Limbsaver SW-Tactical Gun Sling Review by Bearded Boar

In the world of tactical gun slings not all are created equal and as simple as a sling can be, a design can always be improved upon. The Limbsaver SW-Tactical Gun Sling is such a product and they have found a way to improve upon a simple product that everyone uses.

  Most slings are a mixture of flat nylon webbing with a few plastic or metal clips and buckles, Configured for either a single or two point connections. Both single and two point configurations have their advantages and disadvantages a single point allows mobility and being able to shoulder your weapon quickly and on either side, but has a tendency to swing back an forth when not being used. Dual or 2 points systems stay put, but can be hardest to shoulder quickly. Thankfully the Limbsaver Tactical Gun Sling is both.

  At first glance the Limbsaver Tactical Sling has a wide strap which helps to limit fatigue and pressure points that are generally associated with carrying your firearm. The obvious feature is the NAVCOM material makes up the majority of the strap, not only is the strap wide, but is does not slide around and shift keeping your firearm in front of you or where you want it at all times.  Most of the straps that I have used are simple, basic and slide around your chest and back more that a greased pig.  At first I was hesitant about the material and wondered if it was going to catch or twist around my clothing as I moved.  To my surprise it stayed where I wanted like expected, but I did not have a lot of movement with my jacket, shirt or sweater which is a huge plus.

  Top Three Features

1. The NAVCOM non-slip strap really is incredible.  I won’t lie it is not for everyone, some people like their strap to rotate around. I am not one of them though. I want my gun to stay where I put it and not where it wants to go.  The width of the sling lessens the fatigue on you shoulder and the NAVCOM also has a little give to it so it acts like a padded sling without all the bulk and cheap sewing.
2. I prefer the single point connection system and the Limbsaver design allows you to switch easily and quickly between the two.  The quick connections on the case are durable and less prone to breaking from continual use.  They have installed a metal ring into the harness which is the key to the Single Point connection system, durable, reliable and quick.  The Quick-Release harness system is attached and released by a simple tri-glide buckle, truly quick and easy. 
3. Because of the single point design you are able to switch from your normal firing position to your weak side easily and back again without fighting your strap.  I was able to move through a building switching from shoulder to shoulder without any issue.

 

  The more I used the sling the more I stopped thinking about it, which to me is the most important thing with it come to shooting.  The more I can just focus on target acquisition and not on my firearm or its components the more I am able to just let things flow.   To me is telling of a great product and one that has a permanent place within my arsenal. 

Disadvantages to the Limbsaver SW-Tactical Sling are minimal, but could truly be changed easily by them to make the product even better.  Above in my second top feature of the sling I stated that the product had a few pieces that made it incredibly versatile and easy to use.  Those same features are the slings weak links as well.  I am not a huge fan of plastics and polymers on certain products or places where it is integral for the product to work at it was intended.  The Quick-Release and the connection point from the NAVCOM Strap and the nylon webbing are plastic and unfortunately might have fail when you need it most. Swapping them out to a metal clip would solve any concerns of the product failing.

    The last thing that I had issue again comes off one of the advantages as well, the sling’s ability to adjust.  There is a single tri-glide that helps retain the excess webbing when you do not have it adjusted out completely. This feature allows for a four to six inch piece to be hanging on my sling with I set it up how I wanted it and I’m a big guy it would only be more of smaller people. By adding a second Tri-Glide you would reduce the straps from hanging about and getting in the way and not impact the function of the sling’s ability to adjust.

The SW-Tactical sling was build to not slip and slide while you are in action and it does that.  It allows you at a moments notice to go from a Single point harness to a dual point and it does that really well.  So the reliability is there as far as I am concerned, but there are a few features that I would like to see changed, even though it would drive the price up a little it would still be worth it.   For $29.99 I definitely think it is worth it. Give it a shot if your are in the market.

Cheers, 

The BB

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Fast Friday--SHWAT- Special Hog Weapons And Tactics

Wanted to share about some really cool guys doing something a little out of the ordinary in terms of hunting.  SHWAT, Special Hog Weapons And Tactics,  is trying to bring together the world of Tactical Firearms and wild hog hunting.  Traditionally the Tactical realm has been at arms length with the hunting world, but the Guys at SHWAT are attempting to bring the two together to manage the exploding population of wild hogs in Texas and beyond.


Give the guys a look over at www.SHWAT.com.

Cheers,

The BB

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[Wordless Wednesday] Trophy Elk

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Fast Friday- Got to Have Gear

1. Hunten Outdoors- Field View 4- It retails for $150 off their site and really is handy when you just want to check your game cams real quick. The 3.5" view screen is really the size of an IPhone and easily stores in your pack.  Grab the card, hope up in your stand and while you wait for your deer to come by.  A great tool and worth it if you don't want to be messing with changing out your SD card on you camera. Just pop it in and go.  Simple.




