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MODEL 1909 MOUNTED
CARTRIDGE BELT-RIMLESS EAGLE SNAP – AN EXCELLENT
SPECIMEN OF A RARE BELT COMPLETE WITH ALL FOUR REVOLVER
CARTRIDGE POUCHES:
It is a real pleasure to be able to offer this excellent
specimen of the very rare Model 1909 Mounted Cartridge
Belt, as issued to the US Army Cavalry troopers during
the Mexican Punitive Expedition into Mexico in 1916. As
originally designed with two revolver ammunition pockets
on each side of the front closure, this belt was
intended to be issued with the M1909 Colt Revolver.
However, as noted in so many other instances through the
history of the Ordnance Department’s efforts to
coordinate the development and issue of new weapons and
the related accoutrements, technological developments
outstripped the design and intended use of this belt,
and by the time the belt was issued for use in the field
most of the mounted soldiers had been issued the M1911
Automatic Colt Pistol. The M1911 Pistol, which required
the two pocket magazine pouch to carry additional
ammunition, rendered the four revolver ammunition
pockets on this belt obsolete, and as a result most of
the M1909 Mounted Belts that survive in collections
today have had one or both sets of the revolver
cartridge pouches removed to make room to carry the
M1916 Magazine Pouch.
This belt is in remarkable
condition given the obvious signs of its issue and use
in the field as evidenced by the unit inventory
information that was once stenciled on the interior
surface of the belt. The inside back of the belt body
was ink stamped with various unit identification data
that is now obliterated with the commonly encountered
green paint, used when these belts and other web gear
were turned in to the primary issue depots and prepared
for issue to other units. All of the rimless eagle
snaps are intact with no tearing or wear around the
snaps, all of the snaps function properly, and all of
the grommets are intact with none having pulled through
the webbing. The two revolver ammunition pockets on
both sides of the belt front are completely intact and
are original to this belt. Both of the belt’s metal end
pieces bear the Mills Company logo and patent
information. There are a couple of points of slight
wear along the bottom edge of the belt, adjacent to the
where the brass end mounts rested – barely noticeable
except on close inspection and only mentioned here to
provide a complete description. There are no other
signs of wear, fraying, fading, tearing or other damage
on this belt with all of the flaps and pockets in
excellent condition.
Introduced in the early
years of the 20th Century, these belts were
exposed to extensive service to include the Punitive
Expedition into Mexico and World War One, with most
having been subjected to the modifications described
above. It is believed that only a small handful of
these Model 1909 Mounted Cartridge Belts survive today
in their original configuration with all four revolver
cartridge pouches intact, and even fewer are in such
fine condition as this specimen. Rare pieces such as
this belt normally move very quietly from one collection
to another in private sales and having one to offer to
the collector community is a rare event in its own right
and it is a real pleasure to be able to offer this belt
for your consideration. $2250
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