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Rifles, shotguns, and other large guns are incredibly fun to shoot and a great option for home defense – but let’s face it: those guns are also unbelievably heavy. It just is not feasible for you to haul your rifle in your two hands for any great length of distance.
And if you are ever in a situation where you need your rifle for protection, you are going to need a quick and easy way to carry it. This is where tactical slings come in. Read on to learn all about tactical swings and the many ways they can assist in an intense situation.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Tactical Sling
- OUR TOP PICK: Vickers Combat Applications Sling
- RUNNER-UP: Blue Force Gear BLFVCAS-200-OA-BK Vickers 2-Point Combat Sling
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: FreForce 2 Point Tactical Sling
Comparison of the Best Tactical Slings
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What is a Tactical Sling?
A tactical sling is a strap that goes across your body and is designed for carrying your rifle, or your shotgun, or any other sort of large gun. It is typically adjustable and is intended to allow you quick access to your gun without requiring you to carry your gun in your two hands.
What Makes a Great Tactical Sling?
With all of the products out there, how can you possibly narrow it down? We have got you covered with our list of qualities to look out for:
Durability
The whole point of a tactical sling is that it will stand up even in extreme situations – so make sure you get a sling that actually does that! The last thing you want is a sling that fails under certain circumstances because it just is not tough enough.
Type
This can be more of a personal preference. We will be going over the different types of sling options at the end of this article, but just know that there are many different ways you can attach your sling to your rifle, and some may be more beneficial than others depending on what kind of gun you have.
Versatility
The best slings can be used on different types of guns, positioned in different ways, and be used by people of different heights and sizes. Make sure you are investing in a sling that has some solid versatility.
Review of the Best Tactical Slings
Since you now have a better sense of what to look for in a good tactical sling, let’s go scope on some products themselves:
Best Overall:
Vickers Combat Applications Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers appreciate how durable this sling is. They describe it as bomb proof in many ways, and say that the webbing is nice and thick, meaning it will not twist or fold under unexpectedly, which always seems to happen at the worst possible time.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We liked that the buckles on this model are plastic, not metal. Metal buckles can get too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, and they have a tendency to rust no matter how well you take care of them. Plus, metal buckles on a sling can be a little loud when they clink up against your gun, which is not ideal in a tactical situation.
Who Will Use This Most
This product is a great choice for use as a home defense option. Just attach it to your rifle and you will be ready to go if anyone ever comes for your house.
What Could Be Improved and Why
This sling is marketed as being quick to adjust, but that really only applies to the top part of the sling. The lower part is adjustable, but the process is more complicated and not particularly speedy.
Bottom Line
The Vickers Combat Applications Sling is an amazing product choice and our clear best option for most standout overall. It is not entirely quick adjusting, though.
Runner-up:
Blue Force Gear BLFVCAS 200 OA BK Vickers 2 Point Combat Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers report that they were so impressed with this product option, they bought two so that they can always have one on hand as an immediate backup! They are especially happy with how secure this model feels once it is attached to their rifle.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We were particularly struck by how tough and durable this sling is. If you are looking for something that can stand up to years of heavy use and abuse, this model is the one for you. Its buckles are tough and its webbing is thick and triple stitched, so there really is not much this sling will not be able to handle.
Who Will Use This Most
If you are on the shorter side, and have been struggling to find a sling that will work well for you, you will be happy to hear that your hunt is finally over! This sling is an amazing option for shorter folks.
What Could Be Improved and Why
With the padded version, the strap is sewn to the padded portion, as opposed to other models where the strap runs through the padding itself. This sling is tough enough that it likely will not impact its durability, but it is something to keep in mind.
Bottom Line
The Blue Force Gear BLFVCAS 200 OA BK Vickers 2 Point Combat Sling is a top notch sling and one that will clearly impress you as our runner-up for best overall choice. Just know that with the padded version, there may be some durability concerns down the line.
Best for the Money:
FreForce 2 Point Tactical Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers love how comfortable this sling feels. It is specifically designed to be as ergonomic as possible, so it will feel lightweight and comfy no matter who is wearing it. And even though it is lighter, users report that it still feels quite sturdy and trustworthy.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We absolutely could not believe how cheap this sling is relative to its effectiveness and quality. Usually, when you spend such a low amount of money on a product relative to its competitor brands, you will notice a definite difference in usability and durability, but that could not be farther from the case with this option.
Who Will Use This Most
Anyone who is looking for a top quality sling without having to pay top quality dollars will vastly appreciate this product option. And, anyone whose first priority with a tactical sling is comfort will also be very pleased with this model.
What Could Be Improved and Why
It is not a single point strap, as opposed to many of the other models on this list. This quality means that you will have to attach the sling to each end of your gun in order for it to be secure, which is a bit more of a hassle.
Bottom Line
The FreForce 2 Point Tactical Sling is a fantastic product option that will work well and save you a ton of money in the process. Just know that it is a double point strap, not a single point option.
Best Tactical Rifle Sling:
STI 2 Point Rifle Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers really appreciate the thumb loop adjustment on this sling. It is wide enough to be used even with a gloved hand without any additional fumbling. And as soon as you have your thumb in the loop, it is a simple and quick process to adjust the strap lengthwise in either direction.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We were impressed by the webbing design on this model. It is made of flat, tubular webbing that feels and looks like it is just one layer of webbing, but is actually two layers compressed together.
Who Will Use This Most
If your top priority in a sling is quick and rapid adjustment, you will not be able to find a model that works better than this STI option.
