using a sling for accuracy

[tahoe2]

I have been shooting a long time and was taught to use a sling (GI style) by my ex-marine dad. it helps keep the gun steady for off hand shots.
I have seen a lot of sporters with "barrel band" sling mounts and was thinking that a tight sling would tweak the barrel ever so slightly as to cause
an errant shot. does anyone concour? just curious if there is a way use the sling to assist without putting pressure on the barrel?

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[Nwcid]

Well you have lots of different things going on here.

First off what kind of shooting are you doing? Are you doing long range competition where accuracy is critical? Are you shooting varmints and targets at short to medium range? Hunting?

In your hunting or plinking setting unless you have something really wrong with your gun to pull a miss because of you sling would be pretty hard. You are not going to throw a shot by inches. In long range competition throwing a shot by 1/2" could be the difference between win and lose. In the other 2 settings your movement will probably account for more accuracy errors then the sling tightness.

There are a couple ways to use a sling without adding pressure but it depends on the gun. Stiffer stock and free floated barrel are the first two that come to mind.

 

[tahoe2]

no competition shooting, just hunting/plinking, target, etc.. can't bring a bench when hunting, and shots can come quick.
So useing a sling is essential to accuracy in the field, all of my current hunting rigs have swivel mounts in the stock.
My question was referring to rifles with "barrel band" sling mounts.