.
What I will say, is that only those 2 will work well for Appleseed or 3 position shooting. Someone may bring up a Match rifle sling, and yes....those work very well, but that is only shot in the match rifle category.
Nylon replicas of web slings do not typically work well. Hunting style slings also do not typically work well. If you find that you can use those accurately great!
I'll first describe 3 slings:
Match: Of which I will not describe, but will allude to, is a wide sling, that can be applied to the arm behind the firing line, one then simply "clicks in" to the rifle. They work very well for Match rifles.
GI Web Sling: A cotton sling about 1 inch in width, with an H buckle, clip (also referred to as "junk" and a fastener for securing the length, it is a very popular sling for Appleseed, and does work very well
1907 Leather Sling: This is a sling that is made of leather, or some other synthetic material like leather (biothane....not recommended as they tend to have perceived stretch), that is thicker than the web sling, and has holes in the strap for setting length, the typical 1907 sling is 2 pieces, a long strap and a short strap. The short strap has a D ring at the rear and a hook (frog/dog as they are sometimes referred to as) on the end. The long strap has a hook at one end as well, and also has the holes punched into it for length adjustment. There are also 2 leather keepers, that are used in some configurations to keep the sling tight.
Everyone will learn, or has already learned the use of the web sling at Appleseed.
What is the purpose of the sling?
The purpose of the sling is to provide maximum stability of the rifle when shooting in the unsupported positions. That is it in a nutshell.
Sling Reviews:
Web/GI cotton Slings: These can be procured at the Appleseed store, and lots of other places. They are easy to instruct how to use. They work well. I stopped using a web sling, because I had a tough time in prep periods obtaining the proper length and moved to a 1907 sling. There are methods of marking the sling for repeatable length I just was never able to perfect that.
Turner Biothane 1907 leather slings: I had a few of these. They worked well for me in the beginning for a year or so, but then I noticed some stretching occurring in the long strap holes. There have been similar complaints from others on this as well. So, I have discontinued the use of the Biothane slings.
Ron Brown 1907 Slings: These are phenomenal! I have a couple of these and they have served me very well. Ron Brown slings are excellent. Ron learned his art from a guy named Les Tam, and Les Tam slings are the best, or so I am told. There is another, a Weller sling, but he passed away I am told, I hear John Weller taught Les Tam, and Les taught Ron, but have no confirmation of this.
Eric Hollis Slings: Eric is fairly new to the high power rifle sling market, maybe a few years now. Eric's slings as of late seem to be the one to have. Eric was also tutored by Les Tam. I am personal friends with Eric, and purchased one of his slings earlier this year. I will say, the leather is a bit thicker and wider. It is still within the regs for HP rifle competition. His slings are "beefy" and I like that! Absolutely ZERO perceived stretch, and the holes seem to be a bit closer together than that of Ron Brown's, allowing for more adjustments.
The above is my "review" portion, and for anyone considering an alternative to a web sling (don't knock it till you try it), for 1907 slings I would only recommend Eric Hollis or Ron Brown.
Rigging:
Web/GI cotton: Fairly straightforward, every Appleseeder knows how to rig a web sling
1907:
There are a few ways that work well. There is the common way, which is often referred to as the USMC way. That rigging method can be found online. I used that configuration for a few years and it works well. One thing about this configuration to watch for, is that the keepers may stretch/get worn. It is not uncommon to replace the keepers every or every other season. The 3 downsides to this sling config, is that sometimes it is difficult to get the sling loosened, especially after a string of fire. I've often had to ask my scorekeeper to help me loosen my sling. The other downside is that pulse is translated thru the sling from the bicep. Lastly, adjustment of the slings length, requires the sling to be removed from the arm and rifle typically. Adjustment is not a big deal once you know your length positions, but it can be a painful experience finding those length positons. Again, a great way to rig a sling, and one that is still common on the firing line today. In fact, it is probably the most common way to rig a sling.
