A few weeks ago I spoke to Tony Burkes at TAB Gear and he told me about a biathlon style sling TAB Gear was going to introduce in the near future. I listened to Tony talk about the sling but half way through the conversation I began telling myself it sounded like a lame idea and Tony was wasting his time. Fast forward to Shot Show 2010 day 1... Tony hands me a Manners stock with one of his prototype biathlon slings and I instantly knew I was wrong and he was on to something.
If you don't already know, a biathlon is typically sporting event consisting of contestants cross country skiing from point to point and engaging targets with a rifle they carry on their back. The rifle is typically carried with a sling system similar to that of a back pack. Doesn't sound like a tactical application exists but there is. Think big bore: 300wm, 338, 408, 50 etc... Not easy to sling and carry carbine or climb a ladder or scramble over debris or down a steep slope. Now introduce a sling that allows the shooter to keep the weight of the rifle near the center line of the back and the weight evenly distributed between both shoulders. This makes operating a carbine or negotiating obstacles ten times easier. Now the benefits of the biathlon sling with the larger bore weapons is great but the TAB Gear biathlon sling goes one step further. It incorporates the same loop sling abilities as the TAB Gear Sling and Elite Sling. I don't expect to loop sling a 408 or 50 but 300wm and most 338 it is feasible.
While at Shot several Civi, Mil and LE shooters commented on the versatility of this sling. Each time I played with it I knew I needed it for my AW 300WM and by the end of Shot I talked Tony out of one of them to T&E.
Now for the last week I have dry practiced with the sling for several hours and finally today took it out for a field/range day. First off the construction is solid. TAB Gear would be better off detailing the specs but from my observation it is all heavy duty nylon webbing and 1000D cordura, Cobra Buckles and stout thread and stitching. Like all of my TAB Gear, the Biathlon Sling is almost bomb proof.
Attached to my AW300
In the following pictures you notice the sling rides in the center of my back. It is important to have side attachment points so the rifle rides on your back via the non-bolt side. As it shows this is very comfortable and at no point do I feel as though the rifle would sway or fall to one side.
In the following pictures I am wearing body armor and a chest rig with the TAB Gear Biathlon Sling and utilizing a carbine. The AW rode fine with the additional shoulder straps of the armor and chest rig. I had no problems presenting the carbine from standing, seated, kneeling or squat. Though prone could be problematic. If you drop too fast or hard the biathlon slung weapon could bump the user in the head. Though it was minor since most of the slung weapons's mass is well below the shoulder blades.
With a little bit of practice a user can unsling and utilize a loop sling in less than ten seconds. I had some difficulty because it was about 15 degrees, my hands were cold and the glove dexterity could have been better. Either way I was impressed at the ease of getting the rifle from carry mode to on target.
Being able to go hands free or easily carry a heavy weapon in order to perform another task is priceless. I was concerned with the rifle shifting weight as I negotiated steep inclines but the TAB Gear Biathlon sling performed great. I went up and down some steep inclines gradually doing it faster and faster with almost no shifting of the rifle on my back and not once did I feel like the rifle was a hindrance. Try this with a typical sling on your bolt gun cross body or otherwise and the outcome will be different.
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1590.jpg[/img]
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1589-1.jpg[/img]
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1593.jpg[/img]
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1591.jpg[/img]
When utilizing the loop sling I found it no different than using my TAB Gear Sling or TAB Gear Elite Sling. The accuracy depends more on the shooter, ammo and weapon system than the sling but a good loop sling sure does help in alternate positions. The following are groups shot at 150 yards with the AW 300wm. Going from left to right: 5 shots from sitting (piece of cake), 8 shots from kneeling (the sling really came in handy here) and 8 shots standing (this was an ass kicker just because of the weight of the rifle though the loop sling made each shot much faster).
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1598.jpg[/img]
I fired about 80 rounds (all positional) at steel using the sling. Primarily I focused on variations of kneeling and paddy squat, getting into and out of the sling, engaging and slinging up and moving. I was shooting at an 8 inch steel plate at 100, 150, 200, 250 yards and never dropped a round. Solid fundamentals and a large target had a lot to do with it but the TAB Gear Biathlon sling allowed me to utilize a solid loop sling which allowed me to lock in with the rifle and minimize my muscular support.
Bottom line... TAB Gear has another outstanding piece of kit about to hit the market. If you work in an environment where you need to carry a a bolt gun and keep your hands free for other duties this is a piece of kit you need. My line of thinking is focused on the tactical side of things but being a deer hunter I know how big of a pain it is to drag an animal up and down hills with a long gun flopping across your back, I think this would be a great sling for hunters as well. The function, fit and construction on this sling is outstanding and I can't wait to field it some more.
