No 5 Mk 1 sling position

[Daan Kemp]

I have been wondering for a long time. Why is the butt sling swivel on the No 5 on the right and not the left? It is in such an awkward place *** the bolt will keep reminding you where it is, it could be in the way of handling the bolt, etc.

I haven't found an answer in Reynold's book, what am I missing?

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[Alan de Enfield]

I have been wondering for a long time. Why is the butt sling swivel on the No 5 on the right and not the left? It is in such an awkward place *** the bolt will keep reminding you where it is, it could be in the way of handling the bolt, etc.

I haven't found an answer in Reynold's book, what am I missing?

Rifle carried over left shoulder, so sling needs to be on the RH side (if not in the centre like a No4)

[Daan Kemp]

I doubt if that is the reason as you continuously change shoulders when moving with a rifle. All the other make carbine photos I've seen have the rear swivel on the left side or bottom. Were I to carry a rifle the sling would be on the left so it always lies flat against the body without the bolt reminding me of it all the time.

There must be a very British but well thought out reason for it.

[GeeRam]

Would be awkward doing rifle drill and carrying rifle at the slope with the sling hoop on the left side of a No.5, as the sling would be on the underside of the rifle when at the slope?

[Daan Kemp]

That makes sense. However, why not at the bottom then as for all the other numbers and marks?

Note. All the other carbine makes clearly had different parade drill requirements to the Brits.

[Bindi2]

The No5 was for the Paras and glider troops in the first place not the regular infantry.

[Daan Kemp]

Reynolds clearly states the No 5 developed and approved for jungle warfare and regular infantry. Later issue is a different matter. The reason for the location of the sling swivel is still hiding gleefully somewhere in the hallowed halls of the Small Arms Committees of the War Office.

[Bindi2]

Reynolds clearly states the No 5 developed and approved for jungle warfare and regular infantry. Later issue is a different matter. The reason for the location of the sling swivel is still hiding gleefully somewhere in the hallowed halls of the Small Arms Committees of the War Office.

Reynolds is not always correct. The rubber butt pad was more to do with aircraft than jungle warfare which is were the No5 was used mostly (hard usage) in the Borneo Affair. I have a No5 that came fitted with a No4 Butt which in my opinion makes it a far better rifle to use.

[GeeRam]

Reynolds is not always correct. The rubber butt pad was more to do with aircraft than jungle warfare

This is my understanding as well. Vehicle use as well. I think the idea of the side sling mount was to avoid catching on webbing/equipment/vehicles etc.

And remember the first people to appear to be issued with it were elements of the 52nd Lowland Div in Holland in autumn '44. But then they was possibly because they were deemed a mountain division, and so may have been scheduled to be first equipped with it in the same way as the G33/40 was issued to the Gebirgsjager and for the same reason.

The were standard issue to all units deployed to Palestine from '45-47, right after the end of WW2, so saw extensive use in the deserts of the middle east before they ever saw any use in a jungle.

[englishman_ca]

I note that the right hand side butt sling bar first appeared on the 1894 Lee Metford cavalry carbine.
Attachment 103234
A short live feature, it was deleted from production the following year along with a saddle ring that was also considered redundant.
Attachment 103235