30 Round Magazine Pouches for M1/M2 carbines?

[etooloperator]

Another question for anyone in the know...

Was the 30 round magazine pouch mentioned in Stanton's KW Uniforms book (and depicted as a technical drawing in the same publication) a standard item throughout the war? He mentioned that they were "rushed into production" for the KW. This aside, I have yet to see any photos where these pouches are being worn. Every pic I've seen of men armed with carbines in Korea show them wearing the WWII-style pouches for two 15-round mags. Either that or my eyes are bad!

I know that the 30 round magazine could be refreshed with 10 round stripper clips. Perhaps this was a more common way of reloading?

I am wondering if purchasing a 30 round magazine pouch (every one I have seen has been a 1950 dated JQMD manufacture) for my Korean War "carbine-carrying" impression (NCO, medic, or supply clerk) would be correct.

Thoughts?

[foxholetom]

Its a good question. I'm really not sure of the answer, but I think its time to start scouring photographs.

One thing I can tell you, is that carbine bandoleers carried stripper clips.

One thing I have noticed, is that I do not typically see 15 round magazines in carbines, only the 30 rounders.

[etooloperator]

foxholetom said:

One thing I have noticed, is that I do not typically see 15 round magazines in carbines, only the 30 rounders.

Right! Which makes it a mystery to me why every soldier photographed in the Stanton book seems to be carrying a 15 round mag pouch on his belt or around the stock of his carbine! Strangely enough, most, if not all of the individuals in these pics are, as you stated, "locked and loaded" with a 30 round magazine in their carbines. That's why I'm thinking "stripper clips"...although reloading 10 rounds at a time doesn't seem too efficient if more 30 round mags are available.

Then again, as you said, nobody seems to be using 15 round mags so what's the point of the 15 round mag pouches which seem to be ubiquitous in the photos?

I may snag one of the 30 round pouches off eBay in good faith as I am squaring away my carbine rig and if the research doesn't wash I can always offload it at a later date. They are CHEAP!

[jonprince]

I'm personally seen very few of the 30rd Carbine mag. pouches in use, though you do see some, about the same as 15 round pouches converted to take 30rd mags. As everyone quite correctly says you see a lot of 30rd mags on weapons but 15 rd. mag. pouches on the man. Many seem to have 15rd mags inso I would perhaps suggest that 30rd mags were being carried in pockets due to lack of other means and/or 15rd mags were being issued to suppliment a general shortage of 30rd mags. I've read conflicting accounts about their use aswell, you see them in pics. almost from kick-off but some sources say they only turned up late on, or wern't issued to U.S. Marine units etc. which often is contradicted by evidence. It does to some extent depnd on what unit and perido your talking about but the magazines do seem to have been 'there' to some extent in all units from very early on. As for the pouches, they seem a lot less common and I'd personally be tempted to leave it off unless portraying quite late in the war or even post-ceasefire, either go with a 15rd mag pouch, converted 15-30rd or nothing and mags in pockets.

[etooloperator]

jonprince:

Do you have links to or locations of any photographic sources where the 30 rd. pouches were being worn?

I'm kinda with you on the "very rare" side of things for the pouches, and the idea that guys carried mags in their pockets makes sense. However, as foxholetom says, I have yet to see very many pics (and this is me personally from my own research) of soldiers in Korea actually using the "supplemental" 15 rd. mags in those pouches.

From my research, production of 30 round magazines started as early as 1945 (check out Bruce Canfield's M1 Garand and M1 Carbine to verify this) -- as this is when the prototyping and modifications were occurring for the M2 -- so they should have been plentiful during the Korean War. Judging by Shelby Stanton's book, the 30 round magazines seem pretty common for ALL dates.

[zb30]

Also there were the modified 15 round pouches. Various Gov't arsenals took standard 15 round pouches, cut the flap and added enough material so that you could put two 30 round mags in the pouch. This was an official modification.

[foxholetom]

I've been on the lookout for both...I never see them when I have spare cash.

[etooloperator]

foxholetom said:

I've been on the lookout for both...I never see them when I have spare cash.

Which "both" are you looking for, Tom? 30 round mags and 30 round pouches? 15 round mag pouches and 30 round mags?

;D

Try www.fulton-armory.com/MCarbParts.htm...for mags of both sizes. I've always had good luck with Fulton and they ship lightning-fast. I am just assuming that their mags are USGI, would probably have to check on that.

Pouches are ALL OVER eBay these days...

[Woodard]

I was under the impression (meaning I can't remember where I heard it) that the 30 round pouches had to be rushed through production for Korea, meaning they were slightly lower quality than other items. The one I have I used to think was a poorly made repop until I heard this.

[zb30]

Yeah, the real ones I have seen were made from very thin material.

[foxholetom]

The boxy 30 round mag pouches, and the modified 15 round mag pouches.

[jonprince]

etooloperator said:

jonprince:

Do you have links to or locations of any photographic sources where the 30 rd. pouches were being worn?

I'm kinda with you on the "very rare" side of things for the pouches, and the idea that guys carried mags in their pockets makes sense. However, as foxholetom says, I have yet to see very many pics (and this is me personally from my own research) of soldiers in Korea actually using the "supplemental" 15 rd. mags in those pouches.

From my research, production of 30 round magazines started as early as 1945 (check out Bruce Canfield's M1 Garand and M1 Carbine to verify this) -- as this is when the prototyping and modifications were occurring for the M2 -- so they should have been plentiful during the Korean War. Judging by Shelby Stanton's book, the 30 round magazines seem pretty common for ALL dates.

Will go through my books and see what I can find.

[pef]

I've been looking at photos for a few years for 30 rd mag pouches in use and haven't seen any yet. Bill Ricca has an article on them, unfortunately it doesn't really go into when they were used. He also has other articles of interest on his sight.
www.billricca.com/pouch30round.htm

[etooloperator]

pef said:

I've been looking at photos for a few years for 30 rd mag pouches in use and haven't seen any yet. Bill Ricca has an article on them, unfortunately it doesn't really go into when they were used. He also has other articles of interest on his sight.
www.billricca.com/pouch30round.htm

Thanks...I have bought a lot of parts from Bill for my M1 restoration projects, so I know he is a reputable source. Very interesting article...

[Woodard]

While looking over logistics reports for the 1st Marine Division I noticed that the logistics reports seem to show lots of shortages of 30 round magazines (the ones I was looking at were mostly late 1950), I remember seeing on one where most items were like 10-20 units under, then they were short like 1,500-2,000 30 round carbine mags. No mention of the pouches, though. The reports cover what was supposed to be there and wasn't, and don't go into much detail on class 2 supplies (Everything a Marine/Soldier wears or carries).

[pef]

Last night while going through "This is War" by David Duncan Douglas I came across a picture of a 30 round mag pouch in use. The photo is in the section labeled The Hill.

[pilecap]

I've seen the purpose made pouch, but I'd never heard of the modified 15 rd. mag pouch. Any other picture sources?

[pef]

War Baby II by Larry Ruth has pictures on page 595. You see them around every now and then.

[pef]

War Baby II by Larry Ruth has pictures on page 595. You see them around every now and then.