Help with 45-70 blue Mills belt

[rustbucket]

The last thing I need to round out my SAW Volunteer/NG uniform is a 45-70 belt. I've purchased two so far, one from Ebay and one from a dealer in SAW period items. Both turned out to be 30 caliber.

I would prefer not to have to purchase and return a third belt, so can anyone tell me a way of identifying a 45-70 belt before purchasing it and trying to fit a cartridge in it?

 

Thanks for your help.

Steve

[BlueBookGuy]

Hi Steve,

I saw some SAW "Mills" belts for .30 Krag ammos and they were invariably made with 50 pairs of loops (one loop directly above another) for a total 100 loops. However, I do not know whether they were always this way.

 

I do have some 45-70 Mills belts. One is a blue specimen fitted with the so-called "Whittemore" plate (cast bronze), the very last in the series of "H"-shaped plates - it was introduced in very late 1886, and could have seen the very last Indian Wars. But beyond this detail, I can assure you the belt itself is perfect for a SAW uniform - this variant of the classic Mills Pattern belt was also used by the US units being armed with 45-70 "Trapdoors" longarm in 1898-99.

Quantity of loops is 45 in this belt.

 

I post here some enlarged pics, hope it could help in identifying the main details.

Franco.

[BlueBookGuy]

[BlueBookGuy]

[BlueBookGuy]

[terryusmc]

Great info on Mills belts and great photos.