Thompson Submachine Gun Magazine Bag

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08-07-2022, 08:30 PM
Aragorn243

Thompson Submachine Gun Magazine Bag

I picked this up yesterday along with an early Vietnam era butt pack. Paid $5 for it without knowing what it was. Did a search and came up empty.

Found one today with a totally unrelated search, "Japanese machete". How that makes any sense at all I have no idea.

Apparently, they are pretty rare.

I guess they hold six stick magazines. I only have four but looks like easy room for two more.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../hVB0jeU-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ElAt220-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../Ey45NS1-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../aUR70tm-1.jpg
08-07-2022, 08:55 PM
RCS

3 Attachment(s)

magazine pouch

The book on Thompson sub machine guns "American Thunder" list your pouch as a general purpose magazine pouch. Later on this pouch was issued with the M3 SMG and marked.

The 20rd magazine pouch and later 30rd magazine pouches were only for the Thompson and the Reising had a different magazine pouch tooAttachment 127759 Attachment 127764 Attachment 127763

I should add that any magazine could be carried in your pouch if it fit
08-07-2022, 09:38 PM
Aragorn243

30 rounders fit perfectly.
08-08-2022, 10:21 AM
browningautorifle

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCS

a general purpose magazine pouch

That's correct. Not scarce or rare but perhaps drying up now 70 odd years on...
08-08-2022, 05:51 PM
RCS

I think rare with the 42 date, first year issue ?
08-08-2022, 06:23 PM
browningautorifle

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCS

rare with the 42 date

Perhaps that, yes... Like the OD3 gear.
08-08-2022, 10:03 PM
Aragorn243

I don't know. I only found a few originals for sale. One is currently listed for $125, and one sold for $115 and another for $125, all are 1942 dated. Reproductions all over the place. I never saw one before but then I was never looking either.
08-08-2022, 10:20 PM
RCS

Both the M3 and M3A1 submachine guns were in service in the US for a long time and still with vehicles and tanks even longer, the only way
to carry extra magazines was the pouch shown
08-08-2022, 11:08 PM
browningautorifle

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCS

Both the M3 and M3A1 submachine guns were in service in the US for a long time

I remember when I was in an M60 Tank, there was a rack designated for the M3A1...that was 1979. Long time they served.
08-09-2022, 02:16 PM
RCS

1 Attachment(s)

early modification of Lend Lease M3 smg

The early M3 smg had a magazine catch that could one could bump against something or drop and the catch would release the magazine. US ordnance came out with a guard or fence around the magazine catch. Those M3 smg's already provided to the UK had a field modification where a bar was spot welded across the magazine catch as a guard against accidental release of the magazine.Attachment 127777
08-09-2022, 06:07 PM
Aragorn243

We had M3's in our unit. We had a pair of M88 recovery vehicles, and they came with those. Not sure how many we had, maybe three each, plus a 50 cal each. I fired the 50 once on the ground, don't remember ever seeing the M3's used. I had a license to drive the M88.
08-09-2022, 08:16 PM
browningautorifle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aragorn243

We had a pair of M88 recovery vehicles, and they came with those.

I remember looking through the Equipment Issue Scale...for our M113s as I drove them a bit. (Mortars and anti tank) And the book showed an M14 rifle along with a full length crowbar and other tools...when our Leopard 1 tanks came to Canada, they all had a brand new MG 3 on top of the turret and I think in the co-ax. Those disappeared forthwith. They were not turned in because they didn't exist.