Handi Rifle Sling ?

[Lon371]

  Yesterday carrying the .44 Handi across a field. I constantly had to reposition the gun. Barrel pointing up kept rotating downward. Well any ways I tripped barrel tip hit the mud. It was the end of the day so I went on home and cleaned it.

 Question is. How do you sling your rifle shotgun(Handi) so it dont keep tilting. It seems with the standard length forend that the sling ring mounts to far back from the end of the barrel. Any suggestions other than cutting the barrel down?

Lonny

[Spanky]

I carry mine slung barrel down.



Spanky

[wreckhog]

I put a Survivor forend on. Can put a swivel on the end. Plus they are meatier.

[petemi]

My synthetic stocked .45-70 and .30.06 have 36 ounces of #4 shot in a sock in the buttstock and they sling very well.  The extra weight doesn't bother me because I use them in stands and not still hunting.  It only takes a minute to take off the buttplate and pull the sock out if you're going to carry it all day.

Pete

[cwlongshot]

I carry mine slung barrel down.
Spanky

Same here, I find it very "handy" and I can get it into action fast and easy just a simple fluid motion. They are so lite and short, hitting things is rarely a worry.

CW

[Mac11700]

If I am just walking out or into my hunting area,and not using a back pack for my gear, before or after legal shooting times,I have it slung diagonally across my back.I'm not worried about shooting at those times.When still hunting I use a fanny pack and if I have to cross a stream or climb using both hands it's slung diagonal...otherwise it's in my hands..or as others said..slung muzzle down but I have my chamber empty.When I walk fire trails slowly and carry it like I would my shotguns across the crook of my arms diagonally

Mac

[Lon371]

  Didn't mention it, but I do carry it slung upside down, if I am going any distance.

  Thanks for the suggestions.

Lonny

[hardluk1]

 Check out a  Safari Sling  . They can be bought at cabelia's and after look'n at the pictures of it you will see that it carries it self on you barrel up, tight to your chest and is always ready for a quick shoulder mount. You can carry it over one shoulder but in front of you has worked the best for me and after it is ajusted to you just lift  and the strap walls out of the way to shoot. If climbing just slid it around to your back .

[FW Conch]

  i have meant to mention this for a long time, but with all the trouble we have with forearms, i never attach a sling to it !

[petemi]

i have meant to mention this for a long time, but with all the trouble we have with forearms, i never attach a sling to it !

I never worry about that kind of accuracy in the field, except perhaps for long distance varmint shooting.  Most of my hunting shots are within 200 yards.  If I can hold it close enough and the bullet goes close enough to keep in in a 6 inch pie plate, I'm happy with a dead deer.  There's no sandbags or benchrest out there.  MOA becomes MOD.

Pete

[Slufoot]

  Question is. How do you sling your rifle shotgun(Handi) so it dont keep tilting. It seems with the standard length forend that the sling ring mounts to far back from the end of the barrel. Any suggestions other than cutting the barrel down?

Lonny

Hey Lonny, you can get a swivel stud that clamps to the barrel from Uncle Mikes or Micheal's of Oregon whatever they are calling themselves these days. Just measure the diameter of your barrel and order the appropriate clamp. I've got one on my 500 barrel because the factory stud was busting the hide on my finger from recoil. I've got a picture of it in my thread titled "A 500 Handi, homemade bullets and backstraps". I had to use a small amount of epoxy inside the clamps to keep them in place under recoil. I really like the way this gun carries since I added the clamp on stud.

GOOD SHOOTING!

Slufoot

[cwlongshot]

i have meant to mention this for a long time, but with all the trouble we have with forearms, i never attach a sling to it !

Notice the front barrel band sling mount?

CW

[pmeisel]

A guy named Junior sells a saddle ring sling -- fitting a saddle ring to a Handi is a not-hard gunsmithing job.

http://www.castbullet.com/srsling.htm

http://www.castbullet.com/makeit/handi.htm

I haven't done mine yet, maybe after hunting season.

[springfling]

CW, I like that band and the idea of the sling not pulling on the fore end.  I did some digging around and found this link:

http://www.uncle-mikes.com/products/lever_action_full_band.html

Is this the one you have?  I doubt this would fit on a standard barrel .223 though.   

