Question about Enfield slings

[RangerSWB]

According to a reputable sutler, Enfield rifle slings from England were supplied in black, russet or oiled/natural leather color. RFI: What leather finish was the most commonly supplied? And were all (or most) straps marked Issacs Campbell & Co.?

I've done some searching on this site and others, and I can't come up with any conclusive answers...My apologies if this has been covered before. I'm new to the hobby and would appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.

George Walters

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

George,

First, I am unfamiliar with any gun slings of any kind being finished "russet." Russet is a reddish brown treatment and the term is frequently misused by reenactors. The color "russet" can vary in color to modern "cordovan" to the brownish red tops of riding boots.

British gun slings I have seen include oiled and blackened harness leather and blackened or white buff. However, I have no data as to which of these was more prominent among the imported gun slings.

Regarding the Isaacs and Campbell marking, of the millions of Enfields imported during the war, only a tiny fraction would have been so marked. Most English accoutrements imported by the Confederacy (excepting knapsacks) are unmarked and of course, none of English leather goods imported by the Union Army would carry the I&C markings.

[Enfield]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

George,

Frankly, of the sutler-supplied "Enfield" slings I have seen, NONE comes very close to the mark, based on originals. Original Enfield slings made in England were either black bridle leather, rough side out, and waxed (the smooth inner surface was oiled, or sometimes also dyed black), or white buff leather. I have never seen an original that was russet or plain oiled leather. By far the most common was the black leather style. As with other imported British accoutrements, those bought by CS (and a few US) purchasers were the styles most commonly found in the British industry that was already supplying these to the Volunteer movement in England, and these were overwhelmingly the black leather styles used by the Rifle units in the British army. The white buff leather styles were for British line infantry. Since the Volunteers were mostly Rifle units (which was a lot "cooler" than a regular old line infantry grunt ;) , they had the black leather accoutrements.

The common Rifle-style black leather sling had one standing and one sliding loop, and either a plain brass buckle (not a roller buckle) or a thong tie at the triggerguard swivel end. The leather used was noticeably thicker and stiffer than a US-style sling. I have not seen an original British sling of this period with rivets, although I have seen a couple slings that are supposedly Southern copies of the Enfield sling, that did have rivets.

Anyway, I have only ever seen one sutler Enfield sling that was a really good repro (the maker borrowed one of my originals as the model), and it's not on the market anymore (it was Tom Czekanski, and AFAIK, he's not producing now). The rest varied from *getting there* to absolutely awful.

Among the latter is a plain oiled leather sling, with an Isaacs Campbell marking that is completely bogus. If people are going to put markings like that on Enfield accoutrements (and I'd advise against it myself - the majority of originals show no maker/supplier marks), they ought to try to make it look like the original marking. They ought to AT LEAST get the address right, and do the name the same way IC did on their known markings.

OK, having said all this, of course, there probably ARE originals out there somewhere that are somehow russet or plain leather. There seems to be no all-or-none "rules" when it comes to period British military products. But by far the most common would be the black leather (rough side out) sling.

Hope this helps ... sorry I can't recommend a current maker.

Geoff Walden

[MuleyGil]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Many moons ago, a white canvas sling w/ a sewn on leather reenforcing strip was considered the Enfield sling. Was it based on ANY WBTS sling or was it a military sling at all?

Just wondering.

Gil Tercenio

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Geoff,

How common was it for the Federal government to purchase British-made slings with Enfields issued to the Federal army?

[VMI88]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Many moons ago, a white canvas sling w/ a sewn on leather reenforcing strip was considered the Enfield sling. Was it based on ANY WBTS sling or was it a military sling at all?

Gil,

What you describe sounds like a Confederate-made sling: check out an original on The Haversack Depot's website at http://www.haversackdepot.com/newitems.htm#sling. (This particular sling is made for a Springfield, but an Enfield sling would be very similar, just longer.)

