thorin6 Posted November 25, 2017 Share #1 Posted November 25, 2017 Last spring my wife picked up this half of a 1942 cartridge belt at an estate sale for $6. Really nice condition but not real practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted November 25, 2017 It's marked Burlington Mills Inc. over 1942 on the inside. I'm not sure what the gray coating is on the male catch, but it's non-ferrous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted November 25, 2017 A close up of the US and a laundry mark (A3011 or something like that) inside the first pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted November 25, 2017 And then, last week, I found this on ebay for $13 shipped; a little more worn, but a solid match in color and general condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share #5 Posted November 25, 2017 Not a bad match for $19 total, even if the wear is a little off: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted November 25, 2017 Share #6 Posted November 25, 2017 Nicely done!....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted November 25, 2017 Share #7 Posted November 25, 2017 Super! Thanks for sharing!Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted November 25, 2017 Share #8 Posted November 25, 2017 Nice Glad it all worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted November 25, 2017 Share #9 Posted November 25, 2017 Your belt has twice the chance of having an interesting history than a belt that has been together from day one. Even if you'll never know that they are (it is?). Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted November 25, 2017 Share #10 Posted November 25, 2017 Nice match; you saved two halves from being tossed around in spare parts boxes and you can know the Quartermaster would have approved. Mismatched belts weren't uncommon in active duty units, where one side was made by one company, and the other side a different company. As long as they could get a 'close' match, it was ready for issue. The different buckles make it more interesting anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheskett Posted November 26, 2017 Share #11 Posted November 26, 2017 Well done. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VenitHora Posted November 26, 2017 Share #12 Posted November 26, 2017 Glad it worked out! Great work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share #13 Posted November 26, 2017 Nice match; you saved two halves from being tossed around in spare parts boxes and you can know the Quartermaster would have approved. Mismatched belts weren't uncommon in active duty units, where one side was made by one company, and the other side a different company. As long as they could get a 'close' match, it was ready for issue. The different buckles make it more interesting anyway. Thanks to everyone for their comments. In hand, you can see that the weave on both halves is close, but different, and I'm sure that if it ended up this way in the field, it wouldn't have turned a head (or caused a problem during inspection). Also, I've never seen a buckle coated in the gray finish; has anyone else seen one like this, and what is the coating anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted November 26, 2017 Share #14 Posted November 26, 2017 The buckle is a war time alloy material.Im sure I have a belt that has both buckles this way and you see the alloy buckles on the pistol belts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted November 26, 2017 Share #15 Posted November 26, 2017 Yes agree with Ron, the grey buckle is simply the alloy version that replaced the brass type. I would not doubt that the two got mixed for a while at the factory, or at least in the QMC salvage and repair depots. That said, I have seen some early WWII pistol belts where the brass buckles have a matte silver coating on them. Almost like either the blackening or japanning did not come out, or another technique was used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted November 28, 2017 Share #16 Posted November 28, 2017 Nice match; you saved two halves from being tossed around in spare parts boxes and you can know the Quartermaster would have approved. Mismatched belts weren't uncommon in active duty units, where one side was made by one company, and the other side a different company. As long as they could get a 'close' match, it was ready for issue. The different buckles make it more interesting anyway. Big dittoes on that. Mixed Ammo Belts are a long-time "tradition"; that's really neat that you snagged the other half in short order! Below is an "L.C. Chase" and a "Long", both of late W.W.I vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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