1952HRA Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 I bought a couple mag pouches a few years back and 2 of them are marked USMC and I was wondering if anybody can tell me if they are original USMC pouches? I'm 99% sure they are real pouches I'm just not sure if they are original USMC or if someone marked them USMC to try to increase value or something, if I remember correctly they were shipped from somewhere in Europe.Thanks for the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952HRA Posted May 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 (edited) The reason I'm questioning whether they are really USMC pouches is because of the spacing between the U.S. and M.C., I've never seen any with that much space between them, I did look them up a while back and the manufacturer is one of the manufacturers that made USMC pouches so hopefully someone has an answer Edited May 14, 2019 by 1952HRA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeport28A1 Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 Your pouch pictured has a different font for the RM CO 1942 lettering then other known RM CO 1942 dated USMC Reising pouches . It appears to be the same style font (RM CO 1942) that is used on the 1944 dated three cell 30 round USMC pouches. The USMC font on your pouch pictured also differs from 1942 dated USMC Reising five cell pouches made by Russell Manufacturing. However your pouch USMC font is similar to font on three cell 30 round USMC pouches. On the subject of the space between the S and M i dont Know what to say regarding that. There typically is no gap in the USMC lettering on the 1944 dated three cell pouches. Lets wait for gijive to respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeport28A1 Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 The fact they came from Europe could be of concern with the unmarked web pouches that were in the Russian Thompson shipping chests. Someone possibly may have copied the only USMC pouch available to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952HRA Posted May 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 The fact they came from Europe could be of concern with the unmarked web pouches that were in the Russian Thompson shipping chests. Someone possibly may have copied the only USMC pouch available to them?Yeah that's what I was kinda thinking, hopefully someone others chime in with there thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normal1959 Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 I stopped buying them when repro pouches and a few other things got so good. Plenty of stuff to collect that's not so questionable.Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoscoeTurner Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 Do the pouches smell old or the ink stamps smell of fresh ink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952HRA Posted May 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 Do the pouches smell old or the ink stamps smell of fresh ink?It's got a faint smell of old canvas (it smells the same as all my WW2 and Korean war belts and pouches) but other than that I can't smell any ink or anything, I don't have that much knowledge on this stuff but judging by the feal and smell I think the pouch it's self is original but the lettering is what is throwing me off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speeddemon02 Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 I always enjoy threads like this, gives me a chance to take a guess and then find out if I am right or wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoscoeTurner Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Do the pouches smell old or the ink stamps smell of fresh ink?It's got a faint smell of old canvas (it smells the same as all my WW2 and Korean war belts and pouches) but other than that I can't smell any ink or anything, I don't have that much knowledge on this stuff but judging by the feal and smell I think the pouch it's self is original but the lettering is what is throwing me off Sometimes with fresh markings you can still smell the ink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandman1957 Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Take a photo with all the flaps open and line it up with another known original Thompson 5 cell mag pouch. Preferably one that is US marked.If the Stud Strap is higher then it is a Reising pouch, and that alone makes it "better". I doubt that there was an approved stamp that had a gap or was a two letter stamp. The center pouch is a USMC marked Reising Pouch They had to move the stud strap higher to fit the taller Reising Mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952HRA Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) Take a photo with all the flaps open and line it up with another known original Thompson 5 cell mag pouch. Preferably one that is US marked.If the Stud Strap is higher then it is a Reising pouch, and that alone makes it "better". I doubt that there was an approved stamp that had a gap or was a two letter stamp. 5 XX Mag.jpg The center pouch is a USMC marked Reising Pouch They had to move the stud strap higher to fit the taller Reising Mags. Hears a picture, it's definitely a Thompson mag pouch, the USMC marked one is on the left Edited May 15, 2019 by 1952HRA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron_brock Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 As Sandman mentioned, the RMCo 1942 USMC pouch should be for the Reising mags. All that I have owned have been in that manner. Also the stamping is not consistent with others I have had. I have two or three and have sold about six over some years. I suspect that this pouch was a blank lend lease that has been improved. The color looks consistent with those that came back. I wanted to wait to get home and confirm some points but based on the snap placement and the stampings I am confident. I would like to confirm which snap manufacturer were on my USMC pouch compared to the lens lease pouches. I suspect there should be consistency as I do not believe there were multiple production runs of this pouch. