This is an excellent example the 1850 pattern gun sling issued throughout the Civil War for use on rifles and muskets. Usually made of russet leather, the gun sling consists of a single long strap with fixed loop on one end to feed the strap back through on the upper swivel, and a fixed hook on the other to feed though the lower swivel and adjust for length by using small punched holes. Measures 46” in length total.

This is complete, full-length, once mounted on a rifle, but very solid and flexible and with nice finish, showing some minor wrinkles but no tears, breaks, or repairs. The brass hook, flat on one side and rounded on the other, is firmly in place and stitching of the overlapping leather is secure. The standing loop is present, showing some slight stretching indicating it was on a rifle, but is firmly in place. The sling also still has the sliding loop to tighten the overlapping sections of the strap once looped through the sling swivels.

This could be mounted on a rifle again for display or put alongside the other standard gear issued to an infantryman both to complete a stand of arms and show his full kit. These are tough to find in good condition and not common in any case. Careless handling has damaged many and in postwar use around a farm the sling was not necessary. Government arsenals had many, but they suffered in storage and those left in good condition were cut and spliced together to create the longer 1870 pattern slings for trapdoor rifles. This one is exceptionally nice.  [sr]  [ph:m]

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