Locking flush cup sling swivel?

[orkan]

First time it's ever happened, but somehow one of my sling swivels got released while coyote hunting, causing my rifle to go suppressor-down in the dirt. I was getting ready to move after a set, and went to sling the rifle. Somehow the sling swivel button got bumped, and it released. I'm using a TAB Gear sling.

Is there a locking swivel a guy could put on there that takes a bit more effort to release?

edited to add:

THIS WAS NOT THE FAULT OF THE SLING!!! It worked exactly as advertised.

 

[19Scout77]

Are you positive the "cup" is deep enough? I had a rifle that held great for a while, then it popped loose and the issue was an out of spec cup.

 

[orkan]

Yeah, it doesn't have a back... it's on a DTA. So it's an integral non-rotating "cup." I tried to tear it out of there, so it's in solid. I'm quite certain the button got bumped. I felt it. I was holding it by the sling and shoved my elbow through, and felt the cup get hit by my arm/hand somewhere. I still had the sling in my hand, as the suppressor hit the ground.

I'm unhappy about my $8600 kit hitting the dirt as a result of a $5 part... I can assure you of that.

 

[19Scout77]

I believe midwest industries sells qd swivel with a recessed button. Part number 114hdfs.

 

[BLDTYLRY]

I prefer the Danger Industries QDs because you can get them in D-Loops. Quick-Detach Sling Swivels | Damage Industries

 

[orkan]

MI Heavy Duty Flush Button Swivel

I just found that too. Thanks scout! Looks WAY harder to accidentally hit.

 

[Tburkes]

First off, I'm sorry to hear about this happening to your rifle. Of the thousands of flush cups we've used this is the first instance I've heard of if it really failed.

The reason I say this is because I have a few questions that need to be answered before we put all the blame on the swivel.

First, how old is this swivel? Have you ever flushed out the swivel by blowing brake cleaner or the like down around the push button? Have you ever flushed out the holes the ball bearings stick out from by depressing the button, which takes the pressure off of the balls allowing cleaner to go into the holes.

These swivels are manganese phosphate coated but like anything made out of steel can have the coating worn off over time and then you have metal exposed that can corrode.

After flushing them out were they lubricated?

Flush cup swivels are easy to overlook when cleaning a rifle but are just like any other mechanical device, the need preventative maintenance and lubrication to keep them operating properly.

Second, have you inspected the flush cup socket that the swivel goes into?

I periodically clean out the groove that the ball bearings ride in. Its amazing how much trash can build up over time that can then prevent the bearings from fully seating into the grooves.

Also, I have a Picatinny rail on a rifle right now that has the flush cup socket at one end. The hole has worn to the point that it will no longer keep a swivel anchored inside. How does yours look?

If you've checked the above and determined that everything is good to go then we might begin to assume that it was a problem with the swivel.

Grovtec does offer a flushcup swivel that has a recessed plunger that makes it harder to release.

I would be very interested in seeing some close up pictures of the swivel and flush cup socket in the shape they were in when the swivel came out if the cup, before any cleaning may be done.

 

[orkan]

Thanks for the response Tony! However, I should have been more clear, that I don't think it is the fault of the swivel. It worked exactly as advertised. The button was bumped, and it released. I tested it 20 times afterward, trying to rip it out or get it to fail. It wouldn't. This is not a design flaw, it's simply a freak thing that happened.

The sling is new. (it was taken out 5 times prior to this.)
The rifle is new. The hole is in very good repair. I literally just got the rifle put together and have been taking it out on it's maiden voyages slaying coyotes. You can see your sling doing its job here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLcSA79Z1IU

We are a TAB Gear dealer, and absolutely love your products my man. So I'm not "blaming" anything. It wasn't your fault! However, maybe we need to talk about ordering a custom batch of slings with a recessed cup on the sling swivel. I've been using TAB Gear slings for years upon years, and it's never happened to me before either. Yet it did happen, and I'm not going to hope it won't happen again. I'm going to buy some swivels with recessed buttons. Maybe you can have that as an option for the slings?

 

[orkan]

I just got off the phone with Tony, and we think we've found the root of the problem.

I've used these slings for years upon years, and never had an issue. I've used them with Mcmillan stocks, manners, B&C, HS, DTA's, etc etc etc. No issues. Tony has sold thousands of these things, and again... no issues from anyone. Ever.

Well, the new DTA SRS-A1 I'm using has a slim round handguard with the non-rotating cups built in. This slight change in ergo's causes the button on the sling swivel to be the most outwardly protruding thing on the handguard, and is at an angle as such that it is very easy to inadvertently bump it. I've replicated the situation several times now, and it's a very real possibility. On my old DTA with the quad rail, this never happened in nearly 4 years of use! Something about this particular setup is what is causing it.

On any other platform I've used, it has never happened, nor would I ever be worried that it would.

In typical TAB Gear fashion, Tony is working to address my specific circumstances and get things taken care of.