M1 Carbine Sling ?

[USGI]

The one I have came on a reproduction sling, but was able to find out who the maker was. I got the answer here on the forum from member BrianQ, and he can always be counted on for accurate information. I'll search for it later today. - Bob

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.

[painter777]

Oval Circled W, often found stamped Made in USA Sling Slides are Post WWII.
Sometimes found partly stamped on the edge with what looks to be a small W inside a C, but correctly stamped it is a W inside a Oval Circle.
The maker was Waterbury Buckle.

[Cavtrpr]

[QUOTE=painter777;464168]Oval Circled W, often found stamped Made in USA Sling Slides are Post WWII.
Sometimes found partly stamped on the edge with what looks to be a small W inside a C, but correctly stamped it is a W inside a Oval Circle.
The maker was Waterbury Buckle


Sir, mine looks like the one on the right.

---------- Post added at 04:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:56 PM ----------

Thanks for all the great info. on the sling buckle. since i live in Illinois it makes a nice collectible. i got to looking through some of my stuff and i found one more of the Carbine slings with the same W in a circle & U.S.A. stamp. don't remember when or where i bought them have had for a while though maybe 12-15 years.

[USGI]

Thanks Charlie, I just sat down to search for an old post - now I don't have to! (but probably still will) - Bob

[painter777]

Is this it ?

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=27833&

[USGI]

Is this it ?

Yep, should have recognized my own picture. I located the exact same one on an old hard drive just this morning, dated one day before I made that post.

Waterbury called them "slides," and at some point did have government contracts according to this "snip" I made from their company history:

The Waterbury Buckle Company specialized in the manufacture of small metal notions including buckles, clasps, and slides. These were fabricated in brass, as well as a range of other metals. By 1918, the Waterbury Buckle Company employed 400 hands, many of these being skilled metalworkers and machinists. This number rose to over 500 during the mid-1930s and government contracts for various buckles and other clasps and small hardware helped keep the company afloat through the mid-19th century, however employment had dropped to about 200 by the 1980s. The firm was acquired by Illinois Tool Works, Inc. of Glenville, Illinois, in 1988, which cut the workforce in half in 1991. The business operated as ITW Waterbury Buckle from 1988 until the parent company closed the Waterbury plant in 2012. The facility presently stands vacant.

- Bob