L42a1 sling for sale EBAY

[Peter Laidler]

The syntex sling on offer but not shown clearly (naughty naughty....., unlike the recent one accurately shown and described on that auction site) in the photos is the CURRENT 1" or so wide webbing configuration as used on the L96 rifle and also available (?) for the L42. BUT, it didn't come into the system until the very last L42's were leaving the UK MoD system so it's up to you. I have a 1" wide webbing syntex on my L96 of course, because it's correct (and in the system of course!) In theory of course, an L42 could have a leather sling, the 1.5" nylon sling usually associated with the L42 and in theory, one of the 1" wide Belgian Syntex slings

BUT, to be absolutely fair, the webbing sling is better than the nylon and this was brought about because after the Falklands war, there was a concerted effort to get rid of nylon and thereafter cotton weave webbing was always sought. This applied to zillions of things from GPMG, Milan etc etc slings. Additionally, the cotton webbing didn't burn or slip and was a standard NATO size. Further to that, just the aerolex clamp-keeper closure buckle from the wide Irvine nylon sling cost a whacking £117 EACH whereas the 1" buckles and hardware for the webbing slings were available off the shelf. Both retained the same part number because it was just an academic change in pattern/manufacturer/contract. There was a short memo came out about it to the effect that when stocks exhausted (always written up in the usual WSE jargon that no one takes any notice of.....), the replacement sling will be blah blah blah and on it droned.

So there you have it........... The Belgian contract Syntex slings will always be a thinner cotton weave 1" wide sling.

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