› World War II Militaria and Field Equipment (1939-1945) › Unique BAR Magazine Belt Field Repair | WWI / WWII | "Frankenstein" Rig

Unique BAR Magazine Belt Field Repair | WWI / WWII | "Frankenstein" Rig

1 of 13

A collector's holy grail with an incredible story! Up for sale is the left half of a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) magazine belt. This is not a standard issue item, but a fascinating period field repair (a "Frankenstein" or rigger-made piece). The base panel features a crisp, clear WWI stamp dating to September 1918, to which pouches from different belt models (WWI and WWII) have been attached using crude field stitching. This is a piece of gear that clearly went through hell and was kept in the fight by resourceful armorers. A true gem for advanced US militaria collectors!

Availability	Skladem (1 pcs)
€77,57

Parameters

Product code	ZBOZI PODLE PARAGRAFU 90 ZAKONA O DPH.3341
Brand	G.I.
Category	World War II Militaria and Field Equipment (1939-1945)
Warranty	NE

Print Question

Dear customers, orders will temporarily be shipped once a week, approximately in the middle of the week. Thank you for your understanding.

Description
Discussion

Description

When rear echelon supplies fail, field armorers go to work.

WWI Heritage Base: The inside of the belt bears a stunningly crisp stamp: "BROWNING COLT P.B & CO. 2ND ASST. LEFT 9-1918". This identifies it as the left side of the load-bearing equipment for a 2nd Assistant BAR gunner, produced at the end of WWI.
M1918 & M1937 Mashup: Three pouches are sewn onto this 1918 base. The leftmost pouch features the rounded flap typical of WWII M1937 belts, while the other two retain the squarer WWI M1918 cut.
Fascinating Field Repair: Close-ups reveal heavy, crude, and irregular stitching. Someone in the field (likely during WWII or Korea) cannibalized two damaged belts to create one functional unit. This "salty," improvised character makes the belt incredibly unique.
Condition & Hardware: The canvas is heavily used but remains solid. The blackened brass Lift-the-Dot snaps and adjustment hardware are fully functional. Features bottom grommets for M1910 wire hangers.

Technical Specs:

Item: Left Half BAR Belt (Field Modification)
Role: 2nd Assistant Gunner (BAR magazines)
Era: WWI (1918 base) modified likely during WWII / Korea
Material: Heavy Cotton Canvas
Condition: Heavily used, period field repaired (highly collectible)

Be the first who will post an article to this item!

Only registered users can submit posts. Please log in or sign up.