How was the saddle ring on a lever action rifle used?

[Erhard]

Hello everyone

I recently bought a Winchester '94 in 30-30. It was built in 1973 and has the "Antique carbine" look, which means it has some engraving on the receiver and a saddle ring. My question is: how was the saddle ring exactly used? In most pictures it has some kind of leather string attached to it, but I guess this has just some decorative meaning. Was it used the way a modern one point sling is used?

Best regards

Erhard

 

[jmr40]

I'm no expert, and would be interested in knowing for certain.

I've seen photos showing them used as a single point sling as well as the leather loop over a saddle horn. I think this was more commonly used on the single shot military Springfields. Just guessing, but the idea was probably carried over to the early lever guns even though it was actually used far less.

 

[Garrobo]

I suspect that

since the name involves the saddle that it was used to lash the rifle to the saddle in the case that you might want to drop the rifle in a hurry either when it was emptied out and you needed to go to your pistol or sword. Other than that it might have been used to keep it from jumping out of the scabbard when going over rough terrain or your horse got shot out from under you. Or just maybe it was a decoration that Winchester installed on the rifle just to bewilder people.

 

[Curator]

With US military carbines, the cavalry issued an "over the shoulder" strap that culminated in a spring clip that was fastened to the "saddle-ring." That way a trooper could retrieve a carbine that slipped out of their hands while mounted and it was attached to him when he dismounted. It was bad form to loose your carbine in the midst of a serious engagement.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I've seen photos showing them used as a single point sling as well as the leather loop over a saddle horn

Exactly correct -- civilian saddle rings had a strip of leather passed through the ring and looped around the saddle horn.

Military saddle rings were much stronger, attached to staples that went completely through the stock and were fastened with nuts on the far side. A carabiner was clipped to the ring, and hung from a crossbelt that went diagonally across the trooper's chest.

 

[jerkface11]

Didn't we just have a 10 page thread about this?