New photo's of U.S.M.C. slings...

[Fred]

I took these photo's of my four slings so that the guy or guys who are looking to buy such a sling or slings for their collections can see why I'm asking what I'm asking for them. Anyway, I wanted to post some photo's of what such slings can look like. All are of thick harness leather. Original leather keepers for these slings are sewn AND stapled. One of the slings, the top one, is Mint or at least unused. I think that it's only been on one of my rifles. All slings are solid and devoid of splits or weak spots. Two of these slings showed up with the lower loop of the sling adjusted for securing around a shooters left upper arm like a competitor would use. One showed up on a 1920 National Match 03. Since all National Match 1903's made prior to the 1921 matches could only be purchased by Military Personnel, the rifle and sling might've been together since the 1920's and owned by a Marine who had fought in and survived WWI. Beats me...
Well, enjoy the photo's!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0240_zpsdziaja5l.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0240_zpsdziaja5l.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0242_zpsrm6nstpr.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0242_zpsrm6nstpr.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0241_zpswtqozfn9.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0241_zpswtqozfn9.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0243_zpsokcxhebw.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0243_zpsokcxhebw.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0239_zpsl4gbubbt.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0239_zpsl4gbubbt.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0249_zpszlaehqvg.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0249_zpszlaehqvg.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0247_zpscczdmawp.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0247_zpscczdmawp.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0245_zpsqpauocye.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0245_zpsqpauocye.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0246_zpssvucxnq6.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0246_zpssvucxnq6.jpg.html)

[Fred]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0248_zpsd0vddhhd.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0248_zpsd0vddhhd.jpg.html)

[Fred]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0244_zpsifhvx5qw.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0244_zpsifhvx5qw.jpg.html)

[chuckindenver]

nice slings...
i think 3 are for sure..USMC..one maybe not...
blackened brass is a sign..

[Fred]

Oh I'm certain it is too Chuck. Only the Marine Corps slings were made with that pattern of holes in the short loop and it's made of thick Harness leather like they all were.

[cplnorton]

I had never heard of a USMC sling until just recently. But when I did, I went and checked that M1 Garand that I had in the Garand Collector's Journal here a couple years back. The video I have of the Major and the rifle, he describes putting the sling on it on Iwo Jima. If you believe what he is saying it seems this one never had the blackened keepers either. Looking at the protected areas I see no signs of it at least. So maybe there was just different variations.

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand%20New%20pictures/P1220950_zps1hej8pzp.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand%20New%20pictures/P1220951_zps826w5q9s.jpg

[chuckindenver]

are you talking about the 2 sets of holes below the keeper?

[cplnorton]

are you talking about the 2 sets of holes below the keeper?

Yeah, the two sets of holes in that location compared to the ones that have multiple sets of them is what they say makes them a Marine contract sling. I can't remember who broke the info, but I think Turner slings had a part in it.

[Fred]

OK, LOL, so everyone can get on the same sheet of music, the Brass Claw is just that, a Brass (or steel) claw. The leather Keeper is the leather ring that slides up and down the sling to Keep the leather sling together.
The short section of the sling is the one with the tell tale pattern of holes in it that seem to be unique to U.S.M.C. issue. A set of holes being just 2, there are just two sets of holes towards Either End of the short section.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0253_zps2wnsyojd.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0253_zps2wnsyojd.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0251_zpsiy0zjmsh.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0251_zpsiy0zjmsh.jpg.html)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0252_zpszkuetvdc.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0252_zpszkuetvdc.jpg.html)

[Fred]

Two of my slings came to me with the claw of the short loop hooked into a set of holes that they'd been hooked into for some time, probably from being used that way while the sling was cinched tightly around a shooters left or right upper arm on a rifle range.

[Fred]

Steve, your pictures are really good and clear and that rifle...Man! How cool is THAT?! Could we all see some more photo's of the entire rifle?

[cplnorton]

lol, I thought I had showed that Garand so many times people were probably sick of seeing it.

But it was in the Fall 2013 Journal. It was brought back by a Squadron Commander on Iwo Jima. His name was Major Moore and he commanded the 45th Fighter Group and was the top Ace of the 7th Army Air Force. He had 12 kills I think and he was a P51 Mustang pilot. But long story short I have pics of him with it, video of him with it, a written statement. About as much documentation you can get for a bring back US rifle. The rifle even looks like it has Iwo Sand on the inside of it.

From the description of where the Major got it, and the dates of the skirmishes. It sounds like he picked it up in the Cushman Pocket area of the island in probably late March 1945. That also coincides with the serial as it has hits close to the 3rd Marine Division, and the 9th and 21st Regiments of the 3rd Division are the ones who hit the Cushman pocket area. He found the rifle among Marine casualties with a broken stock and took a couple rifles and assembled this one from those parts.

Also I didn't know till recently about the Marine sling. But I have pics of the rifle with the Major and it's the same sling that is on it now. And the Major says in the video he put the sling on it on Iwo. So it was something neat that I didn't know about when we wrote the article on it for the Journal.

I don't want to hijack your thread and I'm sure some are sick of hearing me talk about the rifle. But here are some quick pics.

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220933.jpg

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220954.jpg

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220937.jpg

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220941.jpg

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220957.jpg

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220946.jpg


http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/P1220960.jpg

This is the Major with his Plane in 1945 on Iwo.

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/tumblr_mft8ih9TqN1qasw04o1_500.jpg

This was the cover of the journal. It was probably one of my biggest honors of my collecting experience getting it featured in the journal. Bob Seijas and Dave McClain both took so much time to help me and help me research everything. It was just a absolute honor to work with those Gentlemen on it. And I have to admit it's probably my favorite rifle. :)

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s441/cplnorton3/Iwo%20Jima%20M1%20Garand/cover_zps732a0b5f.jpg

[Fred]

Well I'm not tired of seeing it. Wow! Pretty darned neat! Thanks Steve! It's Way Cool!
I'm never concerned with anyones posting about anything on any of my threads Steve. Any and all posts are all part of any developing conversation and I welcome them!

[Fred]

Steve, I can see that one of the leather keepers on your sling is an original keeper for a Marine Corps sling. It's the one with both the sewing And the staple in it. Richard Turner says that type of arrangement was typical of U.S.M.C. slings because the saddle makers on the Marine Bases near the West Coast all used staples to hold the loops together during stitching and then just left the staples in after sewing the leather keeper together.

[Fred]

There is a fellow who contacted me first who had asked about buying one. I've promised him the first chance to choose which one he wants. I've sent him these photos yesterday and let him know that if he picks a particular one out, I'd gladly take more detailed photos of it to send him. I've not heard back from him yet as of today. There are a couple of other gentlemen who have told me that they'd like to buy some or all as well. I'll give them the next shot at any they're interested in.
Nobody has heard my prices for them yet, so who knows if any of the gentlemen will buy any or not. There's the minty one and then there are the other three, which are all supple, strong and sound but used.

[TDP0311]

Lucked into this sling on eBay a month ago! Fits nicely into the collection.

30448

[Fred]

Yep, it looks nice! I think I bid on that one myself as well as the last one a few days ago. None others have appeared except those two. You got yours for a good price. I was shelling out money on something else at the time and so had to pass on it.
I dropped out of the bidding on the 2nd sling at $157.00 because really, just how many does a guy have to have anyway? I don't even have a rifle to put it on.