ON PATROL Posted June 17, 2019 Share #1 Posted June 17, 2019 Okay, I picked up this M-1 steel pot and liner at a thrift store. The liner has a NSN, so I'm assuming it's Vietnam period or later. But, the helmet itself is a different story. These are the check points that I'm noting; dark green, front seam, heat code 30A, movable bails, sewn chin straps with steel fittings and rounded tabs. Question 1. What year / time period? Question 2. Should I restore it ( the strap is partially torn at one of the bails ) ? Question 3. What is it worth, ballpark figure? Thank you in advance, oh omnipotent helmet gurus . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted June 17, 2019 Share #2 Posted June 17, 2019 Pictures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogskin7 Posted June 17, 2019 Share #3 Posted June 17, 2019 30A puts it to around August of 1941. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ON PATROL Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted June 17, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted June 17, 2019 Share #5 Posted June 17, 2019 My opinion: Front seam denotes early WW2 manufacture, but this shell was reworked and upgraded with swivel loops and new OD7 straps towards the end of the war or for Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberThe5thESB Posted June 17, 2019 Share #6 Posted June 17, 2019 My opinion: Front seam denotes early WW2 manufacture, but this shell was reworked and upgraded with swivel loops and new OD7 straps towards the end of the war or for Korea. +1 Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodes Posted June 17, 2019 Share #7 Posted June 17, 2019 My opinion: Front seam denotes early WW2 manufacture, but this shell was reworked and upgraded with swivel loops and new OD7 straps towards the end of the war or for Korea. One pictures looks to show a rather dark green finish, which would suggest Korean war....Bodes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWG Posted June 17, 2019 Share #8 Posted June 17, 2019 I agree with Matt and Bodes it got reworked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ON PATROL Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share #9 Posted June 17, 2019 MattS, I'm thinking you are correct as I just found evidence of the earlier fixed bail welds behind the edges of the newer bail fixtures. I was already questioning the strap color as the earlier helmet (by the heat code) should have had the more khaki colored straps, providing i'm reading the primer I found online yesterday correctly. So, early war helmet, retrofitted for late war / Korea . . . makes sense to me. Thanks guys, I appreciate the education. BPO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWG Posted June 17, 2019 Share #10 Posted June 17, 2019 If you want to restore go ahead it's your decision. As for ballpark estimate that is up to you I think 50-100 range because it is just the shell. Were you looking to sell it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ON PATROL Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share #11 Posted June 17, 2019 Planning on keeping it as I run a project that dresses out people to represent veterans in parades here in Oregon. I'm pleased to hear the value though as I paid $45.00 for it and the liner. This series of questions was more for education than anything else, an I'm really appreciate all the responses. Very enlightening as my area of expertise is a bit more nautical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWG Posted June 17, 2019 Share #12 Posted June 17, 2019 Planning on keeping it as I run a project that dresses out people to represent veterans in parades here in Oregon. I'm pleased to hear the value though as I paid $45.00 for it and the liner. This series of questions was more for education than anything else, an I'm really appreciate all the responses. Very enlightening as my area of expertise is a bit more nautical. You could get even more with the liner to go with it. Probably 150+ maybe lower or higher depending on if you ever do sell it how bad you want it to be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted June 17, 2019 Share #13 Posted June 17, 2019 MattS, I'm thinking you are correct as I just found evidence of the earlier fixed bail welds behind the edges of the newer bail fixtures. I was already questioning the strap color as the earlier helmet (by the heat code) should have had the more khaki colored straps, providing i'm reading the primer I found online yesterday correctly. So, early war helmet, retrofitted for late war / Korea . . . makes sense to me. Thanks guys, I appreciate the education. BP Good timeline of helmet shell changes (although the movement of the rim seam from front to rear was in Nov 44, not 43): http://www.hardscrabblefarm.com/ww2/dating_m1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted June 18, 2019 Share #14 Posted June 18, 2019 Not that it matters much, but I think I see the top of a 5 in front of the 30A, so the heat stamp on this one may be 530A. In either case it's still a great example of a fixed bail helmet that's been reworked as a swivel bail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ON PATROL Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share #15 Posted June 18, 2019 Actually, it looks like a 7, but I thought it was just the edge of the machine stamp . . . Just out of curiosity, how much does that change things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted June 18, 2019 Share #16 Posted June 18, 2019 Hard to tell from the pictures if it's a 5 or a 7 but I suspect that number was lightly stamped or partially obscured by the paint. With this helmet I don't think it changes much. If the helmet still retained it's fixed bails being heatstamp 30A would make it more desirable then 530 or 730. But since it was converted to a swivel bail the difference doesn't mean much. You got a great deal on this, especially if the liner is in pretty good condition. I've been trying to score a set like this around the price you got it at for a while. I've got an early swivel bail helmet with an overpainted NCO bar that's missing a liner and an early 60s liner that's missing a helmet lol. Finding a set like this would kill two birds with one stone for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ON PATROL Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share #17 Posted June 18, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueprint Posted June 18, 2019 Share #18 Posted June 18, 2019 Definitely a 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted June 18, 2019 Share #19 Posted June 18, 2019 A 703A stamp dates it to about December of 1943, still a good price either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOLO Posted June 19, 2019 Share #20 Posted June 19, 2019 if it's a 703A then it's always been a swivel bail or M43 mid war helmet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aef1917 Posted June 19, 2019 Share #21 Posted June 19, 2019 if it's a 703A then it's always been a swivel bail or M43 mid war helmet M43 helmet????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted June 19, 2019 Share #22 Posted June 19, 2019 M43 helmet????? No one calls it the M43, but it is the 1943 pattern, with the front seam swivel bails were produced beginning in Sept. 1943 and then in 1944 they went to rear seam swivel bails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueprint Posted June 19, 2019 Share #23 Posted June 19, 2019 Just because it has a high lot number doesnt mean it always has swivel bails. Ive seen a 712A with fixed bails. You cant reason with that only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ON PATROL Posted June 20, 2019 Author Share #24 Posted June 20, 2019 Not that I'm anal about things, and I'm not planning on selling it, but please note that its '730A', not 703A, which probably makes some difference, somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted June 20, 2019 Share #25 Posted June 20, 2019 Not that I'm anal about things, and I'm not planning on selling it, but please note that its '730A', not 703A, which probably makes some difference, somehow. My typo, sorry. Still puts it towards the end of December of 1943. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now