M1 Garand ammo belt

Hallo everybody.
I bought today a M1 Garand ammo belt of WWII.
The snaps on the pockets are marked "STAR PULL".
Is that a real brand of snaps for those years ?
I am just keen to understand if I bought and original belt or maybe a fake.
Thank you.

Lots of copies were made for the movies and this may be one. Maybe pics would help...

Hi Brouningautorifle,
here are photos of the belt, the water bottle, the pouch and the backpack.
Thanks.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mg5155nm-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5157v-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mg5159mf-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5160m-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5173d-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mg5161ag-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5162h-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mg5163ep-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5164f-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5165d-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5166o-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5167x-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5168a-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5169e-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mg5170js-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5171a-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5172s-1.jpg

Nope, yours is good. Real nice set actually...

I had already bought in the past the water bottle and the canteen, the pouch in USA and the Chinese repro of the ammo belt.
A little bit of WWII

Yesterday I went to a militaria fair close Milan and I bought from a Belgian guy the backpack and the ammo belt, since they came rather cheap so I thought they could be a repro well antiquated.

Thanks for your confirmation, Browningautorifle.

Pretty easy to tell though. Look at the other one and then the one you just got. They don't really look the same. It's hard to fake that. It would take years of wearing I think.

Well, when the margin of profit goes from few $ to over $ 100 such people elaborated so many techniques to make old in few days a piece of cloth to create a good fake : stone washing and other chemical products would help a lot in the process, I guess.
For example the same guy was selling another belt, it was new of arsenal, no wear at all, of course it's price was the double of mine considering it is rare in those perfect conditions.
I think it is not easy at all to recognize an original from a good fake.

In the belt I bought the brass pullers with the print "Star Pull" seemed to be almost new and without excessive wear for handling them ... that's why I posted and asked.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5165d-1.jpg

Overall condition of the belt tells you all. Good example.

Bizio,

There's some information on "Star-Pull" fasteners used on magazine pouches in this thread - located in the M1 Carbine Forum:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=38005

That is a really nice belt set! - Bob

Thank you for your link, USGI.

I am trying now to get a M1 Helmet of early years of WWII to complete this set.

Our forum moderator Harlan, is the resident expert on GI helmets. You might try giving him a PM if he doesn't happen to see your post here. He may be able to suggest a source for the helmet you need. - Bob

I trayed and won this ebay auction, I think the liner leather strap is missing so that I will buy maybe in separate auction.
WWII US M1 Helmet Fixed Bail Early Inland Liner w/ Unpainted Washers RARE! | eBay

Good catch on the helmet, the little leather strap for the liner's available too and won't cost much. Nice addition to the whole outfit.

Good morning Browningautorifle.
Got also the M1 helmet liner leather chinstrap.
I thought it could come cheaper anyway.
Early Original WW2 M1 Helmet Liner Leather Chinstrap With Green Steel Buckle | eBay

The M1 Helmet arrived today, less than one week to be here from US. Amazing quick.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mg5290vi-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5291i-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5292p-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5293o-1.jpg

Nice front seam, fixed bale helmet! They are kind of hard to come by, especially in that condition!


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Bizio, now you need a watch.Attachment 34223


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gsimmons, is this a Hamilton watch ?

No, it's a Waltham 6/0 '42. This is a Hamilton.Attachment 34224


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Both nice watches.

I have a collection of secondary makes cronographs from 1950 to 1980 about
If you wish to give a look this is the link Bizio's Cronografi Minori Vintage

Wow nice. You like chronographs don't you?


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Indeed I really do.
In 1990 I was desperately looking for a new Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, the steel model and it was hard to find all over Europe. I had phoned to almost all Rolex dealers in Europe.
I finally found a dealer, Asprey's in London, who took a reservation in my name in a list they were keeping.
They called me back after 4 years saying that my Daytona was there.
I went to London. I got a room in a hotel behind Hyde Park and in the hearth of the night the fire alarm bell started to ring. I suddenly woke up, got in hurry my Daytona and nothing else and just dressed with pants (underwear) rushed running downstairs.
Someone coming back to hotel had pushed the firearm switch. But I was safe and happy with my new Daytona. :thup:

great story, I don't blame you I'd do the same thing. I'd be the one standing on the pavement in just pants and a watch.


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Nice gear Bizio!

Sorry I'm just now getting back to the site - I had another spine surgery and it put me out for a while loner than I expected.

Your M-1923 cartridge belt is indeed original, and very nice. They were intended, and first produced with the 1903 rifle in mind. The 1923 design only differed slightly from the earlier belts used in WWI, mostly to replace the cotton material with stronger canvas type material - The extra little strap inside was intended to separate two stripper clips. Once the M1 Garand came into use, a fully loaded, eight round clip fit perfectly, so it was continued to be used and produced all the way through the 50's.

Like all other WWII web gear, the earlier belts were OD3 (Khaki) and the later belts were OD7 (OD green) but there were some still being made in OD3 as late as 1945. They continued to make them after WWII, but they did away with the extra strap inside after the end of WWII, so you can tell a postwar that way even if the dates are no longer visible.

