No love for the VTAC sling?

[lamarbrog]

When I look at picture threads of sling setups on a certain website, see what my coworkers are using, and what most people seem to recommend I am seeing an overwhelming majority of shooters seem to be going with the Blue Force Gear VCAS sling.

While I'm sure some here use a VTAC and will be quick to throw in support, what causes this prevalence of the VCAS over the VTAC? It is marketing?

I am very much a conformist. I like standard stuff. But, I am really just not seeing the point of the VCAS. I watch their video on installation, and it says that you should be able to shoulder the rifle when the sling is at its tightest setting. If that's the case, why would you ever need an ability to loosen it quickly? Purely for transitioning to non-dominant shoulder?

Am I correct in understanding that it's a carrying strap, and really nothing more?

The VTAC seems to offer the same feature, except by ripping the Velcro it can be tightened up snug against your body for using your hands when the rifle isn't needed, or tightened up for a hasty shooting position. To me, these seem to be big advantages. This may be due to my philosophy, though. To me, a sling is a shooting aid, and something to get the rifle out of my way. For the type of carry that folks seem to use the VCAS for... I have arms for that.

Is my idea wrong, or just different? Is there some hidden flaw to the VTAC that I am missing? Does the VCAS offer something more that I am unaware of? Like I said, I'm a conformist... I want to like the more common VCAS, but the VTAC seems better.

Thoughts?

[brit]

The VCAS is easier to adjust in a hurry because of the sliding mechanism. That being said, I own a VTAC padded. If I found myself doing shoulder transitions more often, I might consider a VCAS, but I just shoot varmints and plink more than anything else, so it works well for me.

[Paulo_Santos]

When I look at picture threads of sling setups on a certain website, see what my coworkers are using, and what most people seem to recommend I am seeing an overwhelming majority of shooters seem to be going with the Blue Force Gear VCAS sling.

While I'm sure some here use a VTAC and will be quick to throw in support, what causes this prevalence of the VCAS over the VTAC? It is marketing?

I am very much a conformist. I like standard stuff. But, I am really just not seeing the point of the VCAS. I watch their video on installation, and it says that you should be able to shoulder the rifle when the sling is at its tightest setting. If that's the case, why would you ever need an ability to loosen it quickly? Purely for transitioning to non-dominant shoulder?

Am I correct in understanding that it's a carrying strap, and really nothing more?

The VTAC seems to offer the same feature, except by ripping the Velcro it can be tightened up snug against your body for using your hands when the rifle isn't needed, or tightened up for a hasty shooting position. To me, these seem to be big advantages. This may be due to my philosophy, though. To me, a sling is a shooting aid, and something to get the rifle out of my way. For the type of carry that folks seem to use the VCAS for... I have arms for that.

Is my idea wrong, or just different? Is there some hidden flaw to the VTAC that I am missing? Does the VCAS offer something more that I am unaware of? Like I said, I'm a conformist... I want to like the more common VCAS, but the VTAC seems better.

Thoughts?

I completely agree with you, but it is because I also believe in using the sling as a shooting aid. Most people don't use the sling like that anymore. IMHO, the VTAC can do everything the VCAS can, but the VCAS can't do everything the VTAC can't. The one knock that people have against the VTAC is that the tail can get caught. I never had that problem. We use the VTAC on our Patrol Carbines and no one complains.

If you plan on using your VTAC in an entry gun where you may be transitioning from strong to weak side, I like to attach the rear of the sling up in the end plate area using the Noveske End Plate and the front up near the magwell because it is much faster to transition. For anything else, I like it attached to the buttstock and all the way up front.

[Vern1968]

When I look at picture threads of sling setups on a certain website, see what my coworkers are using, and what most people seem to recommend I am seeing an overwhelming majority of shooters seem to be going with the Blue Force Gear VCAS sling.

While I'm sure some here use a VTAC and will be quick to throw in support, what causes this prevalence of the VCAS over the VTAC? It is marketing?

I am very much a conformist. I like standard stuff. But, I am really just not seeing the point of the VCAS. I watch their video on installation, and it says that you should be able to shoulder the rifle when the sling is at its tightest setting. If that's the case, why would you ever need an ability to loosen it quickly? Purely for transitioning to non-dominant shoulder?

