4 posters

Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare?

CamoDeafie: Sergeant; Name : Steven Blankenheim
Location : US
Registration date : 2009-04-06
Number of posts : 214

Post n°1

Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare?

Post by CamoDeafie Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:14 pm

looks like a LBV, but has 40mm pockets instead of usual M16 pouches, on Wiki, there is an article about the Improved Individual Fighting System, which begat the LBV series and also trialed the camo LC equipment in the mid 80s...I have a local seller who wants to sell me this vest...his ad did not show pictures on CL, so I emailed him, his response had the pictures, one a Medic MOLLE vest, then this vest, and a bunch of unpatched DCUs, he did tell me he might have a patched DCU shirt for me, but will look for me...anyhow...this is the picture of the vest he has
Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare? DSC00353

how rare were these things? I am gonna grab it anyways Very Happy

been looking for it to complement the LBV i have Very Happy

nkomo

nkomo: ADMIN; Name : Arch
Location : Kentucky, USA
Registration date : 2009-02-13
Number of posts : 3298

Post n°2

Re: Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare?

Post by nkomo Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:32 pm

They are not uncommon. You used to be able to buy them for $12 new in the package. These didn't seem to be a very popular design. Never seen a used one that I can remember.

_________________
Always looking for Central American militaria 1965 to 1991. Especially items relating to Coronel Velasquez El Salvador Armed Forces

CollectinSteve

CollectinSteve: ADMIN; Location : New England, US
Registration date : 2009-03-08
Number of posts : 6727

Post n°3

Re: Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare?

Post by CollectinSteve Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:11 pm

Cool... I haven't personally come upon a camo version, though admittedly I haven't really looked for this sort of thing. A while ago I got the MOLLE version of the grenadier's vest, but it's solid OD color and not camo. Brand new, in the bag. I don't know how popular those were or how common they are to find now that they're obsolete. Arch, do you know?

Steve

nkomo

nkomo: ADMIN; Name : Arch
Location : Kentucky, USA
Registration date : 2009-02-13
Number of posts : 3298

Post n°4

Re: Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare?

Post by nkomo Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:04 pm

CollectinSteve wrote:Cool... I haven't personally come upon a camo version, though admittedly I haven't really looked for this sort of thing. A while ago I got the MOLLE version of the grenadier's vest, but it's solid OD color and not camo. Brand new, in the bag. I don't know how popular those were or how common they are to find now that they're obsolete. Arch, do you know?

Steve

Steve,
I see quite a few OD 40 mm grenade vests in my travels. Most are dated in the late 70's to mid 80's. You will occasionally stumble upon a Vietnam dated vest and they are certainly worth getting. I have a couple of the OD vests for displays. However, I do not believe the vests were popular with the troops. Most of the ones I find are used, but I have not heard favorable reviews of them by the soldiers.

_________________
Always looking for Central American militaria 1965 to 1991. Especially items relating to Coronel Velasquez El Salvador Armed Forces

CollectinSteve

CollectinSteve: ADMIN; Location : New England, US
Registration date : 2009-03-08
Number of posts : 6727

Post n°5

Re: Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare?

Post by CollectinSteve Sat Oct 17, 2009 2:24 am

Hi Arch,

Ah, that sounds like the one similar to CamoDeafie's. The one I have is a MOLLE II type. I forgot the all important "II" Smile

Here's an image I found on the Web:

Grenadier 40mm vest, how rare? Grenadier

Which is located at this really great website:

http://loadbearingequipment.info/MOLLE2.html

I've got the OD version, NSN number and dated 1983. I'm curious if OD was normal or if Camo was. I thought even early on the MOLLE II stuff was mostly camo.

Steve