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Great article on the proper use of the 3-point sling and its benefits regarding combat marksmanship. A sling that meets the requirements as he discussed and which I am currently using and loving is Specter Gear's 'Special Operations Patrol/SOP' Sling.
http://www.spectergear.com/sop_sling.htm
Three-Point Sling
by CWO3 Jeffrey L. Eby
As the 7th Marines regimental gunner,
the author provides tactical advice for young Marines going into combat.
The 1st Marine Division took care of its Marines with the purchase of three-point combat slings for our return to Iraq in February 2004. I thought this was a spectacular purchase and a giant leap in our focus on the infantryman. What I didn't know is how easily the three-point sling could be misused or misunderstood. It never crossed my mind that the sling would not be readily apparent in its capabilities, or that it could be worn incorrectly. I'd like to take the time to correct the confusion surrounding this awesome piece of gear and eliminate some of the misconceptions surrounding this combat multiplier.
To begin with, the three-point sling provides better tension in the shooting position than that of the old loop sling technique. That is, if it is put on the weapon and used correctly, it provides better tension and a tighter firing position.
Besides creating a supertight firing position, the three-point sling allows for the immediate use of both hands when necessary, which is a common failing of the parade sling. I thought the name â Å“parade slingâ ? would be sufficient to justify its departure from the combat arena, yet I still stumble into closeminded Marines who think we've lost our mind as a Corps to go away from something designed by Napoleon to walk in squares, and replace it with a sling called the â Å“three-point combat sling.â ?
The three-point sling has a few extra moving pieces and can be put onto the weapon incorrectly. It can also be worn incorrectly during combat operations. Like anything else, instruction is necessary to get the most from this tool and prevent misuse that causes its value to be diminished due to the user's ignorance.
The best three-point slings will come with a quick-release that allows the shooter to get out of the sling in case of an emergency (falling into deep water with our 50 pounds of assault gear on or being grabbed by a member of a crowd during civil disturbances, to name a few). The sling should be wide enough not to become twisted and have keepers slightly wider than the webbing to allow easy sliding where necessary and intended. A stirrup connection for the back of M16A2s and M16A4s is necessary to have the weapon hang correctly for easy grasping, as well as forward sling swivels that mount onto the side, again to allow the weapon to hang properly. This side-mounting forward sling swivel is done with a Velcro wrap for M16A2s, but needs to be done with a rail grabber design for M16A4s or we'll lose the ability to lock items onto the rail systems of the M16A4s, eliminating the entire point of switching from M16A2 to M16A4.
Once the stirrup connection is on in the back of the buttstock and the forward end connected to a side-mounted sling swivel, the shooter will notice two straps running lengthwise along the side of the weapon. One strap is closer to the weapon than the other. The shooters head and nonfiring arm go between the two straps, causing the weapon to hang across the body with the buttstock of the weapon meeting the pocket of the shoulder. When adjusted properly, the weapon will be pulled into the shoulder as tight as a loop sling will pull a weapon in. Tension will be created at three points, and the sling under the nonfiring arm will be supertight, creating a stable firing position. The addition of the broomstick onto the bottom of the rifle aides in relaxing the nonfiring arm as it allows the arm to hang naturally while supporting the weapon instead of having to rotate palm up to grasp the handguards. The palm up hold is unnatural and creates muscle tension that detracts from the fundamentals of marksmanship, although this is the technique taught on most of our known-distance requalification courses. Without the broomstick handle, Marines should hold the magazine in order to get the nonfiring hand and arm into a more natural position. This is another case of avoiding what is deliberately taught in order to achieve the intent within the fundamentals of marksmanship.
I always recommend adjusting the weapon to a standing, kneeling, or squatting position, as these are the most common engagements used when little time will be available. A quick fire engagement initially usually leads into deliberate prone positions where more time is available than when the initial shots are fired.
The sling is adjusted by sliding the keeper located on the strap closest to the weapon toward the muzzle to decrease the sling length and increase the tension, or by sliding the keeper on the inside strap toward the buttstock, increasing the overall length and decreasing tension of the position. For prone positions, the quick-release can be hit to allow extension of the weapon away from the shooter, or the sling can be adjusted to gain the additional length needed when originally adjusted for a standing, kneeling, or squatting position and then transitioning into a prone position.
Novices and closeminded Marines will think of the three-point sling as merely promoting laziness. That mindset assumes that a piece of equipment will alter the characteristics of the Marine. I submit that Marines will either be motivated or lazy regardless of the equipment, and we shouldn't blame the equipment.
Most Marines do not desire to walk around in garrison or on administrative movements with the weapon slung across the front of their bodies, as the weapon is too long and it strikes their left knees with the muzzle, or it manages to get between their legs and trip them up. They sling the weapon strong side muzzle down by putting the head and firing arm through the loop created by the three-point sling. Some Marines attempt to present the weapon into a firing position from this administrative carrying technique, bringing the weapon up from under the armpit to a position in the shoulder. The ability to do this is due to a sling that is not adjusted properly, taking away the entire point of the three-point sling and eliminating any advantage to the sling. If the tension is adjusted properly for firing while the firing arm is through the loop of the sling, then the shooter won't be able to sling the weapon under his arm at all for movement.
Marine Corps Systems Command is purchasing slings en masse, but they have one critical weakness in their requirements for purchasing the slings. One of the five critical requirements is that the slings have to be available in bulk for rapid delivery. This is a crucial mistake in my mind. Any item currently available in bulk is available because it didn't meet the sanity check of conscientious buyers throughout the world. Eliminating this weak requirement and exercising sufficient patience to purchase the item we want in relation to the remaining requirements will prevent another wasted expenditure and achieve a good three-point combat sling.
