Garand slings...leather versus web

[Frandy]

My 1953 HRA Garand will be delivered to my FFL sometime tomorrow. I'll pick it up and then on Saturday I'm off to the local gun show in Raleigh. I'll be looking for a few tools for the Garand but also a sling. My first thought it to get a web sling (one with correct width and also long enough to use correctly when shooting), but I'm also thinking of getting a leather one to be WW II "accurate," despite the fact that mine will be a post-war model. Okay, perhaps I'll get both.

Anybody want to comment about their practical use of either type?

Thanks.

 

[ocabj]

Practical use? The web is probably better. During WWII, the slings on Garands were used to carry the rifle. The use of the sling for support as we do in highpower shooting wasn't really done during combat. It's possible soldiers adopted a 'hasty' sling support position, and if so, the web is the best sling for this.

Highpower use, it's all personal preference. I tried the web sling, but I prefer the leather sling. Frankly, I find the leather sling easier to adjust and easier to find the sweet spot for sling tension.

Here's instructions on how to use the web sling:
http://www.ray-vin.com/tech/websling/webslinghelp.shtml

Here's instructions on how to use the leather sling:
http://www.ray-vin.com/tech/slinghelp/slinghelp.htm

Note the leather sling method above is not the original/standard method designed by the Army. It's a modified method that many highpower shooters use. Jim Owens of http://www.jarheadtop.com outlines this method in his book "Leather Slings and Shooting Positions". I use this method.

The web sling and leather sling should be 1-1/4" in width (someone correct me if I'm wrong about the web sling width). Length wise, I think webslings pretty much come in the same length if you buy original USGI slings. Leather slings on the other hand come in varying lengths. I personally use a a 50" Turner sling, but I'm shorter than most people. Lots of people say that you'll need a 54" if you're above average height.

Note that when you get a websling, you want a USGI sling made out of cotton. If my information is correct, webslings were manufactured in the 70s and after that were aftermarket web slings made out of some other non-cotton material combinations (ie: nylon). From what I understand, these are garbage since the buckle doesn't grip well on the sling when using them for support during shooting.

The baseline standard of leather 1907 / National Match slings are the Turner Slings. There's a guy named Les Tam that everyone claims makes the best leather slings. He doesn't have a website, but if you google his name, you should be able to find contact information.

 

[ocabj]

Also, if you don't already have these items, these are good to have for Garands:

Dewey 25" coated cleaning rod
Dewey brass .30cal muzzle guide
Brass gas plug wrench
Gas cylinder lock wrench from Fulton Armory
A tons of Greek HXP M2 Ball ammo available at the CMP

 

[fredcwdoc]

They used leather and web slings during WW2. Depends on the period you are trying to portray.

I have photos of soldiers taken in late 1944 standing next to each other with leather and web slings on their M1's. Early war were mostly leather as the military went through the stocks of M-1907 leather slings. Orion 7 had WW2 web slings for sale last time I looked. Scott Duff has them every now and then.

I have turner slings on mine and they make a nice M-1907. Stay away from the repros they sell for $20. You get what you pay for.

Check out the forum at the CMP website and search under slings. There are a couple of good sling makers out there.

 

[bcochran]

slings

I do not use a sling in shooting.

If faced with a difficult situation and time permitted, I would take off the sling.

I have owned many different slings.

My preference is for the nylon (not duck) M14 sling issued in the 1960s. To some extent it repels water. It will not stretch too far out of shape and will not rot under field conditions.

Doing re-enactments is different sometimes from being effective. Look at the Brownell's catalog. The company has a variety of wonderful slings, but not the one that I prefer.

 

[bcochran]

slings

I do not use a sling in shooting.

If faced with a difficult situation and time permitted, I would take off the sling.

I have owned many different slings.

My preference is for the nylon (not duck) M14 sling issued in the 1960s. To some extent it repels water. It will not stretch too far out of shape and will not rot under field conditions.

Doing re-enactments is different sometimes from being effective. Look at the Brownell's catalog. The company has a variety of wonderful slings, but not the one that I prefer.

 

[30Cal]

Haven't seen many GI slings recently at gunshows. There are some tan Danish ones ("FRK") that I've seen around though. If you get a leather "MRT" sling at a gunshow, make sure it's got steel frogs instead of brass. The brass ones will straighten out.

From the direction of Torcy a counter-attack developed; the Boche was filtering cleverly forward somewhere on the Torcy road, in cover. The Marines were prone, slings adjusted, killing him.
"It's a quarter point right windage - "
"Naw! Not a breath of air. Use zero -"
...
Those Engineers, their packs went one way and their tools another, and they cast themselves down happily. "What range, buddy? - usin' any windage - ? A hairy non-com got into his sling and laid out a little pile of clips…

Thomason's Fix Bayonets!

 

[Frandy]

Thanks!

Thanks everyone - all good advice.

Also, if you don't already have these items, these are good to have for Garands:

Dewey 25" coated cleaning rod
Dewey brass .30cal muzzle guide
Brass gas plug wrench
Gas cylinder lock wrench from Fulton Armory
A tons of Greek HXP M2 Ball ammo available at the CMP

Well, the Greek ammo is on order...time for some shopping for the other items...and more!

 

[MechAg94]

I don't have any Greek ammo, but the Lake City stuff works well and is reported to be good. I have some Korean ammo with the PS head stamp and it work fine though I have not checked its accuracy. CMP wasn't offering the Greek in clips when I ordered the Korean. Lots of clips and bandoliers is a good thing.

I got a cotton sling with my HRA Greek Service grade. I like it better than the leather though I don't use the sling when shooting. It is handier and doesn't get in the way as much. I'll have to check out those links above on using slings shooting. See what I am missing.

Also a good idea to check out some sites on dissassembly and proper lubrication with oil and grease. I am still learning a little about this. There was a thread recently discussing this.

 

[ocabj]

I don't have any Greek ammo, but the Lake City stuff works well and is reported to be good. I have some Korean ammo with the PS head stamp and it work fine though I have not checked its accuracy. CMP wasn't offering the Greek in clips when I ordered the Korean. Lots of clips and bandoliers is a good thing.

The LC sold by the CMP is delinked machine gun ammunition. For the most part its decent stuff, but it's quite slow compared to M2 ball spec. The case of LC67 I have moves at 2600fps. Shooters at the CMP Western Games (May 05) told me that the LC they were issued at the match was way too hot. I was told it was LC72 with the purple primer sealant. When the bullet was pulled, they found a mixture of ball and stick powder. I don't know if the CMP sells the purple primer sealed LC anymore, but the red primer sealed should be ok.