Slings are an interesting item. We all agree they are necessary, super handy, and that long guns should have them. Over time we’ve seen slings evolve from the old two-point parade slings to single and three points and back again to the modern two-point. The modern 2 point sling is mostly emphasized by the famed Blue Force Gear Vickers sling. I know I own a half dozen of them…but that might change with the Arbor Arms Dual Adjust Weapon Sling.
Arbor Arms is a small American company ran by a fellow jarhead who comes from the Recon community. He worked at Ares Armor years ago as their head soft gear guy, where he designed the initial sling. Years later, he resecured his IP and now produces the Dual Adjust Weapon Sling under his own company’s tag. That’s not all they produce, so if you need high-quality soft goods, give them a peak.
Why It’s Different
How different can a strip of nylon be? I mean, how far can you deviate from the classic fast adjust sling? Well, it turns out there is always room for improvement. The Dual Adjust Weapon Sling starts off strong by using a straight filament webbing. The benefits of this are the fact that it doesn’t start to get hard and stuff after being soaked with water and covered in mud, dirt, and dust.
While you should always clean your sling, you can go longer between cleanings with the Dual Adjust Weapon Sling. Material is cool, but what’s cooler is the dual adjust nature. Most modern two points come with a slider or a cam system. The Arbor Arms sling combines both a slider and a cam system.
Users can instantly change the length of their length with the slider from loose to tight. This allows for a supportive position while on patrol and a mobility-driven setting when the fight starts. The cam allows the user to overtighten the Dual Adjust Weapon Sling for true hands-free use. The benefit of combining the cam and the soldier results in a tail half as long as most other cam slings.
The rear portion of the sling allows you to make Length of Pull adjustments on the fly. Swapping this sling from a short carbine to a big ass shotgun isn’t difficult and can be done very quickly. For dudes that bang hammers for the government, they can quickly swap their sling from an M4 to an M240. That rear portion also has plenty of room for the Arbor Arms pad should you require it for those heavier duty guns.
In Practice
All the theoretical nonsense and listed features mean nothing if they don’t work, right? Well, I took them out to see if they work and utilized the Arbor Arms sling on various weapons. From my favorite rifle to my favorite shotgun. I shot a few different courses of fire with a variety of weapons to gain a true appreciation for the Dual Adjust Weapon Sling.
First and foremost, the slider aspect is my all-time favorite configuration for a slider. Instead of just a tab to pull, you have a loop of material that you can grip and rip into action. The loop design makes it easy to grab, and it won’t slip as you adjust the sling. The loop provides a bombproof grip point.
The cam tab requires a dedicated tug to overtighten the sling, but you can really lock your weapon down with this thing. Enough so that I’d feel safe climbing a tree stand, navigating rough terrain, or helping provide first aid without risking the sling popping someone in the face. Locking the gun down to your body is quick and easy.
Do I need a pad for a rifle? No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a little support while I work. It’s certainly more useful for heavy weapons, but until I find a way around those pesky Hughes amendment, I don’t have the means to jock up with an M240. Installing the pad is a bit of a hassle but can be done in a few minutes.
Every bell and whistle seems to work as advertised.
Laying Down Lead
With a boxful of M855 and a hungry AR 15, I hit the range running. I strapped on my Arbor Arms sling and conducted a little shoot and move. I used cover, movement, and drills I know and love, like the VTAC 1-5 Drill, the failure to stop drill, box drill, and practiced in various positions. The slider makes it easy to maximize my mobility of the fly or dial in tension just a bit.
I like using my sling to stabilize my shooting, and the Dual Adjust Weapon Sling slider allows me to do so very precisely. I can get that good sling tension for those precise shots one moment and run it tight or loose the next.
When moving, I practiced on-the-fly fixes and movements. I overtightened it, grabbed a pair of kettlebells, and ran like hell. A loose rifle would be unsafe and hazardous to my general well-being as it hit me here and there. With the overtighten cam, I locked it down and had no worries. I could instantly go for too tight to ready to fight in a tug or two.
The Variants
The Dual Adjust Weapon Sling is available in heavy and carbine configurations. The heavy gives you metal D-rings, and the carbine uses polymer. The polymer will break under the weight of an average man and are a paratrooper requirement. No one wants to get stuck to the plane they just jumped out of.
There is also a Precision Rifle Variant that can connect to your belt to provide the tension needed for precision shots. I’m not a PRS guy, but this design fascinates me and seems to be a damn fine idea.
Slung Up
The Dual Adjust Weapon Sling is well suited for just about every clime and place you can take a gun. Seriously, from your favorite Remington 700 and deer stand to your tactical carbine and bug-out scenario. It’s a well-made sling designed to be a buy once and not really cry once because it’s an affordable option. It’s competitive with the big names in slings and is tough to beat. Check ‘em here and let us know what you think below.
Nice article fellow jarhead…:) I recently acquired a Mossberg MVP in 223 and a sling like this might be handy….:)
Semper Fi…:)
USMC ’76-’79