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.45 mag pouch M1956...a puzzle


Fausto
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Hello!

Got this very early M1956 mag. pouch, which is a great puzzle to me. This is the very first time that I see a .45 mag. pouch marked .45 CAL. Not marked M-1923 as we often see on the early M1956s and not even specifically marked for "Enlisted men's", but just the caliber and before that three letters that I can't make out completely: 0?7, O?7 or...what?

Not to mention the clearly inprinted DSA 100 1957 ... Now: according to the fine and monumental work of sgtmonroe we know that DSA runs from 1961 to 1977... So, what I have here? A monumental bogus or an unknown .45 pouch?

Help!

Fausto

post-8381-1318113026.jpg

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The nomenclature on the pocket, POCKET AMMO MAG OD7 .45 CAL, is just an abbreviated version of the nomenclature from the military specifications for the M-1923 pocket.

 

The DSA 100-1957 contract is pretty common. I believe it was one of the earliest contracts for the pockets with the new belt-strap keepers added (replacing the earlier web loop with male snap fastener). It is a FY1966 contract awarded to Tursini & Co. in December of 1965.

 

The pocket is genuine government issue.

 

I see alot of these pockets listed on ePay as "1957 dated" due to the seller assuming the "1957" portion of the contract code is a date. I believe this subject was discussed in the forum years ago - or it could have been in the old forum most of us migrated from.

 

Just a side request: if anyone has an earlier contract dated pocket, with belt-strap keepers, I would like to see it. I believe the last contracted year for the web loop with male snap fastener pocket was FY1963.

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Here are a few more examples of dated M-1923 pockets with belt-strap keepers:

 

Another FY1966 contract: DSA100-3538 which was let to Kanvas King Inc. in April of 1966.

 

post-3045-1318131343.jpg

 

FY1969 contract: DSA100-69-C-1120 which was let to Pioneer Canvas Products Co. Inc. in December of 1968.

 

post-3045-1318131406.jpg

 

FY1972 contract: DSA100-72-C-1867 which was let to ECT Corp. in June of 1972.

 

post-3045-1318131413.jpg

 

Here is the thread I spoke of previously (it concerns both the FY1963 pocket and later versions):

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=31869

 

Here is another thread about the FY1963 pocket started by Fausto:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...howtopic=106256

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stgmonroe...

I'm again speechless...Your explanation is complete and competent. Your knowledge about this matter is amaizing. Thanks a bunch indeed!

Fausto

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They made another big production run of these in about 1983 and that was the last of them. These must have come out of storage somewhere as they can be found by the bundle. Usually, the metal parts are completely covered in blue oxidation.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've got this mag pouch, it's unissued and seems to have been contracted in 1989, seems weird that they'd still be contracting these four years after the M-9 was adopted.........

 

IMG_20111106_202248.jpg

 

IMG_20111106_202032.jpg

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I've got this mag pouch, it's unissued and seems to have been contracted in 1989, seems weird that they'd still be contracting these four years after the M-9 was adopted.

I have seen FY1987 contracts for the pocket. And now a 1989 one. Good show!

 

My stint ended in 1991 and we still had M1911/M1911A1s (as well as M3/M3A1s for that matter) in inventory for issue for those that were authorized a sidearm (the M3/M3A1s were for armored vehicle crews). So we would have still needed the pockets for use with the pistols.

 

The 1033 program (administered by the TXARNG here in Texas) still have M1911A1s in inventory for issue out to LEOs as of a few years ago. Of course, this has no bearing on the subject of the pockets. But more to let the un-informed know the US Government (specifically the National Guard system) still retains the item (along with M14s, M16A1s, and M79s) in inventory (and lots of them).

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Hello!

I have a lot of these .45 mag pouches made by Alabama Industry for Deaf & Blind. Some seem dated 82, some 88 (difficult to make out). Anyway large quantities made in those years. What would you think? This can be definitely archived as the last U.S. contractor for .45 mag pouches?

As for the verdigris on the hardware I noticed that ALL pouches with Alice keepers , the uncorrectly called "M1956" , as Sgtmonroe clearly explained to us all, suffer that. I think this is just a chemical reaction to the mildew treatment. It can be easily cleaned out but in most cases also the blue is lost forever and you will have a bright brass LDT...

Fausto

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My stint ended in 1991 and we still had M1911/M1911A1s (as well as M3/M3A1s for that matter) in inventory for issue for those that were authorized a sidearm (the M3/M3A1s were for armored vehicle crews). So we would have still needed the pockets for use with the pistols.

 

I can understand that, but it would seem that for the sake of uniformity they'd just issue the M-9 mag pocket, 1911 mags are a little loose but fit fine. In fact, that's what I use most of the time when hunting and camping, the mags with the base pad I use for my SAI Trophy Match 1911 don't fit in the 1911 mag pouch, but fit great in M-9 pouches. The M-9 1916 style holster is also what I carry my Trophy Match in, the adjustable sights and beaver tail don't fit in a normal 1916 holster, but since the M-9 is bigger than the 1911 it fits real nice.

 

The 1033 program (administered by the TXARNG here in Texas) still have M1911A1s in inventory for issue out to LEOs as of a few years ago. Of course, this has no bearing on the subject of the pockets. But more to let the un-informed know the US Government (specifically the National Guard system) still retains the item (along with M14s, M16A1s, and M79s) in inventory (and lots of them).

 

SWEET!!

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  • 4 months later...
I have seen FY1987 contracts for the pocket. And now a 1989 one. Good show!

 

My stint ended in 1991 and we still had M1911/M1911A1s (as well as M3/M3A1s for that matter) in inventory for issue for those that were authorized a sidearm (the M3/M3A1s were for armored vehicle crews). So we would have still needed the pockets for use with the pistols.

 

The 1033 program (administered by the TXARNG here in Texas) still have M1911A1s in inventory for issue out to LEOs as of a few years ago. Of course, this has no bearing on the subject of the pockets. But more to let the un-informed know the US Government (specifically the National Guard system) still retains the item (along with M14s, M16A1s, and M79s) in inventory (and lots of them).

One more for you. How about a 1990 contract!

Tim

post-192-1333515086.jpg

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  • 9 years later...

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