I learned about this products while watching the latest TGC News video. In a nutshell, this is a spring loaded rifle sling (similar to a seat belt) stored inside an AR-15 stock. This new accessory is called SlingStock and it is made by a company called WMD Guns. So far, it was only demonstrated to the Law Enforcement officers and the commercial release is planned to be at SHOT Show 2019. Let’s watch the demo video released by MDW Guns.

As you can see in the video, the SlingStock can be used both as a single point and two point sling. For the latter configuration, the user will need to detach the QD end from the stock and attach it to the rail of his rifle. It is also possible to adjust the tension of the sling. Overall, I think the idea is not bad at all. It will probably feel a bit weird at first, but I guess once you get used to operating the sling, it may become a handy system to have on your weapon.

According to TGC research, this accessory was designed and patented (US Patent #US9488433B2) in a company called Warrior Tech LLC by Timothy Greenwood (the man demonstrating this product in the video). Apparently, it was later licensed to WMD Guns. The latest record on the Warrior Tech LLC’s website reads as follows:

January 23, 2018: Tim licensed the patent rights of the Sling Recoiling Gun Stock to WMD Guns! We are working on finalizing the design and they hope to have it on the shelf in the New Product Center in SHOT 2019.

Drawings from the SlingStock patent

Interestingly, the idea of having the sling stored inside the stock is not new. In the “Background of the Invention” section of his patent, Mr. Greenwood admits that this concept has been earlier executed in hunting rifles. Coincidentally, several weeks ago I came across images of a similar solution made in the early ’50s. Such system was incorporated into a stock of a J.C. Higgins Model 30 rifle. The images of one of these rifles were shared by a gentleman named T.J. Kerr in a Facebook group called Vintage Firearms and Other Interesting Hobbies. Mr. Kerr kindly gave us permission to use the pictures of his rifle which you can see embedded below.

Unfortunately, there is no information concerning this product on the WMD Guns’ website. We’ll take a look at this accessory at SHOT Show 2019 and report our impressions to our readers.