[Lon371]

  Thanks Slufoot and Cw nice rifles. I will be looking into that. Did the barrel band sling mount mess with you accuracy much? I dont shoot much paper, so I think its probably ok. << according to slufoots deer picture anyways

[Slufoot]

  Thanks Slufoot and Cw nice rifles. I will be looking into that. Did the barrel band sling mount mess with you accuracy much? I dont shoot much paper, so I think its probably ok. << according to slufoots deer picture anyways

You're welcome Lonny, glad to be of some help.
The clamp on swivel stud did not effect the accuracy of my rifle.

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[cwlongshot]

I see no differences, but I don't shoot it with any pressure on it. Its simply there to carry the firearm in the event I am dragging a deer or huffing it a long distance. Otherwise its off and in my pack.  Its a uncle mikes product.

CW

[Ranger99]

i use outdoor connection express
slings on everything i can.
nylon with a single sliding adjustment
buckle to tighten it fully or loosen it
completely. really quiet and durable.
i've had a couple of stretchy neoprene
slings, but after walking a couple of
miles with my rifle bouncing up and down
with every step, i decided against them.
the old miltary leather sling isn't bad.
if i wanted to go with a leather sling, i'd
just opt for a strap-type sling instead
of a big elaborate affair.

[quickdtoo]

I'm like CW, my sling resides in my fanny pack 99% of the time, only time it gets use is when I'm hiking in or out to hunt, or when dragging a deer out. I use an Uncle Mike's Mountain sling which is a nylon web sling with an anti-slip coating on one side so it doesn't slide off, nylon doesn't get slimmy when wet like leather, it's much lighter and more compact for storing also. I also use a Claw sling on my turkey gun, it stays put during run and gun hunts, get detached when I setup.

Tim

[petemi]

One of the reasons I like my Superlights is that they sling much better.

Pete

[rdlange]

I've been carrying barrel down over my off shoulder for a long time.  You can grab the forend and swivel the rifle up and around quickly.  I put a piece of tape over the muzzle.

Try GROVTEC, supposedly made in USA & better than Unc Mikes.

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

... I put a piece of tape over the muzzle.

ALWAYS!

there is a small roll of electrical tape in everyone of my cases and packs.

regarding slings:
I like a barrel band sling swivel, and I'm going to start putting swivels on the side of the butt.

I think it STUPID to put a sling on the underside for carrying....  not comfortable at all..  The Germans had this figured out a long time ago!

My Ruger1 is a beotch to carry with the sling on the bottom.

I don't use a sling to shoot, so that isn't a concern.  but on a Handi, I think that could be a problem even with the sling on the forestock.

[Jeff H]

RE: Tape over the muzzle
 
Finger Cots - they look like miniature condoms and come in boxes of 100 for just a few bucks.  I used to cut fingers off of nitrile gloves for this use until I saw these.  If your front sight sits back at least a quarter inch, there's still room to use one.
 
I've often wondered if  they blow up like a baloon as the projectile heads down the bore and pushes the air out the muzzle ahead of it, but without some expensive camera equipment, I may never know.  All that's left after firing is the little rolled up ring.

[cwlongshot]

RE: Tape over the muzzle
 
Finger Cots - they look like miniature condoms and come in boxes of 100 for just a few bucks.  I used to cut fingers off of nitrile gloves for this use until I saw these.  If your front sight sits back at least a quarter inch, there's still room to use one.
 
I've often wondered if  they blow up like a baloon as the projectile heads down the bore and pushes the air out the muzzle ahead of it, but without some expensive camera equipment, I may never know.  All that's left after firing is the little rolled up ring.

That is the theory with elec tape... It blows off before the bullet ever reaches it.

CW

[quickdtoo]

I tried using finger cots, but they come off too easy hunting in brush, started taping them on, then quit using the cot and just went back to the tape, ultimately a square of dark colored(green or black) cloth tape worked perfect! 

I learned the hard way about covering the muzzle, was elk hunting in fresh snow about 35yrs ago, got a 50yd running shot at nice spike bull, no blood, and the shot sounded funny, tracked him until dark, never found any sign he was hit. At camp that night while cleaning the Rem pump 30-06 noticed the front sight was gone and a slight walnut in the barrel, evidentally I had got snow in the muzzle at some time during the day.  Cut the barrel back a couple inches and recrowned, and have covered the muzzle ever since.

