Why are StG44 mag pouches so rare?

[sen24]

I've owned 6 sturmgewehrs over the years but never a mag pouch, let alone a set. This got me wondering why they are so uncommon. 400k+ rifles built and atleast through 1944 they were issued 2 pouches per rifle. There is an abundance of unissued G/K43 pouches on the market. You would think that there would be similar stocks of StG44 pouches at the end of the war. Yet, even worldwide, these pouches are incredibly rare. Is there a simple answer? Are there still stocks of unissued pouches stored away somewhere?

[Nigromontanus]

There has been a constant shortage of pouches as well as magazines. Period pouches in postwar use were destroyed over the time by use and thrown away, field found ones rarely kept, left over ones in factories thrown away or reworked for civil use. I have about 25 pouches and written a book on MP44 accessories, which I do not find time publish.

But, with you having had 6 guns, you should have had time and funds to find pouches too.

[Leper]

I have thought of this and have convinced myself that the number left must be in the four digit range and not at the top end of it.

[Nigromontanus]

In my opinion not even at the top 3 digit range

[sen24]

I have definitely had the chance to buy them, but the prices offered were always so high, coupled with the fact there are so many fakes... I didn't really have a good place to go to look at originals to compare. I was offered a no doubt original set when I bought a MP44 from the vets family, but he got a side offer for them and took it.
What do you think the approx $ range one should expect to pay? And you mentioned you have 25 sets ?! I think you would be doing the world a good service in publishing that data. It's important information and you are in a privileged position, having such a large sample to examine.

[Willi Z.]

I occasionally meet an old gun collector who has a set, but they never want to sell them yet. So, I suspect there are more pouches out there than we know. They are certainly rare. But then, before the hoard of K43 pouches out of the East, they were very rare too. I paid $700 back around 1992 from a veteran in South Dakota to get a pouch. Have not seen many in the US to this day......worn veteran examples.

Most of the MP44 pouches would have been sent to the Eastern Front. Unlike the K43 pouches, MP44 pouches were sold to Soviet client states, along with the weapons. While the K43 pouches came out, I doubt there were any MP44 pouches left.

I do recall decades ago Sarco getting MP44 pouches from either Syria or Egypt. Remember seeing some with Arabic writing on them.

[Gran Sasso]

They were already rare back in the war - not every gun was handed out with a pair or even just a single pouch. A vet told me he carried the mags in his breadbag.

Also, the hope that there will be a simular find as the K43 pouches - this will never happen. None are stored.

[IanC]

Excellent thread sen24