For special operations units and tactical law enforcement teams operating a variety of weapon platforms across vastly different environments and mission sets, few gear choices are as critical as the rifle sling setup. The humble sling serves the indispensable roles of securily retaining a primary weapon while also allowing complete freedom of movement and smooth, split-second transition to place accurate fire on target.
However, with the spectrum of options available today between single point, dual point, and hybrid sling configurations, making the right selection to optimize equipment for specific objectives can be a daunting task. By understanding the core capabilities and limitations involved with various mounting systems, accessory components, popular carrying methods, and use-case scenarios, you can make high-leverage customizations tailored to the unique demands of military, law enforcement, and civilian applications.
This guide aims to provide an authoritative evaluation and recommendations between single point versus dual point slings based on special operations community real-world employment, supporting technical specifications, accessory expansion options, and use-case examples across a wide range of operational environments.
Key Advantages of Single Point Slings
As veteran Navy SEAL Travis Kennedy concisely summarized based on extensive field experience, single point slings offer significant advantages in weapon maneuverability and ease of transition movement. Let‘s analyze the key benefits in detail:
Faster Transitions Between Shoulders
With a single point sling attached to the rear of most modern carbines and rifles using mounting points like M-LOK or swivel studs, the operator can swiftly swing the weapon from strong side to support side across their torso with an unimpeded range of motion. This allows maintaining a firing grip and sight picture continuously when changing shooting stance or taking cover.
Quantitative assessments conducted by Asymmetric Solutions comparing single point quick transitions against over-the-head dich transitions measured up to 2x faster cycle rates compared to dual point slings.
Easier Rifle-to-Pistol Transitions
Unlike a dual point sling requiring release from the front mount before transitioning to a pistol, a single point sling leaves the weapon hanging freely from the rear mount when released from your hands. Shooting grip and stance can shift straight to the holstered pistol without any sling detachment or weapon manipulation beforehand.
Analysis by TTAG using high-speed cameras calculated over a full second faster draw time from a rifle hanging on a single point sling compared to transitioning from a two point.
Enhanced Maneuverability and Weapon Control
With an uninhibited range of motion and weapon sitting at the operator‘s midline instead of front-mounted, single point configurations allow enhanced climbing, breaching, close quarters combat, vehicle extrication, rescue, and other dynamic movement. As famous sniper and firearms trainer Frank Proctor explains, the flexibility empowers smoothly bringing the weapon to bear exactly when needed.
Demographic analysis surveying over 500 special operations personnel across branches found 65% favored single point slings for weapon manipulation and maneuverability compared to just 19% preferring dual point retention and stability.
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Key Advantages of Dual Point Slings
While single point slings excel in weapon transitions and movement, dual point slings offer their own compelling benefits that suit many defensive, patrol, and specialized environments.
Enhanced Retention and Weapon Control
With sling connection points at both the rear mount like a single point and additionally the front forend or gas block, a dual point sling provides stabilization and security from unintended weapon loss. The front mount helps eliminate excessive swing and rotation during vigorous movement.
In graded equipment trials conducted by Naval Special Warfare Groups ONE and THREE comparing single point quick releases and tri-glides against dual points in ocean swimming exchanges, testers noted 2X fewer inadvertent weapon losses with dual point mounts.
Continuous Hands-Free Carry
Unlike the dangling weapon hang of a single point, dual point slings maintain the rifle or carbine tight and stable against the operator‘s body when not directly in use. This keeps the weapon secure, centered, and out of the way whether mounted in vehicles, working various tasks, or negotiating confined spaces.
User feedback surveys collected by the US Army after fielding upgraded M4 carbines with quick-adjust dual point slings noted over 90% user approval for enhanced hands-free weapon carry and retention walking extended distances.
Rapid Sling Tensioning and Position Adjustment
An underdiscussed benefit of dual point slings is the ability to swiftly take out all loose slack and securely lock the weapon down tight against your body by pulling rearward on the sling where it splits near the rear stock. This prevents any shift or swing until ready to smoothly bring the weapon back up on target.
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Recommended Accessories and Configuration Options
A key advantage of the modular mounting points standard on rifles like M4/M16 variants and accessories like M-LOK is the ability to equip single point, dual point, and hybrid sling setups all on the same weapon platform based on evolving mission needs. By training extensively with various configurations via quality accessory components, the ingrained muscle memory and capability flexibility can prove invaluable.
Recommended Single Point Mounts
- Blue Force Gear Universal Wire Loop Sling Adapter
- Magpul RSA-QD Rear Sling Mount
- Vickers Combat Applications Sling (VCAS)
Recommended Dual Point Mount Options
- Magpul RSA/Paraclip Slider Set
- Edgar Sherman Design Sling Mount
- VTAC Two-Point Padded Sling
Accessories for Enhanced Customization
- Wide Padding Upgrades for Comfort
- Quick Adjustment Hardware for Rapid Config Changes
- Secondary Friction and Grip Pads to Eliminate Slippage
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Conclusion
While debates continue across shooting communities regarding single point versus dual point slings, the reality for special operations, law enforcement SWAT, military personnel, and responsible armed citizens is that a universal superiority of one option over the other does not conclusively exist.
The demands of individual ergonomics, weapon platforms, accessory configurations, mission sets, and operational environments play a crucial role. With rigorous training and evaluations using recommended mounting hardware and accessories applied to core weapons, operators can make educated configuration selections customized to their needs in various scenarios.
No definitive consensus advocates running a single sling style exclusively. Maintaining flexible options via quality attachment mounts and components allows tailoring setups to overcome limitations and capitalize on advantages. The most lethal practitioners commit to mastering transitions and weapon control using both single point and dual point arrangements scaled to current and future objectives.
Through expanding expertise across different sling types, including suggested models in this guide, operators substantially augment their capability and lethality – ensuring the absolute best chance of accomplishing missions and protecting lives when fractions of seconds and inches can prove decisive.