Canvas OD Assault / Ammo vest?

[shrapneldude]

Picked this up this morning. Walked past it about 4 times, and then had to go check out a military dealer's table and closely examine the "lift the dot" snaps. They're the exact same on this vest. Marked "LARGE" inside, but no other tags or stamps that I can spot.

2 big pockets on the front, one large pocket on the back. Is it an ammo or assault vest? Some horrible conversion thing made by a rigger, or something produced for the civillian hunting market?

[shrapneldude]

 

Forgot to add there are leather tabs in both front pockets and leather reinforcement behind the fastener.

[doyler]

Danny

 

I had one similiar to this.Closest I can up with was post WW2 after market surplus built vest for hunting/fishing.

 

RD

[shrapneldude]

Danny

 

I had one similiar to this.Closest I can up with was post WW2 after market surplus built vest for hunting/fishing.

 

RD

 

Well that's disheartening. I thought I'd find a diamond in the rough with this thing. haha

 

It's neat looking if nothing else.

[Bob Hudson]

Well that's disheartening. I thought I'd find a diamond in the rough with this thing. haha

 

Don't give up yet: it looks like it's made to military specs and the size LARGE marking is consistent with military issue, so it could yet be something GI issue. If it was civilian, then it is not surplus, but rather something custom designed and made for the civilian market and I think that something made like this (built to military field gear standards) for the civilian market was not common: it always seemed like the civilian stuff was made from lighter canvas and cheaper fittings, but you never know. However, again, I would not stop searching: the military had all sorts of obscure things for holding stuff.

[craig_pickrall]

I don't think that is military but if it is then I think it would be something along the line of a mechanic's tool apron. Since those front pockets do not seems to have any method of securing then I don't think it could be considered suitable for combat. Running, jumping, crawling etc would surely dislodge the pocket contents if they were not secured.

[Bob Hudson]

I did find one company that still makes something like this and is one of the few companies that would have made a civilian item to military standards: Filson.

 

Their hunters strap vest/game bag looks like this:

 

 

[shrapneldude]

Well, again, I thank everyone for the input. This thing is exceptionally well made, and has the same fasteners as a lot of other military gear. I don't think anyone could fault my logic in buying it. haha

 

As to the front pockets, they are closeable up front by means of 2 small leather straps that hold the pocket to the body. Anyhow, definitely appears to be more like a civilian product than military with the pictures FS posted.

[The Meatcan]

it's a very cool looking vest! maybe you could use it to hold reference materials (or your cash roll) at the next militaria show?

Terry

[pararaftanr2]

Hi shrapneldude,

To me, your vest bears at least a family resemblance to the vest used by the Marine Raiders and shown in this well known photo:

 

 

An example actually showed up on ebay in the summer of 2008:

 

Your vest has a more practical and military appearance than the original Raider's vest, so possibly is an improved version? Hopefully, this will at least give you a new avenue of research. Good luck!

Best regards, Paul

[Corpsmancollector]

Hi shrapneldude,

To me, your vest bears at least a family resemblance to the vest used by the Marine Raiders and shown in this well known photo:

 

 

An example actually showed up on ebay in the summer of 2008:

 

Your vest has a more practical and military appearance than the original Raider's vest, so possibly is an improved version? Hopefully, this will at least give you a new avenue of research. Good luck!

Best regards, Paul

 

Hi Paul

 

May I ask, was the above vest attributed to a Raider?

[shrapneldude]

Wow! That'd be cool if this really was a USMC item!

 

I know it's more likely a civilian item, but man, it just looks so...military. The snaps, the extra stitching, the stamps...I'm gonna dig through as many old photos as I can, just to be certain.

[Corpsmancollector]

Wow! That'd be cool if this really was a USMC item!

 

I know it's more likely a civilian item, but man, it just looks so...military. The snaps, the extra stitching, the stamps...I'm gonna dig through as many old photos as I can, just to be certain.

 

Good luck with your search Dan! :thumbsup:

[pararaftanr2]

Hi Corpsmancollector,

Yes, to a J.M.N. Davis, Maj. USMC. This was stenciled on the front of the vest and is partially visible in the first photo of the vest in my previous post. It was reported to be from his estate by the ebay seller. This is outside my collecting area, so I didn't bid on it, but saved the photos due to the rarity of the item. I seem to recall it sold for about $600. Some detail photos:

 

 

 

[shrapneldude]

Hi Corpsmancollector,

Yes, to a J.M.N. Davis, Maj. USMC. This was stenciled on the front of the vest and is partially visible in the first photo of the vest in my previous post. It was reported to be from his estate by the ebay seller. This is outside my collecting area, so I didn't bid on it, but saved the photos due to the rarity of the item. I seem to recall it sold for about $600. Some detail photos:

 

 

 

 

 

That's odd as heck right there. Without the markings, I don't think I'd have bought that one, if it had turned up at the flea market, because of the brown straps and the thin looking buckles. Just goes to show, when you think you know military stuff...it throws you a curveball.

