Rapid adjust buckle with integral flexible pull loop

A sling portion of a rifle sling, the sling portion comprising:

• a rapid adjust buckle including:
• a main buckle portion having a pair of side portions and a plurality of crosswise portions that extend between the pair of side portions, the pair of side portions extending in a first direction, with the plurality of crosswise portions extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of crosswise portions including a forward crosswise portion, a rearward crosswise portion, and a third crosswise portion positioned intermediate the forward and rearward crosswise portions in the first direction, the plurality of crosswise portions spaced apart from one another in the first direction to define at least a pair of buckle apertures including a forward buckle aperture defined between the forward crosswise portion and the third crosswise portion and a rearward buckle aperture defined between the third crosswise portion and the rearward crosswise portion;
• and
• a handle portion extending in the second direction between each of the pair of side portions and over the main buckle portion to define a handle aperture with the main buckle portion, the handle portion and the main buckle portion being a unitary piece composed of a polymer material, and the handle portion being flexibly biased towards an uncompressed open shape such that the handle portion is configured to compress against the main buckle portion in response to a compressing force but return to the uncompressed open shape when the compressing force is relieved;
• wherein the handle portion includes a plurality of jointed connection points that are configured to flatten the profile of the handle portion when the handle portion is exposed to the compressing force such that the flattened profile of the handle portion reduces a vertical height of the handle portion in the range of 30% to 90% of an uncompressed handle height;
• and
• a strap extending from a first end portion to a second end portion, the rapid adjust buckle and the strap in rapid adjust configuration with the second end portion of the strap is connected to the rearward crosswise portion of the main buckle portion and doubled back to form a variable length loop portion and a loop end portion, the strap further extending through the rearward buckle aperture and serpentined over the third crosswise portion and through the forward buckle aperture;
• wherein a length of the loop portion is adjustable by repositioning the buckle along a longitudinal axis of the sling portion.

A rifle sling comprising:

• a first sling portion including a strap extending from a first end portion to a second end portion, the first end portion connected to a first weapon connector for connection to a weapon system;
• a second sling portion including a strap extending from a first end portion to a second end portion, the first end portion connected to a second weapon connector for connection to a weapon system, the second sling portion further including:
• a rapid adjust buckle including:
• a main buckle portion having a pair of side portions and a plurality of crosswise portions that extend between the pair of side portions, the pair of side portions extending in a first direction, with the plurality of crosswise portions extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of crosswise portions including a forward crosswise portion, a rearward crosswise portion, and a third crosswise portion positioned intermediate the forward and rearward crosswise portions in the first direction, the plurality of crosswise portions spaced apart from one another in the first direction to define at least a pair of buckle apertures including a forward buckle aperture defined between the forward crosswise portion and the third crosswise portion and a rearward buckle aperture defined between the third crosswise portion and the rearward crosswise portion;
• and
• a handle portion extending in the second direction between each of the pair of side portions and over the main buckle portion to define a handle aperture with the main buckle portion, the handle portion and the main buckle portion being a unitary piece composed of a polymer material, and the handle portion being flexibly biased towards an uncompressed open shape such that the handle portion is configured to compress against the main buckle portion in response to a compressing force but return to the uncompressed open shape when the compressing force is relieved;
• wherein the handle portion includes a plurality of jointed connection points that are configured to flatten the profile of the handle portion when the handle portion is exposed to the compressing force such that the flattened profile of the handle portion reduces a vertical height of the handle portion in the range of 30% to 90% of an uncompressed handle height, and wherein the rapid adjust buckle and the strap of the second sling portion are in a rapid adjust configuration with the second end portion of the strap connected to the rearward crosswise portion of the main buckle portion and doubled back to form a variable length loop portion and a loop end portion, the strap further extending through the rearward buckle aperture and serpentined over the third crosswise portion and through the forward buckle aperture to the second weapon connector;
• and
• a sling connector connecting the first sling portion and the second sling portion together, the sling connector connected to the second end portion of the first sling portion and the loop end portion of the second sling portion.