Question about Enfield slings

[militiaman1835]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

In the 1970's I bought dozens of these standing loop slings from SARCO INC. They came in various shades of brown & black and those that were dated had pre WW1 up to 1920's dates. We did the gun show circuit and put them on Martini-Henrys, sniders, rolling blocks, etc. At the time we were told they were Lee-Medford slings though they supposedly went back to the martin-henry. In Craig Barry's book: The Civil War Musket A handbook for Historical Accuracy, he has a section on slings. There is a two band rifle sling in russet brown and the 53 sling. The way I read it and see it the standing loop goes on to the triggerguard swivel. The brass adjustment buckle is NOT sewn on but is a floating adjustment between the strap. The sliding leather keeper is on the upper swivel end. Hard to discribe so look for yourself and decide. This is shown in another plate of british equipment from a book I copied it out of but didn't write the name on it. Also on page 67 is a good photo of a federal soldier with a U.S. sling on his enfield. Perhaps one of the royal museums in the UK could shed light on these slings? JIM HENSLEY

[Jimmayo]

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?

Here is a picture of what I believe is a canvas CS sling on a Springfield. The giveaway is the wire hook and the two piece sling material. It really does not show up very well on this blow up but it is there.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Jim Hensley makes some good observations about the period correct Enfield slings as shown and discussed in The Civil War Musket, (Watchdog 2006). Several years ago the chapter on "How To Sling A Musket" was first published as a separate article in the Watchdog and there was quite a bit of controversy on the matter (for reasons I've never understood...the record seems clear enough). The main point was then as it is now...the buckle type sling was known to be in use, but if any one finds an actual period photo of a Civil War soldier with the type sling (pictured in post # 7 on this thread), that is a loose leather thong tied sliding keeper sling on his Enfield, please share it with the rest of us. There are a few reproductions offered of this sling, and as Jim points out these are based on specimens manufactured for weapons used well after the Civil War. These later British slings were often put on P-53 Enfields and were "making the gun show circuit" years and years ago. You can find numerous reproductions of incorrect slings widely sold "for the Enfield".

By way of confirming the information previously published on this point in The Civil War Musket, another book has recently come out on British Accoutrements by Pierre Turner that dates the type (pictured in post # 7) "loose leather thong, tied at the bottom, sliding keeper" sling to November 1871. At least that's what the research on British slings seem to support about the matter...a fact that helps explain why there are no known period images found with that sling. However, there are many, many Civil War-era pictures of Enfields where the buckle slings can clearly be identified.

To summarize the point on "correct" vs "incorrect" Enfield slings:

Unless your US unit does an early war Massachusetts impression, the state purchased and issued full British accoutrements in mid-1861, a Federal Enfield would normally be issued a US rifle-musket leather sling along with other US accoutrements...the leather sling made for the US 1861 fits an Enfield just fine. The Columbia Rifles Research Compendium (2nd Edition Watchdog 2007) has a good chapter on US slings. In 1861 as part of a state contract, some Massachusetts units did get British accoutrements with buckle slings, but these were miniscule in number compared to the number of US slings issued. As I recall, the buckles on those Massachusetts contract Brit slings were "D" shaped. They also had the Enfield cartridge box and bayonet scabbard. The state of Massachusetts sold off their extra accoutrements to other states, so these buckle slings would not have been unknown in the North, just much less commonly encountered than the US variety. For a Federal impression, the best choice is probably a US rifle musket sling field modified to fit the P-53 Enfield.

Full sets of British accoutrements (for the P-53 Enfield) were more commonly purchased by the Confederates, including cartridge box, cap pouch frog (no buckle) and scabbard. A commonly encountered sling was the Enfield "Rifle" version, black leather, buckle closure, w/ a fixed bottom keeper. The rifle sling was slightly longer than the white buff rifle-musket sling because the rear swivel on the two band rifle was located behind the trigger guard. Our modern reproduction two band Enfield rifle with the rear swivel on the trigger guard is actually what would then have been called a "Naval Rifle". There was no British made sling in brown russet leather to my knowledge. As Geoff Walden has often pointed out, the elongated hook type US style slings marked "S. Isaac Campbell & Company" are modern fabrications which even mis-spell the address of the firm. Trans Mississippi Depot (Don Smith) is working on a version of the black Enfield "Rifle" buckle type sling with the assistance of the Watchdog staff and Wayne Moug of the Royal Canadian Museum in Halifax. The proto-type has been evaluated and returned to TMD with comments, and it is a commendable effort that will complement their other fine products. Expect to hear more about the TMD Enfield buckle sling in the near future.

CS cloth/linen slings varied in length, but were made as short as 34" and produced for the CS Richmond rifle-musket. These would not fit an Enfield unless the top sling swivel was relocated to the middle band. Hence, I would not characterize a cloth/linen sling as produced solely "for the Enfield", that is a modern conceit. A longer cloth/linen sling would fit an Enfield and a variety of other rifles, muskets and rifle-muskets arms as well.

Or if you are unsure of a proper sling for your impression what I would suggest is to use no sling at all.

