I have seen this topic come up several times on here so here is the instructions
posted in their original form. make sure to pull those braids tight and have fun doing
it... It could very well drive you crazy.


Ok, here is the time tested, combat proven, DM1975's paten applied for, field expediant parachord sling. This takes alot of time to do and even more 550 chord. I suggest buying on of those rolls of it from brigade quartermasters that they sell in the PX in a bundle and use the whole damn thing to get the length right.

As you go longer the length needed starts to change so it is hard to say how much you need and I have even had to splice more parachord into one before because I misscounted but I think 100 or so feet would be good to start with just to play it safe

I have made a few slings and COUNTLESS numbers of bracelets like this and it is never an exact science. The results are great though. This is made of one single piece of chord, at no time will you cut it in half.

First you start with a roll of 550 chord, a lighter, and a pocket knife (this is not the roll I was speaking about in the previous paragraph)



Next you will gut it. The longer the chord the harder this will be and can take a few minutes and some pursuading. It might be a good idea to lightly scorch the cut edges of the outer chord with a lighter first to keep it from unraveling.



Next find the center of the chord and fold it in half.



Now you will follow the two equal lengthed ends together until you get to the desired length you will wnat the sling to be. At that point you will take the loose ends and make this knot.



And then lock it in place with this knot (pull hard and make it tight. It is a good idea to take a looped piece of 550 chord and put it between these two knots so you can use it later to tie it to the front sight base)



Now you will work your way back to where the center fold was made, tying this knot over and over again. (pulling tight every time, this will work your fingers over pretty good and make them raw so I suggest wearing gloves or something to keep from getting this delayed rope burn)



Your pattern will be alternating in which strand will go on what side of the two internal pieces.



When you get to the end you will want to cut the ends equaly as such.



You will then burn the ends with a lighter causing them to boil up in a thick bulb of melted nylon.



Then you will immediately want to press this bulb of melted nylon flat with a knife against the braids.



This flat, tight end will keep it from coming apart in the future.



Now you will just have to tie it onto your front sight base and loop it around your buttstock however you see fit.



Have fun

File/Save Page As/550 cord sling instructions!  



Brigade QM Linky

Kewl!!! Reminds me of something we made in Summer camp back in the '50's...a "boondoggle", I think the girl instructor called it...  

I could never make one of those either...  

Now to scare-up some OD 550 cord!

THX!  

Very nice guide!

As an aside, if you want to make a wider/thicker sling, you can create a secondary center strand (loop it back where you would normally make the knot, then come up again), with an end results like this!

For the basic sling of about 6 feet long, you will need 12x that length.

so, if you want to do a 6 foot 550 cord based sling, you need to have about 72 feet of cord.

12 feet will be consumed with the center line. (because you fold it over once)

10-12 inches will be used for the end loop. (this is the part you don't run a braid around, works well for the stock)

Sucking the center out of 72 feet of cord takes an hour or so.

Knotting up 6 feet of 550 cord for the sling is about a 2-3 hour job.

This should be tacked  IMHO