Recently I’ve become a fan of a sling type called the “Peabody.” It was designed by Gunsite instructor Il Ling New and named after her beloved dachshund. It looks pretty simple, but makes shooting from positions incredibly stable. The half toward the muzzle end is split so you can pass your elbow through it, and the back tension creates isometric stability. It’s sort of like a hasty sling, but the Peabody pulls back instead of to the side.
A multi-purpose rubber coating can be used on webbed items such as slings to create a non-slip surface.
The original Peabody is leather. While I have one, I recently needed another for an overseas hunt. There wasn’t time to order a second, so I fashioned one from a Blackhawk web sling. It worked great except for the webbing being slick. Under tension, it would slide down my arm and become loose.
To solve the slick sling dilemma, I stopped by the local hardware store and picked up a can of spray-on rubberizing so I could coat parts of the sling with this non-slip product. I didn’t need the entire width of the sling treated, so I simply punched a series of holes in a wide strip of masking tape and used it as a stencil.
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- Since the entire width of the sling didn’t need to be coated, Scott made a stencil using a hole punch and masking tape.
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- Properly masked, the project should result is a series of non-slip dots where needed.
The result is exactly what I wanted. The rubberizing is not so thick that it’s going to peel off, and it’s is just sticky enough that the sling doesn’t slide under tension.
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- The rubberized dots are just enough to keep the sling from slipping under tension and won’t peel off.
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- Follow the instructions on the product you use so you don’t end up with heavy coats that can peel off. Some products suggest adding grit after the first coat for an even more non-slip surface.
I also don’t have massive shoulder muscles like Marky, so provided this simple fix stands up over time, I’ll probably try it on the part of the sling that goes over my shoulder when carrying a rifle so it stops sliding off.
Push your elbow through the two halves of the Peabody-style sling and pull it all the way up to your armpit. Adjust the length so that the sling is taught when in shooting position.
Scott Mayer
www.tacticaltshirts.com
www.john1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
In 2008, Mayer returned to the editorial side of publishing, this time in the digital field, as Editorial Director for Guns & Ammo, Shooting Times, Handguns and Rifleshooter online magazines. After a brief stint in 2011 as the Digital Media Director for an ABC TV affiliate, Mayer returned to the outdoors industry and Safari Club International where he is currently Assistant Publisher and Multi-Media Communications Editor.
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