Two decisions define which shackle you need, and both matter more than price.
**Bow or dee.** A bow shackle has a wide rounded body that accepts several sling legs and tolerates load from varying directions. A dee shackle is narrow and is intended for a single leg loaded in line with the body. Put a multi-leg sling in a dee shackle and you side load it, which is outside its rating.
**Screw pin or safety pin.** A screw collar pin threads in by hand and comes out the same way, which makes it ideal for connections made and broken repeatedly. What it will not tolerate is anything that can rotate the pin — a load that shifts, vibration, or a sling that moves against it can unscrew the pin over time. For anything left rigged, use the safety nut and bolt version.
This is the bow shackle with a screw collar pin: the most versatile shape, in the quickest-to-use pin type, for temporary connections.
Key Features
- Bow body: Wide and rounded, accepting multiple sling legs and tolerating load from varying directions within the rated angle.
- Screw collar pin: Fits and removes by hand with no tools, for connections made and broken repeatedly.
- 6:1 minimum breaking load: Higher than the 4:1 used on chain fittings and 5:1 on eyebolts.
- Dual standard: BS EN 13889 from 0.5 t to 25 t, plus US Federal Specification RR-C 271, so it satisfies both European and US requirements.
- Hot dipped galvanised: Substantially better corrosion protection than electro galvanising, which matters for shackles that live outdoors.
- 17 sizes: 0.33 tonne to 55 tonne, from 84p.
- Fully marked: CE, W.L.L., manufacturer's identification, size and traceability code.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
W.L.L. (t) |
A (mm) |
B (mm) |
C (mm) |
D (mm) |
E (mm) |
F (mm) |
Weight (kgs) |
| BPSCB.33 |
0.33 |
5 |
6.35 |
10.5 |
22.2 |
16 |
14.3 |
0.02 |
| BPSCB.5 |
0.5 |
6.4 |
7.9 |
13.2 |
28.6 |
19.8 |
17 |
0.06 |
| BPSCB.75 |
0.75 |
8 |
10 |
13.5 |
31 |
22 |
21 |
0.11 |
| BPSCB1 |
1 |
9.5 |
11.1 |
16.7 |
36.6 |
26 |
23.1 |
0.15 |
| BPSCB1.5 |
1.5 |
11.1 |
12.7 |
18.9 |
43 |
29.5 |
26.9 |
0.21 |
| BPSCB2 |
2 |
12.7 |
15.9 |
20.6 |
47.8 |
33 |
32 |
0.37 |
| BPSCB3.25 |
3.25 |
15.9 |
19.1 |
27 |
60.5 |
43 |
38.1 |
0.65 |
| BPSCB4.75 |
4.75 |
19.1 |
22.2 |
31.8 |
71.4 |
51 |
46 |
1.04 |
| BPSCB6.5 |
6.5 |
22.2 |
25.4 |
36.5 |
84.1 |
58 |
53 |
1.56 |
| BPSCB8.5 |
8.5 |
25.4 |
28.6 |
42.9 |
95.3 |
68 |
60.5 |
2.32 |
| BPSCB9.5 |
9.5 |
28.6 |
32 |
46 |
108 |
74 |
68.5 |
3.28 |
| BPSCB12 |
12 |
31.8 |
35 |
51.6 |
119.2 |
82 |
76 |
4.51 |
| BPSCB13.5 |
13.5 |
34.9 |
38.1 |
57.2 |
133.5 |
89 |
84 |
5.93 |
| BPSCB17 |
17 |
38.1 |
42 |
60.3 |
146.1 |
98 |
92 |
7.89 |
| BPSCB25 |
25 |
44.5 |
50.8 |
73 |
177.8 |
127 |
106 |
13.4 |
| BPSCB35 |
35 |
50.8 |
57.2 |
82.6 |
197 |
146 |
122 |
18.85 |
| BPSCB55 |
55 |
63.5 |
70 |
105 |
266.7 |
184 |
145 |
37.86 |
| BPSCB85 |
85 |
76.2 |
83 |
127 |
330.2 |
200 |
165 |
69 |
Range continues to 55 tonne, top price £265.20. Full dimensional data is on the specification sheet.
BS EN 13889 | US Fed. Spec. RR-C 271 | MBL 6 x W.L.L. | 0 °C to +200 °C
Grade 6 high tensile steel body and pin, quenched and tempered, meeting the Working Load Limit requirements of BS EN 13889 from 0.5 t to 25 t and US Federal Specification RR-C 271. Minimum breaking load is six times the W.L.L. Temperature range 0 °C to +200 °C. Marked with CE, W.L.L., manufacturer's identification, size and traceability code. Under LOLER 1998, thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Suitable Applications
Screw pin bow shackles are the general purpose connector of the lifting world: joining slings to loads, connecting sling legs to master links, attaching to lifting points, and any temporary connection made and broken repeatedly through a shift. The bow shape suits multi-leg slings and loads where the pull direction varies. Where the connection will be left rigged, subjected to vibration, or where anything could rotate the pin, the safety nut and bolt version is the correct choice.
