See the photo below with what looks like a few field modified xm177e2 carbines.
Question, is this a field expedited sling that is being used and how is the sling actually attached to the FSB ?
I have tried a similar setup and always reach some type of epic fail with the FSB attachment point.

Megaro I just use a Lark's Head knot with the paracord but I always wondered how paracord would hold up to sustained fire.

How hot does the back leg of the FSB get under sustained fire?

Good to know TNoonan sent me one of those slings, it arrived today and I was wondering the same thing.

Megaro I jumped the gun.

That dude has one of those straps with the Crab Claw looking clasps on the end.

I can't remember what those were for but I have seen them before.

I'm looking for a bigger picture of that one to try to tell what the "Crab" is clamped onto.

This is how hot the FSB gets after 250+ blank rounds within say 10min.  And yes you can still see the scar on my arm. Pretty cool huh?

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/robthecubehead/1235997_10202001318102875_2124062886_n_zps235ddfe5.jpg

I smell bacon!

Well that looks hot enough to melt paracord!

Still searching for the kind of strap.

I believe it could be a later pattern Lightweight Rucksack waist strap. I have seen them used before in original photos.

Also Note the trigger guard folded down and taped.

Here is one pictured on my A1.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/robthecubehead/20140314_173512_zps8b1aedd6.jpg

I don't believe most of us will see that rate of fire with our slings.   At ~2.4 sec/rd you be pushing some Pb down the tube.

Good eyes.  It did not look to me to be a simple knot, but something else.  The resolution is just
not good enough for me to tell.

That is one of my favorite in country photos.

Blown up a bit.

could be a grenade ring on the FSB with an early one inch wide strap from the two quart collapsible canteen

There used to be a triangler shaped metal thingie that was made to go onto the FSB. Then the strap went thru it. I bought one new back around 1980. It worked brilliantly. But alas, after about 10yrs it broke from long term fatigue. Haven't seen another one for sale since.

you mean this?


pic from jhud in an archived thread

looks like DPMS used to have them but they are discontinued
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/673766/dpms-top-carry-sling-adapter-ar-15-aluminum-matte

Sarco carries them. link


If you don't mind scratches.

Yup. thats it. Kept the heat away from the strap or cord. But it does scratch somewhat..but not much. Most didn't put around the barrel like that pic above. Mostly around the FSB only.

550 cord will melt in high volume fire. I've seen it many times, but usually on pigs and SAWs.

The triangular sling adapter was part of the patrol sling kit, which had an NSN to it. We had them in my first scout platoon.

Nice detail on the blow-up but now I want to know about the strap holding the P38 and beer can opener.

I think we have a winner here for the strap!





Didn't those come out in the 70's?




Just a USGI carabiner.



Get some.

ETA The dude on the right has his K-Bar hanging on a carabiner too. And they both have ChiCom bandoliers.  

Interesting posts !  If you look at the attachment on the car stock, it looks to be identical to the attachment point on the FSB.

It sure does look from the larger photo that it is a round or oval object that is holding the strap claw to the weapon.

The grenade ring sure makes sense. They might have one or two spare ones floating around in country.

I'm looking for a 1" canteen strap now but everything is newer and has the normal GP type strap.

RBRD is a baaaaaaad thing!

The top sling adapter was post-VN. It took me a year to give one away on PIF. I use the paracord on the FSB, but haven't tried any mag dumps with one. Worse case, I think I'd tie it off to the sling swivel, or pick up an M4 side sling adapter. (These were experimented with in the early '70s IIRC) The early ones have an A1/A2 'anvil' . Would love to find one now. They used to be all over the place, cheap. I don't like things that rattle, regardless. Not critical at the range, but if you ever had the need for stealth, it could make you dead.

I personally wouldn't duplicate this sling set-up, as it's some Cav guys with a really bad solution for sling attachment. Metal buckles and hooks clanking around just make a lot of noise, damage the weapon, get caught on things at the most inopportune times, and can even injure you.

Back with the LC-1 and even some of the older M-1956 load bearing gear, the first thing I learned to do was to take our Squad equipment bolt cutters and cut off all the "meat hooks" from my LCE, then replace those attachment points with 550 cord. Most Infantry unit SOP's called for taping over the meat hooks, but that was only so effective. They rust quickly with infantry use, and fail under the loads we carried. Nothing like seeing someone break a meat hook in the middle of a forced march, or better yet, on a jump. The meat hooks are also air hazards with the parachute harness, suspension lines, and other air items for paratroopers.

I had one of the triangle links that was traced with gutted 550 cord as part of the patrol sling kit. There was also a buttstock attachment piece of webbing with a D ring on it. The patrol sling is what evolved into our modern 2-point quick-adjust slings when guys in SFOD started using the ALICE Pack rucksack strap triangular, spring-loaded friction buckle to add a quick-adjust feature to the patrol sling.

Another thing about this photo is that they appear to have standardized use of the CHICOM SKS chest harness for ammunition load bearing. Looks like 20rd mags in the SKS stripper clip/7.62x39 pouches.

I have tried 20 rounders in a chicom bandolier - but they seems real tight. I'm sure they'd loosen up with time. It was pretty common, and they are a great way to carry a bunch of 20 rndrs. The AK chest rigs were also used by SOG with 30 rndrs, with socks or cleaning rags stuffed under them to bring them up to the top. It's interesting to see all the field expedient 'solutions' to less than perfect equipment. I agree completely with cutting off the meathooks. I've cut my hand on the damn things. Hate 'em. Only bad thing is modifying period gear that is getting less common - like M1967 H harnesses.  I would like to try attaching a Chicom bandolier to the outside of a pack to carry stripper clips - I think this would be a good way to carry extra ammo.

LRRPF52 - did you ever see an M16 burn through 550 cord as we commonly attach it now to rear slope of FSB? I'm sure it's possible, and has likely happened, but I just don't see ever getting my weapon that hot as I don't have a Class III. Comments?

I would specifically be willing to bet they are Aero Scouts (Blue Platoon), from all the noisy crap hanging everywhere that they wouldn't have been able to get away with in a "regular" grunt outfit.

When you're flown in for just a few minutes or hours and the choppers are buzzing whopping directly overhead all the time, it ain't like noise discipline is anywhere on the list of things to worry about.

They make nomex boot laces these days, one could use those instead of 550 cord.