Trapdoor Rifles

I picked up this leather sling from an old collector today who said it was for the early trapdoor rifles. I looked online and see that the single brass hook with single corresponding line of holes type Sling was used on Civil War muskets and on the earliest trapdoors and I’m wondering if this sling would be correct to put on my model 1884 rifle?

Another angle.

Slings were transferred from rifle to rifle and used until they wore out, then they were often repaired and used again! They were not thrown away just because a new style was announced. That means an older pattern sling could be found on a later model rifle - but not always vice-versa; in other words, an 1887 sling would NOT be "correct" on any of the .50s or muskets - but it could be OK as a replacement on an earlier 1873 still in service.

Thus, the PATTERN of sling you show could be OK for your range of rifle, BUT, I question the keepers, especially the large one (SA never used rivets like that), and, the thread looks like it was stitched-in yesterday . . . . Not a sling I'd want to display. Your rifle deserves better - and they can be found.

As always, I really appreciate your knowledge and counsel Dick. I definitely want a nice age correct one for my one and only Trapdoor and I’ll just keep this Sling on it until I can find a much better one.

If you happen to have one that you’d be willing to sell I’m buying

Hammer wrote: ↑Fri Apr 05, 2024 1:27 am As always, I really appreciate your knowledge and counsel Dick. I definitely want a nice age correct one for my one and only Trapdoor and I’ll just keep this Sling on it until I can find a much better one.

If you happen to have one that you’d be willing to sell I’m buying

Sorry, no surplus slings for sale at this time. I only have a few, to show the different styles (and I don't keep them on the guns). Many collectors like to display nothing but "fully-dressed" specimens, each having both sling and bayonet w/scabbard. Over the years I've acquired WAAY too many rifles to be able to afford that luxury!

OK thank you. I see lots of reproduction slings for sale that say they fit both Trapdoors and Krags but I’ll wait until I can find an original sling if there’s one out there.

Keep an eye on J&J Military Antiques, they just had a few listed but were guite pricey.

Hammer,

Quick advice. We all appreciate the original slings and other accoutrements associated with the trapdoors, and we love to handle them. We, however, tend to forget that the leather can be 150 years plus old, especially those single hook slings modified from existing Civil War stocks. As good as it may still appear, it is still 150 plus years old which means it is necessarily weak and apt to break if you put too much strain and tension on it! There have been many nice, original slings that have torn or broken by a well meaning collector trying to use it like the soldiers did when it was new.

Even the Indian War period maintenance methods work to our detriment today. The use of neatsfoot oil on working leather was then the standard. We have now found that the very neatsfoot oil used reacts with the tannins in the leather and over time forms sulfuric acid which destroys the leather from within. I finally have decided to keep original examples of correct, period slings that are unattached to my rifles, and put good reproductions on the rifles, so I can handle them without of breakage. Typically the slings were kept fairly tight and stretched on the rifles and right there is the start of breaking that original sling.

Just my thoughts!

throck3

Very well put!

Your council and advice are what I’m looking to do.

Because of my Trapdoors direct connection to being used during the Spanish-American War and since I have a correct Bayonet, I’m just looking for a sling to go with it as well. I don’t intend to ever carry the rifle with a Sling or use one for stability if I shoot it.

Thanks to carlsr’s advice I went to J&J military antiques site and I found a correct period sling that I’m going to get.