sling keepers/sliders

[bamaranger]

Just learned this trick and am using it daily on slings attached to two different turkey shotguns. It would work for any sling needing keepers/sliders.

So, have you ever had a sling or carry strap on your long gun where a portion of the sling, or all of it perhaps, is doubled, ie, there are essentially two sections of sling running parallel below the gun? Or perhaps you've lost the keeper off a sling, or a keeper failed and fell away....gone. Typically for me it is a pain. The two sections snag more stuff, you cannot snug the sling when rigging a shooting sling and it plain looks sloppy.

My solution was to cut 1" or so segments off of an old bicycle tube. Basically you are creating ranger bands for your rifle sling. The 700 x 25 or so tubes work well for my skinny slings around 1" in width, larger tubes work well for larger slings of course. You can put as many as necessary on the sling to tidy up the appearance, and a pair work well on the rear loop portion if you are setting up a shooting sling. MIght not work well for a match shooter but is working for me when shooting with a sling casually.

Cut segment of sling, slide the rubber O-ring/band you've created over the offending portion of the sling when detached from the gun, and reconnect the sling. Apply more if desired.

[berettaprofessor]

Pics please?

[bamaranger]

I always have trouble posting pics, but I will try another written description of the process:

-cut a bike tube 1 time laterally, creating one long tube

-from that long length of snake like bike tube, cut a segment, again laterally,
about 1 to 1-1/2" inch in width. You will now have a rubber band of sorts, the
dimensions determined by your tube size and how wide you made the second
cut

-with the sling detached from the gun, the band can be slid over the sling
swivels to any doubled portion of the sling, neatly closing the sloppy gap

I will try to get some pics, but this will have to suffice for now.

[Sharkbite]

Guys were using rubber bands around buffer tubes on M4’s to hold slings during vehicle ops all thru the GWOT. I think there are even commercial offerings these days.

[bamaranger]

Makes perfect sense, but I just figured it out for my sporting guns, thought I'd pass it along.

[zukiphile]

I like bicycle innertube for pistol grips, but have never used it as a keeper.

I have made my own keepers from the same poly propylene webbing I use for slings; it's just a matter of having the right kind of needles and thread.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a heavy rubber keeper that might provide a bit of elasticity into which one could lean. Getting out of it may be a challenge.