You did great with the helmet. There are TONS of fakes now, or refurbed with repro parts, but your looks good. The price you paid is right in the middle of what a good fixed bale with original paint and a good liner is going for. The liner has a Military repaint outside, but that's common and doesn't seem to effect value much, if any. The adjustable nape strap is later, but it would be common to have them replaced later in the war. The earlier nape straps from the time of the earlier helmets just came in Small, Medium, and Large sizes and they were marked as such on the back of them. I would just keep the one you have because it matches the rest of the liner suspension. The earlier napes aren't hard to come by, but most are NOS and they'd look out of place next to older, used suspension.

You also paid right in the middle for your liner chinstrap. They have skyrocketed in price just over the past six months. (Supply and demand) The majority of WWII M-1 helmets do not have liner straps when people get their helmets, and especially higher end collectors want original liner straps to complete their high end helmets. Actually, there were a few different liner straps, and some collectors will pay a ton to match the correct strap to their helmet. The green buckle with the little turned up end on the buckle closing lever is the later WWII type, which would still be correct for your helmet. They're referred to as 'Green Buckles' by collectors and demand a premium. After looking closely, I feel yours is authentic - They've been making reproductions of liner straps for years because so few of them are around, and many sellers try to 'Age' them, but crazing and cracking are hard to fake.

There are so few around for several reasons, but the main reason is they became so brittle they break off easily - They were also unpopular when they were still new - There was a rumor that ran amok (Especially in the ETO) that a close blast would break your neck from the concussion if you had your helmet buckled, so most GI's just put the helmet strap on the back of the helmet and they un-clipped the liner strap and discarded it.

Welcome back, Harlan! I had a hunch where you probably were - glad you are on the mend. - Bob

Hello Harlan.

First of all no need to say sorry ! I hope You feel well after Your surgery.
Thank You so much for all the info You gave me and for confirming me that all the gear I bought seem to be original and not a fake. :thup:

All of it is DEFINITELY authentic Bizio! You have a good eye!
When I saw you were buying a helmet I worried a little, but you got a good early one that looks right as rain! I just came a cross two earlier nape straps the same vintage as when your helmet was made and came back here to show them to you, just in case you're interested. They're inexpensive, but they don't always come up for sale and thought you might try to buy one and see how far off it it next to your suspension. You might even try to get it a little dirty. I have a 'George Frost' nape in my fixed bale.

WWII US M-1 HELMET LINER NAPE STRAP UNISSUED EARLY KHAKI | eBay

WWII US M-1 HELMET LINER NAPE STRAP UNISSUED EARLY KHAKI | eBay

Thank you Harlan !
I must admit that I have been very lucky with so many fakes around. :D
Thank you for your links of the two nape straps, I would buy them but unfortunatly dealer doesn't ship outside USA ... that's always a big problem for me since I'm in Italy. :(

EDIT: I can't even contact the ebay dealer since he blocked messages from users outside US.

I think it's kind of rotten that he blocked Europeans from even contacting him - (To each his own)

I forgot that you were from Italy (my apologies) - Since you're in Europe, it makes it even more remarkable, and fortunate that everything you have is 100% authentic, and what looks to be early WWII.

At least the nape strap is a very minor thing - Adjustable napes came out later that your fixed bale helmet, but by it's color yours is WWII vintage and it wouldn't be uncommon for someone to change it out. You can still keep your eyes open and I will too, and eventually one will turn up if you want one. (Sometimes the search is half the fun, and this is an inexpensive part to have fun looking for!)

UPDATE:
I found one on eBay. This is the only one up other than the first two I posted and this one doesn't say anything about not shipping to Europe.
If you're interested, you might just send him a question to ask, but I bet he will sell to Italy.

US WWII M1 Helmet Nape Strap Small C.S.C. HBT OD#3 Khaki Single Weave Early War | eBay

No need to apologize, Harlan. :thup:
I guess there are really few Italians writing here.

Thank you again for your link. dealer ships to Italy and I will try to get the item, hopefully. :)

I won the auction.
Thank you again for pointing me to that item, Harlan. :thup:

I bought for few $ this tag and I am still waiting for the delivery of another one which should look better completed with its silver chain.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...img5352l-1.jpg

WWII VETERAN DOG TAGS NO RESERVE | eBay

Tghe cgt belt is a good WWII sample but it was repaired. The original male buckle was made out of light alloy as the female one. Being quite brittle it broken and was replaced with a WWI one made out of brass.

Grazie artu44.

I think it is not easy to get a belt original in all its parts, unless ready to spend 200 Euro or maybe more.
I got that one for about 1/4 of that amount in Novegro Militalia fair.

Never heard such prices. My references are completed listings on US ebay and only rare USMC marked belts reach 200$ there. A sound WWII US army belt can be bough about 50-60$.
check
garand belt | eBay


BTW the repair doesn't detract anything to the belt cause its a WWI piece. Another story if it wolud have been repaired with a korean era male buckle.

I am talking of the prices I found in Novegro last May, when I started the topic.
Some Italian dealers were selling WWII ammo belts at 200 Euro ... crazy.
I bought mine from a Belgian guy in Novegro at 50 Euro, or a price 'round that I think to remember.
Thanks for your link, I checked in the past at ebay.com but I was afraid to get a fake.