[major]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Here is my attempt to make a correct leather sling for the British Enfield.
Terry

[Enfield]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Kevin,

I doubt it was common at all. British-made slings show up in period Federal images only rarely. The exception would be those Mass. regiments (like the 44th) that were armed and equipped with Enfields and British accoutrements. But I reckon this was only early in the war.

Geoff Walden

Geoff,

How common was it for the Federal government to purchase British-made slings with Enfields issued to the Federal army?

[Enfield]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Terry,

That's the correct style of the most common British-made sling of the period - the Rifle-style that I was talking about. On the originals I have seen, the rough part was heavily waxed until almost smooth, and the edges were also waxed and smoothed (with an edger, or edge wheel). Also, the tip with the thong had each corner clipped off slightly - makes it easier to go through the sling swivel.

I posted some incorrect wording in an earlier post - All these slings had a running loop and the thong tie at the bottom (as on Terry's version). The common style had a standing loop at the other end (again like on Terry's), while some had a plain brass buckle for adjustment.

Installing these slings is different from a US-style sling. For one thing, an Enfield sling of the proper dimensions will be a VERY tight fit in repro sling swivels, because the repro swivels are a little smaller than originals. Start at the upper sling swivel, and thread the thong end through the swivel from the stock side out (ie, hold the upper swivel straight out, and thread the thong end of the sling up through from below, with the smooth side of the leather facing out away from the musket). Make sure the running loop is down by the standing loop. Then run the sling back down around the upper swivel, through the running loop then the standing loop, toward the lower sling swivel. Pass the end through the lower swivel from the triggerguard side toward the stock (back up toward the upper swivel). Thread the thong ends through the holes and tie tightly (most originals have the left-over leather of the thongs cut off). Adjust for desired length, and push the running loop up against the upper swivel. (This is a lot easier to do, than to describe in words!) When finished, the rough (black) side will be facing out and the standing loop will be up near the upper swivel (not like on a Springfield sling, with the standing loop at the lower swivel).

Geoff Walden



[QUOTE=major]Here is my attempt to make a correct leather sling for the British Enfield.
Terry

[ScottFugate]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Geoff,

I have been wanting to make a copy of an "English" sling for some time now. About what would the overall length of the sling be? Or asked another way, how close would the ends be to each other when installed on the rifle and tightened up all the way? Nearly touching?

Thanks for all the good info.

Scott Fugate
WIG

[hardtack1864]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Okay, since we know that british gear was used rarely with federals, what type of strap should we use with are enfields, because a Springfield strap is to small, but a enfield strap is not PEC. So what type of sling should we use then, apart from not having a strap?

[major]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Scott
The over all length of my sling from tip to tip is 49 inches. If you want one e-mail me and I can get you one. t.schultz5@verizon.net
Terry

[Minieball577]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

First, I am unfamiliar with any gun slings of any kind being finished "russet." Russet is a reddish brown treatment and the term is frequently misused by reenactors. The color "russet" can vary in color to modern "cordovan" to the brownish red tops of riding boots.

The 1862 U.S Ordnance manual lists gun slings as being "russet" (p.228?). Is this different than what is being refered to here?

[Will Rumsey]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

I got a question if anyone can help. I just recieved my Enfield sling from Orchrd Hill and they say that the rough side or Russet colored side faces out and the black side or smooth side faces in towards your shoulder.I got some pards that say it should be black side out.Did they make these slings in two different styles or have I made a mistake.Thanks,

[Clark Badgett]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Geoff, I was reading the history of the 6th KY US, and in it the author stated that they recieved their Enfields while in camp near Bardstown, one of the companies traded in their revolving Colt rifles for them. At this point in the war, late '61 to early '62, what would the chances be that those newly arrived muskets actually had the English slings with them. Didn't the slings normally come with the musket along with all the other trinkets, or was that mainly a CS thing.

ps, did I tell you that I've got a decent picture here of a member of the 9th KY US and he is holding what seems to be a blued Enfield?

Also would you happen to have the address of the Color Case Company in Cincinnati?