No Pulse Methods:
There are 2 I know of. One is the MSgt Jim Owens way, and his is confusing to me. Basically you buy the sling already configured for use in this configuration. He sells it and also Creedmoor sports. Ron Brown will make your sling in his config if you desire that. I've never used it, but have a friend that does and he really likes it. The main benefit, is that it takes the pulse from the arm pretty much out of the equation.
Then there is what I call "my way", I have yet to find out exactly who invented this config, but it was surely not me. It was however passed on to me, and since I learned how to use it, many other HP competitors are now using this version. This version can be configured with any 1907 Sling, and you can do it yourself at home.
The beauty of this method, is that you get the benefit of the no pulse from the arm, and it is easier to put on the arm and rifle than a GI Web sling!
The other benefit, is that the sling can easily (and advisedly) be applied to the arm behind the firing line, saving you a lot of time in prep.
One of the best benefits is how fast it is to get the rifle attached, and if you desire to experiment with lengths, it is very easy to do so without removing the sling from your arm.
I will edit this post this evening, with a link to a video on how the sling is applied to the arm, and rifle and demonstrate how easy it is to adjust length.
My daughter and I use this no pulse config, on every rifle we shoot. 10/22's, AR15s to the M1 Garand, and it works phenomenally!
One downfall....
The config will leave a "loop" of excess on your arm, that can be a bit of an annoyance at first. But, if you apply the sling the way Appleseed teaches, the "junk out" method, the loop is not an issue at all.
Eric Hollis is now selling these slings, and has incorporated a suggestion I gave him. Shorten the short strap a bit. That leaves a smaller excess loop.
The way the sling is applied (video to follow), is the short strap is the only thing that goes on your bicep. The short strap is configured as such (see pic below), to where the frog/hook/dog is passed thru the D ring. Then you pass your arm thru the created loop (that loop will always be there now) and pull on the frog/hook/keeper to tighten it, and then simply hook it to itself. The D ring prevents the hook/dog/frog from loosening.
The 2 sling keepers are the only thing holding the long strap, and that is where the "no pulse" comes from. ZERO pulse transmission as the long strap is not wrapped around your arm at all.
Then simply pass the long end strap thru the sling swivel, and use the hook/frog/dog at the end to set the length. Wanna change length? Get on your knees, unhook from one position and hook into another.
It is very similar to the benefits one gets from a "Match" sling.
Here is a pic of the sling configuration and one of my daughter wearing it, you can see in her pic the "Excess" loop on her bicep.
Video to follow this afternoon/evening. I posted this method as a video awhile back on Facebook in the NRA High Power rifle forum, since then many have switched to this way of using a 1907 sling in the no pulse config.
I have a couple of nylon web slings of the USGI type as sold by Ammogarand. I have heard many say that the nylon webbing slings are no good because they slip. Mine have never slipped and I have even tried to make them slip. This may be a function of the quality of the hardware, particularly the cam lock/keeper buckle on the USGI sling. The hardware on the Ammogarand slings, whether they are cotton or nylon, is of excellent quality.
Most of the USGI slings are going to be 1 1/4" in width. But if you have some permanently attached sling swivel that won't accept a sling that wide, Tech Sights does sell a 1" wide USGI M14/M1 Garand type web sling in both cotton and synthetic.
I personally prefer a leather model 1907 type sling for shooting sitting and prone. I rig it in a "no-pulse" configuration that I will show below, and leave it attached to my arm between the Stage 2 and Stage 3, and Stage 3 and Stage 4. I use a web sling in the hasty conguration for standing. My rifle is currently set up with sockets for the push-button type quick release type sling swivels, so I have those attached to both ends of my USGI sling and the front end of my leather slings. Attaching either the web sling or the USGI sling to the rifle and detaching them is very quick.
