Two Point Sling on a rifle
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How To Wear a 2 Point Sling

ByJustin Trump Reading Time: 10 minutes

Get a bunch of gun owners together talking gear and what will you hear? Opinions!

Every gun owner has their opinions and many of them share them with each other. (I didn’t yell, but you know who you are!)

Slings are one area many owners discuss and different owners have different opinions on them. However, the majority of people prefer a 2-point sling. They like the options it gives them in tactical situations.

Many gun owners can get confused about how to wear a 2-point sling. Keep reading to find out all the details of a 2-point sling so you can know what to look for in one. 

The 2-Point Sling

A rifle sling is a key component for carrying your rifle in the field. Slings help you carry the weapon without your hands, and ease the weight when you are going on long hikes.

There are three main types of slings:

  • 1-Point: You can see there is a single point of connection with the rifle.
    Single point sling
  • 2-Point: You can see there are two points of connection with the rifle.
    two point sling
  • 3-Point: You can see there are three connection points on this sling. Two that are attached to the rifle, and a third that acts as a pivot point.
    three point sling

The 2-Point offers the best balance of freedom and simplicity as a tactical gun sling. Many gun owners choose the 2-point for the many ways it helps them with their rifles.

What It Is

A two-point sling is an adjustable sling that connects to your rifle at two different places. There is a connection behind the trigger area often on or near the stock of the gun. There are a wide variety of two point slings on the market, but the most popular ones these days are the ones from Viking Tactics. 

The other point is toward the front of the rifle somewhere right before the barrel. One of the ways of connecting to the rifle is through a built-in loop mount that many rifles have.

They are often in the stock and allow you to slide the sling through it. The other common way is to connect with smash hooks or quick detach push button mounts.

The mounts are sold so you can attach your slings to your rifles. This is so you can have one sling for multiple rifles at once.  

How It Works

The sling design works to keep the rifle close to your body and out of the way when you need to use your hands. It also allows you to have it ready to use at a moment’s notice.

The better two-point slings have the ability to make quick adjustments when you need them. This helps you add length or tighten it to your body. You can make fast adjustments depending on what you need.

2-Point Sling Benefits

2-point slings bring some specific benefits to people as they carry their rifles on missions. These benefits work no matter if you use an AR-15 sling or any other 2-point sling with your weapon.

The Angle of the Drop

One of the prime benefits of the 2-point sling is the angle it goes to at rest. For the men who use the one-point sling, they have found out what happens when you drop it too fast.

The 1-point sling drops right in front and many men get hit in a very sensitive area with a big hunk of metal. That makes a funny YouTube to watch, but not experience!

The sling also angles the gun to the side so your legs aren’t as obstructed. This can help you when you have to sprint or make sudden moves. Many gun owners have discovered the pain of the rifle hitting their knees while moving!

Ease of Carrying

The main reason to use a sling is to help you carry the weapon when you aren’t using it. Guns like the AR-15 start around six pounds which isn’t a bad weight. However, when you add ammo and custom items it can increase.

If you are going on a long trek, carrying an extra 8-10 pounds, your arms can wear you out! The sling allows you to let your body carry that weight so your arms don’t give out.

This is important at the end of a long trek if you have to pull your rifle up into ready position. If your arms are worn out, they will begin to shake holding up a loaded rifle.

This shaking will hurt your aim and your overall ability to stay in a ready position.

Front and Back Carrying Options

The two-point sling gives you the options of font or back carrying. You can even change the angle of the barrel depending on what you are doing. 

If you are working near the ground and your barrel is pointed downward, you can get dirt in it. With a quick move, you can make the barrel point up while you are close to the ground. 

How to Wear a 2-Point Sling

When thinking about how to wear a 2-point rifle sling, the best thing to do is to experiment. Depending on what type of connector you use, you can connect the sling to different areas of the rifle.

Even if you move it one inch in one direction or the other, it can make a big difference. You want it to be comfortable and accessible for you and your body type.

A popular method is to use a mount and quick detach shown here. You can place the mount in the location that serves you best. 

You also want to try it while wearing your tactical vest. This helps you get used to it while wearing all of your gear. 

Control

The attachment that is on the front of the rifle should rest on the support arm side of your body. Whether you are right-handed or left-handed, you want to access the front with your support arm to have it in the ready position. 

Your dominant hand side should have the sling connected to the stock of the rifle. This sets the stock up on your shoulder and allows it to get up and into your shoulder and face the fastest.

