Brown K98 pouches – 0/0396/0027
The ammunition pouch for the K98 (Karabiner 98) bolt action rifle was executed in leather. Each soldier had two pouches which held 30 rounds each. The pouches where divided in 3 main compartments with a divider in each. The 7,92 x 57 mm ammunition was loaded on 5 round clips. Pre/early war the pouches where executed in brown leather, to be blackened and polished by the individual soldier. Some time early in the war (most) producers switched to blackening the leather pre production. Further simplifications occurred in 1943 when the pouches where further simplified. Some of these changes are the shortened loops for the belt and the use of rivets in stead of stitching or even combined. The back of the pouches have a D-ring to which the front hooks of the Y-strap would be attached.
Colour: Untanned leather
Maker: It is unclear to what maker the marking 0/0396/0027 refers to other then that it is a company located in Sachsen.
Marking: 0/0396/0027
Year: 1943 – 1945
Stitched or riveted: Stitched with untanned thread
