ChiCom M21 SKS M22 AK47 European Style Export Sling

Here is a rare Chinese clandestine export sling with metal end clip, small D ring and small metal snap. We have only seen a couple of these in the last 50 years.

We have shown this sling next to an early Chinese AK Sling from the late 1950s  They used D rings and snaps for a short period of time, then.  Note the similar weave patterns and how the Chinese are unique.

Unique amongst these slings are the bluing on the  M21/M22 sling.

Note the, smaller-than-European, domed metal rivets.

Last, note the odd green color with some khaki mottling. If it were all green like the 1970s and after Chinese webbing we would call these 1970s era.  However, the M Series SKS and AKs were 1960s.

The Chinese went to great lengths to disguise their M21 & M22 SKS & AK47 pattern rifles. It makes sense they would do the same for the sling.

CHICOM EXPORT M Series Small Arms 

It is well documented that the Chinese Communists have been a long-standing exporter of small arms around the world. In the 1960s North Vietnam received unimaginable quantities of small arms.

The Chinese made a series of their small arms for export  in the 1960s, when they began to export arms around the world. This series was called the “M” series of weapons.

The M series of weapons entail weapons that had no Chinese markings on them, but rather just the prefix M adjacent to a one or two digit number such as M7, M20, M21, M22 etc.

These markings were found in the usual locations where non-export weapons were marked with Chinese characters.

In these series was the M20, which was the Type 54/Tokerev pistol; the M21 was the type 56 carbine/SKS; the M22 was the Chinese Type 56 assault rifle/AK-47 with milled receiver; the M7 was the Chinese Type 56 rocket launcher/RPG2. 

In order to continue the clandestine nature of these export weapons, a special sling was manufactured in China for the SKS & AK. This was a copy of the Soviet style sling with a folded over and riveted thin sheet metal end tab, a small metal D Ring and a small metal snap.

As you know, Chinese issue military slings have leather tabs at the end which are secured by aluminum studs.  

This is an unissued sling which we are fortunate to offer.