slings on your flintlocks?

For y'all that have some kind of sling on your longrifle, how to you attach it and what kind do you use? I know that many/most military muskets have swivels, but what if I don't want to attach swivels to my stock. Do people just tie it off around the wrist and in front of the rear sight or something? Also, what material do you use. I thought about one of those nice woven ones for my Tennessee, but didn't know if they'd hold up. Just curious. I'd love to see some pics if you got 'em.

This, I have also pondered on.. Would also love to see examples.

I use a strap of braintanned deer with a loop over the barrel that snugs up on the middle thimble of my longrifle. The other end ties to the wrist or front of the trigger-guard, depending on if I am using a cow's knee or not.

I generally like to carry my smokepoles, so I don't have slings on any of them. When I need my hands free I use a woven sash tied to the wrist and fore barrel. That's also how I carry them when I've got 'em wrapped in a blanket. I imagine that sort of thing was done a lot in the past.

On the other hand my Bess had a leather sling that was nice to use. Being a military arm it just had a different feel to it.

Does the tied sash ever interfere with your sight picture?

Hi all, I just put a sling on my rifle the other night...however I did use a small trade gun swivel on the top and a button behind the trigger gaurd...I did it just like my smoothie...All I did was replace the middle barrel pin with the swivel and pin...Ill try ang get some pics on here later tonight...

The sling is just a tapered piece of strong leather, like a belt that I folded and made a button hole for the button at the bottom and I looped the other end through the swivel and used an antler button to secure it...works great!

tnlonghunter said:

Does the tied sash ever interfere with your sight picture?

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Oh yeah, I'm sure it would. I only use the sash to transport from point A to point B, and then it comes off. If I'm pulling a kill out, climbing a slope, that sort of thing. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

All you need is a 2" wide long piece of leather with a slit on each end about 2" from the end, pull the leather through the slits to make ajustable loops. One around the forearm, one around the grip. It's a simple sling that can be put in a pocket or bag and pulled out when needed. That way you can use your gun without one and have one on hand when it is needed.

What's the earliest slings look like? Military probably?

I don't know, just know how to make a simple sling for those who don't want one on their gun but comes in handy when dragging a deer out.

Swampys method works quite well if you use thin enough leather it will not interfere with the front sight, many vendors sell the hardware for regular sling attachment and some original non-militray guns show these still in place, the"do it yourself type as above work OK I only use mine if packing out an animal or climbing and need both hands free.Below is one I made from a 2" woven leg tie with the leather sewn on the ends to make the loops.

Back in the day mostly only military guns had slings ( rifles and muskets ) In 18th century
military rifle slings, the front sling is U shaped
the rear sling is attached to the front of the trigger guard or attached to a button like the Jaeger slings. The Ferguson Rifle has the rear sling mount on the side of the stock because a bottom mounted sling swivel would get tangled up when you unscrew the trigger guard /breech.
I think I once read many years ago that only one
American Longrifle of the rev war period has been found with sling swivels. And this one was captured and modified by the Brits.

For me slings are as nessesary as a good flint on any gun, especially on a hunting gun. Here are a few pictures of different styles of guns and slings.

I have a couple that are variations on a 1-1/2" wide x 66" long strap with a loop at one end and a slit and strap at the other end to catch the butt. Same two fit all my flintlocks and cap guns. One is in vegetable tanned leather and a little more "homespun" than the other (these images are both of the chrome tanned version). They don't interfere with my sights as they are in my haversack until I'm dragging a deer out, anyway.

You're not hunting if your rifle or shotgun is slung - you're walking. :wink:

I don't like slings on my hunting rifles. I just carry a rope in my rifle or shoulder bag if I need to throw it over my back should I need my hands available to drag a deer or something.

The English sporting rifle has a sling. All the others are slingless and I take this off when actually hunting since the sling really screws up offhand shooting.


It is also possible to make a leather cover of something like elk tanned cow and sew a sling to it. A friend does this and its a good system as well. It also allows slinging guns that one would not want to butcher up trying to put sling swivels on or those that do not lend themselves to sling attachment.

Dan

The only rifles I've ever had a sling on is a US M1841 which comes equipped with swivels and a Traditions DeerHunter.

None of the longrifles I've owned wore a sling. I thought about it over and over and finally decided against it. If I have to drag a deer (Oh happy day!) out of the woods I just lean my rifle against a tree a few yards up ahead. When I reach where my rifle is I move it ahead again and again. Otherwise I carry longrifles in my hands.

I have a sling on one of my rifles. It is a Early Virginia and sling swivels was a option. I had the rifle made as a hunting gun so I felt the sling would help :thumbsup: and it does.

I think you will find several rifles n the RCA books with evience of sling usage, and nothing really indicates they were all of militia usage,slings on longrifles were most likely not common but there is evidence they were used.

Ranger1759 said:

Hi all, I just put a sling on my rifle the other night...however I did use a small trade gun swivel on the top and a button behind the trigger gaurd...I did it just like my smoothie...All I did was replace the middle barrel pin with the swivel and pin...Ill try ang get some pics on here later tonight...

The sling is just a tapered piece of strong leather, like a belt that I folded and made a button hole for the button at the bottom and I looped the other end through the swivel and used an antler button to secure it...works great!

Click to expand...

Does using the existing barrel lug compromise its integrity? I thought about doing the same but wondered how sound this arangement was. I presume you had to drill the hole larger to acommodate the larger swivel screw.

JOhn