What Could Be Improved and Why
This model does not have any padding and does not have an option to add any padding, so it is not as comfortable as many of the other competitor brands.
Bottom Line
The STI 2 Point Rifle Sling is a top notch product option that is especially useful if you want a sling whose length you can quickly and easily adjust in a pinch with the large thumb loop. However, it is not padded, so you may want to wear a bulky outer layer with this model for comfort purposes.
Best Tactical Shotgun Sling:
Blackhawk Shotgun Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers definitely liked how steady this sling is. It is made of one hundred percent nylon, and is intentionally produced with high levels of friction so that it will not slip around if you happen to be running or otherwise moving quickly.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This sling is perfect for use with shotguns because it can be adjusted to be quite long, so it can accommodate whatever size gun you are working with. It also has clips on both ends so that your gun will feel secure no matter how large it is.
Who Will Use This Most
This sling is really best designed for use with a shotgun, or any other bigger and bulkier kind of gun.
What Could Be Improved and Why
It comes with everything you would need to get it up and going, except for the sling mounting points. You will need to buy the swivels separately.
Bottom Line
The Blackhawk Shotgun Sling is the ideal product option if you are going to be working with a shotgun or any other kind of larger gun model. Its high friction and double mounting points will make you feel particularly secure. But do keep in mind that you will need to purchase your swivels, as they do not come included with the sling.
Best 2 Point Tactical Sling:
Blue Force Gear Vickers 2-Point Combat Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers really like the webbing on this sling, and the way it contributes to the overall durability of the product. The webbing is quite thick and is resistant to any sort of twisting or folding over.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Although some people are skeptical whenever plastic is used on tactical gear, we feel this sling uses plastic well. Plastic buckles are superior to metal buckles in that they are not as noisy, they do not become too hot or too cold depending on the weather, and they will never ever rust.
Who Will Use This Most
This sling is our best 2 point option and is particularly great in the context of home defense.
What Could Be Improved and Why
Although the sling is described as being quick and easy to adjust, that is really only true for the top portion of the sling. The part of the sling that connects to the rear part of your rifle is much more convoluted and laborious to adjust.
Bottom Line
The Vickers Combat Applications Sling is, as mentioned above, our best overall choice and also our best choice for a 2 point sling option. But again, always keep in mind that it is not entirely quick adjusting.
Best 3 Point Tactical Sling:
Specter Gear M-4 / CAR 15 CQB 3 Point Tactical Sling
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers report that this sling is incredibly easy to attach to their guns – in fact, the process of attaching the sling to the rifle can actually take less time than the process of unwrapping the sling from the packaging! The included set up instructions are also quite helpful.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We appreciated that for this sling, there are several different attachment options to connect it to your gun. You have your direct loop on the swing’s swivel, you can thread the sling through the buttstock slot on your gun, or you can wrap it around the gun’s handguard.
Who Will Use This Most
Honestly, anyone could easily use this sling. Because it is so adjustable, it will work well for any user, no matter how tall or short they are, or how large or small they are.
What Could Be Improved and Why
The portion of the sling that connects to the rear end of the rifle is flimsier than the portion that connects to the front end.
Bottom Line
The Specter Gear M-4 / CAR 15 CQB 3 Point Tactical Sling is a phenomenal product option and our best choice for a three point tactical sling. Its only issue is its rear attachment portion, which is not as high quality as the rest of the model.
Perks of Investing in a Quality Tactical Sling
It can be tempting to compromise on quality in order to save a few bucks, but we promise that that is the wrong choice when it comes to working with tactical slings. Here’s why:
Included Components
If you buy a lower quality sling, odds are you may not be purchasing everything you need to get your sling up and functioning. It can be a real pain to have to purchase swivels and other components separately, so make sure you invest in a nicer sling up front.
Comfort
A more high quality sling typically has more high quality padding. Some lower quality slings do not even have padding at all! When you are hauling around a heavy gun, padding can make a big difference in your comfort level.
Aesthetic
Of course, this is a more superficial concern than the other issues we have addressed, but aesthetics definitely do still matter. You want a sling that is going to make you look cool! High quality slings are typically sleeker and snazzier than lower quality brands.
Types of Tactical Slings
Tactical slings can essentially be broken down into how many points of connection they have with your rifle. Here are the three different types:
Single Point
Single point slings seem like they would be the most simple and straightforward of the sling options, but they are actually rather rare. It is because they are more specialized, and designed for use in extremely tight spaces, as they are more easily maneuvered than other sling types.
Double Point/2 Point
This is the most common type of rifle sling. This sling will hook up to both the front and the rear ends of the gun, and once it is attached, the sling is then twisted so that the gun is carried across the user’s back. It can be swiftly pulled around so the user has immediate access to their gun.
Triple Point/3 Point
Three point slings have really moved beyond what we could define as a “sling,” and may be more appropriately called a harness. If you are looking for the most secure sling possible, this is an option for you, as it secures not only to the front and back of your gun, but also to your person.
Conclusion
Tactical slings are honestly a necessity for any sort of disaster planning situation, or for any gun owner who is serious about defending their home from home invasion. If you want to be able to respond swiftly in an emergency, tactical slings are the way to go. Make sure you consider the various types and qualities different tactical slings have when choosing the option that will work best for you.
It can be helpful to think about what type of gun you will be using your sling on when weighing these considerations. And we promise that, no matter what, you will not strike out when you choose to go with a tactical sling option from our list.