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DIY: How to Make a P-Cord Rifle Sling
_by FieldandStream
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It was supposed to be an easy day hunt, so easy you didn’t bring a daypack. But now you need to lower yourself down a cliff to get back to camp. If only you had that pack—and the rope in it.
For less than $4, you can bring that lifeline with you, in the form of a strong, lightweight rifle sling woven from surplus parachute cord (known as 550 cord because its breaking strength is 550 pounds). Buy a 100-foot roll from an Army-Navy store. A sling will take 25 feet of cord minimum, up to 50 feet depending upon the desired length and how many strands are in the weave. Start with 50 feet, and use a four-strand weave for 3⁄4-inch sling swivels; a five-strand weave for 1-inch swivels.
1. Determine the length of your sling. Subtract 1 inch (the sling will stretch a bit); clamp the swivels that far apart on a bench. Leaving 4 inches of cord hanging beyond the first swivel, loop the cord back and forth between the swivels as shown.
2. Weave the long end of the cord through the loops, passing the end over and under adjacent strands. It’s tedious to pull all 50 feet through after each weave—near impossible if you have a playful cat pouncing on it, as I did on my first try. Persevere; the finished sling will be worth it.
3. After three or four weaves****, tighten them up. The tighter the weave, the less the sling will stretch or slip on your shoulder. Repeat the process until you reach the other swivel. Cut off all but 4 inches of the remaining cord. Weave the two loose ends extending from the swivels lengthwise back through the sling to secure them. Snap the swivels into the studs on your rifle and go hunting. And if you need that cord in an emergency? Just unweave it.
Video by Dave Hurteau
