Buckles,wide/thin early tan/OD

[Garandrew]

These are the sling buckles on my carbines, is the more V shaped middle of the buckle, the earlier thinner one?
First couple are the V shaped..I know tan is earlier, all have open ended crescent tips, blackened snaps, the wider U shaped middle of the buckle is considered wide?

Information

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[Bill Ricca]

Within the industry it is known as a "Slide".

Sling makers put out bids for the metal hardware. There were many different competing companies making the hardware. The variety of slides could depend on time, if the makers got different slides from different companies. In that case it could be mixed during production because the new arrivals were dumped on top of the older versions.

Slides can vary with maker, time, and production methods. I have a mint 1944-45 OD sling, with original folds, with a very early narrow slide. It was just the way production occurred.

The different shapes are probably different brands.

[BrianQ]

All the slides pictured are wide.

[Garandrew]

Thankyou Brian...

[USGI]

I have a couple of repro slings from CTD that have slides marked "USA" on one end and a circled "W" on the other. Currently on one of the auction sites, there are "original" WWII slings for sale, and they are calling attention to the fact that their slings have these same markings on them. Were any genuine GI carbine slings ever marked in this manner? - Bob

[usgicollector]

Got my computer back up and running so I can post pics again.
Here are a couple pics of the slides.
Sorry about the poor focus I was in a hurry because my wife wants to go out to eat tonight!
Dave

Here is a narrow and a wide:


And the narrow only:

[BrianQ]

I have a couple of repro slings from CTD that have slides marked "USA" on one end and a circled "W" on the other. Currently on one of the auction sites, there are "original" WWII slings for sale, and they are calling attention to the fact that their slings have these same markings on them. Were any genuine GI carbine slings ever marked in this manner? - Bob

Nope .

[USGI]

Here's a picture of the slide I mentioned earlier that has the "circled w" and "USA" markings. To the left of that slide is one that only has a "circled w" located in a different place. A guy that I consider an expert on carbine slings just about "flipped out" when he saw this slide. The first of these he had seen was on a sling that he purchased in 1985, and the seller claimed that he had owned it for 15 years. Is this marking known by anyone on the forum, is it USGI, and does it have anything to do with a contract for WWII Winchester carbines? I realize that repro slides may have been made back then, but why when the real thing was so plentiful and cheap? - Bob

Attachment 20079

[BrianQ]

The marking is for Waterbury Buckle. Has nothing to do with Winchester and the slides were made post WWII.