Patrick, Thank you again for your helpful replies. I do have a tube of lanolin having used that to keep up the hard rubber grips of the older Smith & Wesson revolvers that I owned. I did not know that it was useful on leather as well. So, to be specific, how does one know that it is, or is not, a 1907 sling? Is it just the design?

I had the band off last night though not completely removed, just slid forward of the stock. It's a very good bit of workmanship as is the modification to the front of the stock. To my unknowing eyes I thought it was some form of factory variant. Anyway I'll be shooting the rifle off a Sinclair rest and "bunny ear" rear bag without the band in place.

I don't have a problem buying the books you suggested but even that purchase, let alone more parts for the rifle, hinges on how well the gun shoots. Your suggestion to get together with someone that shoots these guns is a good one and I'll need to rejoin the Washington Arms Collectors locally and make contact with someone in that association that collects and shoots them. I know there are quite a few here though I'd forgotten about that option as I'd not rejoined a couple years ago. I'd really moved away from collecting guns and in disgust at the results of the election sold many rifles and pistols. While I don't regret that (they were types of guns that I'd gravitated away from anyway) I almost wish I'd sold all my stocks then and kept the guns from a purely financial standpoint! They continue to at least keep pace with inflation and often outshines it.......but I digress!

Thanks yet again, Dave