How to Put on Leather Rifle Slings
Many rifles come with attached sling rings so you can attach a leather sling to help carry your rifle and stabilize it while firing. Leather rifle slings are designed a little like a belt, but the adjustable part of the sling is much different, using a double loop to create the size you need. Leather rifle slings will either have a belt buckle-style attachment or use snaps. Putting on a leather rifle sling is not difficult once you have a basic understanding of how it is attached to the sling rings.
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Instructions
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1
Unload your weapon. Rack the bolt and make sure that there is not a round in the chamber. When your rifle is clear (empty of ammunition), lay it down on your work surface.
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2
Stretch the leather sling out next to your rifle. You want the single end (with one piece of leather, buckle or snap) to be at the front end of the barrel and the double end of the sling to be near the stock.
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3
Pass the single end of the leather sling through the sling ring attached to the underneath side of the front end of the rifle. Make sure that the buckle or snap is on the inside of the sling (toward the rifle). Buckle or snap the end.
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4
Separate the two ends of the rear of the sling. Pass the end that comes from the outside of the sling (the portion away from the underneath side of the rifle) through the sling ring in the stock, and buckle or snap it to the end that comes from the inside of the sling. With some leather slings, the difference is easy to tell as the sling is embossed with a design on the outside of the cling. With other leather slings, you will have to pay attention to how the sling lays. The outside end will be the one that allows the sling to remain "flat" and not twist when it is passed through the ring.
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5
Slide the keepers into place. The keepers are bands of leather around the end of the sling. Push one up so it is almost against the sling ring on the stock; this will hold the two pieces of the sling tightly together. Push the second one toward the center of the two pieces between the sling ring and where the sling becomes one piece. This will prevent the loop from opening and potentially becoming caught on something.
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Tips & Warnings
Slings are meant to do more than just help you carry your rifle. They can help you stabilize your rifle when shooting. Follow the link in the resources section of this article to learn more about using a rifle sling when shooting.
Never push the keepers over three layers of your sling or they will slide out of place while you are shooting and disrupt your balance.
References
Resources
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