20110920 A
sling is like a holster for your carbine. For a defensive carbine the
sling is in the top three recommended add-ons (white light, sling, red
dot sight). I strongly suggest including at least one type of QD attachment point in the system (QD sling swivel, HK Snaphook, Mash hook, even a plastic buckle), preferably at one end or the other, to be able to break the rifle apart for cleaning and maintenance without having to drag the other half behind you. The two most popular two-point tactical slings today are the Blue Force Gear (BFG) Vickers Combat Applications Sling $50 Blue Force Gear also makes a less-expensive version of their sling Blue Force Gear Victory Series Two-Point Sling $42 If you're on even more of a budget, try the Boonie Packer Tactical Quick-Adjust $16 ($19 with M4 kit if you're running an AR carbine, get the 1.25" version of the sling, not the 1.5") The above two-point sling options will work on AR carbines and AKs (the Boonie Packer may not be compatible with AKs) but may require some modification or extra hardware to work on some AKs and even some ARs. Single-point slings tend to be better suited for lighter and shorter guns. Streamlined basic A2 AR carbines, short barrel rifles, etc. may all be good candidates for single-point slings. Just keep in mind that they require extra attention when slung to keep the rifle from swinging and to keep good control of the muzzle The Wilderness Single-Point sling $25 is extremely popular The Boonie Packer single -Point sling $15 is another, less expensive, option Single-point slings typically require the addition of some kind of aftermarket attachment point that may require you to, at least partially, disassemble the firearm and add cost to the total sling system. One such attachment point that does not require the rifle to be disassembled (but is by no means inexpensive) is the If you are feeling more adventurous and willing to do some light disassembly you may want to try the Daniel Defense Rear Receiver QD Swivel Attachment Point $40 For the record, I strongly recommend staying away from any of the Burnsed-loop, HK-snaphook, or other receiver endplate replacement sling attachment points that project from one or both sides of the carbine. Front attachment points may range from the stock front swivel as the front sight base, either side-facing or downward-facing, or attachment to the handguards. I recommend the following: IWC Mount-N-Slot QD Mirco $16 for attachment in handguards with a round hole, or into which a round hole may be drilled Viking Tactics Low Profile Sling Mount $40 for attachment to the top rail of a free-float handguard Gear Sector Rail Mount QD Socket $36 for attachment to a side rail of a free-float handguard Additionally, there are several one-to-two-point-convertible slings available on the market. To date I have not found one that I like. I converted a BFG VCAS to work in this capacity because I found the other solutions lacking. Your mileage may vary, but if you are just starting out I suggest you pick one of the slings linked to above and begin there. If you would like to try making your own convertible, choose one of the receiver endplate replacements linked to above as well as the following hardware: IWC Mount-N-Slot 2-to-1 Point Triglide $20 IWC Mount-N-Slot TM Snap Hook $35 for receiving the HK snaphook on plastic handguards Magpul Rail Sling Attachment $30 for receiving the HK snaphook on railed handguards HK Snaphook I do NOT recommend using QD sling swivels for the mobile end of the transitional sling as getting the post in the hole becomes too slow to be useful. I do NOT recommend using plastic buckles as they are just too bulky when swinging free on the end to which they are not attached. |
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RECOMMENDATIONS >
Slings for the AR |