7 Best Leather Rifle Sling Reviews: A Complete Guide of Buying and Maintaining Leather Sling


In another post, we’ve reviewed the top 10 hunting rifle slings excluding all the leather made slings. Although many leather rifle slings would have topped on that list, we didn't add them there. Why? Because we always felt, they're so aesthetically superior that they shouldn’t be compared with other rifle slings made with artificial materials like neoprene or any other kind of polymers - leather made rifle slings deserve a dedicated review article on them.

So, here we've finally reviewed the best leather rifle slings available in the present market. In the modern era, most of the top manufacturers use artificial raw materials for making slings as they are easy to get, reasonably priced, and have some functional superiority. But leather made slings still have significant appeal among the hunters. A perfectly made leather sling would beat any other kind of slings easily both in appearance and usefulness.

However, finding a quality product Nowadays is tough as very few are manufacturing leather slings for actual uses. In spite of their scarcity, after arduous research we've come up with a list of top 7 leather hunting rifle slings with detailed review on them.

After that, we’ve added a detailed buying guide for you. This article will end with a guide on how you can take care of your leather sling. Don't miss that part. It’s extremely important to preserve to keep your sling usable for a long time.

I hope you would find this piece useful in selecting your leather rifle sling.

Enjoy!

Our top 3

But before the detailed discussion lets first see our top 3 slings:

BEst for money

Nohma Buffalo Leather Padded Rifle Sling (BF500 )

  • Amish handmade
  • Extremely durable
  • Easy  adjustment
  • Padded with suede back
best custom leather sling

Custom Leather Rifle Sling by Ozark Mountain Leather

  • Beautiful sling
  • Great customer service
  • Comfortable
  • Non-slip

List of Top 7 Best Leather Rifle Slings

As we have had a quick peek at our top 3 choices, now it's time for a detailed review on our top products. Here's the list:

Rifle Sling

Brand/ Model

Our rating

Price

Detroit Leather Shop USA Handmade Rifle Sling 

10/10

Cobra style leather rifle sling - Ozark Mountain Leather 

9.5/10

9.5/10

Bandera USA Leather Rifle Sling with cartage Loops 

9/10

Hunter Company Padded Basket Weave Cobra Rifle Sling

9/10

8.5/10

World War Supply Black Leather Military Style Sling M1 Garand Springfield

7.5/10


1 of 7 Detroit Leather Shop USA Handmade Rifle Sling with Swivel (Model C)

Sling is not only a thing to convey your rifle on hunting or completing professional tasks, but also a thing to provide comfort and most attachment to your body. Hunting isn’t just a day work. It’s a hobby, a passion. Hunting is a tradition that has been followed gladly by many families in the USA.

So, like other hobbies, hunters cherish their tools. They tend to buy the best one – the consider not only the functionality but also the looks. Detroit leather Shop is famous for its aesthetic product. Their handmade leather sling has an artistic design and beautiful brown color with black metals that gives it a classic vintage look. All the metallic parts that are the swivel, screw, and buckles were made with solid brass with black oxide finish.

Detroit Leather Shop: Making of leather sling (handmade leather

But not only the looks, you must be looking for something which also suits your needs. The leather is thick and This model is quite adjustable because you can extend its belt from about 2.5 feet to 3 feet. It is made in the USA and got a unique finishing with oxide. You know, the best thing about it is buffalo leather which enriches its built-in quality. You will find it attached to your body for its 1.25 inches wideness.

The overwhelming fact for all that it is fully handmade. In the process of making it no single machine has been used. It’s a no-drill leather rifle sling. All the holes are made with hand punch and maul. Natural oil and beeswax finishing give an extraordinarily beautiful look to this fine leather rifle sling. It would be a great choice for mahogany or walnut made classical lever-action rifle.

Pros and Cons of Detroit Leather Shop USA Handmade Rifle Sling

Pros


  • Genuine buffalo leather with extraordinary finishing
  • Solid seasoning makes it very strong but also very flexible
  • Though it’s not a padded leather rifle sling it’s extremely comfortable
  • It looks good for its brown leather and black metal combination.
  • Surprisingly low priced for this quality leather sling
  • Extra holes give better adjustment
  • The most amazing fact is that it has got Swivels in it.
  • It is extendable from 2.5 feet to 3 feet

Cons


  • It fails to get you relieved from the heavyweight of your rifle

Why Should You Buy ​Detroit Leather Shop USA Handmade Rifle Sling?

