mightyhunter
Very Active Member
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- 1,179
At the hunt expo last year in SLC, I purchased a new Mystery Ranch Metcalf pack with the Quick Draw Sling. I was replacing my Eberlestock Just One pack with the scabbard for my rifle. The Eberlestock backpack was heavy and worn but I really liked the scabbard centered between my shoulders that came with the pack. I always use trekking poles and a fully operational rifle sling or scabbard is an absolute necessity for me.
I wouldn't have purchased the Mystery Ranch Metcalf without assurances that the sling was functional. I paid $ 80 for the Quick Draw Sling. I bought the whole combination from Black Ovis after the representative, Keenan Magoon, from Black Ovis assured me it worked great. I also looked at the Stone Glacier, Kuiu, ALPS, and Eberlestock packs at the expo. I am no wishing I had just stuck with what I knew would work.
I first started using the pack and sling in October with the start of the Wyoming deer season. The Quick Draw Sling from Mystery Ranch would not keep my Sako 85 and Swarovski scope on my shoulder. It would slide off and smack me in the face. On a 7 mile hike out after the opener, I was fighting it all the way. It never hit the ground but the set up was awkward at best. It would work if you were hiking into a cornfield in Iowa. Not so much for western big game hunting. I was not happy. I contacted Keenan and also Black Ovis to discuss the sling. I got no response from Keenan so I called Black Ovis. Black Ovis told me tough luck after 30 days. Despite many purchases at Black Ovis, I kind of expected that response.
After Black Ovis said no, I contacted Mystery Ranch about the situation. I eventually ended up speaking to a supervisor at Mystery Ranch (Chris). He admitted that the sling didn't always work that well despite the high $80.00 price tag. Reviews on Black Ovis and other websites will confirm that. I was told that Mystery Ranch will continue to sell the sling for at least another year. Because the pack was essentially worthless to me if the sling didn't work, and hunting season would last another 40 days, I agreed to try and make some changes that Mystery Ranch suggested would help the situation. I made the changes and the problem was the same. I tried to affix a piece of spring steel high on the backpack strap to hold the gun on my shoulder. Unfortunately, that would work until the steel hook fell off or slipped off the strap. It was awkward to remove the rifle with the steel hook. I was not happy that I had to engineer something to make the $ 80 set up work.
Today, I spoke to the same supervisor at Mystery Ranch about the Quick Draw Sling. I was hoping he had some ideas about a fix for this sling. He had nothing to offer, but a full refund on the sling. I wanted to return the pack and the sling but got a firm no on the pack. It has never packed meat. Now, I have a Mystery Ranch Metcalf with no way to fasten a rifle to it.
I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem? I would also like to know if the Kifaru Gun Bearer or the Stone Glacier or Kuiu slings, or something else, will work with this pack? I am stuck with the pack and no way to sling my rifle.
I am open to any suggestions.
mightyhunter
I wouldn't have purchased the Mystery Ranch Metcalf without assurances that the sling was functional. I paid $ 80 for the Quick Draw Sling. I bought the whole combination from Black Ovis after the representative, Keenan Magoon, from Black Ovis assured me it worked great. I also looked at the Stone Glacier, Kuiu, ALPS, and Eberlestock packs at the expo. I am no wishing I had just stuck with what I knew would work.
I first started using the pack and sling in October with the start of the Wyoming deer season. The Quick Draw Sling from Mystery Ranch would not keep my Sako 85 and Swarovski scope on my shoulder. It would slide off and smack me in the face. On a 7 mile hike out after the opener, I was fighting it all the way. It never hit the ground but the set up was awkward at best. It would work if you were hiking into a cornfield in Iowa. Not so much for western big game hunting. I was not happy. I contacted Keenan and also Black Ovis to discuss the sling. I got no response from Keenan so I called Black Ovis. Black Ovis told me tough luck after 30 days. Despite many purchases at Black Ovis, I kind of expected that response.
After Black Ovis said no, I contacted Mystery Ranch about the situation. I eventually ended up speaking to a supervisor at Mystery Ranch (Chris). He admitted that the sling didn't always work that well despite the high $80.00 price tag. Reviews on Black Ovis and other websites will confirm that. I was told that Mystery Ranch will continue to sell the sling for at least another year. Because the pack was essentially worthless to me if the sling didn't work, and hunting season would last another 40 days, I agreed to try and make some changes that Mystery Ranch suggested would help the situation. I made the changes and the problem was the same. I tried to affix a piece of spring steel high on the backpack strap to hold the gun on my shoulder. Unfortunately, that would work until the steel hook fell off or slipped off the strap. It was awkward to remove the rifle with the steel hook. I was not happy that I had to engineer something to make the $ 80 set up work.
Today, I spoke to the same supervisor at Mystery Ranch about the Quick Draw Sling. I was hoping he had some ideas about a fix for this sling. He had nothing to offer, but a full refund on the sling. I wanted to return the pack and the sling but got a firm no on the pack. It has never packed meat. Now, I have a Mystery Ranch Metcalf with no way to fasten a rifle to it.
I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem? I would also like to know if the Kifaru Gun Bearer or the Stone Glacier or Kuiu slings, or something else, will work with this pack? I am stuck with the pack and no way to sling my rifle.
I am open to any suggestions.
mightyhunter
