Today, I take a look at the Ching Sling.
What is it and how does it work?
Why Use a Rifle Sling?
Bell to Jim Corbett would have met unfortunate ends.
Olympians like Lones Wigger and Gary Anderson would have just watched the games on television.
But what is control?
Control isnotholding a rifle motionless.
That cant be done, as long as you have a pulse.
Another option: a sling.
A sling tugs the rifle into your shoulder and nixes joint movement in your support arm.
It transfers rifle weight from arm muscles to shoulder muscles that more easily bear it.
A sling helps in prone, sitting and kneeling positions, all of which anchor your forward elbow.
It is useless offhand (standing), because your elbow floats.
Without the earth or the front of your knee to resist, sling tension collapses the elbow.
To me, every proper sling has a shooting loop adjustable independent of sling length.
For nearly fifty years Ive used Brownells Latigo Sling on hunting rifles.
Ive found none better.
It steadies the rifle by coming taut from the front swivel to the back of my upper arm.
From the upper arm to the rear swivel, it is slack.
Elbows anchor (ground or knee) completes a static triangle that requires no muscle tension to maintain.
The Latigo Sling can be quickly adjusted for carrying, though I do not adjust mine.
Any sling should be of leather.
While nylon straps are strong and cheap, theywillskid down your triceps often just as the trigger breaks.
On the carry, they also slip on your shoulder.
Quick to deploy, it got traction on Coopers new Scout Rifle.
At that time, it was the American Pistol Institute, run by Cooper.
Ching came away with a better idea for a sling.
At his urging, leather-master Bruce Nelson fashioned a few.
Production then went to Galco International.
A later re-design resulted in what Galco called its Safari Ching Sling.
The forward section was split, eliminating the middle swivel.
How It Works
The Safari Ching Sling is a one-piece strap.
A short, open U-shaped shooting loop, held by brass buttons, bridges the split section.
The buttons put the loop at your chosen location along a series of slots.
Buttons at slings ends hold it to swivels.
Rear button adjustment determines overall length.
Then flip your hand around the outside of the sling to grasp the forend.
Galco has a reputation for high-quality belts and holsters.
My Safari Ching Sling measured up to my high expectations.
It too shows excellent workmanship.
Adding a second swivel to the rail was easy.
I find this carry more appealing than expected.
It lets me thread brush more easily than butt-down carry.
Additionally, this carry shields the muzzle and action from rain and snow.
The rifle and sling loop are quick to hand and the sling never gets in the way.
Whats Your Choice?
How does the Ching Sling compare with my go-to Brownells Latigo as a steadying rig?
It was scoped with the Leupold 4X I prefer for most hunting.
Having used a sling to check hunting-rifle zeros, I expected the impact shift from the .22s bench zero.
Under slings tug, prone and sitting groups routinely form at 7 oclock.
I chose a .22 rifle because the cartridge is quiet and gentle.
Even competition-grade ammunition costs little.
Id allow myself one discarded shot per 20-round string.
Without any steadying equipment, the crosswire was lively.
Two others came in at 1.3.
In minutes of angle, the average measure was 3.750.
Slings improved results dramatically.
Both also trimmedvariationin group size.
Given my long tenure with the Latigo, I expected to shoot best with it.
But the Galco Safari Ching Sling edged it slightly, 2.175 MOA to the Latigos 2.325 average.
What surprised me was that the bipod yielded the same average as the Galco sling: 2.175 MOA.
A good sling can help you to hold a shooting position for several minutes.
It keeps the rifle on target without muscle strain.
Theres no imperative to fire until all is just right.
Conclusion
Properly adjusted, the Galco Safari Ching and the Andys Leather Ching Sling will serve well.
As with rifles, slings come into their own with practice.
check that you dont neglect yours.
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