Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General OK.... How did they use saddle rings?

Seen them for years and figured that they tied the carbine to
the inside of the scabbard.

Got older, and actually used real scabbards on a horse. I found that most
working scabbards carried the carbine deep enough to keep it from falling out.

I know that real OLD military carbines (Spencer, Sharps, etc) were worn on a shoulder belt that attached to the ring, but not lever repeaters right?

So what use were the rings on all of the Marlin, Winchester, and Savage sporting rifles?

Thanks.
Bob

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddle_ring

A saddle ring is a metal ring attached to the receiver of a rifle or carbine allowing it to be tied to a saddle or used with a special sling.[1][2] Saddle rings could be attached directly to the firearm, or in some cases to a saddle ring bar, which allowed the saddle ring to slide along the action, such as on the British Enfield P1856, a short cavalry version of the Pattern 1853 Enfield used in the American Civil War.[3][4] Virtually every carbine-sized weapon used in the Civil War was equipped with a saddle ring and/or saddle ring/bar. Saddle rings are most commonly found on lever action rifles and other firearms of the late 1800s and early 1900s that were suitable for use on horseback. The muzzle of the rifle was placed in a carbine socket or boot. The idea behind using the saddle ring, and its carbine sling, is to allow the mounted soldier to never be separated from his weapon.

Understand the earlier military application........

I should of asked why the rings were offered for so many years on sporting carbines after scabbards were common. Did anyone really use them?

The ring is noisy and annoying, yet was offered well into the 20th century.

Probably because change is hard to accept so it takes time to implement. And the idea of; If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just my thoughts.

Bob

I should have added that westerners who did not use saddle scabbards would sometimes attach a loop of leather to the saddle ring and loop that over the saddle horn with the action resting cross-wise on the saddle just in front of them. I have also heard of looping the leather over the horn and resting the rifle on horse's withers just in front of the horn. This way, the off hand could steady the rifle without having to bear the weight when needed. I have seen a number of old saddle ring carbines with fair amounts of blue on the barrels with pretty well worn and rusted receivers which probably resulted from being carried on sweaty horses that way...

And, in addition to what Bob said, I suspect that saddle rings appealed to folks with a sense of history even though they never intended to put them to any kind of use...

Thanks for the replies.

Its designed to use a leather strap and hang on your saddle horn and it works quit well as a matter of fact..I prefer a saddle scabbard my self, but have used the saddle ring...

Of interest my Texas Ranger grandfather wrapped his 94 SRC's saddle ring with sinue to keep it quite in the So. Texas brush when he rode with Capt. McNeely in the border wars..I have that gun and the sinue has never worn to any degree and it looks neat. I have killed many deer and a few elk with that old gun and still do from time to time.

Mudhen - a short, old piece of leather shoe lace knotted on to the saddle ring will keep it quiet and looks "western...ish". Worked for me on my .45LC "Trapper". Regards, Homesteader

I was under the impression that a saddle ring was also used when the horse soldier was in a battle. Kind of like a lanyard ring on a "Fighting Pistol", or police lanyard.

I thought it was tied onto the saddle when going into battle so that the firearm could not easily be taken away from the horseman(like a Police lanyard). And since most were single shots the fighter could quickly switch from his firearm to his sword without worrying about loosing his firearm during the fight?? Tom.