SMLE sling attach

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

When the rear sling swivel is installed in the triggerguard lugs "rifle regiment" style, am I correct in thinking that the front sling swivel would be moved up to the piling swivel location? I can't find a picture.

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[Brian Dick]

I don't think so but I could be wrong.

[browningautorifle]

I've never even heard of that being done let alone seen it...

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

I've read somewhere that this was done, but not a common thing. Pre-WWI I think, maybe mounted troops?

[230Ball]

I have a Martini Henry cavalry carbine configured with a single sling attachment at the trigger guard... probably served more as a retention point than for a sling, IMO.

[browningautorifle]

Martini Henry cavalry carbine

That's WAY before the SMLE...

[230Ball]

Copy that... just adding weight to Steve's comment about possibly being a pre-WWI practice (albeit WAY before WWI!).
Attachment 48695

[tbonesmith]

Nice photo!

[230Ball]

Thanks T Bone! Most M-H cavalry carbines were carried in a leather bucket and retained by a strap around the stock, which must have been challenging to manage. Notice no sling swivel in the attached photo. Also, the sawback bayonet pictured was for the artillery carbine and probably carried as a saber for mounted troops since the cavalry carbine did not have a bayonet lug. (Wish I had that collection!)
It would be interesting to see the evolution of rifle carry for mounted troops leading up to the Great War.

[Beerhunter]

Using the piling swivel point as a sling attachment would be wrong. The title of the "Upper Sling Swivel" for the upper mounting point gives that away.