U.S. Army Test Magazine Pouch?

unterhund · 12-17-2008, 02:49 PM

Hello friends. I've been lurking but not posting much since I registered. I recently bought an El Paso Saddlery holster for my Dad's old S/42 P08. I began wondering if, during the U.S. Army's testing of the Luger in the early 1900's, was any kind of magazine pouch issued along with the holster? I can't find any reference to one in all my web searching.

Did the soldiers who tested the pistols carry the spare magazines in their pockets?

Since auto pistols were a new concept to the U.S. Army, perhaps the idea of a magazine pouch hadn't occurred to them.

Additionally, on what belt would the test Lugers have been carried? A standard garrison belt perhaps? Or the Mills web belt for Krag ammo? I've seen a photo on line of a test Luger with its holster and a McKeever Krag ammo box, so I began wondering what the complete rig would have looked like.

Any thoughts?

lugerholsterrepair · 12-17-2008, 03:21 PM

Herr Hund, That is an interesting question..I have never seen a magazine pouch for the US test...I can say that one was never officially issued. The holsters were made by the US RIA and no mention of mag pouches is made.
German Soldiers as late as 1918 were known to carry handfulls of P08 mags in their tunic pockets even though the issue double and triple mag pouches were known and used by some. Just more convenient I suspect. I suspect that US Cavalry did the same.

Jerry Burney

George Anderson · 12-17-2008, 04:41 PM

I suspect that the answer to the question of Test mag pouches might rest with Bannerman. If one could locate a Bannerman catalogue in which the first offering of Test Eagles was made, the RI holsters and any mag pouches should appear there.

12-17-2008, 02:49 PM	#1
unterhund User Join Date: May 2005 Location: A small town in Maine Posts: 13 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	U.S. Army Test Magazine Pouch? Hello friends. I've been lurking but not posting much since I registered. I recently bought an El Paso Saddlery holster for my Dad's old S/42 P08. I began wondering if, during the U.S. Army's testing of the Luger in the early 1900's, was any kind of magazine pouch issued along with the holster? I can't find any reference to one in all my web searching. Did the soldiers who tested the pistols carry the spare magazines in their pockets? Since auto pistols were a new concept to the U.S. Army, perhaps the idea of a magazine pouch hadn't occurred to them. Additionally, on what belt would the test Lugers have been carried? A standard garrison belt perhaps? Or the Mills web belt for Krag ammo? I've seen a photo on line of a test Luger with its holster and a McKeever Krag ammo box, so I began wondering what the complete rig would have looked like. Any thoughts? __________________ In danger, all that counts is going forward.

12-17-2008, 03:21 PM	#2
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,768 Thanks: 4,896 Thanked 3,122 Times in 1,433 Posts	Herr Hund, That is an interesting question..I have never seen a magazine pouch for the US test...I can say that one was never officially issued. The holsters were made by the US RIA and no mention of mag pouches is made. German Soldiers as late as 1918 were known to carry handfulls of P08 mags in their tunic pockets even though the issue double and triple mag pouches were known and used by some. Just more convenient I suspect. I suspect that US Cavalry did the same. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

12-17-2008, 04:41 PM	#3
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,528 Times in 787 Posts	I suspect that the answer to the question of Test mag pouches might rest with Bannerman. If one could locate a Bannerman catalogue in which the first offering of Test Eagles was made, the RI holsters and any mag pouches should appear there.