If you seek the highest possible value of your hard earn money, then it can make you fully satisfied. It has got all the necessary qualities to provide you with comfort and durability. It has a metal swivel that ensures the best joining by adjusting with the leather. You will get the warranty the buffalo leather has the performing quality to carry the rifle for you. If you want the finest leather made sling then you can buy this one.


2 of 7 Custom Leather Rifle Sling (padded)- Cobra Style Hand tooled by Ozark Mountain Leather

best leather rifle sling

When it comes to high-quality custom leather rifle sling, “Ozark Mountain Leather” will come in the first few names. Ozark Mountain Leather is famous for its wonderfully crafted leather made rifle slings. They make their slings manually - with only hand tools and no machines at all.

One of their most popular slings is Cobra Style rifle sling which is a two-point leather rifle sling. You can order both the plain and/or customized Cobra Style sling. Also, they provide a tooled and non-tooled leather version. It’s your choice. In the case of customization, you can get up to 10 characters written on the sling. As all the cutting, sawing, piercing, and customization are done with hands, it has a wonderful artistic beauty that would impress anyone.

This sling is very comfortable to carry as it’s sewn on the backside only. Also, this suing makes it very grippy so that it won’t slip off your shoulder easily. This sling would lighten the weight of your rifle.

Cobra Style sling is 42-inch-long and 7/8-inch-wide. The padded part is 3 inches wide. It comes with Chicago screws that fit 1-inch swivel. The length can be easily adjusted.

Pros and Cons of Custom Leather Rifle Sling by Ozark Mountain Leather

Pros


  • Great care from the manufacturer
  • Beautiful product
  • Comfortable
  • Doesn’t slip off your shoulder
  • Especially good for youth

Cons


  • No noticeable faults

Why Should You Buy ​Custom Leather Rifle Sling by Ozark Mountain Leather?

Well, if you want a custom leather rifle sling then you don’t have a better choice than this one. Also, it’s not only about customization, this sling is extremely well perfectly suitable for a long time carrying during any hunting adventures. You can easily go for it!


3 of 7 ​Nohma Leather BF500 Buffalo Leather Padded Rifle Gun Sling: Best for the money

Nohma Leather BF500 Buffalo Leather Padded Rifle Gun Sling, Crazy Horse/Brown Stitched, Amish Handmade

This Amish handmade rifle sling is undoubtedly one of the top products you can find in the market. Norma Leather uses original buffalo hide leather using excellent accent stitching to make this product. This rifle sling has beautiful weathered looked brown leather gives it an old west classical look. The metal fastener allows fine adjustment with your gun of different sizes. It fits great to all most all types of hunting rifles. This 1-inch wide (adjusts from 30” to 42”) sling ensures extreme durability. With little care, you can use this thing for life. You will realize its’ quality and love it as soon as you get this gorgeous hunting rifle sling. Norma Leather has also added a nice pad with suede back into it for maximum comfort. Black screws are used in both ends for connecting to a 1-inch swivel.

Pros and Cons of Nohma Leather BF500 Buffalo Leather Padded Rifle Gun Sling:

Pros


  • USA Amish handmade ensures awesome quality
  • Genuine buffalo leather made
  • Extremely durable
  • Easy fitting and adjustment
  • Suitable for any types of hunting rifles and shotguns
  • Fits snugly, so it doesn’t slip off during rapid and heavy movement
  • Best you can get with this money
  • Padded with suede back makes it very comfortable to carry a heavy rifle for a long time
  • Stunning classical old-west look

Cons


  • It doesn’t come with any swivel

Why should you buy Nahoma Padded Leather Sling (BF500)?

If you want a high-quality leather made rifle sling but don’t want to spend much on it then this sling is for you. Though the price is comparatively lower than the previous two slings, you actually don’t have to compromise any qualities for that. You’ll get all the functionality with this solid genuine leather made sling. It’s an absolute classic.

Yes, you may find it better! But I can guaranty you, with this price, you can’t find any leather made rifle sling close to Norma. As I have motioned in the title, this sling will give you the best value for your money.