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted May 16, 2019 Report Share Posted May 16, 2019 My opinion: Real pouch. Fake marking. The only ones I know that were marked in this manner were for the Reising, and that marking is different. This is the first I have seen of this marking style. David Albertdalbert@sturmgewehr.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted May 16, 2019 Report Share Posted May 16, 2019 Here's a pic of a known original Reising pouch. Note the lack of spaces in USMC. I believe the OP's pouch is a WWII original that's had the markings added. Without the space, there would have been no way to tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeport28A1 Posted May 16, 2019 Report Share Posted May 16, 2019 Both the U.S.M.C. and the RM CO 1942 font are different on HRA1952s pouch and known Reising pouches. Lets hope Europe doesn't make a new USMC stamp set for all those Russian chest pouches that are legitimate WW2 but were unmarked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R67 Posted May 16, 2019 Report Share Posted May 16, 2019 I have seen USMC marked 6 cell pouches and am not convinced the USMC contracted them during the war. There were USMC Depot made 6-cell pouches but they were UNMARKED. These marked examples seem to be Russian returns, with USMC added in an attempt to make a common pouch more desirable. These USMC stamps were sold on ebay years ago. Save your money boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 I don't think any Thompson 5-cell magazine pouches were stamped in this manner in 1942 by R.M. Co. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't recall any, and if they exist, I would want to examine them very closely. In my opinion, there are three things to look for... 1. Is it an original Thompson 5-cell pouch? (Yes/No)2. Is it an original Thompson 5-cell pouch, and marked USMC and R.M. Co. 1942? If so, then it is probably a Russian pouch that has had a fake marking applied.3. Is it a USMC marked R.M. Co. 1942 Reising 5-cell pouch? If so, then compare marking to many known examples. It is probably original. The snaps are at a different height on a Reising pouch, which differentiates it from a Thompson pouch. The USMC did not have many Thompsons in 1942. They adopted the Reising in 1941 because of Thompson supply constraints. We were still trying to send as many Thompsons as we could to Britain, and to the U.S. Army. The Marines, though usually first to combat, were a lower overall supply priority. Go figure... David Albertdalbert@sturmgewehr.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952HRA Posted May 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 Thanks for the help guys, so it's like I suspected it's probably just a surplus Russian pouch that someone stamped with USMC markings to try and increase value Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normal1959 Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) Here is an interesting one i bought last night. The seller on Ebay claims it was in his collection for 30 years. Also, the right 2 snaps are marked "star pull" and the left 3 are blank. I only bought it because it was $35 so it was too cheap under any circumstance to pass up.Eric BTW I just checked the seller feedback. Edited May 17, 2019 by Normal1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 Here is an interesting one i bought last night. The seller on Ebay claims it was in his collection for 30 years. Also, the right 2 snaps are marked "star pull" and the left 3 are blank. I only bought it because it was $35 so it was too cheap under any circumstance to pass up.EricIf you asking if it is real, it is. The maker mark on that one should be inside the rear sewn on portion on the back where it slides on a belt. Hard to see but if you hold it right you can make it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normal1959 Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 Here is an interesting one i bought last night. The seller on Ebay claims it was in his collection for 30 years. Also, the right 2 snaps are marked "star pull" and the left 3 are blank. I only bought it because it was $35 so it was too cheap under any circumstance to pass up.EricIf you asking if it is real, it is. The maker mark on that one should be inside the rear sewn on portion on the back where it slides on a belt. Hard to see but if you hold it right you can make it out.I wondered where the maker mark was. I will check it out when I get it. Just bought it last night.Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) Here is an interesting one i bought last night. The seller on Ebay claims it was in his collection for 30 years. Also, the right 2 snaps are marked "star pull" and the left 3 are blank. I only bought it because it was $35 so it was too cheap under any circumstance to pass up.EricIf you asking if it is real, it is. The maker mark on that one should be inside the rear sewn on portion on the back where it slides on a belt. Hard to see but if you hold it right you can make it out.I wondered where the maker mark was. I will check it out when I get it. Just bought it last night.EricThe most common manufacturer that I have seen for that type of two-tone type of magazine pouch is Hoosier T. & C. G. Co. There is also another but I can't remember if it is Airtress Midland or American Awning Company. Just checked the FAQ section of this Board and found the other manufacturer I was thinking of, it is American Leather Products. Your pouch should be dated 1942. Edited May 17, 2019 by gijive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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