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MILLS MODEL 1903 CAVALRY CARTRIDGE BELT, 1ST
PATTERN – RIMLESS EAGLE SNAPS – SCARCE EARLY BELT IN
VERY GOOD CONDITION: The first of the pocketed
cartridge belts developed for the new Model 1903
Springfield Rifle, this early very nice specimen of the
Model 1903 Cavalry Cartridge Belt, 1ST
Pattern, is identified by the presence of the narrow
brass belt tips which bear the Mills Woven Belt Company
patent dates and the leather sabre chape.
The belt is in very respectable condition, showing
little wear and with all of the cartridge pockets
present and intact and complete with the pocket flaps.
All of the rimless eagle snaps are functional and
solidly attached with none of them showing any signs of
the tearing that is common to find around these snaps.
The woven web material has an even light khaki color,
and is overall clean with minimal stains due to use and
storage. All of the edges of the belt, pockets and
flaps are in very good condition with no frayed edges,
and all of the grommets are intact and solidly mounted
in the webbing. There is an area on the center of the
inside of the belt where a previous unit identification
stencil was over painted during the period of this
belt’s use, a typical method of preparing these belts
for reissue as they moved from one unit to another.
The belt tips are both intact with no separation from
the body of the belt, and as mentioned above, both tips
bear the Mills Co. patent dates, properly listing 1904
as the latest date. The leather sabre chape is intact
with the brass box ring and is solidly riveted to the
belt.
These early Mills Model 1903 1ST Pattern
Cartridge Belts are not particularly common, especially
in this condition, and this is a very nice specimen of
the first pocketed cavalry cartridge belt that was
issued with the Model 1903 Springfield Rifle. (0114)
$325
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