BACKGROUND: The HwaA Heereswaffenamt, (Army Ordnance Office), was a subsection of the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), that was responsible for testing, evaluation and eventual issue of all ordnance. The MG13 was originally developed by the Rheinmetall armaments factory in Sommerda in 1910, as a water cooled, belt-fed, tripod mounted, 7.92mm caliber heavy machine gun and was utilized in limited numbers by the German army in WWI. At the end of WWI the German army retained some of the MG’s in stores and in 1932 the Reichswehr, (National Defence Force), retooled the weapons by removing the water cooling sleeve and converting them to an air cooled, selective fire, bi-pod mounted, light machine gun designated, MG13. The MG13 was widely used until the introduction of the MG34 in 1936. After the introduction of the MG34 the MG13 was relegated to second string troops and training units. Generally the MG13 was manned by a three person crew with one individual being designated the "#1gunner". Crews equipped with the MG13 were issued a pair of specially designed ammo pouches which each held four, twenty-five round capacity, slightly curved, box ammunition magazines for a total of two hundred rounds of ammunition. The pouches were attached together by a removable strap that was intended to be slung around the individual’s neck for ease of carrying and access. Of Note: A seventy-five round capacity saddle drum ammunition magazine was also developed.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Two roughly, 17 1/4" long, 5" wide, 2 1/2" deep, slightly curved, field-grey canvas web construction, matching MG13 ammo pouches with machine stitched seams, brown leather, sheet metal and brass fittings. Each pouch has a leather trimmed, fold over closure flap to each end, with a leather reinforced, riveted on, oval sheet metal panel with a horizontal cut-out to each. The front body of the pouches have an additional, riveted on, oval sheet metal plate with a raised, slotted, bar and a stitched on leather strap with a riveted on sheet metal tip. For a secure closure the raised, slotted, bar on the body would be inserted through the cut-out on the oval sheet metal plates on the fold over flaps and then the sheet metal tipped leather straps would be inserted through the raised bars. The top edge of each pouch have two, evenly spaced, small, leather loops which secure a khaki/tan canvas web carrying handle. The reverse of each pouch has two, evenly spaced, large, leather loops and a central, leather reinforced, brass stud, designed to secure the removable neck strap. The pouches come complete with the roughly, 54 1/4" long, 2" wide, field-grey canvas web construction strap with brown leather and sheet metal fittings. Each end of the strap has a machine stitched on, leather end with four, evenly spaced, tear-drop shaped, length adjustment, stud eyelets designed to be secured to the brass studs on the reverses of the pouches. Each end of the strap have the same sort of attachment as found on the fold over end flaps, with a leather reinforced, riveted on, oval sheet metal panel with a raised, slotted, bar and a stitched on leather strap with a riveted on sheet metal tip to the canvas web ends while the leather ends of the strap have a corresponding riveted on, oval sheet metal plate with a horizontal cut-out. The strap would be inserted through the leather loops and secured by the brass studs on the reverse of the pouches while the raised, slotted, bar on the ends would be inserted through the cut-outs on the oval sheet metal plates and then the sheet metal tipped leather straps would be inserted through the raised bars to secure the pouches to the strap. Each pouch has two, leather reinforced, internal compartments designed to hold two twenty-five round capacity box magazines for a total of four magazines per pouch. The pouches are in overall very good condition with light age and usage toning, a few small picks and pulls and moderate verdigris to the brass fittings. Scarce MG13 ammo pouches.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $205.00