Mills No. 170 web belt

[Derrick R.]

Here is a pre-WWI .45 acp ammo belt. Derrick

[Scott Wilson]

That is very nice. Is it dated? If not,when do you think that it was made?

[Derrick R.]

Scott its hard to read but I believe its 1913

[George in NH]

Hi Men,
Would not that belt be for revolver ammo? The ammo would be either for the 1890's series of
.38 guns or the Model 1909 Colt in .45 (Long) Colt. I do have a soft cover book of US web gear, I will try and check it tonight.
George in NH

[Derrick R.]

No, the magazine lays horizontal and the small pockets hold 7 loose rounds. Thje belts for the .38 ammo had all small pockets and I believe eight of them.
Derrick

[5MadFarmers]

There are many more belts than two.

The current books simplify the belts into a few different ones. The original drawings show that there were many more than is currently believed.

[Johnny P]

It was never proposed that loose ammo for the 1911 be carried. From the beginning it was proposed that the ammo be carried in magazines, and the biggest decision was how many magazines be carried. The first proposal was that six loaded magazines be carried, but how to carry that many magazines was never settled. One proposal was for one magazine pocket for three magazines and one magazine pocket for two magazines be carried on the belt. Another was for two to be carried in a magazine pocket and the other three in the saddlebags. It was decided that only three magazines would be carried, one in the pistol and two in a magazine pocket attached to the belt.
Mills may have proposed the belt as a way of carrying .45 ACP ammo, but I have never seen where it was considered.

[5MadFarmers]

"Revolvers." The belts were for revolvers.

"Cartridge Belt, Model of 1909, with Saber Ring, for Colt's Cal. .45 Revolver."

Drawing number is 20-2-101 for that one (The 1909, not the pictured belt in OP's post).

The belt pictured appears to be a hybrid. Which isn't as odd as it sounds.

[Johnny P]

The magazine pocket for the Model 1911 pistol was first issued in 1912.

[Scott Wilson]

This is very interesting!
John, where did you find the information regarding the protocal for early carry? Is there any information on the web gear that was being considered for the pre 1911 pistols? I would agree that any magazine fed pistol would have weg gear designed to carry loaded magazines, but it is possible that the old habits (loose rounds for the revolvers) lingered for abit?