M17 Gas Mask - How to tell the date of manufacture?

[AirMechanic]

How do you tell the age of a M17 gas mask (with bag)? Is it marked anywhere? I believe the one I have is from the Vietnam Era. Is there any way to know for sure?

[d6t]

Vietnam era would have been the original M17, with no drinking straw on the front. Carrier would have been canvas and may be labeled "Mask, ABC Protective" or "Mask, Chemical-Biological." I believe the "Mask, Chemical Protective" markings were for later bags.

 

M17A1 has the straw as well as internal resuscitation tube.

 

M17A2 has no internal resusc. tube.

 

The date of the facepiece will be a two-digit year marked in the center of a circle about 1" in diameter located on the cheek area. A similar circle will be found on the exhale outlet valve cover as well. The circle is molded into the rubber and the characters inside of it may look something like this (off the top of my head):

 

MSA

86

9B3

 

In which case 1986 would be the cure date. However I may have the numbers transposed, the year may be on the bottom or something...at any rate, it will be the only two-digit figure located in that circle.

 

So it may also be more like this:

 

MSA

9B3

86

[Nervous]

Here You have mark form M17 [1965 Nam Era] and photo of bag

 

And here You have photo M17A1 bag and mask in bag [1967 also Nam Era]

 

Early Nam Era mask bag have Chemical Corps logo

[RandallClan]

I also have a question of my own pertaining to the M17 Gas Mask, what year did they enter production. Because I have in my possession an M17 Gas mask bag that reads M17 Mask, Protective Field (M) 1943..... From what I know the M17 wasn't issued until 1959 so this couldn't be right. Kind of strange if you ask me.

[Nervous]

I also know that M17 was first issued in 1959 for replacement of M9. I have two bag but bought with no data, I never hear about dating it, never see it.

 

Can You post photo of this bag?