Four Ways To Sling Carry A Chassis Rifle

Yes, rifles are made to be shot. However, before they can be shot, they must be carried. Fortunately, carrying a rifle is easier than shooting one, but carrying still deserves more attention than a lot of shooters give it. Like shooting, carrying involves safety considerations as well as performance factors. While you can certainly carry a rifle in your hands, the universal method is the sling. Fortunately, the sling is a wondrous invention, and for chassis-equipped rifles, there are enough carrying methods to satisfy any requirement. The following are four sling systems I’ve used in the hunting fields, all of which have proven to work well depending on the application.

Front of the Body

As the name suggests, this method slings the rifle in such a way that it is held across the body in front of the chest area, positioned at an angle with the muzzle up. When done properly, it leaves the hands free for climbing or using optics. It also provides good muzzle control and protects the gun in a fall. This carry method works exceptionally well on chassis-equipped rifles because of the push-button sling swivel sockets installed on chassis like MDT’s HNT26 and CRBN systems. It is my current favorite way of sling-carrying a rifle. For hunters wearing bulky packs, which is normally my situation, this is a great way to prevent interference between the rifle and the pack. It also provides quick access to the rifle when game is blundered into, and a fast shot is required.

American Carry

This is the traditional way of sling-carrying a rifle. Your grandfather likely carried his .30-30 into the deer woods this way, and it still works with a state-of-the-art modern rifle. With a sling anchored at two points, near the butt and on the forend, the rifle is draped over one shoulder with the muzzle up. With this method, the rifle is usually positioned on the support side of the body. A rifle can be brought into action relatively quickly when carried on the shoulder like this, although, like all carry systems, it takes some practice. It’s not a particularly secure carry method, as it requires the hunter to keep one hand on the gun when traversing rough terrain.

African Carry

This method of carrying a rifle is similar to the American Carry method, but the muzzle is pointed down in this variation. Again, the rifle is normally positioned on the support shoulder. This method provides superior muzzle awareness and control as the support-side hand grasps the forend while moving. Its major disadvantage is the muzzle’s proximity to the ground, where it can inadvertently get plugged with debris. In my opinion, a taped muzzle is a necessity with this method. A short barrel and a tall shooter make a good combination here. It’s certainly the fastest way to get a rifle into action, and that may be why it’s popular in places with a lot of dangerous game.

Across the Back

Slinging a rifle across your back, with your head and one arm through the sling opening, is a secure way to carry a rifle. The problems with this method include being slow to get the rifle into action and the discomfort involved as a rifle’s numerous protrusions dig into a person’s back all day. Additionally, a fall backward offers no opportunity to control the rifle on the way down, and the landing is likely going to hurt the rifle and its owner.

Backpacks will interfere with this system as well, but not everyone is afield with one, so it’s a system which can work for some people. Chassis-equipped rifles have an advantage here again because of the sling attachment options they provide. M-LOK slots and push-button sling attachment points provide enough options that, if one side of the rifle is free of protrusions, you can set it up so that side lies flat against your back.

Of course, these aren’t the only way to carry a rifle, with backpack systems being an obvious omission. Chassis rifles also excel in those systems because of the folding stock options they provide. When a stock folds, it cuts rifle length by about one-third, and that offers a whole new world of convenience. But slings are still more common than backpack carrying systems, and every rifle carrier should learn and practice with a sling system that fits their needs and circumstances.

About The Author

Al Voth calls himself a "student of the gun." Retired from a 35-year career in law enforcement, including nine years on an Emergency Response Team, he now works as an editor, freelance writer, and photographer, while staying active as a consultant in the field he most recently left behind—forensic firearm examination. He is a court-qualified expert in that forensic discipline, having worked in that capacity in three countries. These days, when he's not working, you'll likely find him hunting varmints and predators (the 4-legged variety).