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The ones with the “diamond” shaped steel rivets on the keepers & steel rivets attaching the brass frogs to the leather? Do these two features constitute a positive ID? During what period were these slings supplied by Winchester?
Those features are good indicators but do not positively identify it as a Winchester sling.
The issue is that Winchester did not make those slings, they relied on more than one outside manufacturer. Those manufacturers also supplied slings to Remington and a few other companies. There are SLIGHT differences in the Remington and Winchester slings but they both have the diamond rivets and some of the Remington slings have the steel rivets on the hook.
To further complicate the identification process, Winchester changed suppliers of the slings at least once (and maybe twice) during the years between 1935-1963.
You also have to differentiate which leather sling you are evaluating, Winchester offered at least 10 different leather slings in their pre-war catalogs, some short-lived and others, like the 3260, was listed in the Winchester catalogs from 1898 all the way through 1985.
I wrote about 20 pages of information on the slings in the upcoming Model 69 book and list the various slings used but Winchester made none of them in house and since suppliers changed there are some variations through the years, even on the same sling model.
I wish I could say those are the positive ID features for Winchester slings but the truth is there are other slings that have those same features, even to new slings produced this day.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Hey Jeff-
Any updates on the upcoming M69 book? Like where we can pre-order them?
I only own one M69, but sure I want a copy of your book!!! 
Thanks,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
JWA said
To further complicate the identification process, Winchester changed suppliers of the slings at least once (and maybe twice) during the years between 1935-1963.
Thanks–had a feeling identifying them wouldn’t be as simple as using just those two characteristics, & also assumed they were supplied by some outside leather products co. However, took them to be pre-war products, so surprised they were made over such a long period. (Considering that, you’d think they’d be more common.) Strange, don’t you think, the company wouldn’t have done the obvious marketing thing of stamping their name, or at least a big “W,” on them?
Are you sure 20 pages will be enough?
JWA said
Those features are good indicators but do not positively identify it as a Winchester sling.The issue is that Winchester did not make those slings, they relied on more than one outside manufacturer. Those manufacturers also supplied slings to Remington and a few other companies. There are SLIGHT differences in the Remington and Winchester slings but they both have the diamond rivets and some of the Remington slings have the steel rivets on the hook.
To further complicate the identification process, Winchester changed suppliers of the slings at least once (and maybe twice) during the years between 1935-1963.
You also have to differentiate which leather sling you are evaluating, Winchester offered at least 10 different leather slings in their pre-war catalogs, some short-lived and others, like the 3260, was listed in the Winchester catalogs from 1898 all the way through 1985.
I wrote about 20 pages of information on the slings in the upcoming Model 69 book and list the various slings used but Winchester made none of them in house and since suppliers changed there are some variations through the years, even on the same sling model.
I wish I could say those are the positive ID features for Winchester slings but the truth is there are other slings that have those same features, even to new slings produced this day.
Regards,
Good stuff, Jeff, thank you.
James
clarence said
Are you sure 20 pages will be enough?
No, probably not, the 20 pages only covers the slings offered for the Model 69. I didn’t cover other slings in the catalogs that were applicable to earlier models. Maybe one of these days I will go back and do a complete sling article since I already gathered information on the suppliers pre Model 69 (1935).
Also, I agree about the marking, it would have been easy for Winchester to specify that in the contract. Some of the post-1964 slings ARE stamped with the Winchester logo.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
H
Louis Luttrell said
Hey Jeff-Any updates on the upcoming M69 book? Like where we can pre-order them?
I only own one M69, but sure I want a copy of your book!!!
Thanks,
Lou
Hi Lou,
Rest assured it is coming and will be out soon (end of July/early August).
Pre-orders are not offered at this time which is just as well when you hear my sad tale……..
So, I was on-track to have it available for the Cody show and excited to get it off to the publisher and on to printing. My joy was cut short 2 weeks ago when I got a call from my agent who said the publisher was going out of business and Jostens (the printer) who the publishing company was using to print was also going out of business (their CA location). Jostens had closed it’s CA doors in April due to Covid-19 and just announced a few weeks ago they would not re-open, mostly due to the Chinese undercutting book printing (they were down about 70% in printing volume).
So, I was left scrambling to find another publisher who had a relationship with one of the few remaining printers in the US that could do a quality Smythe sewn book with bonded leather case. I REALLY wanted to have it printed in the US and will NOT have it printed in China. I had one more option for printing in Canada as a back up.
Good news is that I found a new publisher last week and it is off my desk and out of my hands now. It will be available on the publisher’s website and Amazon, and of course I will have copies at the various gun shows I attend (Tulsa, Cody, KCMO MVACA, OGCA, and sometimes Lakeland, FL).
It ended up at 468 pages with over 1,300 photos and drawings and weighs almost 5 lbs. It is roughly similar in format to Rule’s book on the Model 70. I was surprised at how much information I was able to find on the simple Model 69 but when there are 16 different cataloged types with 48 sub-variations the information piles up quickly.
I will post info here on where to order as soon as it hits the shelves.
Thanks for your interest, good to know at least one copy will sell
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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