Finnish leather ammo pouches

In addition to acquiring ammunition pouches from other nations, Finns also produced their own pouches. According to stamps, these pouches were manufactured in the late 1920's by a number of companies each having their own variations in size, style and materials used.

The pouches were clearly based on the German Patronentaschen M/1909 but vary in size and capacity. This is due to the fact that the Finnish pouches were designed around the Finnish 7.62x53R cartridge, which needed more space than the German 7.92x57 Mauser cartridge. The finnish pouches were designed to take 3 clips of 5 cartridges in each of their three compartments making the total capacity 45 cartridges per pouch.

• Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches
• Friitalan Nahkatehdas Oy leather pouches

Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches

Material and construction: The pouch is dark brown leather with waxed off-white stitching. It is slightly curved making it wide at the top and narrowing towards the bottom. The metal parts are brass with the exception of the small reinforcing studs on the sides of each of the lids. These studs are steel and painted brown to match the leather.

Size: The pouch is approximately 25 cm across from the widest part at the top and 11 cm high from the top of the closed lid to the tip of the fastening stud below. The depth is about 5.5 cm at the top of the lid.

Stamps: Manufacturer stamp can be found centered on the back of the pouch and / or in the front of the middle compartment under the fastening strap. Year of manufacture and / or Intendentuuri stamp can be found under the manufacturing stamp on the back of the pouch. SA stamp can be found on top of the middle lid.

Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches from collections

With the manufacturer's stamp on the front (under the middle strap) and back, and a 1928 year stamp

With the manufacturer's stamp and an Int./28 Intendentuuri and year stamp

A damaged pouch with the manufacturer's stamp and an Int./28 Intendentuuri and year stamp

Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches in Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive photos

Friitalan Nahkatehdas Oy leather pouches

Material and construction: The pouch is dark brown leather with waxed off-white stitching. It is slightly curved making it wide at the top and narrowing towards the bottom. The metal parts are brass. It lacks the small reinforcing studs on the sides of each of the lids that are found on the Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches.

Size: The pouch is approximately 23 cm across from the widest part at the top and 11 cm high from the top of the closed lid to the tip of the fastening stud below. It tapers more towards the bottom of the pouch than the Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches. The depth is about 5.5 cm at the top of the lid but the depth doesn't taper towards the bottom as much as in the Rauman Nahkatehdas O.Y. leather pouches, which makes this pouch a bit fatter.

Stamps: Manufacturer stamp can be found centered on the back of the pouch. Year of manufacture and / or Intendentuuri stamp can be found under the manufacturing stamp on the back of the pouch. SA stamp can be found on top of the middle lid.

Friitalan Nahkatehdas Oy leather pouches from collections

With the manufacturer's stamp and a 1928 year stamp on the back. It also has an SA stamp on top of the center lid

A worn pouch with the manufacturer's stamp and a 1928 year stamp on the back. It also has an SA stamp on top of the center lid

Friitalan Nahkatehdas Oy leather pouches in Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive photos