I have this Mills pattern 1881 cartridge belt. It has the wide brass buckle and 45 cartridge loops which would indicate that it was meant to hold 45/70 rounds. If I'm not mistaken, the Mills belts used during the Spanish-American War had 50 cartridge loops for the 30-40 Kragicon. This belt doesn't seem to fit two consecutive rounds of 45/70, even though it has 45 cartridge loops. The loops are single canvas where the cartridge is inserted, and have a double layer of canvas around the projectile. The question is this: Was this an older-style pattern 1881 belt that was modified to hold 30-40 Krag rounds for use in the Spanish-American War?

Here are some pictures:
Information
Warning: This is a relatively older thread
This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.