Stupid, Inexperienced Long-gun-Guy Question

[jayinsat]

I have a Mossberg Maverick 88 Security with 18" barrel that i've owned for almost a year now. I've put over 100 rds of birdshot and 00 buck through it. I can tear it down and put it back in less than a minute. It's the only long gun I have ever owned and the only other experience was with a long gun was the M16 in basic training in the Army.

My question is this: I recently replaced the butt stock with a 6 position tactical stock, replaced the fore-end with one with rails and added the Blackhawk 2 point sling/shotshell holder. The sling attaches to the magazine tube cap and the butt stock near the recoil pad. How do I use the sling when slinging the shotgun over my body? I've slung it barrel down cross body and barrel up over one shoulder (like I used to do my M16). What is the proper tactical way to sling the shotgun on body. Neither way has been that comfortable, especially with the weight with all those shells. I haven't figured out rapid deployment yet either.

I do plan to take a home-defense shotgun course in the near future. Just looking for some tips for now.

Thanks.

[Beiruty]

Depending on the sling you have, I prefer those too long slings that can be tightened by pulling on tab or a string and and the same way your can pull the other way to make it lose.

The idea is to have a sling that when put across your body over the left shoulder, you can still pull up the rifle/shotgun to get a sight picture.

[couzin]

My opinion (you will get many) - if the shotgun is home defense only, don't use a sling, it just gets in the way. If you intend to carry the shotgun for bugout or other defensive use where it needs to allow for hand(s) free movement, it should be in front of you diagonally across your chest, barrel up, with enough sling to bring it into action quickly. As far as other long guns and how I sling carry them, I carry on my weak (left) shoulder down my back, barrel down, so that I can swing it with my left hand on forestock from underneath my arm, catch the sling on my elbow, and reconnect my right (strong) hand as I bring the rifle up. Allows for a steady shot on quick notice.

[JSThane]

I would get something along these lines for the front sling mount: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/377468 ... teel-matte" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This ought to eliminate the tendency of the shotgun to "flip" on its sling and ride upside down. The sling itself is a matter of personal preference and comfort.

They're also available for the rear sling mount, if you wanted to move that mounting point up to where the stock and receiver meet. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/347876 ... inum-matte" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That being said, if it's a home-defense gun, you really don't need a sling. The primary purpose of a sling is to carry the weapon, either to give your arms a break, or to let you have your hands free to manipulate something with the weapon slung over your shoulder/back/chest/etc. In a home defense situation, you're talking short-range, close-distance encounters; you're not going to -want- to let go of that shotgun as long as there's a threat present. Once the threat is gone, retreated, or incapacitated, then you can set the shotgun down, or hold it by your side while you dial 911. Keep things simple. Unless you're a cop, having to sling the shotgun while you apply handcuffs, there really isn't much reason to use one. Whether he's dead, dying, wounded, incapacitated, given up, or run away, you want to keep that shotgun -away- from any burglar, etc., not sling it while you get within arms-reach. In the dark, in the middle of the night, responding to a broken window, adrenaline pumping, the sling is just one more thing to get tangled up in, one more thing to remember "how was this supposed to go?" And while yes, a sling can help you keep the gun attached to yourself, keep it from being taken away, it can also provide a handle, a means of leverage, to be used against you. Positives and negatives.

Slings for long guns make great sense for hunters, Border Patrol agents on long hikes trailing narcotics smugglers, or soldiers on deployment. They don't make quite as much sense, in my opinion, for use in "tactical" work, especially home defense. They're great for use as a "makeshift bipod" if you know how to cinch one to shoot with. They look cool, they're snazzy, and they give you something extra to hold on to. But they flop around, can drag you around if someone gets a hand on your weapon, get in the way, and make nuisances of themselves, too.

[J.R.@A&M]

My question is this:

BTW, I thought it was a very good, intelligent question, and I appreciate your asking it so that I could learn from the experienced responses.

[jayinsat]

I appreciate all the responses and advice. I agree, for home defense, the sling doesn't make much sense. I guess I got it for two reasons: 1) I wanted to have a good number of reloads available and the 15 shotshell sling was the perfect answer. 2) I thought it would help if I ever shoot 3 gun matches, which I really want to do once I get a carbine. I'll have more questions then.

Thanks all.

[couzin]

Guns are prepositioned on three gun course except usually your sidearm. Don't really need slings there either, just gets hung on obstacles.

[jayinsat]

Guns are prepositioned on three gun course except usually your sidearm. Don't really need slings there either, just gets hung on obstacles.

Now you tell me!

Well, it looks cool. Maybe I'll get one of those cross cross over the chest shot shell holders.

[Reserve161]

Bandoleer!!

[jayinsat]

Bandoleer!!

yeah. That thingy. I told you I'm inexperienced.

[Reserve161]

Me, too, which is why I'm following this thread!

[JeepGuy79]

that is a long gun for a sling. unless you plan to walk around the woods with it or shoot a lot at the range... I would put that money toward an AK :)

[w squared]

A sling isn't a must-have for home defense...but here's a point that I heard raised in a video recently. If you end up in a wrestling match with an intruder trying to take your gun away from you, you can't be shot with a gun that is strapped to your body with a sling.

