Pistol Belt+Canteen Set ID Needed Please.

Any ideas please what type and date/era these are and anybody got any easy method of cleaning up the eyelets,tried WD40 on a cotton bud with no luck.

--Off the top of my head, for cleaning, I'd say to use Brasso & a cotton swab-- and go really easy on it, to keep the chemicals off of the duck fibres; but you might want a second opinion on that.

Richard,

The belt is a Mle 1950 TAP introduced for French troops as a replacement for earlier US webbing. This is just a French copy of the U.S. M1936 belt kit. The "RAPCO" quick release buckle replaced the British type buckle in 1957 according to the book "French Foreign Legion Paratroopers" written by Martin Windrow and Wayne Braby and published in 1985. This is Osprey Elite No.6 in that series. The water bottle and cup are the standard French issue used for the earlier Mle 1950 equipment and other than color of caps has not changed much since its introduction. The cover is part of the updated Mle 1974 webbing issued in 1980. This webbing kit was introduced during the time the FAMAS rifles replaced the MAS 49/56 rifles.

I have a French canteen in my "extras" box with the carrier having the same double set of press studs as yours. I have seen them in both single and doubled configuration and I would like to know why they have the extra set of snaps? BTW: The French canteen cover is a copy of the US WWII mounted canteen cover which was the preferred carrier by airborne troops according to some collectors.

I would recomend using a brass brush to clean your belt. I sometimes tape the webbing to protect it when I am scrubbing the metalwork. After it has been cleaned you can spray some black paint to restore the buckle. Hope this helps,
Dwayne

Thanks Dwayne,which type of canteen cover would be correct for that type of belt 1957?

Regarding the covers i have also seen them with only 1 set of press studs and some with LTD studs and no rear belt hook just a material flap/sleeve that the belt fits into.

Thanks

Hi Guys
The top pair of snaps is for when the canteen cup has a mini cooker fitted on the bottom of the it , the bottom pair when the cooker is not fitted to the canteen.
Here is a picture of my French canteen cup cooker and cover