Garand slings - Which was most common in WW2?

DarthNul · November 29, 2014, 03:50 PM

Just wondering...

Were WW2 Garands issued mostly with the M1 cotton web sling, or the 1907 pattern leather sling?

It seems leather is more popular among service rifle high power shooters. I see mostly the 1907 pattern sling on Garands in Hollywood movies. But my CMP Garand came with a web sling and I would think the web would be way faster and cheaper to mass produce.

James K · December 1, 2014, 10:05 PM

In the early days of WWII, the M1907 leather sling was most common because that is about all they had. Later, the thick cloth sling supplanted the leather for all practical purposes through most of WWII; the thicker web sling took over toward the end of the war and by the end of the M1 service period, there were no cloth or leather slings in common service, only the heavy web sling.

But leather slings never really went away, since a few target shooters held onto theirs with a near-death grip, and some still are around today, although AFAIK, the military no longer issues any and the modern ones are made solely for the target shooting fraternity.

Jim

November 29, 2014, 03:50 PM	#1
DarthNul Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 288	Garand slings - Which was most common in WW2? Just wondering... Were WW2 Garands issued mostly with the M1 cotton web sling, or the 1907 pattern leather sling? It seems leather is more popular among service rifle high power shooters. I see mostly the 1907 pattern sling on Garands in Hollywood movies. But my CMP Garand came with a web sling and I would think the web would be way faster and cheaper to mass produce. __________________ The most feared gun control law proposal: Require buyers to register all gun purchases with their wives

December 1, 2014, 10:05 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	In the early days of WWII, the M1907 leather sling was most common because that is about all they had. Later, the thick cloth sling supplanted the leather for all practical purposes through most of WWII; the thicker web sling took over toward the end of the war and by the end of the M1 service period, there were no cloth or leather slings in common service, only the heavy web sling. But leather slings never really went away, since a few target shooters held onto theirs with a near-death grip, and some still are around today, although AFAIK, the military no longer issues any and the modern ones are made solely for the target shooting fraternity. Jim