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Particular M69 Flak Vest without stiffeners


PFC Red
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Hello all,

I hope you can all help me understand what is so special about this M69 Flak Vest. From my understanding is a nice early version (1968 dated) vest without stiffeners. It's in very good conditions too. But it looks like many other M69 vests without stiffeners that I see regularly around. However, this sold for very pretty penny (not sure if I can say how much it sold for), and cannot figure out why they were so much after it. So what's the deal with this one?
Here it is:

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Huh, don't think I have seen or at least noticed a 1968 contract 3/4 collar without stiffeners before, possibly this could drive up the price to a really dedicated collector, but more likely it is just bidding as usual, with two people who have to have it going crazy.

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9 hours ago, Cap Camouflage Pattern I said:

Huh, don't think I have seen or at least noticed a 1968 contract 3/4 collar without stiffeners before, possibly this could drive up the price to a really dedicated collector, but more likely it is just bidding as usual, with two people who have to have it going crazy.


Thank you Cap. My knowledge is quite limited on VN era militaria. I thought no-stiffeners vest were all manufactured in 1968 before they were standardized as M69s with stiffeners in 1969.

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Armor, Body Fragmentation Protective, With 3/4 Collar FSN: 8470-823-737(0-3) began production in Fiscal Year 1966, the design was just the M-1952A with a collar added, even down to the epaulets, but those were quickly dropped. I'm not sure if they were dropped during or after FY 66 contracts, but by FY 67 the vest no longer had epaulets. The nylon panels providing the ballistic protection were prone to bunching up, leaving other areas unprotected. To solve this issue in FY 68 plastic stiffeners were put inside the internal waterproof vinyl casing along with the nylon panels. The FSNs were changed to 8470-122-12(99-02) to make it possible to tell the old vests without stiffeners apart from the new vests. The issue with bunching was so serious that the June 1970 issue of TM 10-8400-201-23 quartermasters are instructed that any vest with the old FSNs is code H. meaning serviceable, and should immediately be disposed of. FY 69 contract vests remained unchanged, and then in FY 70 production of Body Armor, Fragmentation Protective, Vest with 3/4 Collar, M-69 began. The M-69 changed the front flap and pockets to velcro closures. made the grenade hangers smaller, and made the label a holder for the manual. These changes were just a minor improvement to the design which didn't improve the protection of the vest so they retained the old FSN, and older vests with zippers continued to be used along side the M-69 until remaining stocks of them were expended. 

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34 minutes ago, Cap Camouflage Pattern I said:

Armor, Body Fragmentation Protective, With 3/4 Collar FSN: 8470-823-737(0-3) began production in Fiscal Year 1966, the design was just the M-1952A with a collar added, even down to the epaulets, but those were quickly dropped. I'm not sure if they were dropped during or after FY 66 contracts, but by FY 67 the vest no longer had epaulets. The nylon panels providing the ballistic protection were prone to bunching up, leaving other areas unprotected. To solve this issue in FY 68 plastic stiffeners were put inside the internal waterproof vinyl casing along with the nylon panels. The FSNs were changed to 8470-122-12(99-02) to make it possible to tell the old vests without stiffeners apart from the new vests. The issue with bunching was so serious that the June 1970 issue of TM 10-8400-201-23 quartermasters are instructed that any vest with the old FSNs is code H. meaning serviceable, and should immediately be disposed of. FY 69 contract vests remained unchanged, and then in FY 70 production of Body Armor, Fragmentation Protective, Vest with 3/4 Collar, M-69 began. The M-69 changed the front flap and pockets to velcro closures. made the grenade hangers smaller, and made the label a holder for the manual. These changes were just a minor improvement to the design which didn't improve the protection of the vest so they retained the old FSN, and older vests with zippers continued to be used along side the M-69 until remaining stocks of them were expended. 

Superb recap. Thank you for it.
So 823 no-stiffeners vests would more commonly feature a 1967 contract date? Interesting, I am looking at two more of these with 1968 contract date.

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

I haven not paid much attention to if FY 68 contracts are more commonly 823 or 122, I was just speculating on a possible reason for the price, but I very well could be wrong. 

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19 hours ago, Cap Camouflage Pattern I said:

I haven not paid much attention to if FY 68 contracts are more commonly 823 or 122, I was just speculating on a possible reason for the price, but I very well could be wrong. 

I understand...well, it's good input. Maybe someone else will chime in so as to satisfy my curiosity

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