2.Gerber Gear Myth Fixed Blade drop point with gut hook. I a knife guy, but this is one product that I really love.  The rubberized handle and built in sharpener that is on the sheath is simply awesome and another must have in your pack.  Out of the box sharp and cut even the toughest and thickest pig hide.  Watch for a full review of the Myth line in the coming weeks.

3. Bee Stinger- Pro Hunter Stabilizer- I did a quick review on the product two weeks ago and to say that I am glad I have in on my bow is an understatement.  I guess I never knew what I was missing.  The carbon shaft and the weighted disk surprisingly don't get in the way for me when I am hiking in after pigs and deer.  Give it a shot and see what you think.

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Swarovski Optiks EL 8x32 Review

Swarovski Optiks EL 8x32 Review

To say that I was a little impressed with Swarovski EL 8x32 is an understatement and top that with the fact that I was skeptical about using them in the field when I got them, it was major conversion in my understanding of Optics and what I need to hunt. 

Technical Overview

For all the tech guys out there, you are in for a treat.  Swarovski Optics has done a few things here to really set themselves apart from other optics companies.   Here are the technical specs from their website and a little explanation from me.

·                       Field flattener lenses: contrast right up to the image periphery

o       Translated- Most lenses are curved and thus are distorted when the prism reflect through them.  Take another set of Binos and look at the very edges, there is a slight distortion of the image there.  The EL’s with SWAROVISION virtually eliminates that.

·                       HD optics: maximum contrast & colour fidelity

o       The term Fluoride-containing HD lenses describes the infusion of fluoride into the lenses that reduces the distortion of the color fringes and makes for a crisp and clean color transitions.  This is especially important to me in while glassing dense undergrowth for a pig, but more on that later.

·                       Eye relief plus: 100 % field of view even for spectacle wearers

o       I don’t wear glasses, but those who do will love the fact that the 4 position eye cup design allow them to be right up to the lenses without having to take their glasses off.

o       Fully extended the eye cups allow for a larger exit pupil distance (4mm), which translated into better eye relief and more comfort during the long glassing hours.

·                       Maximum color fidelity: through optimized coating of the lenses and prisms.

o       SWARODUR, SWAROTOP and SWAROBRIGHT give noticeably better color reproduction combined with even greater transmission. Refining colors and drawling out the differences is what allows you to find game.

o       The multiple coatings that are on lenses allow for browns and grey spectrums to be enhanced.  Being that most game are in those color spectrums you can use smaller and lighter binoculars and yet still see more.

o       SWAROCLEAN give a durability factor to the lenses that requires less cleaning of dirt, vapor and grim that tends to build up while hunting. Fact is you will spend more time looking and less time worrying about cleaning them.

For all the technical specs click here for sensory over load and satisfaction.

Personal Take

 I’ll be honest, they are expensive for most people.  With a price point of around $2000 dollars most people will want just wait for a retailer to get the same ol’ go to Nikons for 40% off.  I understand that, I was there up until a few weeks ago. I have heard from a lot of people say, “If it doesn’t actually aid in me killing the game then it is not worth it.” Okay, if you can see them then you are not going to kill them.  

I said that I was skeptical about 8x32’s in the opening paragraph.  I have always felt that you need big powerful binoculars to be able to get out there and see far away so you can put the stalk on an animal.  What I did not realize is that I was actually saying was, “My bino’s image quality is so poor I need to compensate by getting a larger picture.” The difference is High Definition to standard.  If you can see more detail, you do not need to get closer and you can have the benefit of having a smaller, lighter system on your chest.

Final Thoughts

 The confirmation came to me last week when I shot a 150lb pig with my bow and it ran off into the thickest gnarly undergrowth imaginable.  Rather than trouncing in there arrows blazing and getting rushed by a wounded pig, I just sat back and glassed under the dimly light canopy.  I took my time as I followed the blood trail and used the Swarovski EL’s to scan the trail for blood, foot prints and signs of movements.  With every minor adjustment of the field of view became so crisp, each blade of grass, leaf and twig came into focus as I ventured deeper and deeper into the dense undergrowth until I was able to find my pig and confirm it had expired.  Something that was previously unimaginable with other optics that I have owned in the past.  The experience was like the first time I had watched the Discovery Channel’s Planet earth on a High Definition television, an eye opening experience that left me breathless and wanting more. 

The Swarovski EL 8x32 are an optic systems that will truly last a life time and are the most important piece of equipment that you can have in the field.  The one time investment of a great pair of binocular systems is far less than the continual purchasing of inferior optics.  Purchasing your way up the price ranges is less cost effective and you will end up with a pile of used poor quality optics by the time you realize you should have purchased the Swarovski Optiks from the get go. It is time for an upgrade in your optics system

I recommend doing the right thing and buying an optic system right the first time.

Shoot Straight,

The Bearded Boar

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