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why the change from "Pouch, Small Arms Ammunition, Universal" to "Case, Small Arms Ammunition"


Cap Camouflage Pattern I
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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

At some point the M1956 ammo pouch was changed from "Pouch, Small Arms Ammunition, Universal" to "Case, Small Arms Ammunition". From looking at around a dozen of them this change seems like it occurred some time around 1967. It doesn't correspond with the removal of the front plate that makes it able to hold an extra M14 mag, that was earlier. The only thing I can think of is it's around when the short pouches marked "Case, Small Arms Ammunition, M16A1 Rifle" were introduced, so maybe it was because it was no longer universal?

 

Anyways, if anybody knows why or has an idea I'd love to hear it. Also if you have an M1956 ammo pouch, post a picture of the inside flap so the date can be narrowed down. Thanks!

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You're probably correct on the dates, the idea was when these first came out in the mid 50s, was they were to be used to carry ammo for a few different weapons that the Army still carried, to wit, the M1 Garand, the M2 Carbine, and the BAR, theoretically the M14 Rifle, but their issue was very slow as we know, with the M1 and Carbine used, and that's not to mention the grenades for the M79 Grenade Launcher. So by that 1967 date, the Army, at least the Regular Army, was on the road to having the M16 Rifle as standard, as well as items already being trialed to carry the grenades for the M79, thus making these Pouch/Case use exclusively for M16 magazines.

 

No M56 gear as we see, (indeed, most Regulars still used the old M1910 belts into the 60s) but photo typifies the late 50s early 60s in displaying the weapons still carried by the Army of this period.

 

post-5-1187545119.jpg

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