Rifle Slings

[RSchuda]

Quick thing I thought of today and I haven't found any info on this.

I'm aware that about 9,000 [from my research] rifle slings were issued to federal soldiers during the war.
However, I haven't located and was wondering about, is there any documentation about improvised slings made in the field?



Ryan Schuda

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Rifle Slings

I'm curious about your source for the 9.000 number. Most of the pictures of Federal troops I've seen show their weapons with slings. For example, you'll find two with Craig Barry's discussion here: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...-Craig-L-Barry

Photographs might provide some answer to your question, too. I don't offhand recall pictures showing improvised slings, but there are a lot of pictures I haven't studied closely, many of them here: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/cwp/

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Rifle Slings

Hallo!

Between January 1, 1861 and June 30, 1866 the United States Army made or purchased 265,866 rifle slings.

Curt

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Rifle Slings

Well let's assume that figure (9,000 slings) is off a little bit or perhaps a typo. The question was whether other items were used in the field or on campaign to improvise a sling for the US rifle-musket. Not to my knowledge but if so, it was not the norm. It seems to have gone the other way, meaning serviceable rifle-musket slings were used for a variety of other purposes like belts, bedroll straps, etc.

[yatman]

Re: Rifle Slings

I got questions. According to the U.S. Army Odrnance Manuals (1850 & 1860) gun slings were suppose to be 1.25 inches wide, 46 inches long with one standing loop, one sliding loop and with a brass hook, fastened by two rivets. Questions: How many holes? What was the distance between the holes? How were they laid out on the sling? Or were slings just issued without holes and it was left up to the individual soldier to figure that out?

[Scott Sheets]

Re: Rifle Slings

Hallo!

Between January 1, 1861 and June 30, 1866 the United States Army made or purchased 265,866 rifle slings.

Curt

Hi Curt, Can you share where that number comes from? Thanks

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Rifle Slings

I know several years have passed, but I'm also curious about the numbers of gun slings. I just glanced at ordnance returns for the 1st through 4th USCT for the first quarter of 1864 and every company looks to have about as many "gun slings" as they have muskets. The same situation existed in the fourth quarter of the year. The numbers of guns and slings don't always match, some companies have a slight shortage of slings, some have a surplus. But if these four regiments of U.S. Colored Troops in various duty stations from the James to the Gulf all have about as many slings as guns, I have difficulty imagining shortages in the rest of the army.

[Strawfoot]

Re: Rifle Slings

Have never understood why guys don't prefer them.