Tightness

Each person likes varying degrees of tightness. A lot of it depends on your personal preferences and how much gear you wear. You want to get the sling where it is tight enough to be close, but still able to get in position fast.

The point of the rifle being in a sling is to quickly get into the shooting position. When you are on patrol, the sling should be comfortable, but not too tight where it hinders your hands from bringing the rifle up.

One of the best things you can get for this is a sling that has a rapid-release slide which allows you to tighten or release the sling based on your needs, you want to have this!

Sling Size

One of the main reasons you want a sling that is adjustable is for the different size rifles you have. You may have an AR-15 that is pistol length, a custom 20″ barrel length, or both!

You want a sling that can accommodate whatever rifle you are wearing. Each one will need to be adjusted based on your preference. The great thing is once you figure out each rifle, your mounts can stay in the perfect spot.

This way every rifle is instantly ready for connection once you have figured out your custom fit. 

Stability

One of the positive aspects of the 2-point sling is its ability to help you create a stable stance. You can set your sling where your support arm is pushing the sling as you hold your rifle.

This brings tension that helps to stabilize your rifle as you aim. You can stiffen your stance without having to change positions because the sling offers you this advantage.

You want to keep this in mind when you are adjusting your sling to your preference. You want to leave a little tension so your support arm has to push a little to line your shot up.  

What to Look For in a 2-Point Sling

When looking for a sling, you absolutely want one with a rapid-release slide. The ability to quickly adjust the sling is the key to being able to use it effectively in all situations.

Without the slide, the sling becomes much more cumbersome and unable to accommodate all situations and sizes. 

Fabric

Look for fabric that won’t snag other things. When you have all your gear on and you are wearing a backpack, you don’t want a sling to get caught on them. While nylon is the more traditional material for slings, because it is tougher and tear resistant, seat belt webbing has become more popular because of it’s durability yet softer feel. 

Many slings will state they are snag-free and that is what you need.

Padding

Yes, this is a luxury and not necessary, but having a little bit of padding on your sling makes it nice. Wearing your rifle all day while tracking through the woods makes a little bit of padding pay off.

You will be glad you got the extra padding by the end of the day.

NIR

NIR stands for Near InfraRed. This is a light wavelength between 780 nm – 2500nm. You can’t see it with the naked eye, but you can see it with night vision devices. 

Yes, this is seriously geeking out, but the truth is if your outfit is NIR gear, you want to get a NIR sling. Why wear a NIR outfit others can’t see but then get a fabric sling they can see?

A NIR-compliant sling will minimize the amount of IR and UV light reflection while wearing it.  

The Importance of Practice

Getting a two-point sling is a start, but there is another key part of having one. You want to take the time to practice with it. Practicing with your 2-point sling can help you make effortless moves during any type of activity.

Rest to Ready

One of the first things you want to practice is your rifle rotation from the rest position to the ready position. Taking your rifle from resting on your body to the ready position is something you want to practice until it is perfected.

This movement means you drill until the muscle memory takes over. You don’t want to have to think about what you do to get ready. The process needs to be a habit that happens by itself without much thought.

The only way this habit is formed is with practice.

Rifle to Pistol

Going from your rifle to your pistol is also a transition you want to practice. For close-up situations, a pistol can work out better. You want to prepare yourself by being able to drop your rifle and pull your pistol in one movement.

This action will take some practice and will help you place your rifle in the ideal position when you drop it. 

Swimming Out

One of the most important tactical movements to practice with a sling is swimming out of it. When you need to get down on the ground, or just prepare your weapon to clean, your sling can get in your way.

Swimming out of your sling helps you prepare for all kinds of situations. You may need to reload, kneel, or switch shoulders based on your cover. These situations usually happen fast and you want to prepare for them.

Swimming your support arm in and out of your sling can help you use your sling to its maximum ability. You can even practice where you can swim out and back in so your rifle moves from front to back in seconds.

Your Full Mission Preparation

Learning how to wear a 2-point sling is part of your overall mission preparation. Just like you clean your AR-15 so it is in working order, you want to have your sling in perfect working order.

Taking the time to get the right sling and practicing with it can help you prepare for anything that happens. 

Wearing a 2-point sling efficiently can significantly enhance your weapon handling, providing you with a stable platform to engage your target. With proper training and practice, you can optimize your full mission preparation and ensure readiness for any situation.