Belt & buckle for P-08 - Ranks issued to

[admiral1960]

Hi,

Have a 1916 Luger w/holster and am looking for a good combo buckle & belt.

What ranks were "issued" the Luger ?

Was there a difference between what enlisted & officer used for buckle & belt ?

[Karl]

Allen,

This inquiry belongs in another section of the forum, such as P-08 military lugers or holsters. Perhaps one of the site administrators can move the post. KFS

[Edward Tinker]

I have moved this to luger accessories. There is a difference in enlisted and officer buckles, I do not know if belts were different.

There was a previous discussion on what ranks had lugers, we can do a search for it; but lets say this; all ranks were issued the luger, it was based more on postion / job function though.


Ed

[John Winter]

Officers generally wore the open faced two prong buckle with keeper and leather belt. These are still quite common and reasonably priced. In fact, Helmut Weitze has an excellent selection on his website. Some authors claim that lower-ranking officers were required to wear the regulation enlisted belt and and buckle in combat after 1941 and cite an official regulation to that affect. Any pix out there? My only definately officer issue belt is a web one of the tropical pattern with leather reinforcement and a two-piece round buckle dated 1941. I've kept it because I've only seen a figurative handful of this type over the past fifty years.

[Schupo]

Allen,

Your WWI luger would normally take an enlisted Imperial box buckle. Assuming it is an Army luger, probably a Prussian Infantry belt and buckle would be appropriate. A proper belt and buckle depends on if you luger has unit markings, etc.

[admiral1960]

Thanks John,

Do you by chance have the web site for Helmut Weitze ?

I have purchased a 1915 belt with buckle (GOT MITT UNS) for my 1916 Luger that looks good in the pictures and is â??in the mailâ?�. I have an Iron Cross and a couple of other medals and a nice 1916 holster that will complete the package.

I also purchased a WWII enlisted belt with no buckle that looks good in the picture and a WWII officerâ??s belt that again looks good in the pictures. I am going to use one of them if they are good enoughwith my 1941 AC P-38. I have a nice holster and a couple of coins & medals to go with it too.

However, the jury is out on all three until I see them.


Have a good New Year !!!

[John Winter]

In putting together a WWI rig, the Prussian "Gott Mit Uns" buckle and belt would be the most common and should be readily available. If you have unit markings on the gun and/or holster which would denote issue to troops from a specific region such as Saxony or Bavaria, these men wore buckles which would reflect that and these are considerably more expensive, especially with the leather tab still attached. Belts from this era are also frequently unit marked. Officer's field belts from WWI were of leather with a two-piece bronze buckle with the emperor's cipher and I've only had a few, so they're scarce. Beware of repros being sold as originals in belts and buckles from both wars. Also, WWI dated pistols and holsters were used by Germany in WWII, so you have a broad range of options with a generic WWI gun and holster.

Helmut Weitze is located in Hamburg and has his own website. You'll probably need to register, but unlike much of the stuff I look at in Europe, his offerings are good, in my opinion. He knows the good from the other and his reputation is excelent. Too bad the dollar is taking such a beating! Hope this helps.

Master of Oceans, USMM Ret.