*** U.S. Cavalry Carbine Slings *** The Gun Report, 1974 article

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

Picked up this older copy of The Gun Report, February 1974, on eBay, which contains an interesting article by Ralph E. Arnold entitled, U.S. Cavalry Carbine Slings.  Hope you find this article of some value.  It may be better to just print out each page.

Two Flints

[Grogan]

I was over in Holland in 2004 and my host took me to one of their Cowboy "events".

It was mainly a big outdoor get together outside one of their shooting ranges (where ALL civilian "bullet" shooting is conducted these days, Indoors, NONE outdoors anymore! ) where they were essentially holding a "position" style shooting match of "cowboy guns" at the shooting range.

Anyway, back outside I ran into a fellow all cleverly decked out with a most unusual custom made Carbine Sling.

He had had it custom made up especially with "contour" built into it, so it would hug, close to his body, much better than any straight original style sling would.  

Trouble was he was wearing it BUCKLE FORWARD.  

When I told him that that's NOT how those were worn, that they were worn with the buckle on the back, tip facing down, I think I really RUINED his day!  

He took off his sling and turned it around put it on the correct "regulation" way.

Now all that fancy built-in contour stood OUT away from his body in the most awkward fashion!

From that point on this poor pard was totally DISTRESSED for the rest of the day.  His compadres were laughing and giving him no end of grief!  

[Trailrider]

That's a great service you've provided in reproducing that article.  My original consists of the pages of that Gun Report, which I removed from that issue for reference purposes.

Your comment on where the buckle was properly worn is indicitive of how such details often escape notice.  One of the more authentically equipped cavalry units shown in a movie was...believe it or not...in the comedy, "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again"!    The holsters appeared to be M1881's, etc.  The ONE THING that was WRONG was they were wearing the carbine slings with the buckles in the front!  For a movie of this genre' the authenticity of the costumes was quite high.  But, just one little mistake... 

Ride easy, Pards! 

[Boot]

Regulations are not always the best way to tell how things were done. There are many period photographs of soldiers wearing slings with the buckles to the front.