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Hi Guys

I have these belts (all just fragments) that I would like you to give an opinion on

First one is obviously German with the makers name and date on the starter tab,would it be correct to say this may be part of a 100 round 08/15 belt? In saying that it is marked "275" with paint/ink which has me wondering??

this one is faintly marked 1917 or 17 and possiably a makers initial or something,I cant make it out. I think Im right to assume this is correct MG08 type

last one....this one has brass dividers and the starter tab has been removed which is a shame.Must have had this one 25 years....so wuat is the verdict here....MG08 or Vickers?

Thanks

Andrew

JF is the belt expert but here is my offering.

You have visible a 100 rd starter tab so no prizes for identifying this as a 100 rd belt.
All German ammo belts are 3 rd pockets and I am sure I will be corrected but all German belts have the silver/nickel circle stud on the dividers. If they are brass or empty rivet tops then they are not German.

We all await a more informed response.
Mark

Hello to NZ
enclosed, please find a couple of examles,
hope it helps to clear some questions..

Thank you alpencorps and Mark ! that is very helpful, I know my belts are only fragments but I still find them interesting, Maybe some day i will be fortunate enough to find a full length example. I was looking at one recently fitted with badges and buttons and a Prussian buckle which must have been put together as a war trophy.

Regards
Andrew

Do reproduction canvas belts exist that are of good enough quality to work reliably?

As of now no, there are no repro belts on the market.

Repro Maxim belts were made by a couple of people many years ago and were 100 rounders for the 08/15 drums.They were made from a double cotton strip, wider than standard Maxim belts, and double stitched to provide the brass/steel divider dimension. I have examples of two different makes, one tpe made by John Stemple or his wife, and the other made by Erb, or at least that is what I recall.
Currently, as noted above, there is no repro Maxim belt being made, but there have been mutterings from various people about doing it.
Also, German Maxim belts were made in both three and five loop styles. Whether all makers made both types, I do not know. As for a 275 round version, I do not believe one exists as the standard was 250. Other belt MGs. Used short tablets, though, some of which will function Maxims and Vickers.

Bob Naess

Here is the belt marked 275, as stated above it is only a fragment so who knows.

Who knows? Well, I' ll take a stab at it.....as you might have figured out from the discussion above, that fragment is the feed end of an 08/15 belt used in a drum, so the belt originally held only 100 rounds in order to fit into the drum. The short steel tab allowed the leading end of the belt to be held by retainers on the drum in preparation for feed, and are found in that form only on 08/15 100 round belts.
Considering that the MG08 ammo boxes were dimensioned to fit 250 round belts, a 275 round belt would just not fit, so.....
While an interesting and bold marking, the 275 does not pertain to the the number of rounds held by the belt, nor does it even look like the typical round counting markings stamped in ink on belts. It is an inventory number or serves some other ID function.
Hope this helps....

Bob Naess

Thanks Bob,

yes an inventory number would make more sense.

Regards

Andrew

Yep, that's definately a 100 round belt for a drum with that tab... the 275 has to be for something else, but Im not sure what. Could that have been with a particular gun? Could that have been applied in NZ during WWII, when they refurbed some of the guns for use against the Japanese? Not sure that's likely, but it would explain why I haven't often seen stenciled markings quite like that, something more local?

dwmmg08 wrote:Yep, that's definately a 100 round belt for a drum with that tab... the 275 has to be for something else, but Im not sure what. Could that have been with a particular gun? Could that have been applied in NZ during WWII, when they refurbed some of the guns for use against the Japanese? Not sure that's likely, but it would explain why I haven't often seen stenciled markings quite like that, something more local?

Unfortunately I do not have the previous history of this particular belt fragment,it came from a collector disposing of a friends collection so it may have been a local pick up or just as easily have been imported as some other items I purchased certainly came from overseas.

Andrew

Always something new to learn With attempting to find the MG accessories I have spent like other collectors much time trying to find complete German 100 and 250 rd ammo belts and have always understood them to be 3 pocket. Although there are many belts made for various types of maxims, I understood 3 pocket on the 250 rd belt and clear maker/date stamps on the tabs truly determined German WWI use. Both Bob and Fritz have mentioned Imperial German WWI 5 pocket belts so it would be great if anyone can publish images? JF? David?
ps I still have some beautiful WWI British vickers belts .303 maker/date stamped for trade if of use.
Mark

Hello Mark,

One with 5 pockets belts, dated from 8/1917.





It also exist a 50 rounds belt for a 50 round drum for MG 08/15, made at the end of war.

Regards
david

here the 50 round Belt, made for Reichswehr...

alpencorps wrote:here the 50 round Belt, made for Reichswehr...

Thats a very interesting belt! If its comes up for sale, I would be interested!

here a pic with both examples

Great images of 3 rd and 5 rd pockets. Now another thing to locate!

I think from the few 100rd belts I have seen, all inter-war 100 rd belts have had a leather or canvas extending piece placed or made before the steel starter tab, so perhaps a good way of identifying pure WWI? Any thoughts from the experts.
The 1929 50 rd belt seems to confirm this.

Mark