Sling or scabbard?

[wolfe28]

Good evening;

So far, in all the hunting I've done (not much, sad to say) I've always carried the rifle I've been using. Since a lot of where I've been hunting is on public land, I'm hiking a decent amount to get away from the other folks doing the same thing. So, I need a better way to carry the rifle. The options I've found are either a sling or a rifle scabbard.

I'm not in to the tacticool thing at all, and since I'm mainly toating a TC encore or contender, I'm not going to use the sling as a shooting aid.

So, which would you get, and why?

D

[pls1911]

Depends... The bottm line is whatever fills your needs and is most comfortable.
For me:
On foot, sling every time.
On ATV, saddle scabbard snugged on the front rack for a quick access.
In the truck, simply and open gun case along side the seat.
In general my gun will be an old and well experienced Marlin 30-30 stoked with cast bullets.

[GunnyJohn]

I saw a pretty cool looking scabbard with carry straps in the leverguns forum here. Looked like a custom job. I suppose a guy with a little imagination could create something similiar for what you carry. Afoot, I prefer a sling, as I do like it for a shooting aid. I use a scabbard with my horses, and a rack on the 4-wheeler. I suppose if I had to hike along way, a scabbard with a cross body sling type strap may be handy. All come down to what works for you.

[NSB]

If you're carrying it in a scabbard you'll be behind the eight ball if a buck walks out and you have to dismount the scabbard and dig your rifle out. The sling will simply slip off your shoulder and be ready to use. Slings are pretty comfortable if they fit you right and don't keep slipping off your shoulder. Some of the new ones on the market don't slip and are pretty good for carry. All that being said, I've used a scabbard type case for carrying my gun back in but it was in the dark and I planned on sitting in my stand until I either got a deer or it got dark. The only reason for the scabbard was that the gun was probably too nice to be carrying around hunting. I have a tendency to buy some nice eye candy and then want to take it out hunting. I've gouged a couple over the years and then started carrying them in protective cases/scabbards.

[Chapo]

A good compromise between the sling and scabbard could be using the cammo tape and wrapping your rifle with it. It not only helps with concealment, but also protects it from the elements, if You are like me and traverse crazy terrain here in Alaska!

[Bullshop Junior]

I have slings on just about all
My guns. They just work. In my truck, they get thrown in and tucked down between the seat and console.

[Krumfola]

Slings all the way. Much quicker access for me.

[w5pv]

Slings for me haven't used a scabbard since hunting horseback and then the rifle had a sling on it.

[yoter]

Been using the Quake claw slings. Durable and do not slip off the shoulder.

[Ubet]

Go with the sling, you can get the gun onto target quicker if a shot becomes available while you are hiking to your destination.

[Norske]

Sling. But I use it like Bill Jordan recommended. I carry my rifle upside down on my left shoulder, muzzle forward. The sling has a twist in it so I can just sweep the muzzle up, my elbow hooks into the sling and everything is a hasty sling to aid stability.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

If the terrain requires long walks in the open where things aren't liable to happen suddenly, I would say a conventional sling. But with a light rifle in cover, where you may see something so close up that you can only afford the slightest of movements, I would say sling the rifle diagonally across the chest, left shoulder to right hipbone, with sights uppermost. A swivel on top of the butt and the front end of the sling looped around the barrel work for me. You can't tighten that up as a shooting sling, but at such ranges you should manage fine without that.

[Artful]

Sling. But I use it like Bill Jordan recommended. I carry my rifle upside down on my left shoulder, muzzle forward. The sling has a twist in it so I can just sweep the muzzle up, my elbow hooks into the sling and everything is a hasty sling to aid stability.

Most Bolt or Semi Auto this.

for my Contender - Cross draw shoulder holster

since your mainly toating a TC encore or Contender that is what I would recommend.

If you don't want that there is a sling option for TC's that work well

[MostlyLeverGuns]

+1 on Norske, I also take replace the screw in the pistol grip cap with a sling swivel stud - keeps the rifle higher, muzzle out of the dirt. Always electric tape over muzzle, in foul weather you can keep your scope under your arm. Also advocate of the camo tape - eliminates the mirror shine and flash off the rifle barrel and all those other shiny round surfaces, along with finish protection, scabbard on horseback, a horse is a bad hunting platform but excellent transportation.

[stevecoltharp]

I advise you to read an interesting article on my blog https://leather-toolkits.com/reviews...-rifle-slings/

[country gent]

Horseback or ATV a scabbard fir the added protection. The rifle is better protected and isnt going to catch on things going under or by them. on foot a sling is better and faster. Also you arnt moving as fast and can stop quicker if it snags. As to slings you might consider using it as an aid when time permits not so much the target loop over arm, but the hasty sling set up, it really steadies and aids accuracy.

As to the actual sling Im still old school and prefer the military sling not the cheap knock offs but the quality leather ones of thick leather and sewn keepers

[robg]

i like my Montana sling, no buckles easy to adjust .