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I am pretty sure that two of the pictured slings are originals. What do you guys think?
Thanks, Greg V
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/086-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/083-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/080-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/079-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/082-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/088-1.jpg
C may be original. I don't know enough about slings to really say though.
Any of the three would have fooled me.
I'm no expert either but A has me second guessing due to what appears to be stainless locking wire in the fitment and C makes me think yes due to the more detailed stamping of fitment. B looks to be an almost identical manufacture to A sans stainless locking wire.
All original.
hardware, webbing and snaps.
No expert here either, but even during wartime, Inspectors were sticklers for details. Would a crooked "C Tip" passed as on "A" ?
Yes. It could have been damaged during it's long life....if it is real.
Slings A and C came in the packaging below. A few years ago, I was told by a very respected and knowedgable gentleman, that Letterkenny Army Depot had repacks like that of picture A, and that the sling inside looked legit. C came in the QHMC brown wrapper, although it was open when I got it. I still believe it to be legit. B looks good to me, but I know that there are good fakes out there, and I am not an expert. I bought a lot of 5 of the B slings for $78. If they are legit, then I got a great deal. If they are not legit, they are still pretty nice at $16 apiece.
Thanks for all of the replys!
Greg V
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/089-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/090-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/10/091-1.jpg
All three are authentic Greg.
The khaki colored sling (C) is especially nice. :thup:
Thanks. I really like the khaki one too. I am tempted to put it on a rifle, but I just don't have one nice enough. I guess I'll just leave it in my display case for now.
The Letterkenny pack is neat. I used to have plenty of them. The neat thing about them is you could open it up and it could range from a used serviceable late sling, to a new unused WWII, including Khaki.
I still have a couple unopened in my reference library.
Also in my library is a contract to Mildew Resistant Treat individual slings. The contract is impossible to read, but the company was Practical Fabrics from 1965. I have not been able to find the location of the company, but I suspect it was in New York State, possibly near Utica.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...practfab-1.jpg
Mr Ricca, Sir!
Speaking about mildew resistant coatings, I have 2 Korea vintage M2 30 round mag pouches that have an almost waxy feel. One is new, unissued I got from Bud Evers years ago. The other I picked up about 5 years ago and has a slight tear under the snap post. Is that coating (not really waxy, but hard to describe) a mildew resistant coating as Bud told me? I remember some of the Universal Magazine pouches (M14 or 20 round M16) having a similar coating when I was in the Army in the early 70s. If so, did all 30 round carbine pouches have that coating?
The problem is some coatings can be seen or felt, others may have worn off and nothing is left.
Not all pouches were treated. Some fabric items were treated during production, others were treated during storage, others were never treated at all. There are many possibilities.
Reference the question about the crooked tip. As already stated, it could have tilted off the center after production.
However it could also have occurred during production. Although there were inspectors, not every sling in existence was inspected. When a large producer is turning out several thousand each day, the chances are many will be "Mass Inspected", where production is kept in batches and samples of each batch are inspected. Many items have gotten past the inspection process and sometimes the items are not serviceable. Not often, but it did happen.
I have seen cleaning rod sections without threads, stock pouches with the male snap installed sticking out the back inside facing inside, fasteners installed upside down and many other errors.
Not to drift too far from Greg V's original post, but I'd like to add,
Surely many oddities slid by inspectors. I think this helps keep collecting carbines and accessories interesting.
Among other things we've seen buttplates stamped inside out, and other different styles...
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC04075-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC04252-1.jpg
With many more not yet seen or documented items out there.
Like RSG marked Stocks with Inland Ordnance stamps,
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01900-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01904-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC00771-1.jpg
Charlie
Charlie, stray all you want, those are very interesting buttplates. Thanks.