Original Item. Only One Available. We are offering a good service-worn set of one of the scarcest cartridge belt rigs out there. The Model 1895 Mills Woven Pocketed Cartridge Belt for the Winchester 6mm Lee Straight Pull Navy Rifle was issued for a relatively short period of time, however as described in Dorsey’s American Military and Naval Belts, this belt’s design “cast a long shadow” on the style of future American military rifle cartridge belts and the Mills Woven Cartridge Belt Company for many years to come.

Designed by members of the US Navy Bureau of Ordnance in cooperation with Thomas Orndorff, the manager of the Mills Woven Belt Company facility in Worchester, Massachusetts, the first Model 1895 Belts were not delivered until July of 1896.

This phenomenal set would have seen service during the Spanish American War and Boxer Rebellion. All of these belts were manufactured in the dark blue woven material with 12 separate pockets integral to the weave of the belt body.  Each pocket was designed to hold two 5-round clips of 6mm cartridges.  Since Mills had not yet developed the technique of weaving integral pocket flaps which would appear with the Model 1903 Cartridge Belts, the pocket flaps on this belt fashioned of black pebble grained leather, each of which was attached to the back of the belt body with two brass eyelets.  Each pocket is fitted with an iron finial over which the flaps are buttoned. Most of the leather flaps are in great condition but some have some minor tearing and wear as shown. This example retains the small metal hook attached at two of the holes for the attachment of the Lee Navy bayonet, a rarity!

While these belts were successful during their period of issue, their service life was relatively short, being pulled from service before any deficiencies such as the manner in which the pocket flaps were attached were noted, and changed.  After these belts found their way into the surplus market, poor storage and improper handling led to many specimens being damaged beyond repair.  Most of the belts which survive are missing some, if not all of the pocket flaps and those flaps which remain are often found torn or having pulled free from the eyelets used to attach the flaps. Much of the research information on these belts came from McPheeter’s Antique Militaria. 

This set is in overall excellent condition with all 12 pockets still fully retained, with every leather flap still intact and closed. There is a good bit of verdigris on the metal fittings of this set which is to be expected with its age. The end pieces of the webbing has leather trim, a lovely detail. The belt even retains the original Orndorff Patent tag, a small metal disc attached at each end by a small metal piece. One side is broken off but the other is retained so it is still attached to the belt! This is the first example we’ve seen that still has this tag! It reads:

ORNDORFF
PAT.
OCT. 31. ‘93

Unfortunately the suspender straps have some heavy tearing as shown, and the suspender straps are not crossed in the back or anchored as these sets often were. The anchoring appears to have broken off as happens often with these. The use of only a single eyelet at this location was a consistent point of failure which was reported during the period of use, and this means of anchoring the crossing point was changed in future models of cartridge belt suspenders. The eyelet is still retained on one suspender.

Overall this set is in very good shape for its age, and to find this set in any condition is extremely difficult. These rarely come up for sale, and when they do they’re often not in serviceable condition. Comes ready for further research and display!