Sling Set-up on AR Rifle...

[BES]

I used to run a 2 point and follow the rant and rave of the personalities SLG is probably referring to. I then did some force on force and got my world rocked by hands on "combatant" when entering a room. Even though the sling was loose for freedom of movement the anchor points made it very easy to control me by grabbing the rifle or getting a handful of sling. You see some instructors teaching people to run 2 points just around the neck to allow for transitions. Rembering a fundamnental rule of combatives: "where the head and neck go, the body will follow" After learning all that the hardway by getting my neck halfway yanked off. I now run a 1 point that can also switch to 2 point. IMO it gives you the best freedom of maneuver. The new Hayley Strategic sling really catches my eye in its multi-role design. Worth checking out if you haven't seen it.

[John Hearne]

A lot of this goes back to what you're doing with the gun.

To me, the single point has a fairly narrow niche - for when the gun is in your hands 99.99% of the time and the sling is strictly to keep the gun on you when you transition. As a short term tool in a strictly CQB environment, I can see how the single point might work for some. For long hours of carrying a carbine, the single point sucks. I once did it 12 hours a day for fourteen days straight. I immediately ditched the single point when I got home. Not mentioned with the single point is that the gun ends up covering your own feet. I no longer remember the hard numbers but when you examine ND's with injuries overseas, the most common problem is rifle discharge into the feet. The culprit - single point slings and gear knocking the gun off of safe.

Once your carbine is for more general use, the two point really shows its merit. If the gun is carried for any extended period of time, the padded two-point is hard to beat. I have also found the quick-adjust two-point very handy as a shooting aid at distance. The fact that the gun hangs in a manner that minimizes muzzling also appeals to me. I don't do a lot of shoulder swapping but generally the slack in a two point worn over a shoulder is enough. If I know I'm going to be swapping a lot, then I have run it over my neck as a temporary measure.

I have a Magpul sling that converts from single to double but haven't had enough time to play with it yet.

[HCM]

A lot of this goes back to what you're doing with the gun.

To me, the single point has a fairly narrow niche - for when the gun is in your hands 99.99% of the time and the sling is strictly to keep the gun on you when you transition. As a short term tool in a strictly CQB environment, I can see how the single point might work for some. For long hours of carrying a carbine, the single point sucks. I once did it 12 hours a day for fourteen days straight. I immediately ditched the single point when I got home. Not mentioned with the single point is that the gun ends up covering your own feet. I no longer remember the hard numbers but when you examine ND's with injuries overseas, the most common problem is rifle discharge into the feet. The culprit - single point slings and gear knocking the gun off of safe.

Once your carbine is for more general use, the two point really shows its merit. If the gun is carried for any extended period of time, the padded two-point is hard to beat. I have also found the quick-adjust two-point very handy as a shooting aid at distance. The fact that the gun hangs in a manner that minimizes muzzling also appeals to me. I don't do a lot of shoulder swapping but generally the slack in a two point worn over a shoulder is enough. If I know I'm going to be swapping a lot, then I have run it over my neck as a temporary measure.

I have a Magpul sling that converts from single to double but haven't had enough time to play with it yet.

I also prefer a 2 point that can occasionally be converted to single point. I usually run the same padded VTAC slings we run at work. Viking Tactics offers a 2 to 1 conversion adaptor for slings with QD adapters. http://www.vikingtactics.com/mobile/...Code=VTAC-2to1

[Casey]

I also haven't found any of the 1 to 2 point convertible slings that function anywhere near as well in 2-point configuration as a dedicated 2-point sling like the WOTG Proctor sling, the SOB B-Sling, or a BFG Vickers sling.

Have you tried the Gen2 version of the Magpul MS4? I run VCAS slings on my personal guns, but have been trying out the MS4 on my work rifle for about six months now, and I really, really like it. I've found it is easier to adjust than the VCAS, as the Gen2 version replaces the Gen1 loop adjuster with a slider. I primarily run it as a two point (again, I carry a rifle far more often than I shoot a rifle), but it works quite well when converted to single point mode, as I do during some range training.

[SLG]

...

I also haven't found any of the 1 to 2 point convertible slings that function anywhere near as well in 2-point configuration as a dedicated 2-point sling like the WOTG Proctor sling, the SOB B-Sling, or a BFG Vickers sling.

I have found that all of mine do. There is no magic to a 2 point sling. Most of my slings are 2 point slings that I adapted to run as a 1 or 2 point sling. VTAC, VCAS both work very well in this role. I have some custom made, dedicated slings that I really like, but they really don't do the job "better" than a VTAC.

What do you think/find a 2 point sling to do better than a 1 point sling that is set up the same way as your favorite 2 point? The WOG sling is extremely minimal, and not suitable for long term carry of a normal to heavy weight weapon, ime, but others may disagree.

[rob_s]

The first one-to-two point sling I used was a BFG VCAS with a little dongle added with a steel ring and an HK-style clip on the end to move back and forth. I learned a lot about the various types of HK clips that are on the market, not all are the same. I liked the concept of the original Magpul sling just not the strap width and not the hardware.

The current Magpul MS4 basically does everything by using QD sockets (which I like) and adds in the width of the VCAS, plus a better slider IMO.

I would suggest anyone that's unsure about their setup or looking to experiment to get the MS4 and put a socket at the muzzle end of the handguard, the barrel nut, the castle nut, and the outside toe/heel of the stock and see what works best.

FWIW, I'm not fighting with a rifle. If the SHTFantasy comes to pass and I drag my "home defense carbine" out of the safe, it has an SOB sling banded to it in case I'd need one. For a long time it had no sling at all, and I wouldn't feel bad going back to that setup one bit.

[voodoo_man]

I run two points for pretty much every rifle other than my 7inch gun, thats on a single point.

One thing to remember is that when you are running a sling and doing any type of cq work, there should be other answers which can be used to answer the obvious question of what happens when someone grabs my gun or sling.

[rob_s]

I just get tired of hearing some well known personalities slam the single point all the time.

Sidetrack perhaps...

Do you think that, as their "mission" changes, so does their gear selection? Someone that may once have been a high-speed, face-shooting, door-kicking, ninja but who now mostly spends their time on the range teaching those types (or those who aspire to mimic those types) may have a shift in focus that even they don't notice. Suddenly, a guy who used to be thinking about shooting his rifle finds himself thinking about carrying his rifle, and adjust his thinking and gear choices accordingly, and perhaps even his gear designs.

[breakingtime91]

I run two points for pretty much every rifle other than my 7inch gun, thats on a single point.

One thing to remember is that when you are running a sling and doing any type of cq work, there should be other answers which can be used to answer the obvious question of what happens when someone grabs my gun or sling.

That is true but to say that a two point is just as good for cqb work as a good one point is wrong.. Also a lot of the guys using rifles exclusively over seas (think marine or army infantry) don't have secondaries so the transition isn't as big of a deal. With that said I think the convertible slings are pretty cool but use a two point for my cake eating civilian needs =D

[voodoo_man]

That is true but to say that a two point is just as good for cqb work as a good one point is wrong.. Also a lot of the guys using rifles exclusively over seas (think marine or army infantry) don't have secondaries so the transition isn't as big of a deal. With that said I think the convertible slings are pretty cool but use a two point for my cake eating civilian needs =D

I disagree. It is all dependant on a persona ability and knowledge of tactics and combatives. Without getting into specific tactics ill say that a blade will offset any such worries when implemented properly.