sling tight

[bugman1955]

Is there a rule of thumb on how tight the sling should be around the arm in the prone position. Also, the pull from the outside of the arm tends to swing the left arm to the left. Any help much appreciated.

[Anschutz]

Do you shoot left or right handed? I shoot right handed (left arm supporting the rifle) and use a low position with a synthetic sling that has a cuff. The rifle would slowly drift right, so I moved the sling keeper "hook" from the back of the arm that was "hooked" to the cuff — to the inside front —just— right of the cuff. The rifle no longer slides/slips to the right. The cuff was actually working it's way to the right. We're all different, but hope this helps.

[patriot]

Probably no two of us are alike.
I use a full cuff to better distribute the force; don't see any pulse. My sling position is lower, which apparently is more common with longer arms. I keep it tight, but not so much as to cause sling palsy or to pull the wrist on my glove hand out of position (been there). I want solid buttplate pressure on the shoulder. I pull the cuff around slightly when mounting the rifle to pull from the exterior of the bicep. After the first shot I reposition the sling to adjust for coat/body movements. I use a thick mitt to improve comfort.

Mark

[Anschutz]

Mark,

We're very similar in size, as discussed in person, and sounds like very similar in the techniques concerning this post. I do have a question though. Do you mean that you rotate the cuff to your left? Just curious.

Odie (Mississippi)

[patriot]

Mark,

We're very similar in size, as discussed in person, and sounds like very similar in the techniques concerning this post. I do have a question though. Do you mean that you rotate the cuff to your left? Just curious.

Odie (Mississippi)

Yes I move the opening of the cuff a little left, just enough to have it pull slightly from the outside to avoid pressure on the artery. I'm not certain it matters after the position locks down, but I like the feel.

Mark

[Tim S]

Is there a rule of thumb on how tight the sling should be around the arm in the prone position. Also, the pull from the outside of the arm tends to swing the left arm to the left. Any help much appreciated.

The sling should not be so tight that it picks up a pulse beat from the brachial artery. If the cuff is really (tourniquet) tight even turning the sling to pull from the back or outside won't help. The rule of thumb is to leave room for at least three fingers at the front to allow normal circulation to your hand.

I like to make the cuff symmetrical so the strap pulls evenly on either side of the cuff. I also have the cuff boltedvtovthe keeper so I can have the cuff completely open without it twisting. You do need to put the bolt in just the right spot so it pulls against the right part of the arm (back for me) without pulling the jacket off my shoulder.

The twisting of the arm could also suggest the sling is too short, rather than it being rotated to far to the outside, or the cuff being too tight. If the length was set when it pulled more against the inside then turning it round clockwise effectively shortens the strap. Once you have detetmined where it should pull from, and the tightness of the cuff, you may need to let it out a notch or two if it still pulls your arm over.

[patriot]

Shooting HP at 600 on a very cold day the range officer said, "Your fingers are blue"! I told him, "I know". He shouted, "No, they are really BLUE"! The feeling came back in 3-4 minutes. :-)