Can you date my M1 Garand sling?

[bellasilva]

I'm not too knowledgeable on slings. I know it's not original to the rifle as my Garand consists of all 1943 parts and all I know about this sling is that it's very common and probably late 50's to 60's era? Thanks in advance.

[bellasilva]

Last

[ThompsonSavage]

Hard to date without markings, but the 'dimple' indicates very late war (1945) at the earliest. Judging by the weave, I would say postwar issue.

[bellasilva]

Thanks, I was beginning to think it wasn't even US issue.

[shcpirate]

Postwar issue for sure.

[anton67]

Agreed - post war.

WWII web slings have flat keepers.

[ThompsonSavage]

WWII web slings have flat keepers.

 

Not entirely true. The GI on the right has the late-war issue sling with a dimple on the keeper. Photo shows a patrol of the 137th Infantry, 35th Division near Arhoven Germany on 17 February 1945.

[Big Al]

One last thing. The sling is meant to be put on the rifle with the hook on the butt swivel. The reason for this is because the M1 Sling (like the M1907 before it) is meant to be used as a shooting aid.

 

The following link gives good instructions for this: http://www.ray-vin.com/tech/websling/webslinghelp.htm

[bellasilva]

One last thing. The sling is meant to be put on the rifle with the hook on the butt swivel. The reason for this is because the M1 Sling (like the M1907 before it) is meant to be used as a shooting aid.

 

The following link gives good instructions for this: http://www.ray-vin.c...ebslinghelp.htm

Thanks for that. I took it off months ago (I forget why), and put it back on recently and thought something looked off.

[Larry G.]

Take a good look at both sides of the sling for any black marks or lines. It could be the military part number. Sometime it will have a date and a MRT marking. If you have a camcorder with a night vision setting use it with thatsetting. It brings out faded dates and manufacturers names with that setting. It really works.