DD (E) 3543

The rarest of the rare in terms of Enfield Sniper Accessories. According to the Enfield Sniper Book “ An Armourer's Perspective” by Peter Laidler with Ian Skennerton, on page 42 there was a request from the field for a better sling than the leather one in use during the war. The result was the “No. 4 Mk.1 (T) Experimental web sling DD (E) 3543”, which was supplied by the Mills Equipment Company in very limited numbers. It appears that these were just Competition Slings that were pulled off weapons from the rifle team. It is estimated that less and 30 were produced and all were made from existing M.E.C.o slings to make a more complex model.

Being a huge fan of all things British Militaria I have always been on the lookout for one of these. A couple years ago while I was in the UK at the Imperial War Museum researching WWII German PzB-39s and sharing information and photos with the staff there, I was invited to Nottingham to visit the Royal Small Arms Pattern Room. While I was there I actually got to hold and measure an original MEC DD (E) 3543 sling. That set in motion a 2+ year adventure to replicate this “Holy Grail” of Enfield Slings.

I have faithfully reproduced the #4 Sniper Experimental Sling using the highest quality and closest to the original parts that I could lay my hands on. The sling I saw was heavily used and warn / dirty and it was difficult to tell if the sling was originally Green or Khaki (Tan). After experimenting with fake aging I discovered that they were likely Khaki and that the one I saw was really filthy dirty to the point of almost being green.

This is an exact reproduction to the original with the one exception to the marking “M.E.Co. 1943” which I deliberately leave off so as not to get these confused with an original.

The sewing in particular has been painstakingly replicated, much to the chagrin of the professionals hired to make these. The stitching is like the originals (hand stitched) and not at all like modern slings. The stitching is replicated with all its defects / sloppiness. The brass fittings and buckles have been blackened then oxide patina-ed and then aged via hand rubbing to simulate years of wear. There will be spots / discolorations on the cotton webbing to replicate 75 years of use as well.

The double and single loops are solid brass and had to be custom cast as no reproduction hardware is available in the correct shape and size. This was a major cost of the project, but one that could not have been done any other way.

The slings are hand aged and thus all are slightly different. All will have defects / pulled threads in the webbing, some bent brass end fittings and kinks in the cotton webbing. The keeper in particular will have frayed edges where it is butt sewn together (again to simulate the original that I saw).

As these were used on the British Shooting Teams they would be appropriate for a number of weapons over several decades of World Conflict for example:

WWII Enfield No. 4 “T” Sniper

Enfield L42A1 Military Sniper Rifle

Enfield Police L42A1 Enforcer Rifle

Enfield Envoy Match Rifle L39A1

Enfield No. 8 (.22 LR) Match Rifle

Enfield No. 8 Mk-1 (.22 LR) RF Carbine

British L1A1 (FN FAL)

British Parker & Hale M82

British Parker & Hale M85

Any Pre-1965 Sniper or Target Rifle

They are also a great sling to use on just about any rifle.