This gent here has a video that explains the basics of two point sling usage for a tactical shotgun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjWOtEpvkC8

[Silent Professional]

I have a Mossberg Maverick 88 Security with 18" barrel that i've owned for almost a year now. I've put over 100 rds of birdshot and 00 buck through it. I can tear it down and put it back in less than a minute. It's the only long gun I have ever owned and the only other experience was with a long gun was the M16 in basic training in the Army.

My question is this: I recently replaced the butt stock with a 6 position tactical stock, replaced the fore-end with one with rails and added the Blackhawk 2 point sling/shotshell holder. The sling attaches to the magazine tube cap and the butt stock near the recoil pad. How do I use the sling when slinging the shotgun over my body? I've slung it barrel down cross body and barrel up over one shoulder (like I used to do my M16). What is the proper tactical way to sling the shotgun on body. Neither way has been that comfortable, especially with the weight with all those shells. I haven't figured out rapid deployment yet either.

I do plan to take a home-defense shotgun course in the near future. Just looking for some tips for now.

Thanks.

1. Extra ammo in a Sidesaddle, not on the sling. It won't work either as a spare ammo carrier or as a sling. (Imagine trying to pluck spare rounds out of a swinging sling in the dark.)

2. If you're familiar with the Blue Force / Vickers Tactical type of quick adjust slings, they're about as good as you can get in a 2 point sling. I prefer a single point, so I put a GGG single point sling plate between the receiver and the replacement buttstock, and I'm set up the same way my rifle is.

3. While we're on the subject of butt stocks, I highly recommend that you ditch the adjustable stock and go with a fixed, shorty stock. I recently finished up teaching a shotgun instructor course to 30 instructors, all LE and military. One department had installed the useless Knoxx (now Blackhawk, I think) stock on their department's weapons. When I set up the short stoke / double feed stoppage clearance drill, the folks with the Knox pogo stick on the end of their 870's could not clear the double feed. Ditto with the adjustable stocks. If you need to hold down the action release and pull down hard on the fore end while slamming the butt stock as hard as you can on the deck, it's a no - go with the Knoxx stock and collapsible stocks.

3. Which brings me to the fore end. In my opinion, rails on a pump shotgun fore end are about as useful as a fly swatter in a house fire. Sooner or later, you'll have to manipulate that fore end like you mean it, if nothing else to clear out a user induced stoppage. At that point all those nice sharp edges will eat up your palm and now you have a pain stimulus and nice slippery blood to add to the perspiration as you're trying to get the weapon up and running again.

Everybody wants to turn the 12 gauge pump into a Colt M4. It was around long before the M4, and will be around long after the M4 goes away. Don't try to turn it into something it isn't, and you'll be O.K.

Just my $0.02.

[jayinsat]

I have a Mossberg Maverick 88 Security with 18" barrel that i've owned for almost a year now. I've put over 100 rds of birdshot and 00 buck through it. I can tear it down and put it back in less than a minute. It's the only long gun I have ever owned and the only other experience was with a long gun was the M16 in basic training in the Army.

My question is this: I recently replaced the butt stock with a 6 position tactical stock, replaced the fore-end with one with rails and added the Blackhawk 2 point sling/shotshell holder. The sling attaches to the magazine tube cap and the butt stock near the recoil pad. How do I use the sling when slinging the shotgun over my body? I've slung it barrel down cross body and barrel up over one shoulder (like I used to do my M16). What is the proper tactical way to sling the shotgun on body. Neither way has been that comfortable, especially with the weight with all those shells. I haven't figured out rapid deployment yet either.

I do plan to take a home-defense shotgun course in the near future. Just looking for some tips for now.

Thanks.

1. Extra ammo in a Sidesaddle, not on the sling. It won't work either as a spare ammo carrier or as a sling. (Imagine trying to pluck spare rounds out of a swinging sling in the dark.)

2. If you're familiar with the Blue Force / Vickers Tactical type of quick adjust slings, they're about as good as you can get in a 2 point sling. I prefer a single point, so I put a GGG single point sling plate between the receiver and the replacement buttstock, and I'm set up the same way my rifle is.

3. While we're on the subject of butt stocks, I highly recommend that you ditch the adjustable stock and go with a fixed, shorty stock. I recently finished up teaching a shotgun instructor course to 30 instructors, all LE and military. One department had installed the useless Knoxx (now Blackhawk, I think) stock on their department's weapons. When I set up the short stoke / double feed stoppage clearance drill, the folks with the Knox pogo stick on the end of their 870's could not clear the double feed. Ditto with the adjustable stocks. If you need to hold down the action release and pull down hard on the fore end while slamming the butt stock as hard as you can on the deck, it's a no - go with the Knoxx stock and collapsible stocks.

3. Which brings me to the fore end. In my opinion, rails on a pump shotgun fore end are about as useful as a fly swatter in a house fire. Sooner or later, you'll have to manipulate that fore end like you mean it, if nothing else to clear out a user induced stoppage. At that point all those nice sharp edges will eat up your palm and now you have a pain stimulus and nice slippery blood to add to the perspiration as you're trying to get the weapon up and running again.

Everybody wants to turn the 12 gauge pump into a Colt M4. It was around long before the M4, and will be around long after the M4 goes away. Don't try to turn it into something it isn't, and you'll be O.K.

Just my $0.02.

Thank you.