[RayG_Wisconsin]

I picked this up a couple of years ago at the SOS show and when I got it I showed it to Hayes O who was at the show and he said he has one also and mine was only the 2nd one he's ever seen. The leather straps appear to be original to the buckles and professionaly attached like factory/arsenal done and not just some one replacing damaged canvas straps.

I posted it on this forum at the time and another guy said he has a very well used one and half of one if I remember right.
Anyway I hadn't looked at it since then but I had just bought a couple of regular Kerr slings and one is the longer 1917 Enfield sling.

The leather sling is long and because of that, I always thought it was a 1917 Enfield sling until I just got the regular 1917 Enfield canvas one and put the leather sling next to it and the leather sling was about two or more inches longer then the 1917 sling. Apparently it wasn't made for the Enfield which as I understand the first contracted Kerr slings were made for.

Just measured the sling and the long lenght is 55-1/2" and the short one just a tad under 17".


When I first got the sling I felt that it was possibly a prototype sling made in leather as at the time all slings were made of leather.

Can anyone help with any known infomation or opinions regarding this sling? Ray

View attachment 513142

 

[dfariswheel]

Possibly made for the Westinghouse Russian contract Mosin's???

A short run of leather Kerr's as an alternative to the canvas????

Experimental for the BAR????

Whatever, with more than one known it had to be some sort of at least semi-production run, unless it was done as a small batch of altered slings by some military unit. Cold weather use???, parade use????

One option for info is to send a SASE to the NRA American Rifleman Dope Bag. NRA members (and you should be ashamed if you're not) can send one question per letter to the Dope Bag and they will have an expert answer it.
In this case, the expert would probably be Bruce Canfield, THE expert on American military weapons and equipment.
Send the question with the SASE or they won't respond.

 

[chuckindenver]

if your nice , you can Email Bruce directly. via his book website, attach some pictures as well, iv had some nice emails back and forth with the man..first class all the way..

 

[RayG_Wisconsin]

Thanks gentlemen. Chuck I'm nice! Just that the wife may not always agree, LoL. Maybe I'll try Bruce 1st, quicker to email then regular mail to NRA, Thanks, Ray

PS, I Just emailed Bruce directly, Ray

 

[RayG_Wisconsin]

Heard back from Bruce. He said he had never encountered that sling before and it was very interesting. He said it appears to be made to factory standards and he would guess it was some sort of alternate sling that the Kerr company never manufactured in quantity.
He said it's a very interesting sling and thanked me for sharing it.

Well back to square one, Ray

 

[chuckindenver]

might be a SMG or BAR sling..but usually the BAR sling was a bit longer so it could be slung under your shoulder and held at the waist just a guess.
most SMG slings were marked SMG

 

[dfariswheel]

Well, you tried Hayes and Bruce, so I think this will prove to be one of those unsolvable mysteries.
No one I know will know more then they do.

You could still do the NRA Dope Bag letter just on the off chance someone there might know or know of some obscure collector who might.

 

[oldgoat46]

Sorry, just came in late and this post caught my eye. Would this Kerr sling be made my the same company that manufactured the Kerr Naval revolvers 1856-1868? Sorry to butt in. OG

 

[RayG_Wisconsin]

Sorry, just came in late and this post caught my eye. Would this Kerr sling be made my the same company that manufactured the Kerr Naval revolvers 1856-1868? Sorry to butt in. OG

I can't answer that sorry. Possible if the company was still in business 40 years later. I understand the Kerr company that made these slings also made buckles for cavalry straps.
I might try the Dope bag, Ray

 

[Eddystone17]

My guess is that this sling was made for State & Private Academy use.

It is my opinion it was made as is and is not any kind of repair or modified sling.