WWI Leather sling - how were they installed?

P

Potashminer

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Uber Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
586   0   0
Location
Western Manitoba
From another CGN thread, I stole this picture:

AD8187BF-5BF2-4F85-9225-B8DB2C08279D.jpeg

Apparently, the image is from a 1970 Sears Catalogue page - note the sling on the Sandhurst Deluxe Rifle. I think that is/was a fairly common milsurp sling from WWI - likely part of the Pattern of 1914 Infantry Equipment list, and apparently approved for use "on emergency" on a P-14 rifle - which is what showed up here. In the Simpson Sears image shown, the thong tied end is attached to the upper swivel. I have seen other rifles offered for sale with the sling the other way around - with the tied thong at the butt swivel. Does anyone know what was the "correct" (military) way to install these "carry strap" slings?

I had removed the sling to look for markings on the sling swivel loops - they appear to be from or for an SMLE - do not have any markings from any of the three P-14 makers - a reference here says they were the same size and shape - likely interchangeable, except for the markings. I was kind of curious what is the "correct" way to re-install the sling on that rifle, if I ever come across the correct sling swivel loops.
 

Attachments

  • AD8187BF-5BF2-4F85-9225-B8DB2C08279D.jpeg
    AD8187BF-5BF2-4F85-9225-B8DB2C08279D.jpeg
    100.2 KB · Views: 458
Last edited:
Thank you! I did as suggested - the pictures on the Karkee website show it installed opposite to the Sears catalogue image above. I suspect it works fine either way, but from what I have seen, I think most militaries have "one way" - or at least "their way" - of doing certain things.
 
55recce said:
Are we sure that the sling in the catalog is a WW1 leather sling? Does not look quite right to me.....
Click to expand...

For sure that is a possibility - you and I are getting to look at the same picture, I think. I think that I can make the one here, look like the one in the Sears image. An acquaintance tells me they were literally available by the dozen about 40 years ago - at various gun shows in Western Canada - I never had seen them before this one. From reading, it appears that certain parts of the British Army frowned on the 1914 equipment, and much preferred the 1908 stuff - to the extent that much of the 1914 gear was sold-off - surplused - in the 1920's (?).
 
Last edited:
Hello Potashminer. The leather sling with one sliding keeper and one permanent keeper was attached to the rifle with the leather thong on the butt. The Snider, Martini, (Long) Lee Enfield all had leather slings attached in this manner Leather slings would match the leather equipments of the unit. The Ross sling was the same but only brown leather has been observed so far. British standing orders were for all Pat. 1914 rifles (even the sniper model) to be equipped with the standard 39 " (IIRC) leather sling. If a unit in the Brit army had leather belts, harness, frogs, etc. in leather then so was the rifle sling. Sears did the sling backwards but at least their Kenmore products and tools were pretty good. My Sears rake has lasted 30 years. JOHN
 
I have a Parker Hale conversion of a SMLE, like the second from the top in the OP's picture. It came with a Parker Hale sling that is made like a US M1907 sling but narrower and lighter weight leather. It attaches the same as a M1907 sling would be fitted to a M1903 Springfield. I believe that is what's pictured in the ad, not the leather British sling.
 
Cottage Hill Bill said:
I have a Parker Hale conversion of a SMLE, like the second from the top in the OP's picture. It came with a Parker Hale sling that is made like a US M1907 sling but narrower and lighter weight leather. It attaches the same as a M1907 sling would be fitted to a M1903 Springfield. I believe that is what's pictured in the ad, not the leather British sling.
Click to expand...

The sling in the ad is definitely not a US and A of America M1907 sling.
A sling similar to the P1914 sling was produced in WW2 ta accompany the P1939 leather equipment.
 
green said:
The sling in the ad is definitely not a US and A of America M1907 sling.
A sling similar to the P1914 sling was produced in WW2 ta accompany the P1939 leather equipment.
Click to expand...

I did not find great pictures, but I think the Pattern 1914 sling had sewn loops, whereas the Pattern 1939 sling had rivets - two on the fixed loop and one on the sliding loop. Other than that, was not clear to me how to tell the difference.
 
Reece - from somewhere, I have rolling around in my head to "always dress an Enfield from the left" - I had taken that to imply that the screw heads on the swivels should be on the left side - at least on a P14 that is the same as the cross screws in the Upper Band - so sometimes the band or the butt swivel base get installed backwards.
 
Potashminer said:
Reece - from somewhere, I have rolling around in my head to "always dress an Enfield from the left" - I had taken that to imply that the screw heads on the swivels should be on the left side - at least on a P14 that is the same as the cross screws in the Upper Band - so sometimes the band or the butt swivel base get installed backwards.
Click to expand...

:confused: They are on the left. Same side as the stacking swivel and the swivel point on the front of the trigger guard.
 
recce said:
:confused: They are on the left. Same side as the stacking swivel and the swivel point on the front of the trigger guard.
Click to expand...

My mistake, then - your second picture posted - I had presumed that the rifle was laying right side up - so that screw slot head had looked, to me, to be on the right side of the rifle. In your first picture, the front volley sight is clearly on left side of the rifle, and so is that sling swivel screw head. A reference here says the P14 with volley sight had off-set sling loops - same shape and size as is found on SMLE - idea was sling would hang to right of centre line of the rifle - to clearance the volley sight line. There is a note that the sling swivels are identical between SMLE and P14 - except for markings. I think the Lee Enfield No. 4 had the sling swivel loops to be "centered", not offset, since they never had volley sights.
 
koldt said:
Now you have to give us some photos of the rest of the rifle. Cause what I’m seeing here looks pretty nice.
Click to expand...

I forgot about this. I traded a pre-64 Win Mod 94 for this about 25 years ago at a gun show. I asked about the butt disk / oiler markings on the old Gun and Knife Enfield board before CGN was around and was told it was from the King's own Scottish Borderers, real? fake? IDK maybe someone here can tell for sure.

Bolt serial number does not match but the sight and nose cap do. Sight windage wheel is not pinned. The wood doesn't look like it was sanded, otherwise I figure someone would have sanded out the initials on the butt. I cleaned the stock with simple green when I got it and put at least 5 coats of BLO on it.

Bitster? IDK but there are enough very knowledgeable members here to figure out what it is. Anyway, here's some pics.









 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom