M1887 Sling

[Drydock]

What Price Glory now has the M1887 Trapdoor/Krag sling up on Ebay.  $28 + $3.50 Shipping.  Appears to be a decent undyed single piece of leather with the correct brass fittings.

[Niederlander]

They look good in the pictures.  The brass parts look more substantial than most of the repros.  Mine was from Eureka Arsenal, and these look pretty comparable.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Like a dumb ass got mine from Turner Saddlery at substantially higher cost

[Drydock]

I too have a Turner 1887 sling.  Very hard to get anymore, and worth the money I think.  But this is a far easier to get alternative.  If the Turner has a problem, it's that it's TOO NICE to be general issue back then!

[smoke]

WPG leather is very good.  I just picked up a couple of Boer war era leather pieces from him and they are easily twice the product of other  reproduction leather good.

[cpt dan blodgett]

My turner is a bit too short to loosen enough to actually sling the trapdoor.
The one on the krag is plenty long enough but there is about 4 inches difference in the distance between the sling swivels between the Krag and the 88 trapdoor.  If it was not such a pain to rig the sling I would take them both off and measure them.

[Grenadier]

As with everything you can purchase from WPG the leather sling is topshelf. Jerry has worked very hard to find an Indian supplier that produces high quality leather products. These slings are the best replicas produced on a large scale available.

[1961MJS]

Hi

I just put the 1887 sling on my Krag Rifle.  I need to add holes, it doesn't get loose enough to be helpful to actually carry the Rifle with me for say ten yards.  While I realize that until the 03 Springfield was issued, no one was expected to USE the sling as a shooting aide.  I'm not sure what it would take, but I might try to find out.  If I remember what I read last night, the 1907 (?) maybe 1905 slings were used with the Krag at the National Matches.

I also have the Mills sling, I'll have to see if it would be longer when attached so I could at least carry it.

Later

[Drydock]

This will sound dumb, but I once caught someone doing this-> running the sling from the stacking swivel! So for what it's worth: You are running the sling from the middle band?  (I may owe you a mildly alcholic drink if not)


FWIW 2: the Mills sling has a LOT of length.

[1961MJS]

This will sound dumb, but I once caught someone doing this-> running the sling from the stacking swivel! So for what it's worth: You are running the sling from the middle band?  (I may owe you a mildly alcholic drink if not)


FWIW 2: the Mills sling has a LOT of length.

Hi Chuck

Nope, got it run from the middle to the bottom.  I found the directions online so its even in there right.  While not correct for Cuba, I think I'll see if the Mills sling would be longer.  I'll also have to see about finding the whole Krag, 190x sling and National Championships article.  I'm a 4H rifle coach, so I'm used to using a sling.

Later

[Drydock]

Very good sir!

[38OVI]

My Dad bought a Krag through the DCM way back and it came with the M 1907 sling on it.  He used it for target shooting with the sling.
Still have both Krag is 1903 and sling is RIA 1917.

[1961MJS]

My Dad bought a Krag through the DCM way back and it came with the M 1907 sling on it.  He used it for target shooting with the sling.
Still have both Krag is 1903 and sling is RIA 1917.

Hi

Turner Slings states that the 1907 sling is too short for position shooting.  It's the one that was used with the Krag's at the National Matches.  Turner recommends the National Match sling (doesn't come with Brass hardware though), but it comes in 5 or 6 lengths from 48 inches to 56 I think.  I"m not sure which I need.  I'll respond more after I email them.

The Mills sling can be made quite a bit longer than the 1887 sling, but I'm worried about taking it on and off regularly.  it's also a Philippines only thing. 

The holes in the 1887 are square, I'll have to see if I can get a square punch and add another two or three sets. 

Later

[1961MJS]

Ha

Got is much more looser (Not a Communications Major, or Minor, or anything else) 1887 sling now, I'll have to see how it works shooting, but at least I can carry it around now. 

Later