ESS Posted March 22, 2020 Share #1 Posted March 22, 2020 Dear all, I recently bought a OD-7 M1923 Garand Belt. I was convinced it was (faintly) dated 1945, and in conjunction with the presence of zinc hardware, I thought it surely was a WW2 example. However, when the item was delivered I saw that no retainer straps are present and were never there. Could this still be a WW2 example, or does it have to be postwar? Or am I perhaps misreaing the stamp? I will post some photo's tomorrow, Thanks a lot, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixbayonets! Posted March 22, 2020 Share #2 Posted March 22, 2020 Hello Ed, Yes, it could be. I have a 1945 dated belt that was manufactured without the retaining straps. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixbayonets! Posted March 22, 2020 Share #3 Posted March 22, 2020 http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/161632-1943-m1923-and-korean-era-m1923-od-with-early-closures/?hl=%2Bretaining+%2Bstraps&do=findComment&comment=1223644 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderBounds Posted March 31, 2020 Share #4 Posted March 31, 2020 http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/337389-m1923-cartridge-belt/I have one of these as well. Zinc buckles with with OD#3 stitching and no retaining straps. I believe it to be 1945 production but there are no markings present, not even a US stamp. The item is not worn enough to have the markings worn away which confuses me further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderBounds Posted April 2, 2020 Share #5 Posted April 2, 2020 Not sure what happened to my last post but it merged my text with my link. My belt is similar. It is OD#7 with OD#3 stitching, alloy buckle, with no retaining snaps and no markings at all. It is not worn enough to have markings fade which confuses me further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted April 3, 2020 Share #6 Posted April 3, 2020 Quite correct; every '45-dated (and even a couple of '44s, IIRC) Army Belt I've seen was made without clip retainers. Interestingly, the Marine Corps kept them in their Ammo Belts even into the '50s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixbayonets! Posted April 3, 2020 Share #7 Posted April 3, 2020 'Flage, apparently not all 45 dated army cartridge belts were made without the retaining straps. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/340207-unissued-1945-dated-od-7-cartridge-belt-and-more/&do=findComment&comment=2736807 Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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