If you don't already know, a biathlon is typically sporting event consisting of contestants cross country skiing from point to point and engaging targets with a rifle they carry on their back. The rifle is typically carried with a sling system similar to that of a back pack. Doesn't sound like a tactical application exists but there is. Think big bore: 300wm, 338, 408, 50 etc... Not easy to sling and carry carbine or climb a ladder or scramble over debris or down a steep slope. Now introduce a sling that allows the shooter to keep the weight of the rifle near the center line of the back and the weight evenly distributed between both shoulders. This makes operating a carbine or negotiating obstacles ten times easier. Now the benefits of the biathlon sling with the larger bore weapons is great but the TAB Gear biathlon sling goes one step further. It incorporates the same loop sling abilities as the TAB Gear Sling and Elite Sling. I don't expect to loop sling a 408 or 50 but 300wm and most 338 it is feasible.
While at Shot several Civi, Mil and LE shooters commented on the versatility of this sling. Each time I played with it I knew I needed it for my AW 300WM and by the end of Shot I talked Tony out of one of them to T&E.
Now for the last week I have dry practiced with the sling for several hours and finally today took it out for a field/range day. First off the construction is solid. TAB Gear would be better off detailing the specs but from my observation it is all heavy duty nylon webbing and 1000D cordura, Cobra Buckles and stout thread and stitching. Like all of my TAB Gear, the Biathlon Sling is almost bomb proof.
Attached to my AW300
In the following pictures you notice the sling rides in the center of my back. It is important to have side attachment points so the rifle rides on your back via the non-bolt side. As it shows this is very comfortable and at no point do I feel as though the rifle would sway or fall to one side.
In the following pictures I am wearing body armor and a chest rig with the TAB Gear Biathlon Sling and utilizing a carbine. The AW rode fine with the additional shoulder straps of the armor and chest rig. I had no problems presenting the carbine from standing, seated, kneeling or squat. Though prone could be problematic. If you drop too fast or hard the biathlon slung weapon could bump the user in the head. Though it was minor since most of the slung weapons's mass is well below the shoulder blades.
With a little bit of practice a user can unsling and utilize a loop sling in less than ten seconds. I had some difficulty because it was about 15 degrees, my hands were cold and the glove dexterity could have been better. Either way I was impressed at the ease of getting the rifle from carry mode to on target.
Being able to go hands free or easily carry a heavy weapon in order to perform another task is priceless. I was concerned with the rifle shifting weight as I negotiated steep inclines but the TAB Gear Biathlon sling performed great. I went up and down some steep inclines gradually doing it faster and faster with almost no shifting of the rifle on my back and not once did I feel like the rifle was a hindrance. Try this with a typical sling on your bolt gun cross body or otherwise and the outcome will be different.
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1590.jpg[/img]
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1589-1.jpg[/img]
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1593.jpg[/img]
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1591.jpg[/img]
When utilizing the loop sling I found it no different than using my TAB Gear Sling or TAB Gear Elite Sling. The accuracy depends more on the shooter, ammo and weapon system than the sling but a good loop sling sure does help in alternate positions. The following are groups shot at 150 yards with the AW 300wm. Going from left to right: 5 shots from sitting (piece of cake), 8 shots from kneeling (the sling really came in handy here) and 8 shots standing (this was an ass kicker just because of the weight of the rifle though the loop sling made each shot much faster).
[img:left]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/drew76000/100_1598.jpg[/img]
I fired about 80 rounds (all positional) at steel using the sling. Primarily I focused on variations of kneeling and paddy squat, getting into and out of the sling, engaging and slinging up and moving. I was shooting at an 8 inch steel plate at 100, 150, 200, 250 yards and never dropped a round. Solid fundamentals and a large target had a lot to do with it but the TAB Gear Biathlon sling allowed me to utilize a solid loop sling which allowed me to lock in with the rifle and minimize my muscular support.
Bottom line... TAB Gear has another outstanding piece of kit about to hit the market. If you work in an environment where you need to carry a a bolt gun and keep your hands free for other duties this is a piece of kit you need. My line of thinking is focused on the tactical side of things but being a deer hunter I know how big of a pain it is to drag an animal up and down hills with a long gun flopping across your back, I think this would be a great sling for hunters as well. The function, fit and construction on this sling is outstanding and I can't wait to field it some more.
