Another mystery sling question?

[rayg]

Another mystery sling question?


Another mystery sling question on the same order as the 03 sling I posted about earlier.?
I had posted this Kerr sling several years ago asking if anyone had any info on it. Was it a prototype/trials sling or what? Never received any definite answer.
So here is the sling again looking for some info on the sling.
I had bought the sling a number of years ago at an SOS show and I showed it to Hayes O, who was at the show. He said he has one also and mine was only the 2nd one he's ever seen. The leather straps appear to be original to the buckles and professionally attached like factory/arsenal done and not just some one replacing damaged canvas straps.

When I had posted it before, one poster replied he has a very well used one and also 1/2 half of one if I remember right.
Anyway I hadn't looked at it since then. I know they made the Kerr slings for both the 03 Springfield and 17 Enfield. However this one is even longer then the standard 1917 Enfield sling by a couple of inches so it's possibly not for the Enfield.

The long length is, 55-1/2", and the short length is just a tad under 17".

When I first got the sling I felt that it was possibly a prototype 03/17 Kerr sling made in leather because most slings were made of leather back then. I had contacted Bruce Canfield then and he said he had never encountered that sling before and he said it was very interesting. He said it appears to be made to factory standards and he would guess it was some sort of alternate sling that the Kerr company never manufactured in quantity.
He said it's a very interesting sling and thanked me for sharing it.
My thoughts are, as all the Kerr slings were contracted out from the Kerr company it's possibly it's an early prototype sling that was submitted to the government for review when the army was looking for alternate slings for the 03 and Enfield and the Government adopted the sling but contracted it to be made in canvas.
The fasteners are Pat. dated 1914, and they were used by the company for horse equipment so most likely the sling was made post that date.

One opinion was the company kept making them in leather for sale to the civilian market. But I don't think that makes sense as why make it in more expensive leather instead of cheaper canvas. Possibly it was being made in leather by the company and sold on the pvt. market prior to the government contract.

Can anyone help with any known information or opinions regarding this sling? Ray



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[browningautorifle]

I've seen them too Ray, I think maybe this is as you say, early and the canvas became the standard.

[rayg]

Well found out the Kerr company was selling both leather ones and canvas slings according to an ad in December 19, 1918. At least I was right on one point, The leather costs more, Ray

[rayg]

Just a thought, but I can't recall seeing any Kerr sling with Government inspection stamps. If there were some on the slings I had or saw, I didn't pay any attention to them. Does anyone have a canvas Kerr with Military inspector stamps? You would think they should have government inspection stamps. If the sling has no stamp, how can you tell them apart from the ones purchased by the government or from a commercial sold sling? Ray

[rayg]

Well found out the Kerr company was selling both leather ones and canvas slings according to an ad in December 19, 1918. At least I was right on one point, The leather costs more, Ray

The canvas Kerr sling adopted for the 1917 Enfield is about 50-1/2" on the long length and 16-1/2"on the short length. (67" total). This leather sling measures 55-1/2 on the long end and the 16-1/2" on the short length, (72" total). This makes the sling five, (5"), inches longer then the Enfield one. The Trapdoor and Krag slings were 66-68" long.
I wonder why this sling was made so long? Curious what the length of the leather slings that were for sale in that advertisement were.
Ray

[browningautorifle]

I had a couple and neither had stamps. Of the ones I've examined I've never seen a stamp either.

[rayg]

I just looked up the Kerr slings on Google and it showed a whole bunch of photos of the slings and not one had any government inspectors stamps. Most government items purchased from private makers usually carry a contract number or a date. However if the government didn't stamp any Kerr slings, the slings could either be a commercial purchased sling or one purchased by the government from the Kerr company and no one would know if theirs is an official government issued one or a private purchased one.
Ray

[browningautorifle]

And when I had one on my 1928, I didn't even care about a stamp. It had come as surplus so that was good enough.

[emmagee1917]

Well .... some M3 Thompson slings that were mildew resistant treated .


Chris

[browningautorifle]

Yes, I remember this set of pics of slings for sale. I think what the OP meant, I know I meant, was the stamps like the canvas rifle sling for M1 rifle had. I think this was an after thought when they were treated before storage.