Sling manufacturer

[trimmer99]

Just purchased a M1907 sling via a friend who picked it up at the Tulsa show. It looks like it is stamped REW. Is this a known manufacturer or am I reading it wrong? Thanks for the help. RB

[Merc]

Just purchased a M1907 sling via a friend who picked it up at the Tulsa show. It looks like it is stamped REW. Is this a known manufacturer or am I reading it wrong? Thanks for the help. RB

Just reading your old post.... I recently bought a really dry and dirty M1907 leather sling that I hoped would work on my M1917 Winchester. Once I got it home and applied some Lexol, I could read "Lawrence" and "1917" stamped in the leather near one of the hooks which would be the OEM and date of manufacture. Near the other hook was stamped "SL" which I assume were inspector's initials. The leather responded nicely to the treatment and now only shows some minor surface cracking in certain areas and it fits the rifle well. Look to see if there are any faint OEM marks near the other hook as the REW could be the inspector's initials.

[Dan Shapiro]

Here's a website, scroll down to the known maker/inspector stamps:

http://www.rollanet.org/~stacyw/us_m1907_sling.htm

For Lawrence, the inspector was JEW.

[Merc]

Here's a website, scroll down to the known maker/inspector stamps:

http://www.rollanet.org/~stacyw/us_m1907_sling.htm

For Lawrence, the inspector was JEW.

Thanks Dan for the informative site. Trimmer can take another look to see if the R is really a J and look for more stampings. Mine is clearly stamped SL in the leather near the hook.

Is there a way to tell if a Kerr fabric sling is a repro or an original?

[Dan Shapiro]

Merc, the one thing I've been told consistently over the years is that if the rivets are split = repo. In addition, they should NOT be stamped "US" anywhere.

[alibi]

Here is a list of manufacturers that made slings on contract for the U.S., compiled from various sources, that may be useful to identification. Where the dates are in parenthesis it is known the company made slings during that period but the exact year(s) is unknown. None of the source documents provide the information of the manufacturers of gunsling M1907 Special, that had three hooks intended for use on the Browning Automatic Rifle M1918, but material culture examples should be marked the same as gungsling M1907. Where no manufacturer is listed the company identification is unknown. Correct, add or comment on this list that I do not represent as complete or accurate.

ATLAS - Atlas Mfg. Co., New York 1944 (M1)
BOYT - Walter Boyt Saddlery, Des Moines, Ia (1917-18) (M1907)
BOYT - Boyt Harness Co., Des Moines, Ia (1941-44) ((M1907)
B.T.&B. CO. - Belber Trunk & Bag Co., Philadelphia, Pa. (1917-18) (M1907)
CC - unk (1942) (M1907)
CS - Crosby Co., Buffalo, NY (1917-18) (M1907)
DUNCAN - Duncan & Sons, Seattle, Wa. (1917-18) (M1907)
E.A. CROSSMAN CO. - E. A. Crossman Co., Newark, NJ (1860-65) (musket sling)
LADEW - Edward R. Ladew, Glen Cove, NY 1917 (M1907
Unk - E. L. Prickett & Co., Mount Holly, NJ 1898 (M1887)
HARVEY WHEELER - Harvey Wheeler, Concord Junction, Ma 1917 (M1907)
HOYT - F. M. Hoyt Shoe Co., Manchester, NH (1917-18) (M1907)
LAWRENCE - George Lawrence Co., Portland, Or (1917-18) (M1907)
G. & K. - Graton Knight Mfg. Co., Worchester, Ma (1917-18) (M1907
Unk - Harrison & Gathright, Louisville, Ky 1898 (M1887)
H&G - Harbison & Gathright. Louisville, Ky (1917-18)(M1907)
Unk - Hermann Stanford Saddlery Co., Springfield, Mo (1917-18) (M1907)
H&P - Hewes & Potter. Boston, Ma 1918 (M1907)
HICKOK - Hickok Mfg. Co., Rochester, NY 1943-44 (M1907)
Unk - J. J. Warren Co., Worcester, Ma 1898 (M1887)
J.C.S. CO - John Clark Saddlery Co., Portland, Or (1917-18) (M1907)
Unk - Kerr Adjustable Strap Co., New York (1917-18) (Kerr)
LEROY? - Lerch Brothers, Inc., Baltimore, Md (1917-18) (M1907)?
Unk - Lichtenberger-Ferguson Co., Los Angeles, Ca (1917-18) (M1907)
LOUIS LEFKOWITZ & BRO. INC. - Louis Lefkowitz & Bro. Inc., Milltown, NJ 1944 (M1)
MILLS - Mills Woven Cartridge Belt Co., Worcester, Ma 1901 (trial woven)
MILSCO - Milsco Prods, Co., Milwaukee, Wis 1943-44 (M1907)
P.B.&CO. - Plant Bros and Co., Manchester, NH 1918 (M1907)
P.K.W. - 1944 (M1)
P.S.CO. - 1945 (M1)
R-S - Rossi Saddelry Co. (1917-18)(M1907)?
S. & K. - 1918 (M1907)
Unk - S. Schuer & Sons, New York 1898 (M1887)
Unk - S. Froehlich Co., Inc., New York 1941-42 (M1907
S. FROEHLICH CO. Inc. - S. Froehlich Co., Inc., New York 1944 (M1)
S. M. Co. - 1942 (M1923)
S. M. CO. - 1943 (M1)
Unk - Smith-Worthington Co., Hartford, Cn 1917 (M1907
Unk - Stander Saddlery Co., Chicago Il 1898 (M1887)
VBMC? - Unk 1917 (M1907)
W.T.&B.CO. - Westboro Trunk & Bag Co., Westboro, Ma 1918 (M1907)
Unk - Western Mfg. Co., San Francisco, Ca 1918 (M1907)

