Unorthodox and rare MP40 pouch

[Bergflak]

I got hold of this very rare and superb MP40 pouch a few days ago. I think this model is hard to come by. Hope you all enjoy it!

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[Bergflak]

Oh, yes. They are the real deal.

In regards to all the PM's:

Yes, I am certain this is a German WW2 manufactured original pouch!

[Fsoq]

Yes, I am certain this is a German WW2 manufactured original pouch!

Hi, Can we know how please ? Because IMHO even front strap holes are not made as seen on WW2 german pouch.
I'm not saying you are wrong but would like to know how you can be sure it is WW2 periode and German ?

[DennyB]

It has several characteristics that are not found usually on German manufactured pouches but I cannot say where it is made.

[Rolv]

Post war Norwegen made 1950-1960 the belt loop back is 30 BMG Cloth Ammo Belt Kongsberg made Norway.
Got this ammo box whit this cloth belt from 1960.

[Bergflak]

I get the feeling that the originality of my pouch is doubted!

Well spotted by all so far, but I still claim it to be a original WW2 MP40 magazine pouch.
Yes, there are several details that doesn't match with the standard pouch.
Yes, the belt loops and D-ring holder is actually made of .30 BMG cloth bands, but these are prewar US made.
Yes, Kongsberg copied these belts for postwar use (with a brass starter tab) and reused them later as carrying handles on their wooden ammo boxes.
But this pouch was not sewn in Norway.

[Rolv]

sorry but
Us clothing belts have not to black stripes.
norwegen made has that

[Willi Z.]

Sorry, but I don't think it is German WWII either.

[Bergflak]

No reason to be sorry Willy! In fact I had the very same opinion until I saw the "whole picture". ...."Mehr als Schein!"

I think you will find that "the two black stripes" can be found on more than 1950's Norwegian made cloth belts for the M1919A4.

Take a closer look at the support strap around his neck!

Not easy to see, but it has the two black stripes, but more important, it has the civilian type of hardware. (Disregard the pouches, which are of course a standard edition)
This identify it as the support strap for the prototype/early ersatz variation of the 6-cell magazine pouch for the MP38. u. 40.
And that clearly shows that the (most probably) captured ammunition cloth bands for (most likely) the M1919A4 was indeed used by the Germans in their production of ammunition pouches!

[LOTHRINGEN]

[LOTHRINGEN]

1

[Willi Z.]

Xavier, yours have the exact style rivets. Same fabric, etc. So, I don't know what else to say. Any markings? Are you saying the web straps are also made from captured US .30 ammo belts? Late issue or early?

[Sonnenwende]

I have to agree with Bergflak, the presented pouch does indeed constructionwise bear a resemblence to the 6-cell MP-40 pouches with one closing strap, I think there is a good possibility it is WW2 dated, perhaps made by some foreign subcontractor:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ight=mag+pouch

http://www.mp40.nl/index.php?page=pouches

Regards Sonnenwende

[Sonnenwende]

Sure is an interesting topic. We know from Photos that 6-cell pouches with one closing strap and without the cross-strap to hold it existed and were worn. The problem is that we cannot see the back of the pouches from the Photos.

It might help if some of the collectors with Photos of the 6-cell pouches could make a closeup of the stiching on the closing strap. It would be interesting to see if it was more like the style on the standard MP40 pouches or just as sloppily done as on the riveted 6-cell pouches.

Has anyone got a one strap 6-cell pouch with another construction than the ones with the rivets?

Regards Sonnenwende

[Bergflak]

Well spotted Lothring! I will return to the comparison of pouches later.

Yes, the support strap above IS in fact for the early war ersatz pouch for 6 MP40 pouches. I would have asumed that the pouch held by Lothring was late war, but pictorial evidence suggest that this type of pouch is in fact a early war product. Most likely because the contractors were unable to deliver pouches as quick as the weapons arrived, production must have been undertaken by the army/LW arsenals either by their own Schneider or by local manufacturers. And yes. None of these pouches are up to what we deem as "German standards".

The picture below show the same support strap on a 6-cell pouch, of non-standard production. Note that it has the same strap-hardware as the one in the picture of the SS-officer. And this time the stripes are more clearly visible.
I am not able to show the full picture, but the rest of it show details dating the picture to late 1940/ early 1941. Note that the soldier with the pouch is carrying a very long Belgian M28 bayonet, so he was not first in line when "new equipment" was handed out!



Most will agree that the hardware is the same, and that there is a visible black line on both. So out of the pictorial evidence so far it is fair to assume that a cloth strap with a black stripe has existed in use as the carrying strap for the 6-cell pouch.