Shiloh Rifle Forums

As I wait, hope and pray that I'll soon get the call that my 63 rifle has been completed, I've been stocking up on accessories. I bought a Sharps 3-Band Rifle Sling at Dells Leather Works, and it is nicely crafted. I try to put the correct sling on all my vintage long arms and Dell states this sling is made to original specs and the correct color, black. But, it was interesting to find post on civil war re-enactors sites to see people state the color of sharps issued slings was russet and black is incorrect.
I'm yet to find any documentation as to the correct color of the civil war sharps sling myself. Perhaps everybody is right, maybe the DST rifles issued to the USSS had russet colored slings and the single trigger rifles issued to the lucky line troops who got them had black slings, or maybe the other way around. Anyone have any insight to this little mystery?

Also what are you using as a sling on your sharps?

http://www.dellsleatherworks.com/sharpsrifleslings.htm

Nobody has a sling on their Sharps out there?

I have the carbine Nope! useless item for skirmishing. Enough other items to spend money on!

The 1862 Ordnance Manual, under the section on Accoutrements, list's "GUN-SLING (russet bag-leather) - Width, 1.25 inch; length, 46 inches; 1 standing and 1 sliding loop; hook, ( brass ) fastened to the sling with 2 brass rivets No. 15 wire." Any reference I've ever seen to military long arm slings referred to russet. Maybe Sharps offered black slings with their private sales.