4 of 7 Bandera USA Leather Rifle Sling with cartage Loops

Bandera USA Leather Rifle Sling: Cimarron – Santa Fe Brown w/Loops

Have you ever looked for a leather rifle sling with cartage loops? Good! Bandera USA is producing high-quality leather slings which also accommodated few bullets in it. Convenient. The added these loops in the sling that fits 270, 7mm, 30-03, 30-30, & 7mm MAG Cartridges.

Besides, these nicely built leather slings are crafted from top-grain Santa Fe Brown latigo leather. This one is a padded sling that ensures comfortable carrying of the rifle. It has sued to line on the padded side which makes the sling non-slip. Also, it’s easily adjustable with tie string and Chicago screw to 30 to 36-inch guns.

Pros and Cons of Bandera USA Leather Rifle Sling 

Pros


  • USA Amish handmade ensures awesome quality
  • Genuine buffalo leather made
  • Extremely durable
  • Easy fitting and adjustment
  • Suitable for any types of hunting rifles and shotguns
  • Fits snugly, so it doesn’t slip off during rapid and heavy movement
  • Best you can get with this money
  • Padded with suede back makes it very comfortable to carry a heavy rifle for a long time
  • Stunning classical old-west look

Cons


  • It doesn’t come with any swivel

Why should you buy Bandera USA Leather Rifle Sling with cartage Loops?

It's an excellent leather sling with a very competitive price. But, above all, it has loops where you can keep a few bullets for fast reloading. Do you need more reason?


5 of 7 Hunter Company Padded Basket Weave Cobra Rifle Sling

It’s another beautifully crafted Cobra Rifle sling. Hunter Company is renowned for its quality products since the 1950s. They especially made different products for hunters. So, it’s obvious that whenever the design a product they put the hunter’s priority first. Therefore, Hunter Company’s products serve the hunters most. This padded Basket Weave Cobra Sling doesn’t deviate from this. Hunter Company has been producing the sling since 1952 for hunters. It’s perfect for any kind of hunting. It’s actually a classic.

This sling is made from selected genuine top-grain leather. As you might know, top-grain leather is the second-highest grade of leather. For this reason, top-grain products are less expensive than full-grain products, as full-grain leather is the highest grade of leather. Because of that top-grain leather products are also very reasonably priced. Another benefit of top-grain leather is that it’s more workable than full-grain leathers.

Hunter Company’s cobra sling has suede-lined shoulder pads which ensure strong gripping, that’s why this sling stays on position during movements. It’s somewhere around 27 to 34-inches long.

Pros and Cons of Hunter Company Padded Basket Weave Cobra Rifle Sling

Pros


  • It’s classic leather rifle sling especially made for hunters
  • Very comfortable
  • Reasonable price but very good quality
  • It is very grippy and stays on the shoulder

Cons


  • Doesn’t come with a swivel

Why should you buy Hunter Company Padded Basket Weave Cobra Rifle Sling?

It’s a classic sling. Hunter Company has been making and selling this sling since 1952. It has huge popularity among the hunters for a reason. It has been serving them from the beginning. If you are planning to have leather made sling for your hunting rifle then you can have trust it as it’s been trusted by many other hunters before you.


6 of 7 U.S. M1 Garand WWII 1907 Pattern Leather Sling

You will have the huge amusement from the quality leather and metal clips of this sling. It has also got leather storing hoop to keep when it remains unused. USA military has introduced it in WWII to protect and carry the rifles in the Warfield. That's why; it ensures the best quality of the sling among all others. The manufactures have stitched it very well and the leather loop provides storing the sling in a quality manner. You can find it nicely attachable to your body with its 1.25 inches wideness. Besides, you can extend it up to 48 inches to grab your rifle while carrying towards the point of shooting. You need to adjust in a tinier length while you are using Garand rifle or any other same featured rifles. Overall, it is a fine replica of WWII but ensures high-level performance.

Pros and Cons of U.S. M1 Garand WWII 1907 Pattern Leather Sling

Pros


  • It is the finest replica of WWII and certified by the USA military
  • It has got a leather hoop to store
  • Its wideness and length enable it to remain well attached in your shoulders
  • The design of this sling ensures the heavyweight carrying smoothly
  • You will find it as a long-lasting sling for its quality leather

Cons


  • It will not work well with all types of rifles
  • You need to put little effort into its metal clips because these are quite small
  • It has no shoulder pad, so you may feel pain while carrying the rifle for a long time

Why should you buy U.S. M1 Garand WWII 1907 Pattern Leather Sling?

