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View Full Version : What the heck is this vest??????


Guamsst
09-13-2011, 09:07
I have no idea what this is and would appreciate any info I can get. 3 double mag pouches, front and back.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e153/guamsst/DSCF2669.jpg
Guamsst
09-15-2011, 05:39
Wow, almost 50 views and no info. I guess it's either really rare or really odd.
dave
09-15-2011, 07:26
Have never seen fasteners like those---British maybe?
Guamsst
09-15-2011, 09:20
I have no idea. The mag slots seem like they are for a very tall straight mag of .308/30-06 size. So, I am sure it is an assistant gunner/loaders vest for a WW2 era machine gun. The fasteners are very odd but work pretty well. There are two stamps which are not legible at all but one is a rectangle box and the other a circle which seems Russian but could be U.S. or who knows.

I know some folks who seem to know EVERYTHING and will guess creatively when they don't and not one of them has even tried to lie to me about it. I picked it up for about $5 and figure it must be worth more than that. But unless I know what it is, I doubt I'll be selling it.
gwp
09-15-2011, 01:43
Best guess - 60mm mortar vest? 81mm vest had 2 pockets.

A quick check of the internet reveled nothing to support the guess.
RCS
09-15-2011, 07:09
I don't think it is a mortar vest. It looks alot like a combatkit_gear vest which is made for alot of different magazines
Guamsst
09-15-2011, 07:57
Yep. the pockets are all divided into 30cal mag size compartments. The more time I spend trying to find out what it is, the more I think it must be worth....LOL But I have to find out what it is or someone else will pay $5 or so for it like I did :(

Also, I just found a good new beer (redbridge) and bought my first bottle of Glinlivet scotch so excuse please miss spillings any....LOL
Nick Riviezzo
09-16-2011, 12:48
Guamsst, will curved 30 round AK mags fit?I did see North Viets with a similar vest but that was a lot of years ago and I don't remember the detais like buckles etc. Just a thought.Nick
Guamsst
09-16-2011, 01:52
Guamsst, will curved 30 round AK mags fit?I did see North Viets with a similar vest but that was a lot of years ago and I don't remember the detais like buckles etc. Just a thought.Nick

Was thinking about that earlier. Will dig around and see if I can find an AK mag.
Sean P Gilday
09-16-2011, 03:28
I'm wondering if maybe it was a Commonwealth vest for Canada or Australia when they had FNFAL heavy barrel auto rifles like the C2A1/L2A1. Could the pouches fit a 30 rd L4 Mag, or the 30rd FAL mag?
Guamsst
09-16-2011, 08:40
ak mags fit but are short and loose. It seems made for a long straight 30 cal mag. It does have a Brit feel to it. The fasteners feel very British.

I was thinking RPK mags though as they would probably fit.

So, possibly Brit or Russian for some kind of gun....LOL
squires
09-17-2011, 06:02
some thing in the back of my mind dings, soviet''ive seen it but cant recall where'
Guamsst
09-17-2011, 07:34
I am still thinking it is Soviet/Comm block. The fasteners seem British but that is not any kind of hard evidence. At this point I figure if it twas valuable someone would know what it was. Man, I guess the gunshow guys are right, I do come up with some oddball stuff....LOL
Sean P Gilday
09-17-2011, 08:29
It's French, specifically an Algerian War era ammo vest.
http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/wpimages/images/images1/1/1007/25/1_67c6955f8753fb1e0586272beeb6b8a8.jpg
Guamsst
09-17-2011, 11:06
It's French, specifically an Algerian War era ammo vest.
http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/wpimages/images/images1/1/1007/25/1_67c6955f8753fb1e0586272beeb6b8a8.jpg

Link won't work but thanks for figuring this one out.

Here's what I found.
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366888

And thats about all I found. Now just to find someone who REALLY has to have it....LOL
Sean P Gilday
09-18-2011, 07:34
Link won't work but thanks for figuring this one out.

Here's what I found.
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366888

And thats about all I found. Now just to find someone who REALLY has to have it....LOLI was reading the thread last night and in front of me was a copy of an Osprey book War in Indochina and I looked at the french rucks which had a rivet where the strap tabs on pockets were sewn and a light went on.

I wouldnt accept it was rarely used because of one guy. depends on unit. If I'm running around with a Bpe I'd hate a vest like that. If I'm Halftrack mounted and dismount for local action having 6 mags handy aint bad. I know guys who still prefer the PASGT helmet to the ACH