[Night Stalker]

Is Les Tam better than Turner slings and why?

 

[nate68elky]

Les Tam hand makes every sling he offers from top quality materials, while a Turner sling is a mass produced product. That being said, I have a Turner sling and am perfectly happy with it. I plan on getting a Tam sling soon, since his operation is out here in Hawaii and it its easy for me to go to his place of business. Can't go wrong with either sling in my opinion.

 

[7.62bthp]

I had a Turner...Not a bad sling. I have a Tam...A better product. Tams thick tasty cuts of leather break in well, and from what I've seen, hold the sweet spot when you get em broke. Nothing wrong with a Turner though.

Support the Man, not the Machine is my reasoning.

 

[9th]

Les Tam...

Do you want a mass produced one size fits all product?

Or would you prefer a handmade one of a kind piece?

 

[4570govt]

I really like my Turner slings and I have quite a few, they are very well made of good leather, but the Les Tam slings are simply in another category...the one Tam sling I have is super heavy duty, reminds me of heavy harness leather for horses and mules(which it is). Mine is a rich brown in color with my initials stamped in and also has the emblem of the branch of service I served in. I believe I'll order another one!GI6

 

[tjc357]

I have a Turner sling now,and a Les Tam on the way.The Turner sling that is now on my N/M.works great,I just wanted a more coustom made sling that is why I ordered a Les Tam,can't wait til the end of Feb.first part of Mar. when it comes in.

 

[08 Cayenne]

Tried getting on Tam website and it was down, looks like there domain has expired.

 

[BLACKTAIL 8541]

Being as we are talking slings and comparables, how does a Ron Brown sling stack up to a Les Tam?

 

[gas_gunner]

Being as we are talking slings and comparables, how does a Ron Brown sling stack up to a Les Tam?

I went with Ron Brown sling because it looked like he stamped lighter than Les Tam does, and for the most part, he did, with a few exceptions, which I'll ask him not to do when I order the next one. My only complaint (and it kept me from ordering one) is that Les Tam thinks that the outline of the stamp needs to be imprinted into the leather as well as the letter/number itself. The stamp is not part of the imprintable image, only the numbers and letters on the stamp are. The tool isn't supposed to be hit so hard that the tool makes an impression into the work. I have Turner Slings and they are decent. Upon receiving the Ron Brown sling, I can see it's a much better quality product, and much heavier/thicker. I wonder if that might be too much of a good thing and could actually get in the way of my shooting it's so sturdy. Only time and use will tell. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

As best as I can tell, a Ron Brown and Les Tam sling are pretty comparable and you can't go wrong with either except for the exceptions I mentioned above. The Turner is probably a good third place finisher and all the rest (aside from slings made by John Weller *Think that's his name*) would rate below the three above with the USGI "MRT" being a waste of money. You might as well just throw your money for those in the garbage can. It will save you a lot of time and effort that you would have put into ordering/procuring it and get exactly the same result. I haven't used a Les Tam sling, nor a John Weller sling.


Danny

 

[bd111]

While you're looking, you might wanna look at John Weller's slings, too. Top of the line leather and work, pricey like Tam's.

 

[SAAHound]

I have a Ron Brown Match sling on my bush rifle currently, and also have 2 of the bio-thane Turner slings. I like them all for what they are. The Bio-thane's are weather resistant, don't stretch at all and mainly stay on my REM PSS. I have had it on my bush rifle, and it works OK, I like the Brown sling better on it tho.

I just sent off for info on a Tam sling for my match rifle. WooHoo!! GITEN

 

[7.62bthp]

Small errors that don't affect workability, like the hand pinstripe on a Harley being a liitle off, or, the tool mark on my Les Tam sling is true authentication that a human hand touched and crafted an item. Such errors are acceptable in my houshold and cherished as heirlooms.

I was looking into investing in a Brown sling when I bought my Tam, and the only reason I did was one of our Hawaiin members said "hey, you ought to check this guy out".

From what I understand, Ron Brown slings are benchmark grade stuff. Here is an interesting excerpt from Ron Browns web page. Looks like Les and Ron speak sling, and are contemporaries in the biz.


From: http://www.servicerifleslings.com
Over eight years ago my wife and I met Les Tam while vacationing in Hawaii. We hit it off right away with our mutual interests in high power competition and top quality leather slings. Over the years Les and I have shared ideas on sling construction and constantly try to improve our quality of slings. We agree; it takes the best leather and that is from Hermann Oak. Thanks to Les, Custom Match Slings by Ron Brown are now offered in the Creedmor Sports catalog and Creedmor commissioned us to make a sling for the "Gunny," R. Lee Ermey. Les also introduced us to DGR who has been selling our slings for more than three years. See our slings at www.creedmorsports.com and www.dgrguns.com, as well as on the following pages.

 

[ma96782]

Les has is web site UP AGAIN.

http://www.lestam.com/

Aloha, Mark

 

[30Caliber]

I've made replacement keepers for two of my Turners, but I've got no complaints. They've held up over several years of hard heavy duty match use. It would be nice if they were self cleaning though.

 

[leonardc]

I've got two Tam slings on ARs. I really like them! He really makes them custom for you. I had both the two and three thickness keepers made for mine, but have only used the two thicknes ones. Nice guy to deal with. Great quality slings! There is (was) a rule on how thick the leather can be on a NRA highpower service rifle sling. My Tams are thicker than the rule allows. It bothered me a bit at first that I "might" be fudging the rules, but I've gotten over that over the years...petty rule! If I make it to Camp Perry I'll rethink it. Not that anyone has to worry about my scores...but it'd be just my luck to have a great day with the planets alined just right and turn in a good score and then have some guy measure my sling...disqualified!

I have a Turner (Whitefeather) on my shooter M14 style rifle. A nice sling. I also have a Turner "fake leather" on a M1. I never liked it.

My next leather sling...most likely a Tam.

 

[varoadking]

I have several of Les' works of art...one on my .308 Garand and the other on my M1A...simply the best. IMHO:

 

[FICK_USMC]

I have two Tams, and two Browns. They both use Herman Oaks strap leather, and the same hardware from the original USGI supplier. The steel ring used on both is much fatter than the ones on the Turner's, with the Tam being chrome plated, and phosphate finish on the Brown. This one feature aside from premium strap leather adds more service life as the radius isn't as sharp. Les also gives you a choice of sewn or riveted keepers. In terms of quality and workmanship Brown's are the same.
But Tam's is a custom made to order product, that can be personalized on order. The Tam, and Brown slings will likely last your entire shooting career, and get better with age. They are made for the discriminating HP competitor that will use them hard. If you are not a HP competitor the Turner will outlast you.

 

[canman]

I have Tams on all my competition rifles. They are so old I don't even remember how old. I just got a Turner White Feather for my tactical rifle. It's not as robust as the Tam but good quality none the less. Holes are numbered like the Tam.

 

[Jrb]

I have both, Turner and Tam slings, the Tam slings are much better. Custom fit and better leather. OLIVEHELME

 

[varoadking]

Damn...had to order another one for my FN FAL tonight.

Just spoke with Les...gonna be about 6 months or so...well worth the wait...