New, quality ATF reproduction WWII German Karabinerriemen. The name literally translates to "Carbine Slings" as the then newly introduced K98 rifle was a shortened version of the Gewehr (Rifle) Model 98. This same sling was used on all combat rifles fielded by Germany including G41, G43, K43, Mkb42, MP43, MP44, and STG44.

The leather is properly dyed with an aniline finish which darkens easily when oiled. Our slings are the correct length (120cm), hand sewn, correct steel hardware, with cross-hatched embossing. The hardware is painted rather than blued or phosphate plated- achieving the exact WWII finish is proving to be an uphill battle with all the overseas manufacturers for some reason.

Imported

Markings: We stamp these with "adf 1943" and a Waffenamt. However, just like on originals, the markings can be difficult to see- and once the sling is used very much, they will largely become even more faint. It's simply a characteristic of the leather- not a mistake. One of the hardest things to find in collecting is an original WWII K98, MP40 or MG sling with nice, legible markings. Normally one is lucky to even be able to see where the stamps once were, much less be able to read them.

Care: Just use mink oil or neetsfoot oil. Apply it with a rag, work it into the leather and then wipe off the excess occasionally. Do not fill a can with oil and soak leather anything for hours- most people seem to know this, but there are those special few who need reminding...

The Keeper Conundrum

Original K98 slings have one keeper (loop). ONE.

Many neophyte enthusiasts believe they have two. Why? One of the leather companies in India, who supplies numerous other militaria vendors, has mistakenly decided that two keepers were better than one- perhaps they extrapolated from M1907 slings- I have no clue. They have been making slings like this for over a decade, and they are very predominant in the repro market.

Thanks to a number of online videos featuring these cheap slings made with two keepers, it's common to find people who insist that 2 keepers must be correct because they-saw-it-on-the-internet. In fact, this is 100% FARB- historically it's utter BS.

For those who doubt me, the images below are taken from the wartime German K98 manual. One can clearly see that there is only one keeper (Riemenschieber.) One can also verify this by looking at Wartime (original) photos of German troops, as well as looking up original slings for sale.

On top of the keeper mistake, some of these bargain-barn gems are 12-18 inches too long. Originals are typically 47-48 inches. Not 6 feet. We copy real, WWII examples, not $7 reproductions.

For more details on originals, see Bergflak's K98 sling page.

Original diagram from the German manual	Schematic from the wartime manual showing the sling fitted to the rifle