Mp40 Magazine Pouches

[Alf]

Hi Guys

Can anyone help with some information/pics of original MP40 pouches. The ones I have been offered are the canvas variety (Haven't seen them yet) and I have not the vaguest idea of what to look for in terms of markings,etc etc. I would really appreciate some pics of original ones so that I can compare.

Are there any things I should look for which will indicate a reproduction ?

Please help !!!

Many thanks

Alf

[fergmacleod]

repro v's real

Alf,

You need to do a google search for repro pouches being sold in the US by all the re-enactor suppliers. Also, check Ebay, as one outfit regularly posts their repros, under "MP40" search. The seller name is DaFatBoy.
This should give you plenty of pictures to look at and compare with what is being offered to you. Generally, the repros all have leather tabs and are often not marked anywhere. Most originals have something on them! I hav'nt yet seen repros here with the metal-tipped web tabs, like on tropical or late-war pouches.

I hope that this is of some help.

Fergus.

[DANGALENA]

MP-40 Mag Pouches

Alf,

If the pouches you are looking at are genuine chances are the aging effect alone will dry and crack the leather. The cotton duck pouch material could be dry and brittle. However, I'm not a collector of relics. Rather I'm just now getting into WW2 Reenacting and have been doing research on certain items. MP40's and their accessories is one area I've been researching.

Fergus replied in the thread that reproduction mag pouches are not marked. Well, they most certainly ARE ! I have a pair of olive green repro pouches that are ink-stamped on the backside: "M.P.38u.40. There are two leather belt straps on every 3mag pouch. One of these on my repro pouch is marked with a manufacturers code GALeych Berlin 1940. The same belt strap is marked with a Waffenamt. However the Swastika below the eagle is incorrect in appearance. A certain sign of a reproduction. The neck strap that came with the pouch set is also ink-stamped "M.P.38u.40.

Vendors of German reproduction militaria make special efforts to manufacture and mark their products with historical accuracy. WW2 reenactors are as demanding of authenticity as are their brothers in other reenacting eras.

MP40 pouches were made primarily in a cotton duck fabric with leather fasteners. These pouches were made in an olive, tan, field gray, luftwaffe blue. There were also some early war issued 100% leather pouches. These were rare and if you found genuine you'd pay thru the nose for them.

Anyhow, as Fergus suggested do an online search and you should get some help in identifying the pouches.

Dan G.
USA

[Gene]

Don't forget the 6 pocket pouches either

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Alf, this is an original pouch from my collection and came direct from a Veteran of No.6 Commando.
Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

reverse

[Adrian Stevenson]

Close up on the white ink markings. The Vet, who's 1st pattern FS knife I have too, also gave me an MP40 loading tool. He still had the MP40 too until a few years ago, but sold it to a dealer. He carried the MP40 as his personal weapon.
Cheers, Ade.

[R_Hessian]

Pouch's

Adrian,
You have Luftwaffe issue pouch, now the kicker.... I have the other side with loading tool. Also Luft. issue and missing your side.
Robert

[Adrian Stevenson]

Adrian,
You have Luftwaffe issue pouch, now the kicker.... I have the other side with loading tool. Also Luft. issue and missing your side.
Robert

So who is going to part with theirs?
Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is another MP40 pouch. This time in Nottingham Castle, in the Notts & Derby Regt. museum.
Cheers, Ade.

[hcliffe]

Thanks

Thanks Ade and others for the input. The one thing I notice is that my leather straps are sewn on different than the originals that I have seen so far. My pouch is not marked at all.

[pedro]

Speaking of stitching...I know that there was some discussion about how the leather retaining loops should be stitched. I owned in the past (consigned, and sold on Peter Whammond's site in an effort to raise funds) a greenish pouch with loading tool pocket. This pouch was well marked and had one horizontal stitch between every vertical row of loop stitching. Someone posted similar stitching, in that it was coined a ladder stitch. I have not seen an original example utilizing this "ladder", but have seen numerous examples of the single horizontal pattern. If I would have known how rare these pouches are, I would have reconsidered selling it. In any event, I spotted its exact twin and bought it quickly, and it is now in transit to me. The ONLY diffference with this pouch is that it is constructed of what I will now term ordnance blue/grey. I know that a number of collectors would term this as luft issue. After talking with various folks, I don't know that this color could/should be associated only with the Luftwaffe. If anyone has information to the contrary, I would love to hear it...I would be happy to forward pictures to someone for posting.

Peter

[Willi Z.]

I must add that some of ther repros are very good now. But, still not that convincing if you have handled originals. Far more dangerous are ones made after the war and used by countires such as by the Czechs. Saw a batch of these at the last Allentown, Pa gun show. But, they were being sold as originals by firearms dealers. Hard, if not impossible to describe how to tell good from bad.one has to have them in their hands.

Gene is correct about 6-pocket pouches.

I do not agree that metal tipped pouches were tropical. The earliest MP38 pouches used square metal tips on the webbing. These were used in early campaigns, such as Crete and North Africa. Since so many were seen used by the DAK, it is often assumed that they were tropical issued. Most originals of these (I have a near mint matched set) were dated 1940. They came in olive and bluegray. Have never seen late-war MP40 pouches with metal tips, but have seen late MP44 pouches with metal tips.

I agree COMPLETELY with Peter's comment regarding blue-gray pouches. I too believe that both blue-gray and green were ordnance colors. And late-war pouches were that straw tan. It is easy to think blue-gray pouches were Luftwaffe issue. I too like to use blue-gray pouches on my FJ displays. You can say the same about breech covers, ammo cans, etc......early on they came in both blue-gray and green.......ordnance colors.

Here is a quick photo of some of my pouches.

Willi

[Pascal H.]

Speaking of stitching...I know that there was some discussion about how the leather retaining loops should be stitched. I owned in the past (consigned, and sold on Peter Whammond's site in an effort to raise funds) a greenish pouch with loading tool pocket. This pouch was well marked and had one horizontal stitch between every vertical row of loop stitching. Someone posted similar stitching, in that it was coined a ladder stitch. I have not seen an original example utilizing this "ladder", but have seen numerous examples of the single horizontal pattern. If I would have known how rare these pouches are, I would have reconsidered selling it. In any event, I spotted its exact twin and bought it quickly, and it is now in transit to me. The ONLY diffference with this pouch is that it is constructed of what I will now term ordnance blue/grey. I know that a number of collectors would term this as luft issue. After talking with various folks, I don't know that this color could/should be associated only with the Luftwaffe. If anyone has information to the contrary, I would love to hear it...I would be happy to forward pictures to someone for posting.

Peter

Is this maybe the stitching you are refering to?

Pascal

[pedro]

I did mention this stitch, but am on a continued search for information related to the stitching and maker of this pouch... You can see it quite clearly in this thread.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=38988

Peter