Genuine 1918 BAR ammobelt?

[Beginner]

Hi

I have a BAR ammobelt with the buttstock cup. I am offering it for sale to a friend but he feels it is a repro and not original 1918 vintage. The condition is too good according to him. 

I only have one pic (the belt is at my friends' for review so not able to take more pics now). What do you think? I do not really care if it is a a repro but would prefer not to sell if for a repro price if is genuine after all. 

 

Looking at similar belts for sale mine looks identical in my opinion, incl the LONG X-18 stamps (mine is 5-18). So are these genuine 1918 vintage or repros in your expert opinions?

https://shop.joesalter.com/Original-U-S-WWI-1918A2-BAR-Ammo-Web-Belt-By-Long-Dated-1918

https://www.ima-usa.com/products/original-u-s-wwi-1918a2-bar-browning-automatic-rifleman-belt-by-long-dated-june-1918?variant=29470614650949

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/ww1-1918-u-s-army-ammunition-pouch-carrier-belt-for-m1918-br/Accessories/1637732

https://www.saracenexports.com/product/browning-automatic-rifle-bar-belt-1918-dated/

 

 

[1gewehr]

It looks OK to me.  If it's a repro, it's an incredibly good one!  A photo of the marking would be a useful way to confirm it.

[Chappy]

Are they even worth enough to make repos? I get my originals from Australia and in the States and they are not that expensive to begin with.

[Beginner]

Thanks. He was making a fair point about the leather being in such a pristine shape after 100+ years. 

I got the belt back and took some more pics. I was also surprised these are selling for such low prices online (ranging from 150-200 USD), while for instance German WW2 mag pouches (MP40/STG44) are going for a lot more than that. Question of rarity/demand? Also assuming most BAR-belts never actually were used....

[1gewehr]

Many of these WW1 BAR belts with the cups never left the USA or got issued.  Walking fire was dismissed as a silly concept before the BAR saw combat.  And considering that the BAR didn't even see combat until September 1918, it's not surprising that so many of these belts are available in good condition.

Also, even with the recent WW1 Centennial, there are a much smaller number of WW1 collectors than WW2 collectors.  Also, not many recent major movies about WW1 compared to WW2.  And, even then, the Chauchat was much more widely used and would be a more accurate weapon to show versus the BAR.  As of the Armistice, less than half of the US divisions had received the BAR.

Thus, these belts are seen as more of an oddity than a real war memento.

[Waldo]

I got my BAR in the mid 1980s. There was a surplus store near me that had a box full of them. I think he wanted about $5.00 for them. There was no demand for them. I could have probably got them for less. But I am left handed and they are all right handed. So I did not buy one.