ALICE ammo pouch - magazine dividers inside

[pawtwo]

Hello,

 

I'm trying to figure out when ALICE ammo puches began to be made without magazine dividers inside (two pieces of tape that separates magazines inside). I know that on some pouches these vere removed by soldiers. Unfortunatelly most of equipment that I can find in surplus stores is 80s or OEF/OIF era and 90's ammo puches are extremally rare.

 

Change must have been made between FY1991 and FY2000 contracts (as my 1991 ammo pouch has dividers and 2000 one doesn't).

 

If anyone has ammo pouches with contract date from 90s, can you tell me if it has divider straps inside?

 

I'm trying to complete data about these pouches as this weekend I'm writing an article on my website. Unfortunatelly removal of these straps was only interim change to MIL spec and I haven't found any date when it was made.

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

I didn't know that that existed, I'll have to look more closely. Thanks.

[saxecoburg]

I think it happened around 1996-98.... all of the mag pouches I have from the mid 90s still have them. It's also interesting to note this is the same time period that the color changed from olive grab to "woodland green"

[automatic]

I'm no help, as I only have a single ALICE mag pouch (and its from the 80s), but I'd like to read the article when you complete it.

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

Keep in mind that the contract date Isn't when it was made, as contracts lasted for years, and were modified as they run.

 

I checked my pouches and I actually have one with no trace of dividers, I had assumed it was one with the straps cut out, of which I have several. Unfortunately the stamp is too faded to read, it might be 98 but its uncertain, anyway it's and SPO contract so post 1994.

[pawtwo]

@automatic

 

Well, I write these articles in my language (Polish) for local collectors. Right now I'm working on ALICE gear and every two weeks I describe another item.

 

You can find my profile on Facebook, just type "GI Individual Clothing and Equipment". Some guys in Poland gave me proposition to write for military magazine that is translated to English also. It's free of charge and available to read at internet website. When it will be ready I'll post a link on usmilitariaforum.

 

Going back to the nylon shade. C.A. Monroe gave me an info that 12,5 ounce nylon duck specs changed at 18 september 1990. Indeed ammo pouches made for FY1990 contracts were made usually from new shade materials (I have two sets of these). There were some stocks of old nylon so some contractors migh have been using them for some time. Old shade was called OG106 (Olive green) and newer CG483 (Camouflage Green).

 

In fact there were also some minor materials shade changes through whole production. Pouches form 70s have a bit different shade than these from 80s. Also pouches from early 90s have a bit different shade from these made in 2000s. But these are only minor changes.

[Sgt. BARney]

I was in from 1979 to 1983, and remember two styles of ALICE magazine pouches (I hope I am thinking of the correct pouches - they held three 30-round magazines, and had the grenade pockets on each side). One style had flaps with a button snap, between each magazine slot that could be buttoned down over the top of each magazine. These flaps were in addition to the pouch cover which fit over all three. In these types, most guys just pushed the flaps down into the mag pouch, where the flaps just acted as a divider. I never looked at dates, but generally remembered that this type was considered to be an older style. The other type of pouch I remember just had two pieces of tape sewn in at the top as you mention above.

 

I preferred the type with the flaps as these kept the magazines from rattling together.

[milsurp_scout_14]

Odd that this came up; I just bought one of these pouches the other day. Has a 2005 contract date, and as I looked it over, I noticed that there were no dividers in it. There were no obvious signs of removal either. I'm interested to know when they finally dropped them as well.

[pawtwo]

Well, at some point about mid90s these two pieces of sewn in tape were removed. It would be cool if somebody would find the newest one with dividers and the oldest one without them. As saxecoburg suggested we should look at pouches form 96-98 contracts.

 

Maybe someone has opportunity to visit surplus store where you can find a box of these and look on them?

 

These pouches aren't still considered collectible so nobody cares about details.

 

[taucco]

Since the spec sheet MIL-C-43827D was lastly upgraded in 03/1990 it happened not later than that.

[pawtwo]

It happened later as FY91 pouches that I own still have dividers. MIL-C-43827D also states that nylon shade should be OG106 and my '91 pouches are for sure CG483. All other changes - shade change to CG483 and lack of divider tapes was only because interim changes made later during throught assigning new contracts.

We need somebody who has some 90s pouches in good condition that you can read markings. It will clear everything.

[saxecoburg]

One style had flaps with a button snap, between each magazine slot that could be buttoned down over the top of each magazine.

 

Those would be the "Lincloe" type pouches from the 1970s

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

Well, at some point about mid90s these two pieces of sewn in tape were removed. It would be cool if somebody would find the newest one with dividers and the oldest one without them. As saxecoburg suggested we should look at pouches form 96-98 contracts.

 

Maybe someone has opportunity to visit surplus store where you can find a box of these and look on them?

 

These pouches aren't still considered collectible so nobody cares about details.

 

My local surplus store has 50+, the issue is most dates are super faded so I can't read them in the store.

[pawtwo]

That's the point.

And unfortunatelly 90s ammo pouches are nothing special to collectors so probably no one has "90s ammp pouch collection"