More About This Product
Shackles are the most-handled component in any lifting operation, and that is precisely why they wear out first. A sling gets rigged and derigged; a shackle gets rigged, derigged, dropped, driven over, thrown into a box and picked up by whoever needs one. Most lifting gear fails from a single overload; shackles fail from accumulated inattention.
The grade markings matter more than most people realise. A Grade 6 high tensile shackle to BS EN 13889 and a Grade 8 alloy shackle look similar and share the same body shape, but the alloy version carries considerably more at the same size. Once a shackle is in a box with fifty others, the only way to tell them apart is the marking — which is why an unmarked shackle has to be scrapped no matter how good it looks.
Understanding the Load Path
A shackle has two distinct load-bearing elements and they do different jobs. The bow takes the sling; the pin takes the load. Reverse that — put the sling on the pin and the load on the bow — and two things happen. The sling bears on a smaller radius than it was designed for, and any movement in the sling starts to rotate the pin.
On a screw collar pin that rotation is the failure mechanism. A sling shifting under a settling load, or vibration transmitted from plant nearby, will slowly unscrew the pin over minutes or hours. It rarely happens quickly enough for anyone to see it happening.
The second consideration is angle. A shackle loaded in line with the pin carries its full rating. Loaded at an angle across the bow it carries substantially less, and published derating tables cover a limited range of angles — beyond that range no figure is published because none applies. On a multi-leg sling every leg is at an angle by definition, which is why the bow shackle exists and why putting a multi-leg sling into a dee shackle is a genuine mistake rather than a preference.
How to Use the Shackle
- Screw the pin fully home: The pin must be completely engaged with the collar seated. A partially threaded pin carries a fraction of its rating.
- Load in line with the pin, not across it: Sling legs bear on the bow; the load bears on the pin. Never reverse that.
- Never use where the pin could rotate: Vibration, a shifting load or a sling moving against the pin can unscrew it. Use the safety pin version instead.
- Watch the included angle on multi-leg slings: Wide angles increase leg loads substantially and the shackle rating applies to the load it actually sees.
- Do not replace the pin with a bolt: The pin is a rated component matched to the body.
- Do not modify: Never weld, heat, machine, drill or repaint.
Warning: A screw collar pin can unscrew under vibration or if a sling moves against it. Never use a screw pin shackle for a connection left rigged, subject to vibration, or where anything could rotate the pin. Never substitute a bolt for the shackle pin.
Safety Information
- Never exceed the marked Working Load Limit.
- The pin must be screwed fully home with the collar seated.
- Do not use where vibration or movement could rotate the pin.
- Load in line with the pin. Do not side load unless the shackle is rated for it.
- Never substitute a bolt or non-original pin.
- Derate for included angle on multi-leg slings.
- Withdraw any shackle showing wear beyond the manufacturer’s stated limit, distortion, bow spreading, thread damage or cracks.
- Never weld, heat treat, machine or repaint.
- Operating range 0 °C to +200 °C.
- Thorough examination by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months under LOLER 1998.
Inspection and Maintenance
Three checks. Measure the bow at its narrowest point and compare against original dimensions, since a shackle that has been overloaded spreads and the change can be subtle. Check the pin for straightness by rolling it on a flat surface, and inspect its thread and the tapped hole for damage, stripping and corrosion, since a pin that will not seat fully cannot develop the rating. Look for wear at the crown and at the pin bearing points, which is where a shackle wears fastest, and withdraw at the manufacturer’s stated wear limit. Confirm markings remain legible.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Bow or dee shackle?
A bow shackle has a wide rounded body that accepts multiple sling legs and tolerates load from varying directions. A dee is narrow and takes a single leg loaded in line. Multi-leg slings need a bow; putting them in a dee side loads it, which is outside its rating.
Q: Screw pin or safety pin?
Screw pin for temporary connections made and broken repeatedly, since it fits and removes by hand. Safety nut and bolt for anything left rigged, subject to vibration, or where a sling could move against the pin and unscrew it. The safety version costs roughly 25% more and removes the risk entirely.
Q: Why is the safety factor 6:1?
BS EN 13889 requires it for shackles, where chain fittings use 4:1 and eyebolts 5:1. Above 85 tonnes the factor reduces to 5:1 on the safety pin range. Different standards reflect different failure modes and service conditions.
Q: What does "blue pin" mean?
The pin is finished in blue, which distinguishes
GT's shackles and makes it obvious at a glance that pin and body belong together. Mixing pins between shackles is a common and serious error, since pins are matched to bodies.
Q: Can I use it below 0 °C?
The rated range is 0 °C to +200 °C, which is narrower at the cold end than the Grade 8 chain fittings at -40 °C. For sub-zero work, check the marking on the individual component rather than assuming.
