US produced slings for imported 3-Band Enfields?

[Pritchett Ball]

I have looked, but no conclusive answers in the search ...

I have often wondered if the US produced slings, to specifically fit the imported 3-band Enfields in the ranks.

I have a repro sling that looks just like a sling made for the US Springfield rifles, but it's longer to fit the Enfield.

I have often wondered if it was correct?

Kevin Dally

[weed]

Re: US produced slings for imported 3-Band Enfields?

As far as I know, that answer is NO. In fact the ONLY correct "Tower" Enfield Slings are the ones produced by C&D Jarnagin. They have the buckle adjustment and attached at one end by a leather thong that goes though a button loop pushed up the the sling. The Blockade Runner sells an "Enfield sling with the buckle adjustment, but this held on buy leather lacing (which is incorrect). All the rest are FARB! (Especialy if it is stamped Issic & Campbell)!!!


Just did research on Tower Enfields and their accoutraments (Thank you Craig Barry)!!!

[KPavia]

Re: US produced slings for imported 3-Band Enfields?

Actually, Robert Serio of Missouri Boot & Shoe reproduces an Enfield sling. I got mine from him. He doesn't advertise it. All I did was email and ask if he knew how to make one, and he made it for me.

[brown]

Re: US produced slings for imported 3-Band Enfields?

I've never seen a US style sling long enough for an English musket nor have I read of one being made. I have seen original English muskets with English slings and a couple of English muskets with the top sling swivel moved to the middle band presumably to accommodate a sling of American length.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: US produced slings for imported 3-Band Enfields?

In The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy (p 163) it states "...what sort of sling belongs on a reproduction Enfield? The answer is simple in one sense, it is not the elongated US variety commonly sold at events as the correct sling for the Enfield."

The standard US model rifle-musket sling fits fine, you just have to relocate the holes. The correct sling for the Enfield was 45" inches long. The US sling is 46" long. How could it not fit?

[David Jarnagin]

Re: US produced slings for imported 3-Band Enfields?

Trapdoor Springfield slings were made two ways the early one out of old CW slings (46”) spliced together and later the one-piece sling which is 68” long. All the longer one piece slings I have seen are stamped Watervliet Arsenal, there may have been other arsenals that made them but they would all be stamped with either a maker or Arsenal mark.

I have found several Texas images on Pinterest with soldiers holding Enfield muskets with US style slings on them but it will be the shorter 46” (1855) musket sling. I asked Paul Johnson about what they did and he told me they relocated the holes in the standard sling 23” down from the hook. This was likely a field modification.

The proper name for the slings is gun slings according to the US Ordnance Dept. These slings were always either “fair leather” or stained leather with the exception being the Marine Corp theirs were black. For more information on the leather types follow this link http://confederatesaddles.com/cswp/?p=342

The whitened buff slings for the Mississippi rifles were a special make for Lincoln’s funeral and are of the 1839 pattern. These slings bear makers and inspector’s marks.

David Jarnagin
djarnagin@bellsouth.net