doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Anybody Like Slings on a Nice Light, S X S 16?

I find myself working on a really nice pre-WW II eastern European 16 box lock ejector, about 6 lbs, with cheek piece and sling swivels. My first reaction was to do away with the sling swivels. A fair amount of work to do it so there is no evidence but i could be done this one gun that may be worth it.
I think the value may be enhanced with the swivels off; I will keep the cheek piece as there is a really nice patina on the stock and I don't want to mess that up.
Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
thanks, Gil

The last three seasons I have been hunting with slung guns. This season I mostly carry a Parker 16 VH at about 6-1/2 pounds. I love slings. I can hang the gun on one shoulder while walking along and get the weight out of my hand. I can sling it across one shoulder and the opposite hip and then have both hands to take the picture or pull the thorn out of the dog or stick a finger in each ear while my shooting student Joe Wood brags about his last shot. I have some really nice light small bore doubles and keep threatening to add a sling to them.

Seems like all the Europeans (except the English) slung their doubles. Hardly see one of their guns without one. Hop over to Simpsons and look at the used Spanish, German, French, Italian and Belgian double game guns they have imported. Almost ALL of them have slings. It is certainly authentic if you leave them on there. Try it for a season and if you don't like them then take them off.

I now like the slings so much I am watching for small bore American doubles with swivels on them. I don't want to add them but I sure don't mind using them if they are already there.

Edit: If the gun is closed with shells in the chambers I carry it in my hand. I am afraid of a sling breaking or otherwise dropping the gun and the seers jarring off.

If I slung an upland shotgun over my shoulder a covey would erupt under my feet, guaranteed. After all, doves fly over my head everytime I have to take a leak.

SRH

I love the retracting sling on my nice, light 16 sxs Manufrance Ideal. The first time I used it was after a long session of chasing roosters in Kansas. Even though light (5lb 14), it was still preferable to shoulder the load for a while. Heading back to the truck, I waited to employ the sling til I got to a half-acre of freshly turned black earth, with nary a stitch or stalk for a rooster to hide. Half-way through the field with my slung Ideal, a big rooster got up.

I still like the sling.

Mike

I forgot to say I hunt behind pointing dogs. When the dogs get birdy the gun comes off the shoulder.

Leave the swivels on....I have 3 German SxS's with sling swivels. New England Custom Guns has some lovely braided leather shotgun slings that are the correct 7/8" width for European swivels, and Jeff's Outfitters offers a canvas and leather sling that is nice. You'll be surprised how often you will use it.

I always plug my ears anytime I'm around Joe or Mike.

A little habit, and you'll be shouldering your gun from a slung postion almost as fast as you would from port arms. The hint is NOT to carry the gun military style. That was developed for long bayonetted rifles and muskets, and doesn't work afield. Carry your gun on your right (for right-handed) shoulder, with barrels parallel to the ground and pointed forward, with your right hand holding the gun, trigger guard under your elbow, and your hand on the foreend. Very safe and you always know which way the barrels look. If a bird flushes, you lift your gun a bit with the right hand, rotate it 90 clockwise, and off the shoulder it goes; than you begin shouldering motion, grabbing the foreend with the left hand and moving the right to the wrist as the gun goes up. That works real quick after you've practiced it. The German way of carryin a gun muzzle up with gun to the front of the shooter on the LEFT shoulder works surprisingly well too.

Not a 16. Not light. Has a sling, though.






I do have a sling on a light 12, however. Love it.




Best,
Ted

slings don't bother me as long as they are original to the gun....but the cheek piece has always seemed to me to be a rifle thing....

Count me as a sling lover . A gun with swivels without a sling attached is just plain naked.