ID cartridge belt

[Doug Douglass]

Traded into an unusual USN/USMC belt I cannot exactly ID

woven 2 1/4 " wide,
light tan color,
blackened C closure, says Mills Pat dates on metal but no date,
<MILLS in the 30-06 outline> one ink stamp no date,
three Navy Eagle rimmed snaps with a pat July 30 1907 date on the inside of the snap,
50 1 5/8" long 30 cal loops covered with a continuous flap that is secured down over the top of the cartridges with the three Navy eagle snaps, one at each end and one in the center rear on a loop that circles the belt,
this loop is sewn on the belt
un issued condition.

Doug:icon_salut:

[JBinIll]

Check this thread out http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42026 Post number 5 illustrates and talks about a belt such as you describe.

[Doug Douglass]

Post #5 photo is exactly the belt I have. For fuses? A collector friend in CA just emailed me a scan of a page from Dorcey's book identifing it as a Model 1907 Navy 50 round 30-40 Krag cartridge belt also saying they were white, mine is light tan and clean. Krag rounds fit just fine but why would the Navy have a different 30-40 belt in 1907? Dorcey had little info on it. More info would be appreciated. Doug:icon_salut:

[JBinIll]

Which Dorsey book,I have U.S.Martial Web Belts and Bandoliers:1903-1981 and it is not shown there.It appears to me that there was a lot of Mills belts purchased by the military for specific purposes in small quantities that little is known about.With the adoption of the M1903 web equipment with it's brass two part T-closure buckle it's odd that in 1907 the Navy would revert to the old C-closure.A lot of information has turned up since many of these reference works have been published.A loaded Krag round is a little over 3 inches in length which would be longer than that belt is wide and would be difficult to put in or get out with the flap.None of the revolver belts in that period used that many loops.I would be inclined to agree with the fuse belt ID.LOL It appears no one is really sure about this belt.

[Doug Douglass]

You are right no one is sure about anything. The info from my CA friend came out of a reference book on US belts and leather not Dorcey as I thought. I can send you the scan of page 118 he sent me on the belt, I don't know the author.