Ordnance
US SAW Era, US Navy Winchester-Lee Blue Web Cartridge Belt
Ordnance
US SAW Era, US Navy Winchester-Lee Blue Web Cartridge Belt
Item #38187 : Original era manufacture. A scarce ammunition belt produced for the US Navy to use with their newly adopted Winchester-Lee, 6mm, straight-pull rifle.Woven blue canvas belt, with 12 pocketsfor one individual clip of five rounds, each pocket cover being made of leather to keep the ammunition in place. Small zinc disc on the reverse, identifying the belt as Orndorff design with a patent date of '93. The belt is complete with all of its brass fittings including the heavy brass wire C-pattern closure buckle.Seven of the original leather pocket covers remain intact, the remaining five are collector replacements, but well done and certainly add to the belt's appeal.The canvas is pliable, no tears or holes, and most of the brass fittings present a dark patina finish. According to sources fewer than 20,000 of the Winchester-Lee rifle were produced for the US Navy, and the reason for the general poor condition of most of the belts found today, was the result of poor storage techniquesby Bannerman's, to whom the belts were sold as surplus by the US Government nearly 100 years ago.