The correct sling

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Terminal99	The correct sling	Lead	[-]
Posts: 28 (03/11/09 07:58 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None Who has the most authentic sling available for the 88 rifle? Ebay has them starting at $20, but I wonder how good they are.
TP		#1	[-]
Posts: 837 (03/11/09 05:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Well, they all come from the same place, Pakistan/India. Now, don't think that I am talking down the craftsmanship of the Indian or Pakistani leatherworkers there are some incredible craftsmen working over there and the best work is done on the first shipment or two then the work seems to slide down to less experienced workers. This information comes from a good friend who deals with the Indian industry that has sprung up reproducing leather goods and he is constantly on them to meet the higher standard, he refuses work that does not measure up. Anyway, you get what you pay for and many of the vendors don't keep an eye on quality control, they get a shipment and they could care less if the slings are made from the hide af the Great Nauga if the price is right so.... Altogether, the reproduction slings for the Gew88 and Gew98 are not too bad. And take that from someone who tried to compete with the large scale production of the repro industry. If I were to by the cross-hatching stamp(about $350 - ten years ago!) and use the best quality leather, not to mention the hardware (Proper buckles don't grow on trees) my best price would easily be twice what the current market allows and maybe more. That is, if I were to sell a LOT of slings....
A1Coyote		#2	[-]
Posts: 157 (03/12/09 07:07 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	TP is right on the money. About 5 years ago I couldn't find a repro sling. So I bought originals that were on the ratty side, (read Cheap) measured them up, used them as templates. Bought two original q.d. sling swivals, bought good repro parade loops from a fellow who had made some for himself, bought repro buckles from GWM, and had a couple of very well made leather slings made with the sling swivals sewn into them from Prairie Flower Leather. They cost me (not including the price of the slings used for templates) about 7-8 dollars more than you can get a good repro from Welser. That was about 5 years ago. The $19 slings are OK too, but the color is orangey, and not close to original color.