C1A1/C2A1 Sling

[The Wizard]

First, are the slings for the C1A1 and C2A1 the same? Second, can someone direct me to a source for the sling(s)?

 

[Curtton]

marstar has both.

http://www.marstar.ca/ac-Slings/index.shtm

 

[stencollector]

They were the same sling. NSN 1005-21-102-3781 was applicable to all models of the Cdn FN.
Marstars photo of the C2 sling shows a SMG C1 sling. Perhaps some form of catalouging error or identification error on their part?
The only variations on the Cdn FN slings that I am aware of is the metal buckles were later replaced by plastic ones.

If you look in Blake Steven's early book "North American FALs", he shows a different sling. In fact, this is a shoulder strap from the 64 pattern rucksack.

 

[LeftFootOfDoom]

^^ what he said. The only difference was that for the C1 we used both sling swivels, for the c2 we used the front sling swivel and then looped the rear around the small of the butt to get a "tactical" type carry.

 

[recce]

They were the same sling. NSN 1005-21-102-3781 was applicable to all models of the Cdn FN.
Marstars photo of the C2 sling shows a SMG C1 sling. Perhaps some form of catalouging error or identification error on their part?
The only variations on the Cdn FN slings that I am aware of is the metal buckles were later replaced by plastic ones.

If you look in Blake Steven's early book "North American FALs", he shows a different sling. In fact, this is a shoulder strap from the 64 pattern rucksack.

I got in a long "discussion" about the C2 sling on an American board due to that pic. The "improved" C1 sling has always interested me as I never saw one while using the C1A1/C2A1 (1984-1990) and it is easily recognizable as being part sling and part ruck strap as S.C. mentioned.

I have the parts to make my own, but would like to know if they were even issued. All the C2 slings I saw were the exact same as the C1's (plastic buckles).

 

[stencollector]

What may have been done locally would in no way constitute an official issue. In the book, Stevens calls it an "experimental" sling. I would suggest that it was not much more than a local solution to the problem of a heavy rifle with a too thin sling. Personally I had never seen anything but the standard C1 slings. I could certainly see the advantage to the jury-rigged rucksack sling on a long march. I have seen similar things done with the C7 and the padded slings off the LMG.
I believe that the metal buckles came with the rifles in the 50s, and plastic buckles on the slings likely came in with the 64 pattern webbing. 64 Pattern webbing had plenty of plastic buckles and noisy velcro.
The early FN parts manual also shows the standard Enfield sling.