Guide: DIY Russian Support Sling
Welcome to a guest article put together by Egoiste at airsoftsamara.ru and -Rook- from RedAlliance.
I was very impressed with the guide and asked if I could place a copy on RedBager to offer a non
forum based home for the guide. The guide is provided as published by -Rook- with only the pictures
re-hosted tosave his bandwidth.
Enjoy
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First off, thank you to Comrade Montana13AofS for posting the video link. And thanks to Comrade derrickkolba for inquiring about this sling months later and bring this efficient and simple sling/weapon catch combination to my attention. Big thanks to Comrade Egoiste of AirsoftSamara.ru for coming up with the sling.
As seen in the above video, the sling system allows for multiple ways to sling a rifle of the AK family and allowing flexibility depend on the requirement of the situation. Due to the single point design, changing firing shoulder is easy and quick; a key in urban combat. One thing I strongly dislike with single point slings is the inability to go complete hands free while maintain control of the weapon however due with the addition weapon catch on the opposite shoulder, one may better control the weapon when slung.
Above: Four slung methods, Demonstrate with an AKS74U replica
After a quick view of the video, I was able to determined all of the components and the operation of the Russian support sling. I quickly discovered I had majority of the components within reach and began to plan to build a mockup of the support sling and write a "how-to" guide for others unable to figure out how to construct such a sling.
Supplies need to replicate the Russian Support Sling -
4x 1" Tri-glides
2x 1" Ladderlocs
2x Pair of 1" Side Release Buckles
5x Pieces of 15-20" long 1" webbing (6-8 ft total of 1" webbing)
Sewing abilities, either by machine or hand
Some visualization skills
Gear with a D-ring on each side
A pre-construction step I think is important is to understand how to weave the adjust strap setup, something that occurs twice in the construction of this support sling. An optional feature for this sling is the addition of a "stop bar fold" in two pieces of 15" by 1" webbing; the fold is created by folding one working end twice to produce a 1/2" by 1" bar fold that is sewed securely shut. The "stop bar fold" will prevent accidentally slip of the webbing through the ladderloc hardware.
Above: 1/2" by 1" "stop bar fold" at one end of 2 pieces of 15" by 1" webbing
There are two steps to weave two pieces of 1" webbing into the ladderloc hardware. The ladderloc will present three open paths for weaving to be weaved through, which I have numbered 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Using a piece webbing with a sewed "stop bar fold" weave the free working end up through 3 and down through 2. A second double free working end piece of webbing is weave up through 2 and down through 1; or up through 1 and down through 2 depending on need of end direction.
Above: Weaving of ladderloc. Up 3, down 2. Up 2, down 1; or Up 1, down 2
Now that I have that covered. On to construction of the actual support sling. The guide will break it down into three sections:Single Point Sling, upper and lower;Stock Adapter;Weapon Catch, upper and lower. Materials requires will be present and at the end of the section an overall diagram, with color, of weaving of webbing through the plastic hardware.
Single Point Sling - Upper portion
Required material -
1x 1" Tri-glide
1x 1" Ladderloc
1x Piece of 15" by 1" webbing
-Required material: tri-glide, ladderloc, webbing
Weave 1" webbing through a tri-glide and then the ladderloc (up 2, down 1) and back through the tri-glide.
-The beginning
Take the longer working end and weave it over then d-ring on your vest and through the tri-glide under then opposite working end. Adjust and tighten.
-Blue, green, red
Single Point Sling- Lower portion
Required material:
1x 1" Tri-glide
1x Male 1" Side Release Buckle
1x Piece of 15" by 1" webbing with "stop bar fold"
-Required material: tri-glide, male buckle, webbing with "stop bar fold"
Starting with the working end, weave the webbing through the ladderloc (up 3, down 2).
-Up 3, down 2
Weave free working end through a tri-glide and through the male side release buckle and back through the tri-glide.
-Last step of the beginning
Finish single point sling. It should looks like the image below.
-Blue, green, red. Yellow, orange, purple
Stock Adapter
I chose this method for the stock adapter because it was easy and used minimum hardware. You may choose a different method but as long it has a female side release buckle, you should be go to good.
Required materials:
1x 1" Tri-Glide
1x Female 1" Side Release Buckle
1x Piece of 15" by 1" webbing
As you seen I sewed the webbing shut after weaving around the center section of the tri-glide.
-My method; others will work also as long there is a female buckle
My method to attach to stock is to just circle the stock and weave through the tri-glide as it goes. Buckle is placed on the left side of the stock because my shooting shoulder is the right one.
-Circular stock adapter
Weapon Catch- Upper portion
Required material:
1x 1" Tri-glide
1x 1" Ladderloc
1x Female 1" Side Release Buckle
1x Piece of 15" by 1" webbing
As you see, I weaved a working end through the female buckle and sewed it shut.
-Required material: tri-glide, ladderloc, female buckle, webbing
Weave the free working end through the tri-glide and then under the d-ring on the opposite shoulder of the sling and through the tri-glide once again. Then continue weaving through the ladderloc (up 2, down 1) and through the tri-glide for the last time. Adjust and tighten.
-Red, blue, green
Weapon Catch- Lower portion
Required material:
1x 1" Ladderloc
1x 1" Tri-glide
1x Male 1" Side Release Buckle
1x Piece of 15" by 1" webbing with "stop bar fold"
Weave free working end of webbing through the ladderloc (up 3, down 2)
-Required material: ladderloc, tri-glide, male buckle, webbing
Continue to weave the free working end through the tri-glide and then the male buckle and back through the tri-glide.
-Should be like so
Click the male and female buckle together.
-Red, blue, green. Yellow, orange, purple
End Result
Adjust and tighten. Cut extra webbing if need be.
-Single Point Sling
-Weapon Catch
Check me out with an VFC AKS74U airsoft replica and my support sling:
I suggest using this sling system with vest or armor carrier with d-rings instead of chest rig; however is very doable. With chest rigs, you need to shorten and tighten the shoulder straps as much as possible because the weight of a slung weapon will put more downward stress than normal. Adding padded shoulder straps will be helpful also as the shoulder straps will dig into your shoulder, I promise.
This system can be applied to different weapon system and used with limited success. I tried it was my 7" barrel AR15 system and it works perfectly. Used it with an OSOE AK/M4 chest rig and you can use one rig and one sling system for both AK and AR weapon system. Or rig the system up with an Eagle Ind. Universal chest rig and be able to use it with any weapon system you are handed as long as chest rig can handle the spare magazines.
Be nice, first guide ever.
Comrade derrickkolba, PM me your address. You get a free sling. 
Pretty good for my 6th post on Red-Alliance.
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