Original U.S. WWI Rare USMC Marine Corps Mills No. 170 Horizontal Pocketed Pistol Belt - Rimmed Marine Eagle Snap
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Original Item. Only One Available. Considered by many collectors to be the rarest of Mills pocketed cartridge belts, this Mills No. 170 Horizontal Pistol Belt was specifically designed to carry the magazines and ammunition for the Model 1911 Automatic Colt Pistol in a very unique configuration. Rather than carrying the magazines together on one side of the belt in a vertical configuration as with the Model 1916 Magazine pouch, this belt was configured to carry the magazines with one on each side of the belt which balanced the load, and with the magazines oriented in line with the belt for a more comfortable carry.
The No. 170 Mills Horizontal Pistol Belt first appeared in the ca. 1914 Mills Woven Cartridge Belt Company catalog, advertising the belt as “regulation for officers of the U.S. Marine Corps”. There is photographic evidence to suggest that these were indeed issued to the Marines - both officers and enlisted men.
Most examples of this rare belt will have rimmed federal eagle snaps, but this example has the extremely rare rimmed Marine Corps eagle snaps. The back of each of the three pieces of the belt are stamped:
MILLS (BULLET LOGO)
1914
And the two metal end pieces of the middle section is stamped:
MADE BY
MILLS WOVEN CARTRIDGE BELT CO.
WORCESTER, MASS., U.S.A.
Designed to carry two loaded magazines for the Model 1911 Automatic Colt Pistol, the belt features a right and left carrier (or section) – each with one magazine pocket oriented horizontally, or parallel to the belt body, and two smaller pockets which each carried seven loose rounds of ammunition for reloading the magazines. This arrangement provided a substantial supply of 42 rounds of ammunition, particularly important for an officer or soldier armed only with the pistol.
The right and left carriers were joined at the back of the belt with an adjustment strap. Each carrier section is fitted with eyelets along the bottom edge for attaching a holster, first aid pouch and other related equipment.
The underside of the snap fasteners is marked MILLS MILITARY FASTENERS. The belt is in great condition with the largest condition issue being verdigris covering the brass fittings.
Much of the information on this rare belt came from McPheeter’s Antique Militaria.
This is an excellent specimen, one of the rarest Mills cartridge belts we have ever offered. It will fit well as a centerpiece in any collection centered around WWI American accoutrements, the evolution of the MILLS Cartridge belt, or U.S. Marine Corps field gear.
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