Authentic 1866 sling swivels

[MMA10mm]

So, I was looking through one of my old books today looking for historically-correct tack patterns on Indian rifles.  I saw something that I'd never seen before and had been told is not authetic - Sling swivels on an 1866. 

The book is "The American Frontier" by William C. Davis, published by Salamander in 1992.  On page 123 there is a picture of Indian rifles and the 1866 has a brass plate inlaid in the buttstock about 1/2-way between the lower tang of the receiver and the toe of the stock.  It has a hole in the middle and screws on either side of the hole which hold the plate to the buttstock.  It looks to me like this is the fitting that a sling swivel goes into (but the swivel is gone in this photo).  It kind of reminds me of the style on an 1873.

Can anyone give me some research references where I can look for the sling swivel patterns for an 1866?

[Books OToole]

The Winchester Book and The Winchester Handbook, both by George Madis.

I refer to these works often. 

Sling swivels were an option nearly all Winchester rifles.  I'm pretty sure all lever guns were available with sling swivels.

Now if we can find authentic ones.... You and I both can add them to our '66s.

Books

[Forty Rod]

I'm going to have Henry eye and swivel put on my '66 in the same position that they are on the Henry.

I have hook-and-eye- swivels on my '73 and '95 Winchesters already.

[MMA10mm]

Thanks a bunch fellars.

Forty Rod - That's exactly what I was going to do, because there's no question a person could get ahold of something that was invented in 1860, and put it on something made in 1870.  Totally logical.  Then, I had a talk with my local gun dealer, who is a far cut above many in terms of his western history and western gun collection...  He's the guy who told me no way on swivels.  I think his exact words were: "don't put sling swivels on that..."

Books - Thanks for the references and I agree that it's totally illogical to think Winchester would discontinue the option of sling swivels for a few years or on a certain model.


The interesting thing about this '66 in the book I've got is that it is clearly NOT a Henry-pattern sling-swivel bracket.  It's location is wrong (on bottom of buttstock vs. the left side of the comb on the Henrys I've seen).  It's style is wrong.  It's also brass rather than blued steel, which is what I see on the few Henrys I've seen with swivels...  I also do not see the front fitting for the other-end-of-the-sling swivel...  This is definitely a historic rifle.  Wish I could get more views of it, or even handle it to see what is going on with the sling swivels...  It's also clearly a later-model Henry, as it does not have the "hump" at the rear top of the receiver near the hammer, like the early '66s and Henrys.  Makes me wonder if it's one of the far later ones that could have been made after the 73 had hit the market, and they just used 73 swivels.  (But would 73 swivels be brass???) 

Is is possible this plate is for something else, and not a sling swivel??

[Ransom Gaer]

You say the swivel is on the bottom of the buttstock and not the side like on the Henry.  I wonder if it came off a rifled-musket or something of that order.  Which would indicate post production installation.  There would have been plenty around at the time since the photo is period.  This is a guess on my part.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds like there is no sling on the rifle in the photo.  It could mean that the front swivel was removed for whatever reason.

If this sling swivel is a factory installation it doesn't surprise me in the least that it is different than what was on the Henry.  Design changes happen all the time.  And the wood forestock would allow (or require) a different installation of a front swivel and change the installation on the buttstock at the same time.

Don't ya just hate stuff like this, raising more question than answers.   I run into this kind of stuff all the time.

Ransom Gaer

[MMA10mm]

You say the swivel is on the bottom of the buttstock and not the side like on the Henry.  I wonder if it came off a rifled-musket or something of that order.  Which would indicate post production installation.  There would have been plenty around at the time since the photo is period.  This is a guess on my part.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds like there is no sling on the rifle in the photo.  It could mean that the front swivel was removed for whatever reason.

If this sling swivel is a factory installation it doesn't surprise me in the least that it is different than what was on the Henry.  Design changes happen all the time.  And the wood forestock would allow (or require) a different installation of a front swivel and change the installation on the buttstock at the same time.

Don't ya just hate stuff like this, raising more question than answers.   I run into this kind of stuff all the time.

Ransom Gaer

YES!  I agree with you wholeheartedly; it drives me crazy.  On the other hand, it does provide some precedence for a sling swivel on the 66.  Since mine is not a Saddle-Ring Carbine, that would be kinda nice... 

I'd probably be able to make one of these out of brass and inlet into the stock, but without a pattern to use for the swivel itself or the front end, I'm at a dead end on this one (even as intriguing as it is).