[militiaman1835]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Here is photo of sling we are discussing. By the way: RICHMOND DEPOT makes a nice QUALITY sling with authentic cast buckle. If the buckle was not sewn on sling it could be correct. JIM HENSLEY

[Rob]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

I have one of Richmond Depot's black leather Enfield "buckle" slings. The buckle is not stitched. It's held on by friction.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Yes, great point. Richmond Depot offers a fine reproduction of the Enfield buckle sling, and this is mentioned in The Civil War Musket as well as the Watchdog article "How To Sling a Musket" and recommended as an acceptable choice. If the buckle were sewn on and not instead held on by friction it would be a very interesting project to install one of these...In fact, given the varietal ways standard hook and loop slings are installed by enactors (backwards, twisted and upside down...sometimes all at once), I hazard to guess what might happen without clear installation instructions for the more confusing Brit buckle slings.

The British buff leather "rifle-musket sling" has a different closure at the bottom and uses a single stitched leather strip and an iron button. See "Arms and Equipment of the British Army,1866" (Illustrated by Petrie). The buckle is sewn in place on that one. The black leather "rifle" sling works just as well on a P-53 as it is actually longer. I usually suggest an "extra" sliding keeper be used to cinch the sling (or hold it together) at the top band as one sliding keeper must be kept around the buckle closure to hold things together.

[Jim Mayo]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

I compared Scott's sling buckle side by side with one that I found at Seven Pines. They were identical. There is a picture of it somewhere on the forums. Up until about 10 years ago, the use of this buckle was not well known and you could find them in some junk drawers at the relic shows. I did a little asking around to different relic hunters and this type buckle has been found in various sites in the eastern theater but not in as large quantities as if every enfield had a sling using them. Late war use is also documented by one found at Bentonville. Just thought I would throw that little tidbit of information out in case anyone was interested.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

The Enfield sling buckles were often dug and "misidentified" as belt buckles or something else. Good point, Jim. Very common artifact which gives you some idea how widely used these Brit slings were in the CS.

The buckle sling closure can be tough to adjust on the march. It takes two hands to do it. Whatever the case, it is a very positive development that we are starting see common articles like the British Enfield sling authentically reproduced for the hobby, instead of all the post Civil War-era garbage and modern creations which was all that was available just a few years ago.

[Rob]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

The buckle sling closure can be tough to adjust on the march. It takes two hands to do it.

Make that three. I thought I was the only one having this trouble. If you like to adjust your sling often, you probably want to stay away from this one.

And, yes, a third keeper on the upper swivel is a good idea.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

My son (aka "the boy") uses the black Enfield buckle sling as well as other Enfield accoutrements as part of his impression both because it looks sharp and we do both US and CS as dictated by the needs of the event. Everything "crosses over" nicely. His sling dates from a few years ago (the dark ages) before there were any good reproductions. I made it for him. Nobody is going to mistake my workmanship w/ TMD or Richmond Depot, but it is a fair approximation of the originals. I just followed the pictures and descriptions in "Arms and Equipment of the British Army,1866. Illustrated by Petrie".

I had to help him get that buckle sling adjusted on the march as we had our hands full. I can easily understand the charm of the "improved" post Civil War design (loose leather thong tied w/ sliding keeper) sling as far as adjusting it on the march. However, like stainless steel canteens and speckled enamel ware cups, that sling just isn't right for the Civil War period. Pity me in these situations since I am little bit fussy about the details, I don't use a sling at all.

[Rob]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Authenticity aside for a moment, the problem I've had with the "sliding" slings - and I've owned two of them - is that once the sliding loop gets a bit loose, they start to adjust themselves, most notably when you don't want them to, like during manual of arms or firing drills. Not good.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Right, there is a need for a very tight sliding keeper against the top swivel of the sliding loop farby sling or do they self-adjust at inopportune moments...This is a downside to being easily adjusted on the march, it seems. No matter, the buckle sling is period correct and looks better, too.

There is a pretty easy way to convert one of the sliding keeper slings to a buckle sling, if it is a reasonably good piece of leather otherwise. In the part that is tied by the thong to the bottom swivel, reverse it and modify that part to hold the buckle, drill some holes and install it backwards. The key is getting a good buckle.

[militiaman1835]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

Perhaps Scott at The Richmond Depot would be willing to undertake selling just the buckle to convert existing lace type slings to correct pattern by reversing them and adding buckle as Craig suggests? Jim Hensley

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

The buckles are (supposedly) available through Naugatuck Novelty, at least they were. I believe that is where TMD is getting them. BIockade Runner has a decent brass sling buckle, though it is sold as a buckle for a belt or something else.

Anyway, that is how I used to reconfigure the sliding loop sling into the buckle type sling before there were good reproductions available. It is not difficult and not expensive, just hard to adjust on the march.

[Richmond Depot]

Re: Question about Enfield slings

I would be happy to sell all that I can get my hands on. Unfortunately, I can't get them at present and that is why I'm not currently offering the slings.

As a side note, I have not seen any mention of the D shaped Enfield buckles. You guys seem to be forgetting about them. :D

While it may be a coincidence, it would seem that from existing photo's that the sling buckles used by CS troops were of the rectangular pattern and those in use by the US troops from Mass. utilized the D shaped buckle.

I had posted several photo's on this thread prior to the crash of both US and CS troops using the two types of Enfield slings. However, like Margret Mitchell's book, they seem to be Gone with the Wind.