[subsystem4]

Hi shrapneldude,

To me, your vest bears at least a family resemblance to the vest used by the Marine Raiders and shown in this well known photo:

 

 

An example actually showed up on ebay in the summer of 2008:

 

Your vest has a more practical and military appearance than the original Raider's vest, so possibly is an improved version? Hopefully, this will at least give you a new avenue of research. Good luck!

Best regards, Paul

 

Man just when I start to think I know what i am talking about when it comes to web gear something like this shows up... I have never seen anything like that before.

[shrapneldude]

Just want to report that I've still found nothing on this vest, or anything else on the USMC Raider vest.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[LtRGFRANK]

I would hang on to it. Never know what will pop up. I have some items that can't be id'ed. Some just say surplus made item. Remember theres millions of photos out there. One day something might pop up showing your item. Robert

[shrapneldude]

I would hang on to it. Never know what will pop up. I have some items that can't be id'ed. Some just say surplus made item. Remember theres millions of photos out there. One day something might pop up showing your item. Robert

Yep! Thanks for the advice!

I'm not gonna get rid of this thing. Being the optimist I am, I can't help but think that it really DOES look a heck of a lot like the USMC Raider vest, so focusing a lot of energy on trying to find more original wartime photos of that vest in use, either in training or in combat, and see if this isn't perhaps an improved version as has been suggested.

[matterhorn]

I picked up a similar vest this Saturday. Instead of pull the dots closure on the front, it has a strap across the front. In the middle of the back is a marking Boyt and size Large. The back part has a plastic insert to keep items dry. Here are the pics:

 

[shrapneldude]

I picked up a similar vest this Saturday. Instead of pull the dots closure on the front, it has a strap across the front. In the middle of the back is a marking Boyt and size Large. The back part has a plastic insert to keep items dry. Here are the pics:

 

Now that is rather interesting. Boyt did make field gear for the Marine Corps in WWII. So they would've had a ton of excess materials in their mills...LTD snaps, OD canvas, straps, buckles, you name it. I found a website for Boyt Harness Co. and they still manufacture two vests similar in design to ours, called the Weatherweave Strap Vest. Do an internet search with pictures and you'll see what I mean.

 

So...my new theory, since yours is marked Boyt, and is very close in design to mine, and they're both almost identical to the Boyt Weatherweave strap vest for game hunters, Boyt went back to a civilian market after the end of the war and used up their extra materials at first. When they ran out of extra LTD snaps, they used a strap, when they ran out of straps and OD military type canvas material, they made new stock of a more non-military nature, and thus evolved the vest they sell today.

 

I guess that still leaves the question as to whether the original design of the vest was in fact military. :think:

Well, anyhow, that is a nice vest you've got there. Thanks for posting it for comparison! Hopefully we'll be able to figure these things out. :thumbsup:

[Brian Dentino]

Now that is rather interesting. Boyt did make field gear for the Marine Corps in WWII. So they would've had a ton of excess materials in their mills...LTD snaps, OD canvas, straps, buckles, you name it. I found a website for Boyt Harness Co. and they still manufacture two vests similar in design to ours, called the Weatherweave Strap Vest. Do an internet search with pictures and you'll see what I mean.

 

So...my new theory, since yours is marked Boyt, and is very close in design to mine, and they're both almost identical to the Boyt Weatherweave strap vest for game hunters, Boyt went back to a civilian market after the end of the war and used up their extra materials at first. When they ran out of extra LTD snaps, they used a strap, when they ran out of straps and OD military type canvas material, they made new stock of a more non-military nature, and thus evolved the vest they sell today.

 

I guess that still leaves the question as to whether the original design of the vest was in fact military. :think:

Well, anyhow, that is a nice vest you've got there. Thanks for posting it for comparison! Hopefully we'll be able to figure these things out. :thumbsup:

 

Wow Dan,

Reading this thread is like watching a whole episode of History Detectives! I like your reasoning though....and as for that tan/khaki Raider vest....I think that I would have passed that one by and grabbed yours based on my VERY limited knowledge of field/web gear too! Thanks for "learning" me something new once again on this forum.

[cscmc1]

Hey, my buddy's got the same vest as OP!

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...mp;#entry827919