Questions On Two Web Belts

[Milsurf]

There are eyelets on the bottom of it for attaching all the other mandatory field gear you'll need such as a WWI canteen, first aid pouch, etc, and as long as you're at it you must get a M1910 haversack that has straps that attach to the upper eyelets on the cartridge belt and act as suspenders to help hold up your belt loaded with all the essentials. Then you only need to buy an entrenching tool and carrier, and of course a 1905 bayonet to attach to the corresponding flap with eyelets on the side of the haversack, or it'll look incomplete or downright NAKED.

Having exceeded my $$$ limit in purchasing the pistol in the first place, I'm afraid I'll have to hold off in getting all the goodies. I'll just pretend that I'm an officer, so I get to leave the mess kit, entrenching tool, bayonet and all to the others in my command.

This is a typical WWI rig for the Model 1911 pistol.

Yeppers, that's what I'm looking at to start, though as I mentioned, will need to go slow to first replenish the coffers. Thanks to all for the advice and neat photos.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I was just razzing you Milsurf. I've put together three complete WWII rigs and it really ads up. I intended to put one together for WWI as well, but you can see how far I've gotten.

WWI gear tends to be dirtier/damaged for the most part for obvious reasons, and I try to get better examples - most often if WWI gear is in good shape many people want even more than it's really worth. You just need to take your time when putting these together, and usually you'll find what you want eventually - the 'hunt' is a great deal of the fun to me.

[Jason60chev]

WWI period web belts will have brass buckle attachments. M1912 holsters are difficult to come by and expensive when in decent condition. 1917-1918 M1916 holsters can be found in good shape and reasonably priced. Those holsters, too, will have brass hangars. They are usually dated on the
rear side along with the maker's name. 1918 dated magazine pounches are everywhere. Do a Google search for "WWI holster" ; "WWI pistol belt" or whatever you can think of. There are plenty out there, so no hurry. There are also a couple of pretty good reference books on US military web gear from Pre-WWI to present that make for some interesting reading.

[Milsurf]

Thanks, Harlan and Jason. I've been scrounging GB and Fleabay, keep getting edged out on the holster and first aid pouch. I do have a mag pouch coming. Also scored a Bolo sheath cheap, now just have to get the matching Bolo knife, ouch! No real rush, I suppose, the gun shop still hasn't gotten the handgun safety cards and we're three weeks into it, will go well over a month when finally the sun rises and the 1911 comes home. Sigh.

[Milsurf]

FWIW, the local Gunne Shoppe finally got the PRK required handgun safety cards in house, and so I signed off on one of those bureaucratic piffles plus three or four other pieces of BS liberal statist papers today, and so my ten day "please, sir, may I have some more" waiting period starts now (I originally bought the piece on 1/24/12). In the meantime I've obtained a 1918 dated 1911 mag pouch, an undated 1917 Bolo sheath (no knife yet, still scheming on that), a model 1916 undated Sears holster (acceptance marked E.T.C.), and a 1918 dated canteen, cup and cover (the latter two items are still in the mail). I surely hope that this won't evolve into another case similar to Garanditis, which I contracted and which terribly ravaged me and my bank account a few years ago.