A radical new method of carrying rifles

[Cosmoline]

I've seen many photos from WWI and a few from WWII showing German private soldiers carrying their Mausers across the *front*, muzzle up. It always seemed like a strange way to carry it, but if you try it with a backpack on, it actually works very well. The weight of the rifle balances against the weight of the pack.

The problem is, it's extremely difficult to get on and off when carried in this fashion. I've altered the method and found a way to have both a comfortable carry and an *extremely* quick access to the rifle. Here are the steps to what I shall deem "The Cosmoline Carry":

Start by putting on a standard padded hunting sling on the rifle, only do it upside-down, with the padded bit toward the butt of the rifle.

Next, hook a lockjaw "quick release" onto the front end of the sling. This should work with most slings. You can find these for about $5 at most tack shops. They are used for horses and to "launch" attack dogs.

Clip the lockjaw end of the strap onto the rifle.

Sling the rifle over the shoulder you fire with, muzzle *down*, not up. The rifle should sit so the bolt faces away. If not, adjust the strap connections. The side-slot mausers work best in this respect.

When you need to fire, simply click the lockjaw open with your off hand, and PRESTO the rifle snaps up to your firing shoulder in a split second, ready to fire!

 

[Badger Arms]

Mind numbed, please provide pictures.

 

[yankytrash]

Maybe I'm burnt out, but I understood every word.

Good idea. "Cosmoline carry"? Can we call it "Frontal assault", or "11 o'clock down", or anything more tactical sounding?

How 'bout "11 o'clock frontal assault carry"? Has a Skunky ring to it.

 

[goon]

Try this one.
Adjust the sling to the length that you need to be able to use it to stabilize your aim.
Sling it muzzle down on your weak side.
When you need to fire, grab the forearm. The rifle will automatically slip off of your shoulder, but that doesn't matter, because you already have ahold of it.
As you bring the rifle around, grab the stock and shoulder the rifle.
It will come right into your shoulder, and sit rock steady because you have the sling braced against your arm.
Might be simple, but it works for me.

Someone also taught me once to wrap the sling on a rifle around both wrists, then take hold of the rifle in a relaxed port arms hold.
The gun will hang on your wrists, and you won't tire for a long time this way.
I was taught this one on a road march.
It seems to only work if your rifle has a pistol grip though.

 

[curt]

Sling it muzzle down on your weak side.

Yeah, you could call this African carry. I like this method, the only thing you need to watch out for is kneeling or sitting you can put your muzzle in the dirt.

 

[Cosmoline]

The "African carry" is the one I have been using. It's good, but in addition to the muzzle-dragging problem (esp. climbing hills with a long barreled rifle), it gets tiring after a while because the weight sits on one shoulder, It also puts that arm and shoulder out of commission as a helper for climbing.