CWO3 Eby is the 7th Marines regimental gunner.
http://www.spectergear.com/sop_sling.htm
Three-Point Sling
by CWO3 Jeffrey L. Eby
As the 7th Marines regimental gunner,
the author provides tactical advice for young Marines going into combat.
The 1st Marine Division took care of its Marines with the purchase of three-point combat slings for our return to Iraq in February 2004. I thought this was a spectacular purchase and a giant leap in our focus on the infantryman. What I didn't know is how easily the three-point sling could be misused or misunderstood. It never crossed my mind that the sling would not be readily apparent in its capabilities, or that it could be worn incorrectly. I'd like to take the time to correct the confusion surrounding this awesome piece of gear and eliminate some of the misconceptions surrounding this combat multiplier.
To begin with, the three-point sling provides better tension in the shooting position than that of the old loop sling technique. That is, if it is put on the weapon and used correctly, it provides better tension and a tighter firing position.
Besides creating a supertight firing position, the three-point sling allows for the immediate use of both hands when necessary, which is a common failing of the parade sling. I thought the name â Å“parade slingâ ? would be sufficient to justify its departure from the combat arena, yet I still stumble into closeminded Marines who think we've lost our mind as a Corps to go away from something designed by Napoleon to walk in squares, and replace it with a sling called the â Å“three-point combat sling.â ?
The three-point sling has a few extra moving pieces and can be put onto the weapon incorrectly. It can also be worn incorrectly during combat operations. Like anything else, instruction is necessary to get the most from this tool and prevent misuse that causes its value to be diminished due to the user's ignorance.
The best three-point slings will come with a quick-release that allows the shooter to get out of the sling in case of an emergency (falling into deep water with our 50 pounds of assault gear on or being grabbed by a member of a crowd during civil disturbances, to name a few). The sling should be wide enough not to become twisted and have keepers slightly wider than the webbing to allow easy sliding where necessary and intended. A stirrup connection for the back of M16A2s and M16A4s is necessary to have the weapon hang correctly for easy grasping, as well as forward sling swivels that mount onto the side, again to allow the weapon to hang properly. This side-mounting forward sling swivel is done with a Velcro wrap for M16A2s, but needs to be done with a rail grabber design for M16A4s or we'll lose the ability to lock items onto the rail systems of the M16A4s, eliminating the entire point of switching from M16A2 to M16A4.
Once the stirrup connection is on in the back of the buttstock and the forward end connected to a side-mounted sling swivel, the shooter will notice two straps running lengthwise along the side of the weapon. One strap is closer to the weapon than the other. The shooters head and nonfiring arm go between the two straps, causing the weapon to hang across the body with the buttstock of the weapon meeting the pocket of the shoulder. When adjusted properly, the weapon will be pulled into the shoulder as tight as a loop sling will pull a weapon in. Tension will be created at three points, and the sling under the nonfiring arm will be supertight, creating a stable firing position. The addition of the broomstick onto the bottom of the rifle aides in relaxing the nonfiring arm as it allows the arm to hang naturally while supporting the weapon instead of having to rotate palm up to grasp the handguards. The palm up hold is unnatural and creates muscle tension that detracts from the fundamentals of marksmanship, although this is the technique taught on most of our known-distance requalification courses. Without the broomstick handle, Marines should hold the magazine in order to get the nonfiring hand and arm into a more natural position. This is another case of avoiding what is deliberately taught in order to achieve the intent within the fundamentals of marksmanship.
I always recommend adjusting the weapon to a standing, kneeling, or squatting position, as these are the most common engagements used when little time will be available. A quick fire engagement initially usually leads into deliberate prone positions where more time is available than when the initial shots are fired.
The sling is adjusted by sliding the keeper located on the strap closest to the weapon toward the muzzle to decrease the sling length and increase the tension, or by sliding the keeper on the inside strap toward the buttstock, increasing the overall length and decreasing tension of the position. For prone positions, the quick-release can be hit to allow extension of the weapon away from the shooter, or the sling can be adjusted to gain the additional length needed when originally adjusted for a standing, kneeling, or squatting position and then transitioning into a prone position.
Novices and closeminded Marines will think of the three-point sling as merely promoting laziness. That mindset assumes that a piece of equipment will alter the characteristics of the Marine. I submit that Marines will either be motivated or lazy regardless of the equipment, and we shouldn't blame the equipment.
Most Marines do not desire to walk around in garrison or on administrative movements with the weapon slung across the front of their bodies, as the weapon is too long and it strikes their left knees with the muzzle, or it manages to get between their legs and trip them up. They sling the weapon strong side muzzle down by putting the head and firing arm through the loop created by the three-point sling. Some Marines attempt to present the weapon into a firing position from this administrative carrying technique, bringing the weapon up from under the armpit to a position in the shoulder. The ability to do this is due to a sling that is not adjusted properly, taking away the entire point of the three-point sling and eliminating any advantage to the sling. If the tension is adjusted properly for firing while the firing arm is through the loop of the sling, then the shooter won't be able to sling the weapon under his arm at all for movement.
Marine Corps Systems Command is purchasing slings en masse, but they have one critical weakness in their requirements for purchasing the slings. One of the five critical requirements is that the slings have to be available in bulk for rapid delivery. This is a crucial mistake in my mind. Any item currently available in bulk is available because it didn't meet the sanity check of conscientious buyers throughout the world. Eliminating this weak requirement and exercising sufficient patience to purchase the item we want in relation to the remaining requirements will prevent another wasted expenditure and achieve a good three-point combat sling.
CWO3 Eby is the 7th Marines regimental gunner.