If you are using a specific type of weapons like the Garand rifle then it can allow you the most suitable option to choose. It was designed to carrying these heavy-duty rifles and you will get satisfaction using it.


7 of 7 World War Supply Black Leather Military Style Sling M1 Garand Springfield

This black leather rifle sling is a replica of rifle slings originally used in World War 2 for M1 Garand Springfield. If you want to know what is M1 Garand Springfield then you can visit this site. However, it’s a semi-automatic rifle used by the USA army which replaced the old bolt-action M1903 Springfield army rifle in the mid 1930s.

M1 Garand rifle

Here's video demonstrating how you can attache this sling to your rifle:

In spite of being a replica, it’s awesomely suitable for different types of usages. It is a beautifully hand-crafted sling from genuine leather suits perfectly for any black rifle. It comes with sewn keepers and copper rivets. It fits in 1.25-inch swivels, 1” swivel will be too small for this sling.

World War Supply Black Leather Military Style Sling is a two-piece sling adjustable to any normal-sized long rifle.

Pros and Cons of World War Supply Black Leather Military Style Sling M1 Garand Springfield

Pros


  • It is the finest replica of WWII and certified by the USA military
  • It has got a leather hoop to store
  • Its wideness and length enable it to remain well attached in your shoulders
  • The design of this sling ensures the heavyweight carrying smoothly
  • You will find it as a long-lasting sling for its quality leather

Cons


  • It will not work well with all types of rifles
  • You need to put little effort into its metal clips because these are quite small
  • It has no shoulder pad, so you may feel pain while carrying the rifle for a long time

Why should you buy World War Supply Black Leather Military Style Sling M1 Garand Springfield for your rifle?

This sling is a replica of a classical rifle sling used in WW2 and Vietnam war. It’s also very functional sling. So, if you want a beautiful black leather rifle sling for your black rifle then you can go for this sling. But, don’t expect the supreme quality from this, as it’s the cheapest leather sling of our list. However, considering the price and it’s a great sling.


Final Verdict

Made your mind already? I think so! If you’ve read this article, then I think you’ve already decided which one you’re going to buy.

Anyway, here’s the summery of my review:

I personally recommend the Detroit Leather Shop USA Handmade Rifle Sling with Swivel. This is our top pick for leather made rifle sling.

If you want a custom rifle leather sling then you can go for Ozark Mountain Leather (listed 2). Also, if you’re not so sure about our first choice then this could be your best alternative.

Finally, if you want the best for your money, then you can buy Nohma Leather BF500 Buffalo Leather Padded Rifle. You can’t get a better sling with this price.


Buying Guide: How to choose the right leather rifle sling for you

Rifle slings are important, no doubt about it. Generally, hunting activities are done in a place far away from home which involves hiking and climbing. Hunters normally carry dome important stuff like guns, backpacks, cameras, binoculars, etc. with them. In their backpacks, they can carry many things but guns, especially long rifles. Therefore, they carry their rifles on their shoulder with a sling. Carrying a long heavy gun on either side of their shoulder for a long time is hard. It becomes harder if the sling isn't built properly. Defining a proper sling isn’t easy as the priorities vary with users. A particular sling could be favored by one hunter and detested by another. Also, suitable rifle slings also depend on Its usage, types of guns, size of guns, user's physics, weather conditions, etc. So, before buying one for you should determine those factors.

When all those factors have been checked you should look at the features associated with the sling i.e. materials, strength, durability, length and width, weight, adjustability, water resistance, extreme weather resilience, price, etc. In this case, our concern is to find out the most perfect leather made rifle slings for hunters. So, we Don't need to think about the material or purposes of the sling. Also, a detailed buying guide for selecting the best sling for hunters is given in this post. Here, I’ll only discuss the factors relates to buying leather ling:


Authenticity:

The market surges with different types of artificial leather products, you know that. Many of these product’s manufacturers claim genuineness of their product. So, the first thing you should decide is whether you are looking for original leather made sling or a look alike. If you want pure leather then choose the manufacturer wisely.

Seasoning and finishing of the leather:

How your leather rifle sling will perform in the long run mostly depends on the finishing of the leather. Is it seasoned well? Is it have a fine finishing? Please, take care of that. If you are planning to buy it online, then again, choose your product wisely. Look for this issue. Otherwise, your sling with a bad treatment will get wasted pretty soon.


