Reinventing the Quick Detach (QD) mount, Strike Industries recently released its QD Sling Loop, in both a traditional and narrow design. This new approach provides for increased comfort and functionality when quickly mounting or removing the rifle sling.
Made from 17-4 stainless steel, using a quench/polish/quench process the QD Sling Loop is available in both a “Standard” or “Micro” design. This manufacturing process allows for a loop that is significantly stronger than previous QD mounts using more frangible metals.
What sets Strike Industries QD Sling Loop apart from the traditional center-button release designs, is its squeeze/pinch-style release system that allows the QD Sling Loop to be mounted or released easily with one hand. Other more traditional QD loops often require one had to stabilize the rifle while another hand manipulates the release mechanism.
The loop designs themselves are intended to maximize the geometry of material and movement. The wider “Standard” QD Loop allows for up to 1” wide nylon slings to move easily and never pinch or fold. A notch in the center of the loop is intended for cord or wire-type slings to give then a lower point to cinch on.
In comparison, the “Micro” QD Loop is designed specifically for wire or HK hook-type sling attachments that gives them and angled point to fall on and avoid the QD loop from rolling.
Specifications:
- “Standard” QD Sling Loop
- Length: 39.75 mm
- Width: 14.27 mm
- Height: 30.62 mm
- Weight: 0.8 oz.
- Micro QD Sling Loop
- Length: 27.2 mm
- Width: 14.27 mm
- Height: 33.2 mm
- Weight: 0.8 oz.
Strike Industries QD Sling Loop is compatible with all rifle or SMG based platforms, or any accessory that has QD socket. Both the “Standard” and Micro loops are only available in Black (featured).
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Average (3/5): At an MSRP of $23.95 (ea.) the QD Sling Loop by Strike Industries offers a unique and revised design to an oft overlooked accessory. Made from its 17-4 stainless steel, the QD Sling Loop is manufactured to resist the most common forms of damage or corrosion to accessories and hardware. In direct comparison, the market alternatives to the QD Sling Loop include Magpul’s QD Sling Swivel ($14.95), the UTG Push Button QD Sling Swivel ($9.95), and a generic 1.25” QD Sling Swivel ($16.89) version readily sold under various brand names. The price variance between Strike Industry’s product and others accounts for the revised design and metal with a greater hardening factor that is more resistant to corrosion or failure. Given this, the difference makes the price point for the QD Sling loop an appropriate (or average) scoring considering what is gained over legacy designs.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): Comfort wise, the QD Sling Loop did as expected, which is to say it allowed the sling to move freely and easily without any cross over or binding. Its weight was minimal and added an unnoticeable weight to the overall rifle, but still allowed the sling to function as needed. There was sufficient play in the ring itself that it continuously laid the sling flat, and at no point stuck out during various live-fire iterations. Actioning the QD Sling Loop locking mechanism actually felt easier than center button-press QD sling swivels, because the fingertips allowed for more tactile control, whereas the more traditional center-button design tended to be difficult for those with thicker fingers.
- Durability – Excellent (5/5): The principle material for the QD Sling Loop is 17-4 stainless steel, which is tempered for strength and intended to resist corrosion. Despite continual contact against the rail and other elements of hardware, the finish of the QD Sling Loop remained unmarred throughout trials. At no point were the loops bent or marred and the spring-loaded locking mechanism consistently functioned from the beginning of live-fire drills to the end.
- Functionality – Excellent (5/5): The excellent function of the QD Sling Loop was in its ability to use the tactile feel and control of the fingertips to manipulate the locking mechanism vice the traditional design of a center button-press locking mechanism that necessitated the thumb to remove. By changing the design to applying pressure on the sides of the mechanism, it gave the user more leverage to lock/unlock the QD Sling Loop from its mounting point. This approach in design is unique to Strike Industries and found nowhere else on the market at this time.
- Weight – Good (4/5): With a weight of just 0.8 ounces per QD Sling Loop, the overall weight of each unit was lightweight for its intended purpose and really unnoticeable in comparison to the weight of the overall rifle. In comparison, the QD sling swivels from Magpul (1.6 ounces), UTG (0.8 ounces), and the generic 1.25” QD Sling Swivel (1.6 ounces) all reflect that legacy designs utilized a denser base metal and thus were slightly bulkier and heavier to achieve approx. the same load weight. As a consequence, the QD Sling Loop by Strike Industries is one of the lighter variants of the accessory currently available.
Overall Rating – Good (21/25)
Product Link: https://www.strikeindustries.com/shop/strike-industries-quick-detach-sling-loop.html
The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. The views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.