3 WW2 Slings ???

[Bill Ricca]

The Letterkenny pack is neat. I used to have plenty of them. The neat thing about them is you could open it up and it could range from a used serviceable late sling, to a new unused WWII, including Khaki.

I still have a couple unopened in my reference library.

Also in my library is a contract to Mildew Resistant Treat individual slings. The contract is impossible to read, but the company was Practical Fabrics from 1965. I have not been able to find the location of the company, but I suspect it was in New York State, possibly near Utica.

[imarangemaster]

Mr Ricca, Sir!

Speaking about mildew resistant coatings, I have 2 Korea vintage M2 30 round mag pouches that have an almost waxy feel. One is new, unissued I got from Bud Evers years ago. The other I picked up about 5 years ago and has a slight tear under the snap post. Is that coating (not really waxy, but hard to describe) a mildew resistant coating as Bud told me? I remember some of the Universal Magazine pouches (M14 or 20 round M16) having a similar coating when I was in the Army in the early 70s. If so, did all 30 round carbine pouches have that coating?

[Bill Ricca]

The problem is some coatings can be seen or felt, others may have worn off and nothing is left.

Not all pouches were treated. Some fabric items were treated during production, others were treated during storage, others were never treated at all. There are many possibilities.

[Bill Ricca]

Reference the question about the crooked tip. As already stated, it could have tilted off the center after production.

However it could also have occurred during production. Although there were inspectors, not every sling in existence was inspected. When a large producer is turning out several thousand each day, the chances are many will be "Mass Inspected", where production is kept in batches and samples of each batch are inspected. Many items have gotten past the inspection process and sometimes the items are not serviceable. Not often, but it did happen.

I have seen cleaning rod sections without threads, stock pouches with the male snap installed sticking out the back inside facing inside, fasteners installed upside down and many other errors.

[painter777]

Not to drift too far from Greg V's original post, but I'd like to add,
Surely many oddities slid by inspectors. I think this helps keep collecting carbines and accessories interesting.

Among other things we've seen buttplates stamped inside out, and other different styles...




With many more not yet seen or documented items out there.

Like RSG marked Stocks with Inland Ordnance stamps,





Charlie

[Greg V]

Charlie, stray all you want, those are very interesting buttplates. Thanks.