No 5 Mk 1 sling position

[GeeRam]

Reynolds is not always correct. The rubber butt pad was more to do with aircraft than jungle warfare

This is my understanding as well. Vehicle use as well. I think the idea of the side sling mount was to avoid catching on webbing/equipment/vehicles etc.

And remember the first people to appear to be issued with it were elements of the 52nd Lowland Div in Holland in autumn '44. But then they was possibly because they were deemed a mountain division, and so may have been scheduled to be first equipped with it in the same way as the G33/40 was issued to the Gebirgsjager and for the same reason.

The were standard issue to all units deployed to Palestine from '45-47, right after the end of WW2, so saw extensive use in the deserts of the middle east before they ever saw any use in a jungle.

[RobD]

Hmm... the Boer Mauser carbine had the sling swivel and saddle ring on the left when issued, so as to avoid the bolt digging in to your back when on horseback.
But: when shooting, if you hold the carbine sloppily, the swivel tries to crack your cheekbone as the gun recoils. It still can hurt your cheek a bit even if you take great care on how you hold the carbine. [I'm speaking from experience here].
So almost all examples of the Boer Mauser carbine have the swivel reversed to the right hand side - an easy switch since it just means unscrewing 2 bolts and doing them up on the other side, and slipping off the barrel band and reversing that too. Now, the No. 5 swivel is not built the same way, the swivel being countersunk - but maybe the loop of the sling itself [if kept tight-ish] will bruise the shooter if it is on the left?
Just a thought.

[Daan Kemp]

Rubber butt pad for aircraft and vehicle use? The No 5 was developed for the jungle remember and in use in 1944 already. Best I could find was to prevent slipping on clothing in the humid jungle conditions. We're all just guessing.

However, being reminded of the sling when shooting, if fitted on the left side, makes ultimate sense. The sling would interfere with the cheek in position. Then, of course, why not bottom like all the other LE, which makes still more sense?

[22SqnRAE]

...like all the other LE, which makes still more sense?

Aha! I see the fatal limitation in your approach.

Trying to apply sense to the British Army Committees...

[Strangely Brown]

The No 5 was developed for the jungle remember and in use in 1944 already.

I believe this be a common misconception; what ever rifle was in use by an army there were always trials to make something smaller, lighter and handier for drivers, (whether they be drivers of lorries or horses drawn gun detachments) aircrew or just rear echelon troops.

Because of this we have the SMLE, M1 Carbine and the AR15.

[Peter Laidler]

My understanding was that the rubber butt buffer was to act as a bit of a recoil buffer against the harsher kick of the No5 rifle. As for the sling position, I juist assume that as 90% of the army are right handed, then they cater for them. The cack-handers just learn to adopt. You soon learn to adapt when the shooting is for real, believe me