Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Share #1 Posted May 22, 2012 The Browning Automatic Rifle or B.A.R. was designed by John Moses Browning in 1917. It was intended as a squad light machine gun to beef-up the Doughboys' firepower. Like all new weapons, it necessitated the design and production of new web-gear to carry its ammunition, in this case, 30 round magazines of 30.06 cal bullets. The solution was in effect like an enlarged rifle-belt but with a few novel features. The belt had four LTD fastened pockets each of which held 2x 30 round mags for a total load of 240 rounds. Additionally, there was an integral twin-pocket pouch for a pair of .45 auto magazines for the BAR gunner's personal protection weapon. Finally, tactical doctrine envisaged the BAR being fired from the hip in the advance, so a sturdy metal butt cup was riveted to the belt for this purpose to steady the weapon and to re-distribute some of its considerable weight. The assistant BAR gunner carried additional mags in specially designed bandoleers/pouches. When the USA entered WW2 the BAR was still standard issue and remained so for the duration. Much WW1 surplus equipment was still in the system including BAR belts, which were re-issued but in modified form. The butt-cup and .45 mag pouch were usually deleted and replaced instead with a pair or regular magazine pouches which increased the available load to 12x30 round magazines. These modified belts can be identified by their mis-matched pockets and wide WW1 belt fasteners. New production WW2 BAR belts were made from the outset with six pouches and featured narrower, rifle-belt style belt fasteners. The one featured here is a '42 dated Boyt example. The WW1 belt dated June '18 was manufactured by R.H.Long. Both are in mint, unissued condition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted May 22, 2012 Details of integral butt-cup and twin-mag pouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted May 22, 2012 WW1 BAR belt pouch and wide belt fastener. WW1 web-gear is a much browner shade of khaki than WW2's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #4 Posted May 22, 2012 Maker's stamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted May 22, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted May 22, 2012 WW2 BAR belt details. The magazine is still wrapped in waxed paper. attachment=525791:2012_0522BAR0012.JPG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #7 Posted May 22, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted May 22, 2012 Different size belt fasteners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #9 Posted May 22, 2012 Boyt stampings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #10 Posted May 22, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted May 22, 2012 Correction: In my opening post I should have stated that the mag had a 20 ROUND CAPACITY!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman_one Posted May 22, 2012 Share #12 Posted May 22, 2012 Nice belts SJ.Ive still yet to find a ww2 bar belt..one day. As an aside i think the programme 'weapons that changed the world' on quest channel are going to be featuring the BAR..M1 garand this thursday, Thompson smg next..Just thought you and other uk readers would like to know! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #13 Posted May 22, 2012 Nice belts SJ.Ive still yet to find a ww2 bar belt..one day.As an aside i think the programme 'weapons that changed the world' on quest channel are going to be featuring the BAR..M1 garand this thursday, Thompson smg next..Just thought you and other uk readers would like to know! :thumbsup: Yeah? Thanks for the heads-up! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #14 Posted May 22, 2012 Maybe I should have mentioned the mint M-1936 suspenders? Maker's stamp below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted May 22, 2012 Share #15 Posted May 22, 2012 This thread is very specific, and not your normal type of thread. That being said, are these a representation of all the types of BAR ammunition belts? AND, where is your BAR ?? :think: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share #16 Posted May 22, 2012 This thread is very specific, and not your normal type of thread. That being said, are these a representation of all the types of BAR ammunition belts? AND, where is your BAR ?? :think: Yes JS...pretty much par for the course...or should I say "BAR" for the course?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted May 23, 2012 Share #17 Posted May 23, 2012 Here is an unusual one to add. It is a WW1 belt that originally had the wide buckle. It was modified in 1942 to have the smaller buckle used in WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share #18 Posted May 23, 2012 Thanks Craig...that is unusual! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted May 23, 2012 Share #19 Posted May 23, 2012 Super nice belts. JS has a valid point where are the BAR's ? Not in Merry Old England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stusmcdiv42 Posted May 24, 2012 Share #20 Posted May 24, 2012 Ill get in on this as well. Here are some pictures of the same version Craig posted. Examples are found today with both angled and rounded pockets. Here are pictures of three from my own collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie96 Posted January 3, 2015 Share #21 Posted January 3, 2015 Here's an example that I've seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie96 Posted January 3, 2015 Share #22 Posted January 3, 2015 - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie96 Posted January 3, 2015 Share #23 Posted January 3, 2015 - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 4, 2015 Share #24 Posted January 4, 2015 That is an Assistant Gunner's Belt. There were two Assistant Gunners in each BAR team when it was introduced, each assistant carrying regular bolt-action rifles, with their stripper clips being carried in the small pockets on the front of the belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fausto Posted January 4, 2015 Share #25 Posted January 4, 2015 Hi ! Just for fun, here a Long 1918 BAR belt unsual indeed... It has the male buckle portion which is in an unfinished shape. Due to this, it cannot no way fit to the female side of the buckle. Well, or it escaped to the inspectors check, or it was just taken home by a Long worker as a souvenir. In any case, it is (obviously...) unissued and unused. Fausto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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