Nylon Web Sling to Patrol Carry: Quick and Easy

Slings. The webby holster of your rifle. In this case, the nylon web sling. You probably have one sitting in your gun junk drawer somewhere. Most at home on an M16A2 clone, the nylon web sling is a bit of a relic. It’s noisy. Has a funny buckle. Can’t be configured too many ways other than parade carry… or can it? Let’s make it work:

The Nylon Web Sling: Patrol Mode

This sling is a bit “old school” and it only has a home on my 20-inch M16A2 clone. Call it nostalgia or perhaps a desire to run a classic hard… Sometimes I like to run that A2 like a scalded dog because I live in America. It’s still a fighting rifle… but the Nylon Web Sling is not a good option for patrol carry.

The top strap adapter comes with a cheap nylon D dring, and a coat hanger bent into a triangle.

I have tried several ways to sling the rifle with the web sling, including the top carry adapter kit. This includes a noisy coat hanger triangle and a rear strap, it’s workable, but also a little clanky. The next logical means to attach the web sling is to attach it to the FSB with Paracord. The Paracord could be made into a loop via knot or by burning to ends together. There are numerous ways to accomplish this, but the elegance of the Isreali sling makes me happy. I loved the noiseless, simple attachment to the front sight base. A loop of paracord is sufficient, but I always wondered how strong the burnt Paracord was…and how strong is the knot?

A slingy mess with the front sight sling adapter. It worked but I hated having an extra part in the stock. Also more clanging.

I have used loops around the FSB, knots, burning ends together to make a paracord loop… but I was always left wondering how strong the burnt ends were, and the knots were annoying and unsightly. Call me an M16A2 primadonna, but I knew there had to be a better way.

Hallelujah Moment!

Why didn’t I think of this years ago?

Here it is. Simple. Elegant. Retro. I am quite proud of myself. No front sling adapters. No knots. Just a nylon web sling and paracord. Simplicity. Clean. It can be converted back to “as issued” with no weight penalty other than a small length of paracord. At the rear, my magazine pouch has a top adapter, so I don’t have to use the cheap plastic D-ring.

The Paracord is pinched between the two sling straps and the keeper is clamped down which traps the Paracord. No matter how hard I pulled I could not dislodge the loose end of the paracord. It’s such a simple method, that I felt the need to show it to the readers. You know, because when the boog occurs, every rifle will become a primary for somebody. This is much easier on the hands then bending coat hangers, no?