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Unbelievable WWII pistol lanyard


artu44
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Speaking about WWII pistol lanyards obviously we mean the Hickoks (genuine or repros) but this time I caught something real rare. The alternative is that I found a superbogus fake. Did you ever heard about a Boyt 42 lanyard? That is hurting me is its genuine look.

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You are right, "the market" of these lanyards is dominated by the Hickoks. Boyt is something very interesting or... faked? think.gif

post-75-1215036560.jpg

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craig_pickrall

Boyt was a leather company so it just might be real. If it is then it is a great find.

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Greg Robinson

It looks legit to me. And speaking of pistol lanyards, can anybody explain why the WW2 ones are so scarce? I owned one about eight years ago and resold it.....hadn't see another since. Where did they all go?

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can anybody explain why the WW2 ones are so scarce?

Yes, you are right Greg, it is almost impossible to buy it or to see at historic photographs. I would like to know why?

 

Best regards

 

Greg

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Ditto that, i've never even seen a real one, and never seen one for sale. Were they simply, not that common? What, exactly was their purpose? Obviously, i know it connects to the base loop of the pistol, but why would one need a lanyard? Isn't it perfectly fine in a holster?

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Ditto that, i've never even seen a real one, and never seen one for sale. Were they simply, not that common? What, exactly was their purpose? Obviously, i know it connects to the base loop of the pistol, but why would one need a lanyard? Isn't it perfectly fine in a holster?

 

I had my idea about the use of a pistol lanyard and I've read something about the argument. The lanyard has the main purpose to tie the gun to soldier, mainly in cavalry where there are many chance to loose the grip but a second purpose is as aiming help putting the lanyard around the neck and tensioning it while aiming. It improve steadiness. You can achieve the same with a string loop of proper lenght tensioned between neck and thumb. With the arrival of M1911 lanyards were tied more to the magazine loop than to the pistol cause if you had to change the mag, the empty would risk to be dropped on the ground and get lost. However we all saw mountains of patented WWI lanyards mint unissued and it means none want them. The same with the WWII issue but this time someone had notice of it and stopped future orders and it explains the scarcity. I four years of daily frequentation of ebay I saw two or three legit Hickoks and a couple of repros and few months ago I got mine, of course mint unissued. Moreover I know at least a dozen of fellow collectors have one. The argument was already treated in

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...1&hl=hickok

and if you search through the forum there are also few pics where they have lanyards.

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BOB K. RKSS

A very rare piece of web gear (from WWII) is the USMC Pistol LANYARD. They have no markings on clip, or web. It was worn across the chest, & is pictured in wear: Grunt Gear on p. 288. Here's one thet I have

post-283-1215161450.jpg

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bayonetman
I had my idea about the use of a pistol lanyard and I've read something about the argument. The lanyard has the main purpose to tie the gun to soldier, mainly in cavalry where there are many chance to loose the grip but a second purpose is as aiming help putting the lanyard around the neck and tensioning it while aiming. It improve steadiness. You can achieve the same with a string loop of proper lenght tensioned between neck and thumb. With the arrival of M1911 lanyards were tied more to the magazine loop than to the pistol cause if you had to change the mag, the empty would risk to be dropped on the ground and get lost. However we all saw mountains of patented WWI lanyards mint unissued and it means none want them. The same with the WWII issue but this time someone had notice of it and stopped future orders and it explains the scarcity. I four years of daily frequentation of ebay I saw two or three legit Hickoks and a couple of repros and few months ago I got mine, of course mint unissued. Moreover I know at least a dozen of fellow collectors have one. The argument was already treated in

 

Just as a comment, the information is taken from a copy of TM 9-2200 Small Arms Materiel and Associated Equipment from the WW2 era:

 

Pistol Equipment

 

Lanyard, Pistol, Cal. .45, M1 (for EM of Cavalry and Mounted Engineers)

 

This might explain some of the scarcity.

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A very rare piece of web gear (from WWII) is the USMC Pistol LANYARD. They have no markings on clip, or web. It was worn across the chest, & is pictured in wear: Grunt Gear on p. 288. Here's one thet I have

 

Is it really a very rare piece? If so I have to buy another leash.

post-67-1215176579.jpg

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Greg Robinson
Is it really a very rare piece? If so I have to buy another leash.

 

Nobody has been able to positively document it's use by the Marine Corps....or by anybody else. The photograph in "Grunt Gear" that reportedly shows one of those, in my opinion, shows a standard WW1 lanyard. And for a "rare" item I sure do see a lot of them for sale and generally at modest prices and always new condition. So it remains a "maybe USMC" item.

 

Greg

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Nobody has been able to positively document it's use by the Marine Corps....or by anybody else. The photograph in "Grunt Gear" that reportedly shows one of those, in my opinion, shows a standard WW1 lanyard. And for a "rare" item I sure do see a lot of them for sale and generally at modest prices and always new condition. So it remains a "maybe USMC" item.

 

Greg

 

You're right Greg, I was one of victims of this "ultrarare usmc item2. I spotted mine on belgian ebay at .99 euro starting bid and I couldn't resist to the stress for waiting a week without that marvelous piece so I offered seller 60$ for a buy-it-now option. The seller accepted and I got my revenge using it for some pics with my dog. I've tried also to speculate it would have been made for foreign armies as lend lease cause british and russians do love them but none knows the truth.