[webber]

How about "BOYT" - Boyt Leather Goods. I have a few, and have seen several others for sale.

[JOHN COOK]

BOYT, Look above your post.

john

[Merc]

Merc, the one thing I've been told consistently over the years is that if the rivets are split = repo. In addition, they should NOT be stamped "US" anywhere.

Dan - The Kerr sling that came with the 1943 Remington 03-A3 appears to be an original. No "US" stamped or stenciled anywhere. The fabric is fairly clean without any wear showing and the hardware is in nice shape. The rivets aren't split from excess pressure and look as if they were assembled with the correct amount of pressure. The D rings on the long and short straps have the following stamped on them: PAT'D 7-21-14 in large letters and numbers above the rivets and the "NOBUCKL" logo stamped below the rivets. The clips have the same logo but the patent date is stamped in small letters and numbers. I kinda wondered if it was the original or a repro sling since it was so clean and well preserved. The entire rifle was in really nice shape which leads me think it might not have seen any active service.

[Tom Doniphon]

I have seen the REW inspection mark on W B & T Co. made slings.

[Merc]

I have seen the REW inspection mark on W B & T Co. made slings.

Tom,

Acknowledged. Thanks for the info.

[Merc]

What US military rifles were originally issued with M1907 and Kerr slings?

[alibi]

Small arms weren't issued with slings, bayonets or anything else, all of the accessories, accouterments and spare parts had to be requisitioned separately. If what you mean by your question what rifles were the gunsling M1907 and Kerr slings assembled to, virtually any firearm that was in service that had sling swivels. Typically the rifle M1903 and rifle M1917 were carried with gunsling M1907. During WWI the Kerr sling was substituted on a limited basis for the gunsling M1907, but appears to have been primarily used in training camps in the U.S. An additional hook was assembled to the gunsling M1907 (special) for use with the Browning Automatic Rifle M1918 and was available as long as the BAR was in the system.

Post WWI the gunsling M1907 was considered the primary sling for use on rifles until the adoption of the woven web sling M1 during WWII. Additional Kerr slings were procured for use on the various models of the Thompson sub-machine gun, and was no longer procured after the Sub-machine gun M3 replaced the TSG.

the sling M1907 is still in the supply system as it is preferred by match rifle shooters.

[Merc]

Small arms weren't issued with slings, bayonets or anything else, all of the accessories, accouterments and spare parts had to be requisitioned separately. If what you mean by your question what rifles were the gunsling M1907 and Kerr slings assembled to, virtually any firearm that was in service that had sling swivels. Typically the rifle M1903 and rifle M1917 were carried with gunsling M1907. During WWI the Kerr sling was substituted on a limited basis for the gunsling M1907, but appears to have been primarily used in training camps in the U.S. An additional hook was assembled to the gunsling M1907 (special) for use with the Browning Automatic Rifle M1918 and was available as long as the BAR was in the system.

Post WWI the gunsling M1907 was considered the primary sling for use on rifles until the adoption of the woven web sling M1 during WWII. Additional Kerr slings were procured for use on the various models of the Thompson sub-machine gun, and was no longer procured after the Sub-machine gun M3 replaced the TSG.

the sling M1907 is still in the supply system as it is preferred by match rifle shooters.

This tells me everything I need to know. Thanks.

[0440]

QUESTION: anyone know the inspecto's initials C.W.A. relative to the 1907 model sling made in 1918. above 1918 date are three initials, but I can only make aout the
last initial 'C'. the inspector's initials might tell me who made my sling............. Thanks

[Tom Doniphon]

Could the inspector's initials actually be CWE rather than CWA? Many WWI Model 1907 slings made by Plant Bros. Company are marked PB&Co 1918 and have the CWE inspector's mark on them.