Am I correct in understanding that it's a carrying strap, and really nothing more?

The VTAC seems to offer the same feature, except by ripping the Velcro it can be tightened up snug against your body for using your hands when the rifle isn't needed, or tightened up for a hasty shooting position. To me, these seem to be big advantages. This may be due to my philosophy, though. To me, a sling is a shooting aid, and something to get the rifle out of my way. For the type of carry that folks seem to use the VCAS for... I have arms for that.

Is my idea wrong, or just different? Is there some hidden flaw to the VTAC that I am missing? Does the VCAS offer something more that I am unaware of? Like I said, I'm a conformist... I want to like the more common VCAS, but the VTAC seems better.

Thoughts?

I love the Vtac padded sling. I purchased a single point Gear Sector and it's great, but the practicality of a two point makes alot more sense to me. It is also much more comfortable with the wide padding and adjust nice and tight t the body. The Kyle Lamb video of him personally demo-ing the sling sold me. I'm going to another one in multi-cam for my AK. Can't go wrong with the Vtac.

[Uglyduck]

While I'm sure some here use a VTAC and will be quick to throw in support, what causes this prevalence of the VCAS over the VTAC? It is marketing?
I think most people believe the webbing adjustment lever on the VCAS as a better adjustment option because its perceived as being easier to index. I say perceive because I think few people have actually used both (me included). I only have the VTAC, and the p-cord can be a little tricky to find sometimes, but its not a big deal because I'm not adjusting it every 5 seconds.


I am very much a conformist. I like standard stuff. But, I am really just not seeing the point of the VCAS. I watch their video on installation, and it says that you should be able to shoulder the rifle when the sling is at its tightest setting. If that's the case, why would you ever need an ability to loosen it quickly? Purely for transitioning to non-dominant shoulder?

Yes, but thats the advantage to any quick adjust sling. Although its not just for that purpose, I find myself tweaking my VTAC to use it as a shooting aid or when using my hands to work. I imagine the VCAS to be equally as capable though.



Is my idea wrong, or just different? Is there some hidden flaw to the VTAC that I am missing? Does the VCAS offer something more that I am unaware of? Like I said, I'm a conformist... I want to like the more common VCAS, but the VTAC seems better.

I don't know that you're wrong, you just use a sling a little differently than the current main stream. I don't think you'll really find an answer without getting some first hand experience with both though.

From a VTAC user's perspective these are the differences I see:

The VTAC has a wider adjustment range because the cam lock isn't at the end of the adjustment strap like the VCAS. Basically, it can go from really fat to really skinny vs. just kind of fat and kind of skinny.

The VCAS adjustment buckle has that webbing tag that is easy to "grip" rather than "pinch" (or finger flip) like the VTAC. Handy in a hurry? Maybe, but I don't have a VCAS so I can't say.

I set my VTAC up the way I like it and it works more like a VCAS with the free running end attached near the QD swivel. I find I don't need the amount of adjustment that the VTAC offers either. Both good slings, just slightly different in their methods. Its kind of ironic how similar they are considering that Kyle and LAV both worked at JSOC.

I'd recommend getting both and hawking the one you don't want. If its a black padded VCAS then PM me [:D]

[lamarbrog]

Ordered a Coyote Tan VTAC sling, padded. I've tried my coworkers' VCAS and want to try something different. (The VCAS, from what I have tried of theirs, has not impressed me.)

One of the first things I will probably end up doing is braiding a paracord pull tab to replace the little string that comes on it. Maybe I won't find the need, but I won't be surprised if I do.

[Volta]

I think you'll find plenty of love for the vtac sling. I certainly love mine. I have mine set up as follows: It is attached at the rear most portion of the stock and a couple inches in front of the receiver on the hand-guard. In the neutral position (Velcro keeper is fully forward) it provides perfect tension for prone shooting, and a little less when standing. To snug it up for more security when in stand-by mode or for more dynamic maneuvering, the Velcro keeper can just be broken, or as I prefer to do, just tighten the sling without separating the keeper. I see no need to have so much dangling webbing. with this setup it can also be loosened enough to switch shoulders.