'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #26 Posted January 6, 2015 Fine lot of Belts, gents Here is the brother to Fausto's...born 1 month apart... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #27 Posted January 6, 2015 The birthdate: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #28 Posted January 6, 2015 I've seen a number of photos of the Assistant's Belt in use by Marines in W.W.II, so I threw mine in the M.C. pile... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #29 Posted January 6, 2015 Hard evidence of what Big Al stated: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #30 Posted January 6, 2015 This might be the rarest B.A.R. Belt from W.W.II: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #31 Posted January 6, 2015 Bandoleers, Left and Right: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted January 6, 2015 Share #32 Posted January 6, 2015 Once more, 2 brothers from Long... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1a2u2 Posted December 13, 2018 Share #33 Posted December 13, 2018 Bandoleers, Left and Right: I was always under the impression that the rounded tabs meant USMC. Given the "Long" marking, I take it that's not the case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted December 13, 2018 Share #34 Posted December 13, 2018 Yes, it's just an old design that just kind of phased out over time. I've seen pointed-flap B.A.R. Belts and Bandoleers made in the same year as the roundies. There were also some round-flap Cartridge Belts. This one is also made by Long, interestingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted December 13, 2018 Share #35 Posted December 13, 2018 The underside... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1a2u2 Posted December 13, 2018 Share #36 Posted December 13, 2018 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted December 14, 2018 Share #37 Posted December 14, 2018 Actually, I think the main reason that design was abandoned was simplicity in construction and preservation of fabric. Easier and cheaper to just fold the 2 corners under rather than cut the round flaps, apply the edge binding, then put it together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artu44 Posted February 10, 2019 Share #38 Posted February 10, 2019 Did you ever found a 1st assistant belt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 13, 2019 Share #39 Posted February 13, 2019 That is an Assistant Gunner's Belt. There were two Assistant Gunners in each BAR team when it was introduced, each assistant carrying regular bolt-action rifles, with their stripper clips being carried in the small pockets on the front of the belt. Since composing that comment years ago, I have come up with a new theory on the nomenclature of the assistant gunner's belt. In period photos of BAR teams, there are only two men seen, the gunner and assistant. This led me to a new line of thinking, that the 2nd does not refer to the second of a pair of assistant gunners. Rather, it is being used in the same manner as a 2nd in a duel. The assistant is the 2nd to the gunner. This is purely speculation, mind you. Thoughts and criticisms appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artu44 Posted February 13, 2019 Share #40 Posted February 13, 2019 If I remember well what late Carter Rila said, the first assistant doesn't exsist belt cause the guy wore a gunner belt being his duty to pick up the gun if gunner would have killed or wounded. The second assistant with its '03 covered the whole crew and bandoleers completed the need of ammos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 13, 2019 Share #41 Posted February 13, 2019 I don't believe that is the case because I have never seen a second man with a gunner's belt nearby the BAR-man in period photographs. Besides that, if the primary BAR-man was killed or otherwise put out of action and this, in my opinion, mythical 1st assistant had his own gunner's belt, he'd be leaving behind whatever magazines the gunner had when picking up the BAR. If the 1st assistant did exist, it wouldn't have been any problem for him to remove whatever belt he was wearing and don the belt of the out of action gunner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted February 13, 2019 Share #42 Posted February 13, 2019 Unless the out of action gunners belt was also out of action? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 14, 2019 Share #43 Posted February 14, 2019 But again, photographic evidence does not support the existence of a third man in the BAR team, only two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artu44 Posted February 14, 2019 Share #44 Posted February 14, 2019 Well, it's possible that the idea of a gunner replacement would have been dropped later but why to name a belt 2nd assistant if the 1st doesn't exsist. They should have named it simply "assistant belt". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daskrieg Posted February 14, 2019 Share #45 Posted February 14, 2019 I am looking to buy a bar belt if anyone has one for sale World War one or two does not matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 14, 2019 Share #46 Posted February 14, 2019 Well, it's possible that the idea of a gunner replacement would have been dropped later but why to name a belt 2nd assistant if the 1st doesn't exsist. They should have named it simply "assistant belt". I refer you back to my theory. In period photos of BAR teams, there are only two men seen, the gunner and assistant. This led me to a new line of thinking, that the 2nd does not refer to the second of a pair of assistant gunners. Rather, it is being used in the same manner as a 2nd in a duel. The assistant is the 2nd to the gunner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artu44 Posted February 14, 2019 Share #47 Posted February 14, 2019 I am looking to buy a bar belt if anyone has one for sale World War one or two does not matter I have a gunner one but shipping from is a nightmare of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daskrieg Posted February 14, 2019 Share #48 Posted February 14, 2019 What kind of prices are you talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted February 26, 2019 Share #49 Posted February 26, 2019 I refer you back to my theory. According to America's Munitions, 1917-18 (p. 229) the automatic rifleman did have a first and a second assistant, each had "their own individual belts, and the assistants also had two bandoleers each, one right and one left, which were carried across their shoulders." So we know that there are belts marked 2nd assistant and that these have a combination of BAR and rifle charger pockets. Maybe the 1st assistant wore a standard BAR belt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artu44 Posted February 26, 2019 Share #50 Posted February 26, 2019 According to America's Munitions, 1917-18 (p. 229) the automatic rifleman did have a first and a second assistant, each had "their own individual belts, and the assistants also had two bandoleers each, one right and one left, which were carried across their shoulders." So we know that there are belts marked 2nd assistant and that these have a combination of BAR and rifle charger pockets. Maybe the 1st assistant wore a standard BAR belt? Yes, he wore a gunner belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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