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MODEL 1903 EIGHT POCKET .38 CALIBER REVOLVER
CARTRIDGE BELT – INTERESTING VARIANT OF A SCARCE EAGLE
SNAP BELT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION: Introduced
in 1903 to carry the ammunition and holster for the .38
Colt Pistol, these eight pocket Model 1903 Revolver
Cartridge Belts were produced in what has been believed
to be two versions – the dismounted version for foot
troops and officers and a mounted version with a sabre
hanger ring on the left side of the belt for mounted
troops and officers. Each version had specific
characteristics beyond the presence of the sabre hanger
ring which up to now had been believed to be unique to
each version of the belt.
Differing from the mounted version, as well as not
having the sabre hanger ring, the dismounted belt was
produced only in light green material, the size
adjustment hooks on each end of the belt were of a
unique design which appeared only on the dismounted
belt, the internal components of the Carr’s patent eagle
snaps were larger than those found on the mounted
version, and the bottom of the cartridge pockets were
smooth with no puckering.
The mounted version this belt had the sabre hanger ring,
and featured the following differences: the mounted
belts have been found only in the tan color, the size
adjustment hooks on each end of the belt were of the
more standard pattern found on other pocketed belts and
these belt tips were stamped with a Mills Woven Belt
Company patent date (MCH 29, 1904), the internal design
of the eagle snaps were completely different from those
on the dismounted belts, and the bottoms of the
cartridge pockets were puckered or corrugated.
The specimen offered here has all of the features of the
Model 1903 Revolver Cartridge Belt – Mounted save for
the lack of the sabre hanger ring and the Mills patent
date is not stamped on the belt end adjustment plates.
Otherwise, this belt includes the same color, pocket
design and eagle snap design of the mounted belt. This
belt presents as an interesting variant, no doubt made
in the same design concept and during the same period as
the standard mounted and dismounted belts.
The even tan colored body of the belt shows no evidence
of wear or soiling, and all of the rimless eagle snaps
are functional, solidly attached, and none show any
signs of the tearing that is common to find around these
snaps. All of the grommets are intact and solidly
mounted in the webbing. All eight pockets are intact
and the puckered bottoms are not worn. Notably, there
is no wear or fraying on the corners of the pocket flaps
where they came in contact with the rims of the
cartridges – a very unusual quality to find in these
belts. This belt appears to have been issued as there
is a section of the right end of the belt which is
painted over with the typical khaki colored paint which
was used to obliterate a previously applied unit
inventory stencil.
Finding such a well preserved example of this scarce,
key pocketed belt is remarkable in and of itself, and
this is one that would never need to be upgraded.
(0117) $650
NOTE: The variances in coloring in
the photos below are an aggravating function of digital
photography. The belt is an even tan color with no
staining or discoloring.
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