L42A1 Sling

[Micheal Doyne]

Hopefully a quick question for the combined knowledge of this group. Was the L42A1 ever issued with the 1907 leather sling, or only the nylon 1.5” and cotton 1”?

If one where want to reproduce a functionally accurate cotton sling are it’s parts accessible at a reasonable price in the uk?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Roy W]

The 1907 leather sling was replaced in 1974 I believe with an amendment added to the handbook. The cotton L8A1 (?) slings are still around and available and approx £150

[Gil Boyd]

Michael,
I think I answered the question in your other thread, however, in answer to your question the L42A1 was always issued with the 1907 sling and the SEYNTEX which was often used in service in crap weather conditions, however, the normal green nylon rifle sling took centre stage as well as per attached on a 2 PARA rifle 1982 when others were preferred!!
So spoilt for choice lol!!
The SEYNTEX slings can fetch anything up to £250 and a real 1907 can be pricy too in the UK, the nylon ones shown in my photo of the kit are very common!

[Micheal Doyne]

Thank you both very, I will probably stick with my repro 1907 for the moment then and look out for a seyntex one in the further.

Roy when you mentioned they are still around, was that from a specific outlet or just popping up on that auction site?

[Peter Laidler]

SYNTEX chaps! Made in Belgium. RoyW is dead right. Stocks of the old leather sling were exhausted by 1974 and it dropped off the parts/VAOS list. The narrower SYNTEX slings were the cotton ones and in my humble opinion and that of the DS was that they were the best of all. The leather ones were absolutely dire when they were wet especially when the preservative oils like NEETSFOOT and DUBBIN emulsified and formed a greasy paste. The wider nylon one made by REMPLOY was just slippery all of the time. That was a mix and match with parts, material and buckles from everywhere and VERY expensive, even when new and I seem to think that even then it cost £113. The clampkeeper buckle from IRVINE alone cost zillions.

The Remploy sling material came from a manufacturer in Leeds (?) by a nylon strap material maker and was also used on the MILAN missile cases on a one-way-trip!

[Roy W]

They pop up on ebay from time to time.

I have them on my L42, both my AR's and even my Tikka T1X because they are superb slings you can use as single point or two point.

[Gil Boyd]

The two model Charlie G's I built for the ABF Museum, have a similar branded strap on them which I did get off that website

[Micheal Doyne]

That looks very nice, are you selling those slings?

[Micheal Doyne]

Frustratingly I missed out on an original 1907 (less keepers) eBay today that went for £45!

[Gil Boyd]

No I kept one of the models and it wouldn't be complete without it.
They do come up on that site quite often, probably squaddies selling them off knowing they are sought after.