As for leather model 1907 slings, I have a Ron Brown and the quality is outstanding. If you think that you might want to use a leather sling, I would definitely recommend a Ron Brown sling. Creedmoor Sports occasionally has them on sale. Get on their mailing list if you think you might want one. If on the other hand you want a reasonably decent model 1907 leather sling, maybe to dress up your M1A or M1 Garand, that will still function quite well for use as a loop sling while shooting, Creedmoor sells a pretty decent sling for $23.95:
https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product/N035/Rifle-Slings (https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product/N035/Rifle-Slings)
When you hold this sling up next to a Ron Brown you will definitely see a difference in the thickness of the leather, the quality of the sling hooks (dogs, frogs) and the quality of the keepers, but the sling is not bad and I have used it.
This photo shows the Jim Owens method of rigging a no-pulse sling:
https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product/JONPS/see-all-departments?pk_cid=10&pk_keyword=JONPS&pk_medium=multifeeds&pk_campaign=GoogleUS&pk_source=GoogleUS&pk_content=SportingGoodsOutdoorRecreation&utm_source=GoogleUS&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI39O8_caA5QIVL_bjBx1R8gQsEAYYASABEgL4J_D_BwE (https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product/JONPS/see-all-departments?pk_cid=10&pk_keyword=JONPS&pk_medium=multifeeds&pk_campaign=GoogleUS&pk_source=GoogleUS&pk_content=SportingGoodsOutdoorRecreation&utm_source=GoogleUS&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI39O8_caA5QIVL_bjBx1R8gQsEAYYASABEgL4J_D_BwE)
You will notice that one sling keeper has to be big enough to accommodate three thickness of sling. You can either buy a sling already set up this way, use an older stretched-out sling keeper, or take a stitched sling keeper, cut the stitching, and restitch it larger using dental floss or the venerable Speedy Awl Stitcher.
Ron Brown shows yet another way to rig a leather sling in a no-pulse configuration on his web site that will work with his sling and normally sized keepers:
https://www.servicerifleslings.com/no-pulse-slings.html (https://www.servicerifleslings.com/no-pulse-slings.html)
(https://nebula.wsimg.com/c3cfa6755ed687add4e09b769d809baa?AccessKeyId=CA9BB7C2247FBC3789DE&disposition=0&alloworigin=1)
Either the Jim Owens or the Ron Brown method will allow you to leave the sling on your arm and adjust sling tension between stages if needed. I currently use the Ron Brown sling and the Ron Brown no-pulse configuration, but have also used the Jim Owens method.
With either the Ron Brown no-pulse sling and the Jim Owens no-pulse sling, be sure to put the loop on your arm with the D ring of the short strap directed toward the outboard side of your arm. With the no-pulse configured leather slings you will need a separate sling if you use a hasty sling for the standing stages.
Quote from: pblanc on October 03, 2019, 02:25:42 PM
As for leather model 1907 slings, I have a Ron Brown and the quality is outstanding.
With the no-pulse configured leather slings you will need a separate sling if you use a hasty sling for the standing stages.
Ron Brown slings are great!
If you order directly from him, he will (for free) emboss your initials, and service emblem (if you served). The sling I pictured in the original post, has brass frogs (I requested those) and USN on the keepers, the Navy ACE and my initials on the strap. Just give him a call.
The sling on my daughters arm, is a Ron Brown as well. A competitor sent that to her for as a gift 2 years ago, it is pink/red in color, has her initials and a flower embossed on the strap.
Eventually she will (as I am) be using an Eric Hollis sling, I just happened to win one being "First Leather" aka first loser, in the EIC match at the New England Games.
Excellent point as well, if the sling is used in a no pulse config, one will need an extra web sling (if desired) for the AQT standing stage. In HP rifle, Shannon and I both have web slings on our rifles for the standing stage. Standing requires that the sling be on the rifle, but it cannot be used for support.
CMP did change their rulings on that a year or two ago, and for CMP Games matches only, the sling does not have to be on the rifle at all for standing.
R/
Chris
Here is a link to a short video explaining my version (or the one that was passed down to me....still have no clue who came up with this ingenious idea) of a no pulse sling setup.
It is very simple to use, as you will see.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FgxcUVeNGwv4L-x6A08Ek2o58W9iaBaF?usp=sharing