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Ahhhh ok, so its for when the pistol is being used and out of the holster, thanks for clearing that up guys ;) I feel so silly now, lol

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Striking 9th

I have never seen a pistol lanyard in use by the USMC in WW2. That is not to say it was never done. Who really knows until a good picture surfaces. Maybe it was just not a popular piece of gear. The pistol lanyard was a VERY popular issue item with the Japanese. If a Marine just wanted one nothing would have stopped him from obtaining one as it would be easy to souvenir one. As an example, I have many pics of the Japanese havelocks in use by the USMC. If the pistol lanyard was a highly desired piece of gear I suspect I would have seen at least one Japanese lanyard in use by the USMC by now which I have not.

Scott

P.S. Maybe one can be found in use by an M.P. or S.P. detail? Proving field use will be tough.

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Charlie Flick
Just as a comment, the information is taken from a copy of TM 9-2200 Small Arms Materiel and Associated Equipment from the WW2 era:

Pistol Equipment

Lanyard, Pistol, Cal. .45, M1 (for EM of Cavalry and Mounted Engineers)

This might explain some of the scarcity.

 

Hey Gary:

 

Thanks for the Tech Manual reference on the M1 lanyard. I had not encountered that nugget of information before. Good stuff.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

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Charlie Flick
I have never seen a pistol lanyard in use by the USMC in WW2. That is not to say it was never done. Who really knows until a good picture surfaces. Maybe it was just not a popular piece of gear.

Scott

 

Scott:

 

I have not had time to search my photo archives for a WW2 USMC pic showing lanyard use in the field. I don't know if I have one and won't know until I search. I agree with the general proposition that lanyards were not a frequently seen item of equipment with WW2 era Marines.

 

In the meantime I thought this photo would be of interest to you and others here. It shows a Marine on a Machine Gun range wearing a M1912 Dismounted holster and a lanyard attached to his .45 pistol. I don't know when the photo was taken or where, but I suspect it was in the 1930's or perhaps just pre-war.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

 

Dismounted_M1912_holster_USMC_MG_range_ed.jpg

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Well guys, this item reached 266$ value and there are still four days befor auction will expire. I think it would be quite exagerated and I dont like people at zero feedbacks pushing up items then I'll pass this one waiting for another cheaper Boyt. If there is some billionair among collectors fraternity, the link is

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...I:IT&ih=017

 

Good luck

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Hmmm, i suppose it is a bit excessive but you're getting the whole ensemble. 250 max perhaps i'd pay, if i got a big hunk of free cash to blow :P

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I had my idea about the use of a pistol lanyard and I've read something about the argument. The lanyard has the main purpose to tie the gun to soldier, mainly in cavalry where there are many chance to loose the grip but a second purpose is as aiming help putting the lanyard around the neck and tensioning it while aiming. It improve steadiness. You can achieve the same with a string loop of proper lenght tensioned between neck and thumb. With the arrival of M1911 lanyards were tied more to the magazine loop than to the pistol cause if you had to change the mag, the empty would risk to be dropped on the ground and get lost. However we all saw mountains of patented WWI lanyards mint unissued and it means none want them. The same with the WWII issue but this time someone had notice of it and stopped future orders and it explains the scarcity.

Yes, it sounds good and most likely this is the truth. But on the other hand perhaps not all GIs had their opportunity to decide "Do I want lanyard or not?" because their (lanyards) distribution was bad? The US WWII paras made their own amateur lanyards and it means that neither WWI patented lanyards nor WWII ones were delivered to the airborne units in sufficient number.

 

Best regards

 

Greg

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Spathologist

Use of lanyards has been encouraged since I've been in the Army, and in some units it's mandatory. I always use one.

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WVUM1shooter

for that kind of money I'd just go get a bottle of hooch and a couple hoochie cootchie girls to take a spin on the wild side. I hope to hell i don't get banned for that statement lmfao

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Interesting to find that pictures of Marines wearing lanyards are scarce. I never really thought about it before. Anyway, here's another picture, taken in 1942, of a Marine shortly before he went overseas the first time. You have to look close, but if you do, you should see the lanyard around his neck and going under his right arm, and is visible again behind his arm as it goes to the holster. I actually have a picture of this guy standing where the lanyard is clearer, but I lent it to my brother and can't get at it now. By the way, this Marine was my father.

 

Steve

post-1105-1215394709.jpg

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Charlie Flick

Steve:

 

That is a cool shot of your Father. Thanks for posting it. Can you tell us where he was when it was taken? I hope you can get the other pic from your brother and post it as well.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

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Steve:

 

That is a cool shot of your Father. Thanks for posting it. Can you tell us where he was when it was taken? I hope you can get the other pic from your brother and post it as well.

 

Thanks for the compliment on the picture, Charlie. The picture was taken at the very end of March, 1942. My father, along with my mom, had just transferred down from Bremerton, Washington, to San Diego, and would ship out for overseas (Pearl Harbor, actually) on April 3, 1942. The picture itself was taken in Los Angeles where my mom's sister was living. They went to visit her just before my dad shipped out.

 

Steve

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