The US musket Slings were contracted in either "fair" or stained leather. Exposure to dirt grease and iron has aged some of these slings to look as if they were originally black but this is not the case.
For more information on stained finish please follow this link.
US Army Contract Slings
For instructions on how to put on a musket sling click here.
(Fits the 1842 Musket, Mississippi Rifle, 1816, and 1835) This is the first sling made of russet leather and brass hook. This sling is 44" long, and this is true that the sling for the 42 musket is shorter than that of the 1855. For more information on this sling please see Summer 2002 issue Military Collector and Historian, Journal of the Company of Military Historians.
(Will fit the Enfield or Springfield) This is the US Government pattern with hook, a standing loop, and a sliding loop. They are made in the oiled finish only.
In order to make this sling fit an Enfield you will need to add a new set of holes 23" down from the hook. The US ordnance dept did not make a special sling to fit the Enfield, that has been documented so far but the soldier must have modify the regular musket sling to fit.
The first slings for the new 1873 Springfield’s rifle was made by first using up the surplus 1855/1861 gun slings. These slings were 46” in length and would not fit the new gun with the changed swivel locations. The first solution was to take two of the 46” sling and cut them up and make a new one-piece sling still using the single brass hook. These slings are seamed together into one piece of leather, but it is called an early two-piece sling.
In the early 1880’s this practice was changed, and a new one-piece sling was made 68” in length. These still used the single brass hook found on earlier sling held in with two pins. This hook system had been used since the introduction with the Pattern of 1839 sling. These new long slings were made at Watervliet Arsenal and are marked on the sling near the lower loop.
Toward the end of the 1880’s a new sling two separate pieces with the new double claw hook. We do not make this sling! This is a short explanation of the changes in gun slings relating to the 1873 trapdoor guns.
This is the first sling made to fit the trapdoors. This sling was made from cutting up the old 46" sling and splicing them together and making a new one-piece 68" sling. This was done until the 1880's when the switch was made to the one-piece sling.
This the later sling for the trapdoors and is made of one piece of leather with no splices. Still using the single brass hook held in place with two pins and are marked Watervliet Arsenal.
#2710 Henry Rifle Sling $99.00
These sling were not issued through the Ordnance Dept., making them a private purchase sling during the Civil War. There is a neat feature on this sling and that is the leather protector to prevent the brass button from damaging the stock. The original this one was copied from was originally black. There is a hook need to make this sling work and they can be purchased through S & S Firearms of New York.
Foreign Made slings
#2705 British pattern musket sling in black leather $114.00
#2709 Austrian or Belgium Musket sling $60.00
This is copied off an original sling that I picked that is for either the Austrian Lorenz or the Potsdam muskets. This is the sling that would have been shipped from Europe and is not one made here in the US.
US Carbine SlingsMade here in our shops for maximum durability and authenticity. Has the regulation carbine sling buckle and brass end piece. These can be furnished in black or white. #EL2706 Early War carbine Sling $165.00 This sling is made from waxed leather. The Army began making the carbine slings from waxed leather in 1858. This sling also has the early carbine sling buckle.
#2706 Carbine Sling (without the Swivel Snap) $155.00
CS Carbine Sling with steel buckle and hook $240.00
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