This is a 1 inch wide carbine sling, with a M1 Garand style sling adjuster
My M1 Carbines
The carbine's sling went through some minor changes during WWII. Among the approximately 12 manufacturers, some variation exists in color, thickness and weave of material, contour of the C-shaped end tabs (tips), and the size and shape of the buckle.
However, some general statements can be made: The earliest slings varied in color: tan, very light green, or a dull mustard/bronze color, with thin C-shaped end tabs and a very narrow buckle that was extremely difficult to adjust. The color of the sling changed to a more consistent khaki/light green, and then a dark OD green beginning in late 1943 - early 1944. The C-shaped end tabs were made stronger and slightly thicker. Inexplicably, the opening in the sling well of the stock was never made larger to accommodate the thicker slings, making it very difficult to attach and remove the later slings from the carbine.
Sometime after the end of the war, the shape of the end tabs was changed to a solid D-shape, makin the sling nearly identical in construction to that used by the Marines on their Reising submachine gun. This change made it even more difficult to push the sling through the sling slot and around the oiler of the carbine stock.
The Infantry (Test) Board at Fort Benning, Georgia released a report on 23 August 1944, detailing the testing of an improved sling for the carbine, which used the locking hardware from the canvas M1 Sling to eliminate the difficulties encountered in adjusting the standard sling.
It appears that the test board was confused about encountering both types of carbine sling buckles, which were described as slip buckles and slip lock buckles throughout this report. Standard carbine slings obtained at Fort Benning were equipped with one of two sizes of slip buckles. At one time in the past, a larger slip lock buckle was used on the standard sling. If this was before the introduction of the smaller slip buckle, it is apparent that the adoption of the smaller slip lock buckle was a mistake. However, if the larger slip buckle was introduced after the smaller slip buckle, then it is apparent that the deficiency of the smaller slip lock buckle was recognized, and the problem has been solved in a most efficacious manner.
It is not known if the slings with the smaller slip buckles were NOS (new, old stock), or whether one or more subcontractors were still producing slings with these buckles in 1944.
During post Korean War years, and the early years of Vietnam, the M1 and M2 Carbine had a newer type sling issued
with it, that had a M1 Garand style adjusting latch on it. This was very close to the M1 Garand
sling. Latter the Carbine slings had the cotton replaced by nylon to fight the high humidity in
Vietnam. Later into the war, the bean counters won out over fuction, and the adjuster was done
away with, and a buckle type adjuster put at both ends.
This is a 1 inch wide carbine sling, with a M1 Garand style sling adjuster
My M1 Carbines