Tim

[Ranger99]

very lucky the gun was the
only thing damaged

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

Glad you weren't hurt Tim.  Amazing what a little snow can do.


When I took my training course for my Firearms License, the instructor was concerned about the tape over the muzzle issue, when he noted I didn't inspect the bore, of my LOADED RIFLE by looking into it.

the scenario was, crossing a fence, you lay your gun on the ground on the far side, climb through the fence, and pick up your gun, LOOK INTO THE MUZZLE, and then continue on your merry way.

I told the instructor, I NEVER will put my face in front if a LOADED gun on purpose, and always tape my muzzle so a quick glance can tell me if it has been compromised. 

When he suggested I may fail because of that critical issue, I suggested that His critical Fail was instructing students to put their face in front of a Loaded gun, and that if I failed, HE would have quite a problem explaining that I failed because I won't put my face in front of a loaded gun!

I then suggested to him that perhaps he should be counselling new students to unload their rifles FIRST before crossing a fence.  As it was OBVIOUS his way and my way were completely opposites.

Imagine, this guy was Army Trained.

I left scratching my head.

[hoytcanon]

Glad you weren't hurt Tim.  Amazing what a little snow can do.
When I took my training course for my Firearms License, the instructor was concerned about the tape over the muzzle issue, when he noted I didn't inspect the bore, of my LOADED RIFLE by looking into it.
the scenario was, crossing a fence, you lay your gun on the ground on the far side, climb through the fence, and pick up your gun, LOOK INTO THE MUZZLE, and then continue on your merry way.
I told the instructor, I NEVER will put my face in front if a LOADED gun on purpose, and always tape my muzzle so a quick glance can tell me if it has been compromised. 
When he suggested I may fail because of that critical issue, I suggested that His critical Fail was instructing students to put their face in front of a Loaded gun, and that if I failed, HE would have quite a problem explaining that I failed because I won't put my face in front of a loaded gun!
I then suggested to him that perhaps he should be counselling new students to unload their rifles FIRST before crossing a fence.  As it was OBVIOUS his way and my way were completely opposites.
Imagine, this guy was Army Trained.
I left scratching my head.

Your instructor had it wrong... call canadian hunter safety instructors have been trained to instruct students to "UNLOAD" their weapon prior to fence crossings and then inspect the barrel of an "UNLOADED" weapon... your guy was making a very dangerous mistake with those students!
For slings, I use the Quake "The Claw" sling which is rubberized and really stays put on your shoulder... I have them on all my rifles. Of course all my shorties stay barrel up better than the longer heavy barrels... but I also walk with my thumb hooked in the sling, which gives me better control of the muzzle... I have never taped my muzzles, but I am ALWAYS aware of where my muzzle is and what it is coming in contact with... over the years I had had to unload a few times and use the "bush cleaning rod"... a red osier dogwood branch down the tube... tape would have helped in those times.

[petemi]

I passed my Hunter Safety course as a kid, but I'd fail it now.  I do NOT lay my rifle down on the other side of the fence in the wet grass, snow, dirt, leaves, mud, horse and cow poop, etc.  I'm carrying a loaded rifle with a transfer bar safety.  I can throw it and it ain't going off.  I make sure the hammer's down, keep my fingers out of the trigger guard, THINK about what I'm doing, control the muzzle, and cross the fence.  A mild tornado went thru my place a few years back and left half a zillion trees laying in every direction.  Lots had been 50 -60 feet tall. You can't lay your rifle down on the other side crossing them, and if I unloaded every time, I'd  be doing it about every 50 steps. and wear out the frame.  This is the big reason all my rifles and shotguns wear slings.  You need both hands to get through that kind of obstacle. I'm not telling everyone to do this.  It's what I do when hunting alone, which I do 95% of the time.  I only know a small handful of people I'm comfortable with carrying guns.  When I was about 19 or 20 I was hunting with a friend who was carrying a '94 .30-30.  About noontime, I noticed his hammer was on full cock.  My guess is he loaded it in the morning and never let the hammer down.  Scared the crap outa me.

Pete

[gcrank1]

Hoyt, I like the sound of that rubberized sling! As much as I like good looking leather, or appreciate the light weight of nylon, those 'slippin' slings are always a problem. Of course the old hunter's trick of a big button sewed top of your sling shoulder, or an epaulet is a big help for the fall off, though not for the rotation.