A couple of members asked me what I knew about the original slings for old Dutch AR10's.  (I knew nada).  So I posed this question to a couple of wise Dutchmen and some photos were provided.  The news is good for members tgus and Mrf2. You guys can easily afford nice original slings. Guys with earlier rifles might be up the creek.

So please forgive me as I am not sling-wise or sling worthy.  I am sure vintage AR10 owners would be please to read any interpretations of these photos.  I plan to sit back and wait to be told what to buy and who to buy it from.

The Sudanese rifles and Transitional rifles had a sling that is photgraphed below.  Does this look familair?


The Portuguese AR10 had an M1 sling made of cotton.  Just a quick internet search turned up all kinds of different M1 slings.  Can anyone out there further identify just what kind of M1 sling is in the photo?

Look like they would be better than the m14 slings.

HHollow, I love your AR-10 posts (even though I don't own one)! I've been trying to learn a little about them as of late. Keep it up!

The end treatment with the holes looks a little HK / Cetme-ish. I have to admit I'm fascinated by Olgunner's early Sudanese AR10. It's no lightweight, that's for sure! I told him he should take it to the local .30 hipower matches near him, just to mess with their minds.

ETA: Actually, come to think of it, the sling has kind of a British flair to it.

(Fixed it for ya.)

The Dutch guys are telling me that they got their M1 style slings from the Dutch military.  The two rivets on the tongue seem to be unique.  An original A.I. manufacturers drawing was found that showed the sling, which looks like it was from an ordinary M1.  Maybe these Dutch guys just think they are using the correct sling?!

Below is what the Dutch think is the correct sling on a Portuguese style AR10.  Note the two rivets on the tongue.


The manufacturers drawings seem to show an "normal" M1 sling.

I hope that's true.  I'd hate to spend years looking for a special sling with two rivets if I didn't really need one!  The M1 sling is much easier to find!

BTW, that is a cool drawing.  I'd love to have a full-size copy of that to frame and hang.
You don't happen to have that in high-res digital form, would you?  

After a bit of digging I am sure that that is a Dutch FAL sling. REF this post in the FAL files LINK where several views of a Dutch FAL sling are shown in pictures out of the manuals.

If anything I suspect the Portuguese used US M1 slings based on the pictures I have seen and that the Air Force paratroopers that were issued the AR10 used M1945 suspenders, BAR belts, and US type canteens (that I would bet were US in origin). That sling may have been used by the Dutch when they tested the AR10?

I believe your Dutch friends are correct. My Portuguese AR-10s are equipped with slings identical to the one pictured. I believe them to be original.

Where does one purchase such a sling? (*)


* This is not a WTB advertisement.  If it were a WTB advertisement then it would be in EE.  This is merely an informational inquiry intended to gauge the availability of certain reto items.

There's a Danish M1 sling on GB now, but I can't see the tab.
A few weeks ago while looking for a seatbelt sling I came across one on GB identical to the second pic in the OP with the funky tab.