My understanding is that the early war carbine slings were khaki in color and later were OD green. This unissued sling is khaki but doesn’t have the C-tips. The oiler has no markings. Wondering if any khaki slings were issued post-war by the U.S., or by other countries post-war.  Would love to know what the story is on this.

Does that have a lead seal on it?

It seems to be lead. Dull finish and non-magnetic.

That  sling looks like nylon.  Looks to have the same weave as the Vietnam nylon “seatbelt” sling for the M16.

Is there any story behind this "NOS" sling?

 

I agree that it also seems to look like nylon and I have no idea why it would be bound with a lead seal. 

Supposedly, this was from bring-backs stored untouched in a box for decades in a barn by a multi-generational family of veterans of WWI, WWII and Korea. It seems unusual that a post-war Carbine sling would be khaki, but the lack of C-tips suggests that it is.

Also note both ends are slider style (no "lift the dot" end)

Yes, I just now unpacked it to look for markings (there are none) and see there’s no LTD.  So, it’s just a strap. Don’t know for what, and from when. I was able to repack it.

I have a ROK sling thats darker nylon and recall is for the carbine. Has the ROK/S. Korean markings on it.

 

1 hour ago, john k said:

Also note both ends are slider style (no "lift the dot" end)

 

The ROK slings have 2 sliders. No lift the dot

That would establish this one as a khaki version of the ROK carbine sling. That would explain the oiler, and the buckle that matches the US sling. Without the LTD fastener, hard to imagine how it’s secured.

4 hours ago, Fiziwater said:

That would establish this one as a khaki version of the ROK carbine sling. That would explain the oiler, and the buckle that matches the US sling. Without the LTD fastener, hard to imagine how it’s secured.

 

I have had one on a carbine. The slides secure the sling one end is threaded through the front band swivel to create a loop then threaded through the double slotted slide to secure the loop the same goes for the other end. It is placed through the cut out in the stock . Then looped back through and the oiler is then placed in the stock cut out to keep the loop from coming through. The second double slotted slid the sling is weaved through to secure it and by adjusting the slides provide the length for the sling

 

Here is one I still have. No markings. Not sure if its ROK or even made for  South Vietnam as they had a lot of carbines. The material is a better quality as the ROK marked one was thinner and a very dark green. The weave reminds me of an older M16 or M14 sling for color. Maybe just overly faded. Here is how the loops would be rigged to go through the band swivel and stock slot. The sling is threaded through the double slot slider then looped back and ran back through the slider. Pretty straight forward and snug but works. There is enough friction tension the slides wont slip or move.

 

 

 

 

Plenty of these nylon Vietnam era slings at Liberty Tree Collectables..

 

Liberty Tree

Many thanks guys. That’s what I’ve got here.

Liberty Tree lists them as Vietnam era. Were they issued to the US troops, or the RVN, or both?

Well they were on every one of my first units M3A1 grease guns back in 1985, so I can only assume both.  Each tank and M88 recovery vehicle had grease guns with these nylon slings.  Never ever saw one fired.