Pistol Magazine Pockets

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.45 Pistol Magazine Pocket
M1912 Pistol Magazine Pocket, Rimless Eagle Snaps

Soldiers armed with the Colt M1911 Automatic Pistol were issued one Pistol Magazine pocket which held two magazines for the M1911 Pistol. The first variation of the M1912 Pistol Magazine Pocket had rimless eagle snaps and the pocket's flap had a distinctive vertical stitch between the snaps. This pouch is dated 1913. Carl Panak Collection

.45 Pistol Magazine Pocket
M1912 Pistol Magazine Pocket, Rimmed Eagle Snaps

The second variation pocket seen here with rimmed eagle snaps had simplified flap construction which eliminated the need for the vertical stitch. This pocket is dated 1915, manufactured by Mills, and lacks the snap on the back. The early magazine pockets did not have the male snap on the back which mated with the female snap on the pistol belt. Carl Panak Collection

.45 Pistol Magazine Pockets
Russell M1912 Pistol Magazine Pocket

Starting in 1917 the Pistol Magazine Pockets were manufactured with lift the dot snaps rather than the eagle snaps found on earlier pockets. Also note the drab color versus the earlier olive green. This is a typical wartime manufactured woven pocket, made by Russell dated October 1918. Carl Panak Collection

.45 Pistol Magazine Pockets
M1918 Pistol Magazine Pockets

Perhaps one of the most common World War I items encountered today are the M1918 Pistol magazine pockets which are indetified by the round flap. Two variations of M1918 pockets are seen here. Some of the companies that made these simplified style pockets are L.C.C. Co., L.D. Inc., P.B. and Co., and R.H. Long.

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