Having been frustrated in every possible way with rifle slings, I was excited when Jeff Hajari of Tree Apron sent me the Sling-On (and some other goodies). I had watched the video and read about it, but I need to see something work in perrson, before I put my name on it.

The Sling-On is one of those things where I said to myself “Doggone, I should have thought of this!” It is a very simple flexible strap with loops at both ends and a compression buckle in the middle. I love simple. The directions are also very simple and very clear…run the loop on the long side of the strap through your front slig swivel (with your sling attached) and pass the strap back through the loop. Shoulder your weapon then take the loop on the short part of the strap and pass it arounds your sling (about mid-way) and pass the trap back through the loop. Now just click the non-metallic buckle (on the long side) into the recepticle on the shorts side. Folks it took four times as long to tell you how to put the Sling-On onto your rifle than it actually takes to do it!

Okay…so far so good. Now, let’s take a test drive.

I was carrying a 9 lb Mosin Nagant 91/30 with a 3-10X50 scope on it. Right now it is not real pretty but these WWll Russian rifles shoot so well. And…they are inexpensive…what a combination. I chose to use this weapon for testing the Sling_on due to its 29″ Military barrel, perfect for long range sniping but rather cumbersome and a bit top-heavy when on my shoulder. This seemed to be the perfect choice to test the Sling-On.

The sling I had on the rifle, originally, touted “Grips not Slips”. Perhaps they meant to put a disclaimer ont it: “Except old Military rifles carried by old hunters” It was better than most…but. The sling I have on now has built-in shooting sticks but it is part of another field test that I will report about in a different post.

My son ,Tyler, was home on leave from Baghad and had one day to hunt with me. He is learning to be a gunsmith and wants to make custom rifles (he already knows who his first victim, eh, customer will be).

I never hunt without my back pack, which I often blame for my woes with slings. There is only so much room on my shoulder.  When we got to the spot we wanted to hunt, I donned my back pack, unclicked the Sling-On buckle, passed the long side around my back (under the back pack), around my right rib cage (I shoot lefty) and clicked the buckle back top the short side (on my sling). That’s all it took, maybe four or five seconds. As they say, the proof is in the plodding (I know it is supposed to be pudding by I was plodding…see) so Tyler and I headed out through the hardwoods.

It is hard to be excited over something that sells for less than 10 bucks, but I say this now…Order one for every rifle you carry that has a sling on it! My heavy old war rifle never moved, even when I tried some of the motions Jeff does on his video. I could have been over and used both hands to pick up firewood, tie my boots, pick up something I might have dropped or any possible occurrence which would require use of your hands. You will never hang on to your sling again. This is a keeper!

Official America’s Frugal Sportsman Rating (1-5 little birdies…cheap…cheap..OK)

We give Sling-On 5 Little Birdies.

Inexpensive, Functional, Works as Avdertised

For more information on Sling-On and all of the other products they offer, go to www.treeapron.com