Abstract: A sling for carrying an elongate item such as a shoulder weapon having a buttstock and a forward end. In one embodiment, a bight of relatively small strap material is held in a sling swivel by a stopper mounted on the bight so that it can be passed through the sling swivel when the bight is slack, but which seats against the sling swivel when the bight is tight, keeping the bight engaged with the sling swivel. In another embodiment, a stopper keeps a bight of a stock-encircling strap engaged with a sling swivel, preventing the sling swivel from marring the stock.