Comfort: 

For buying any kind of sling, comfort is one of the most important factors that you should always take care of. Generally, sling manufacturers add an extra pad to make slings more comfortable. In the case of a leather sling, you’ll also look for padded leather rifle slings as well. However, leather made slings, padded or not, are comparatively more comfortable.

Weather resistance: 

Extreme weather resilience is an important feather for a sling especially when it’s used with a hunting rifle. As hunting normally occurred in winter, you sling must withstand extreme cold. Otherwise, it may get stiff during hunting and become very inconvenient. Consequently, the leather will erode and become unusable.


Water resistance: 

Like many other artificial materials made products, leather rifle slings are not completely impervious to water. So, during hunting in the rain or waterfowl hunting slings could expose to water for a longer period. So, your sling must be water resilient.


Scent-free: 

It would be an advantage if your sling doesn’t smell during hunting. Unlike artificial material made slings leather made slings are more odor-prone if it isn’t treated properly. You should look for sling which has scent-free features.

Price:

It’s obviously a major buying factor for any kind of purchase. Generally, leather made products are more expensive than other slings, as you can’t just produce leather in a factory. However, in our list , we have mostly included reasonably priced products. But you should remember, in case of leather slings you won’t get high-quality genuine leather made slings in a low price.

FAQ

I’ve given answers to all possible questions about rifle sling, here I haven’t added anything to this segment. I think you will get answers to all your queries here.


how to take care of your leather sling

Leather care:  How to treat your leather rifle sling

Like any leather goods, leather made rifle slings are beautiful. But they need good care. If you just stored it aside after your hunting season then you will find it very difficult to use it in the next hunting season.

When you buy a nicely finished leather sling it remains flexible for a period of time. But gradually it will be dried out and got stiff. It’s a natural trait of leather. First, the get stiff then they broke or erode. It’s a major problem with leather made products. But you can easily solve this problem with some care.

First, you need to understand why this happens. When your sling was new it had enough moisturizer inside it and also the manufacturer uses different conditioning oil on it to moisturize it. Later, when you use it for a long time the moisturizer naturally dried out. And, consequently, leather products get stiff.

So, you need to moisturize them regularly. If you use suitable products for moisturizing then your sling will remain workable for a long long period of time.

Here’re some tips for you to moisturizing your leather sling:

Neatsfoot oil:

You can use original/ pure neatsfoot oil on your dried sling. It’s a yellowish liquid extracted from cattle’s feet and lower leg bones. It’s an old and popular substance for conditioning leather goods.

But you need to care about choosing the right one for you. I’ve been using Bickmore Neatsfoot oil for a long time. It works great for softening my leather slings.

Bickmore’s neatsfoot oil could be a good friend of your leather goods. It naturally makes the leather water-resistant. But, one thing you should remember about this product will make your sling darker. So, it’s better to use it in dark-colored leather slings.

Mink oil:

Min oil is another popular substance used for softening leather products. You can use it for moisturizing your leather sling with it. It can easily soften stiff slings. You can find many popular brands in the market.

I use Red Wing’s mink oil which I think is the best mink oil for conditioning leather slings. This one is also good for light-colored slings. Though in the beginning, it may darken the color, soon it brings the original light color in its best form.

Saddle Soap for cleaning leather rifle sling:

I normally use saddle soap when my slings become dirty after a long hunting season. It both cleans and softens the leather of my slings. But remember, if you use saddle soaps or any other soaps for cleaning then you must use neatsfoot or mink oil for moisturizing your sling. Among the common saddle soaps, Fiebing's Saddle Soap is the best.  

Leather Conditioner:

If you’re not convinced with oils and soaps then you can use a good leather conditioner. I personally use Bickmore’s leather conditioner Bick 4 for some of my slings. I like this conditioner as it doesn’t darken my slings like others. Also, it’s completely was free which it doesn’t make my slings sticky. Using the procedure is also pretty easy.

Another thing I should mention, as a hunter, this conditioner is almost odorless. It’s a rare trait in this field. Believe me!

Finally, we've come to an end. I hope you've enjoyed this post and found it useful. If you have any ideas about this topic then feel free to share in the comment. 


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