Saddle Ring

[Evan Thomas]

My grandfather gave about $4 for an old McClellan, back in 1940. I rode it some. Pain and agony. McClellan could have given lessons to the Marquis de Sade. Bareback was better.

The stable where I learned to ride when I was 7-8-ish used some McClellans. Sheer torture. It's a wonder I didn't give up.

I don't for a minute believe the looped-over-the-saddle-horn thing. Without some additional method of holding the carbine in place, I don't think most horses would tolerate it at anything faster than a walk.

 

[4V50 Gary]

The saddle ring evolved from the "sling ring" mentioned earlier. Those sling rings were on guns as early as the 18th Century. Remember that in those days guns were single shot muzzle loaders. You discharged and then had to release the carbine so you could draw your saber. Thus the gun was not lost when the cavalryman resorted to cold steel.

Why do we have it nowadays? Tradition (and fun).

 

[sgms]

Not the best but gives and idea of how the sling and ring used.

 

[James K]

As to the Winchesters, I think they just put the ring on in case anyone wanted to use it for anything, not necessarily with any specific idea of its use, or with any military use of the rifle in mind. I am not sure it would not have been used by civilians. A cowboy or a hunter might well have felt that having the carbine attached to him would be a good idea if the horse ran off while he was dismounted.

Jim

 

[radom]

About all they do on the Winchesters is make a agrivating rattle. You could use it and a leather thong to tie off the rifle to the saddle scabard to keep it from flying out, this usully results in the thong snagging and deflecting dead tree limbs into your leg,belly or horse though.

 

[Malamute]

Originally posted by radom

About all they do on the Winchesters is make a agrivating rattle. You could use it and a leather thong to tie off the rifle to the saddle scabard to keep it from flying out, this usully results in the thong snagging and deflecting dead tree limbs into your leg,belly or horse though

Aw come on, dont be so narrrow minded, besides rattling, they also scratch up the side of the receiver.

I cant remember how many old Winchesters I've seen that had the ring either cut off with a hack saw (they didnt know they unscrewed) or taken off and the hole left open, or a plug screw put in. One carbine had the hole plugged with one pitch (my gun, done way back when, perhaps into the late 20's). I've seen scads of otherwise nice old carbines with the receiver scratched up (blue worn off) by the ring. Sad. They have "cool factor" for a lot of people because they're old time, but I'm not a fan of them.

 

[44 AMP]

Growing up in the Northeast, I saw a large number of Winchesters and other guns with saddle rings, or the ring and bar. Without exception, every one that was used by a serious hunter would have the ring removed, or wrapped in leather to keep it from making noise.

Not a lot of horseback hunting done in the Adirondaks, mostly stand hunting, or stalking on foot. And a little metal ring going clink, clink somehow tells every deer in a mile where you are. And, what you are doing!

I think that it became called a saddle ring not because you were supposed to fasten the rifle to the saddle, but because you could use it from the saddle.

The arm is fastened to the man, not the horse. Like the lanyard ring on a pistol, the idea was that you and the gun stay together. Not as important to the deer hunter as to the cavalryman, but things like that become tradition. You, or I might not have a use for it, but it wouldn't be a saddle ring carbine without a saddle ring, now would it?

 

[Malamute]

....You, or I might not have a use for it, but it wouldn't be a saddle ring carbine without a saddle ring, now would it?

True! Though there was also what collectors term "Eastern carbines", which are otherwise identical to "saddle ring" carbines, just lack the ring. I generally use the term early type carbines for all of them collectively.

Once they went to ramp front sights, flat buttplates etc in the late 20's or 30's, they pretty much all look alike, vintage notwithstanding. I'm more a fan of the so called eastern carbines for simple lack of ring, but I really do like the looks of the early type features otherwise.