{"product_id":"original-u-s-indian-wars-m1876-type-1-prairie-cartridge-belt-with-scarce-1879-trials-adapter-brass-rings-by-watervliet-arsenal-as-is","title":"Original U.S. Indian Wars M1876 Type 1 Prairie Cartridge Belt with Scarce 1879 Trials Adapter Brass Rings by Watervliet Arsenal - As-Is","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. Only One Available. Dating from the early Indian Wars period, this is a heavily worn \u003cb\u003eU.S. Army Model 1876 Type 1 Prairie Cartridge Belt\u003c\/b\u003e manufactured by \u003cb\u003eWatervliet Arsenal\u003c\/b\u003e for carrying .45-70 Government ammunition for the Springfield Trapdoor rifle and carbine family. The belt retains its leather foundation, webbed ammunition section, single-prong square brass buckle, and corresponding leather adjustment tab with six punched holes. It is faintly but still recognizably stamped \u003cb\u003eWATERVLIET ARSENAL\u003c\/b\u003e with the inspector's marking \u003cb\u003eA.R. SMITH\u003c\/b\u003e. The belt is offered strictly \u003cb\u003eas-is\u003c\/b\u003e due to its extremely fragile, broken, and tattered condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Model 1876 Prairie Belt was adopted as the U.S. Army sought a more practical method of carrying metallic-cartridge ammunition during operations on the western frontier. Early belts of this pattern were constructed around a leather foundation covered with textile material and fitted with separately formed cartridge loops. Production began at Watervliet Arsenal in the latter part of 1876, and surviving first-pattern examples are known with the \u003cb\u003eWATERVLIET ARSENAL\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eA.R. SMITH\u003c\/b\u003e markings seen on this belt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example is the very rare Type 1 with the extremely rare M1879 Trials adapter brass rings, meant for the attachment of equipment like the 1873 entrenching tool. These are very rare to find on these belts, but the middle ring has broken away with the other two now weak and close to breaking off. There is tearing along most of the belt as shown, evidence of why these early types were replaced with the later M1885 woven prairie belt. These early belts were built around a leather foundation which can be seen under the tears. There are still two .45-70 cartridges in the loops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shortcomings of early Prairie Belts were not simply a matter of durability. The original design was primarily intended to carry ammunition and provided little convenient means of suspending holsters, bayonet scabbards, entrenching tools, and other field equipment. Soldiers found wearing a separate equipment belt cumbersome, which led to a series of arsenal and field alterations during the late 1870s and early 1880s. The surviving three-ring modifications on belts such as this represent that transitional period in U.S. Army equipment development.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater woven belts associated with Anson Mills incorporated improved manufacturing techniques in which the cartridge loops formed part of the woven belt structure itself. These designs ultimately proved lighter, more flexible, and more durable than the leather-backed Model 1876 pattern and helped establish the woven cartridge belt as a standard feature of U.S. military field equipment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is unquestionably a \u003cb\u003erough, as-is example \u003c\/b\u003eand should be treated primarily as a representative historical artifact rather than a belt suitable for handling or wear. The extensive tears, heavily cracked leather, weakened webbing, missing center ring, unstable surviving rings, and remaining cartridges all require extreme care. At the same time, the exposed leather foundation, surviving Watervliet Arsenal \/ A.R. Smith markings, original Type 1 construction, and scarce three-ring prairie alteration make it a particularly instructive example of the U.S. Army's experimentation with ammunition and equipment carriage during the Indian Wars period.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45788161376325,"sku":"ONJR26JYHG026","price":395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR26JYHG026.jpg?v=1789765079","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-indian-wars-m1876-type-1-prairie-cartridge-belt-with-scarce-1879-trials-adapter-brass-rings-by-watervliet-arsenal-as-is","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}