M4 for home defense, to sling or not to sling?

[rob_s]

Exactly. I guess some folks know how their defensive scenarios are going to be scripted.

It has less to do with scripting and more to do with simply weighing pros and cons, making a choice, and deciding on ways to mitigate the possible downsides.

there is no panacea, and everyone has to make their own decisions and live with them.

[C4IGrant]

A sling really is not needed, but is a good choice I think (as you will be able to use the weapon in other areas).



C4

[markm]

A sling really is not needed, but is a good choice I think

Exactly... you could still use a long gun with no sling for defense, but it's one of those "better to have and not need" blah blah items.

There's no real downside to having it there so...

[rob_s]

I had a sling on the gun at one time. I have grabbed it to go check this or that, look here or there, and found the sling got caught on things I didn't want it to and I didn't feel like I had time to get the sling on at the time. Hence, no sling. It's not a big deal. I also put a VFG back on the gun because I find it gives me one more place to grab/hold on to the gun if I need to use one hand or the other.

This is why I think if someone can come up with a stowed, deploy-able sling it would be a good compromise. I just haven't found a solution that works for me yet.

[Alex F]

I went with a single point sling with QD mount (the noveske plate).

Easy enough to slip over, very easy to remove the carbine from me should that be necessary, carbine stays put should I need to go to hands or handgun/etc.

Just choose something and practice with it, that's what matters in the end.

[6933]

I have decided to sling. I consider it an impediment to a BG trying to take it from me. It also allows for me to retain the weapon if I need to use my hands for something. As I'm picking the rifle up, my left arm is already moving to slide through. I realize I'm adding time to when I'm ready, but the tradeoff, for me, is worth it.

[Cincinnatus]

I also choose to go with no sling on HD weapon. I do have a QD sling in a go-bag for if I need to get along. I had the same trouble as Rob with sling snagging on crap like door knobs etc. and also snagging on edge of bed frame, etc. before able to actually "sling-up". It is a compromise, though, since, as MarkM syas, can't readily go hands-free.

[Buckshot Barry]

Sorry if this post sounds so lame.

I took the sling off of my LE6920 for the very first time today. This thing moves around like my Marlin 94 that I shoot in CAS now and I like it. I'm going to go sling free for a while.

[markm]

I'm going to go sling free for a while.

I'll put two slings on my gun to counteract this nonsense!

[jonconsiglio]

My home defense file has a single point sling. I've moved away from these in most instances, but this one still has it. I still use the MS2, which is not my favorite sling.

What I've found works for me, at least for now, is to leave it in the two point configuration with a rubberband around the stock that keeps it tight. If I have time to throw it on, I just easily pull it and slip it over my head. If I have enough time to do that, I might have enough time to then clip it back to a single point.

If I don't have the time, thats fine too as it's pulled tight and it's completely out of the way. The way my house and system is set up, there's a pretty good chance I'll have the 3 seconds I need.

Having said that, the one time I've had to use my gun on another person at home (last year), it was a complete surprise out front of my house when I woke up at 3am and went to have a cigarette. There's been a few other times where I needed to check this or that out and I grabbed the rifle. I've always thrown on my sling as soon as I grab it.

I think either way is perfectly fine as long as you practice it on occasion.

Jonathan