LOAD BEARING EQUIPMENT
Disclaimer: This section gathers the basic evolution of the main Carcano related load bearing equipments and the variations you can find on the market.
Small updates, niche Corpo Guardie Forestali 1 clip pouches and other novelties must be looked into proper reference books.
GIBERNA PER CARICATORI MOD. 1891
GIBERNA PER PACCHETTI MOD. 1891
Adopted in 1892 to replace the older vetterli pouches, followed the same "chest"concept, just changing dimensions and internal to accomodate the new 6,5x52 clips.
​
There were two versions, one to host the individual clips, one to host the ammo boxes with the clips inside. It basically only changed small variations of size and the internals.
​Made in Natural leather or black.
CINTURINO MOD. 1891
FASCIA DI BUFALO PER CINTURINO MOD. 1891
BORSA PER SCIABOLA-BAIONETTA MOD.1891
Cinturino (sometimes spelled Centurino, meaning litterally "Small belt") was the term to indicate the ensamble of Belt (Fascia), buckle (Fibbia) and bayonet frog (Borsa).
​
The Mod. 1891 (Identical to the previous Mod. 77 and Mod. 77/87) belt had an incorporated belt buckle, quite similar to modern days commercial buckles.
​
Equipment could be of Natural leather, Black, and buffalo leather (usually white)
CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNE MOD.1891
The mod. 1891 suspenders (Litterally translatable in Pouches holder sling) were the same as the previous mod.1877, they were composed of a leather belt with several regulation holes, in order to fix the hooks to properly engage the pouches' suspender rings.
They could be regulated even more by using a series of metal buttons and buttonholes around the neck, similar to the ones used in the rifle slings
EQUIPAGGIAMENTO MOD. 907
Adopted with circular n. 221 of August 1st 1907, these were created to replace the older mod.91 pouches, in order to improve the ergonomics, simplify some production process and improve the overall practicality.
​
Natural/brown leather color at first, sometimes around 1912 [2][3] the grey color was introduced and basically all new production equipment was in grey color.
Circ. 351 of May 20th 1915 imposed that all the new and already produced pouches had to be colored in grey (shades vary from light grey to grey-green) before being issued to frontline soldiers.
Pics from Marighetticollezioni.com
GIBERNA MOD. 907
GIBERNA IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907
The Mod. 907 turned the old mod. 1891 "Chest-like" concept into two separate, more modern pouches, far more practical to open and use during fights, instead of keep opening and closing a larger chest pouch.
​
Each individual pouch wasa supposed to hold a complete paper box of ammo with three clips, plus an extra loose clip in front of it, for a total of 96 rounds among the four individual pouches.
Pics from Marighetticollezioni.com
CINTURINO MOD. 907
FASCIA MOD. 907
The Mod. 907 belt simplified the old one by several factors: one side of the belt, without any regulation holes, was just bent in position (through hoops and loops) in the new model of buckle.
The other side, separated and sewed on the main body of the belt to increase strength, only had two regulation holes, andwas fixed in the buckle via the buckle's only prong.
Pics from Marighetticollezioni.com
BORSA DI CUOIO GRIGIO
PER SCIABOLA-BAIONETTA MOD. 91
CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNA DI CUOIO
CON BOTTONI E GANCI
Following the example of the new belt and buckle, the suspenders too were simplified, holding the leather sling onto the hooks via loops instead of prongs and regulation holes.
The regulation button and buttonholes behind the neck remained, in order to help with individual needs.
We have 2 and 3 button examples, differently combined to reach the correct length needed.
Pics from Marighetticollezioni.com
EQUIPAGGIAMENTO IN TESSUTO MOD. 907
Towards the last months of WW1, the Italian Army denoted a shortcoming of leather, hence it developed, adopted and issued all kinds of gear made with mostly fabric parts.
​Pouches, Belts and slings were simplified to have the least amount of leather possible, while using canvas in most of their components.
These "Emergency, "Ersatz" style of pouches can be seen in real late pics of Italian soldiers during ww1, but more frequently in the years immediately after the war, with draftees through the 1920s, since these pouches and belts were used "till available"(ad esaurimento)
.jpg)
Pic from R. Pettinelli
GIBERNA IN TESSUTO MOD. 907
Pics Courtesy of Š. Hatvaník
CINTURINO IN TESSUTO MOD. 907
Pic from R. Stevanin
FASCIA IN TESSUTO MOD. 907
BORSA IN TESSUTO PER
SCIABOLA-BAIONETTA MOD. 91
Pic from R. Pettinelli
CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNE IN TESSUTO MOD. 907
GIBERNA IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/26
These were a semplification of the previous mod. 907, with a single strip of leather to cover the front and the sides, instead of the three sewed squares of the old model. Another distinctive feature is the extra rivet placed to reinforce the closing lace, which was already used on older model since the early 20s.
CINTURINO MOD. 907/26
FASCIA IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/26
BORSA IN CUOIO GRIGIO PER SCIABOLA-BAIONETTA MOD. 91
With Circular n. 681, 1926, Belt and buckle got further simplified by adopting a buckle with double prong, and shortening the leather belt by using some regulation holes instead of the previous hoops and loops system.
CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNE IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/36
Adopted with Circolare N. 431 of May 27th 1936, with a standard length of 1166mm, this new iteration got rid of the older buttons and buttonholes behind the neck, leaving it as a simple strip of leather regulable by the hooks.
Old Mod. 907 suspenders were ordered to be converted to the new standard length with Circular n. 45M, June 16th 1936, by sewing the two parts into a single neckstrap.
​​
BORSA PORTA ATTREZZI MOD. 27
Adopted with Circular n. 721 of 1927 for engineers /sappers and to all troops that were destined to use a digging tool.
​
There is a rear frog with leather strap to host and secure a digging tool (Spade, pickaxe, pick/hoe) and a frontal frog where to host a regular mod.91 bayonet.
Pic from R. Pettinelli
GIBERNETTA IN CUOIO DA CICLISTI
GIBERNETTA IN CUOIO GRIGIO DA CICLISTI
Adopted sometimes around 1903 [4][5], along with a new uniform, to equip Cyclist units.
These were designed to be easily accessible with a simple latch incorporated in the cover itself, to only host 1 box of ammo and no extra clip, and to be carried 5 at a time on the older mod. 77/87- Mod. 1891 leather belt, without suspenders.
So a Cyclist carried in their pouches 1 clip of ammo less than the average infantryman, but that wasn't at all detrimental, since more ammo boxes were stored in the breadbag.
The lack of suspenders was needed to move and crouch swiftly upon the bike, and to avoid as much as possible to have extra hooks and slings other than the already cumbersome foldable bike carrying straps.
There should allegedly be a mod.915 version, but primary sources are to be found about that specific nomenclature/modification.
GIBERNETTA IN CUOIO GRIGIO DA CICLISTI MOD. 34
Adopted with Circular n. 46 of January 11th 1934 to replace the older mod.03/15 pouches, they were simply a more sturdy version of the old ones, with modernized lines more in line with the Cavalry and Infantry pouches.
​Mostly used by Bersaglieri Cyclists and Motorcyclists, these were carried two at a time on a standard mod. 907/26 belt.
BANDOLIERA DA CAVALLERIA
PER CARICATORI MOD. 1891
Adopted around 1894 (hence, sometimes reported as mod. 94) to supply the Cavalry with a simple bandoleer, in order to store the ammo for their brand new Moschetto mod. 91.
BANDOLIERA DA CAVALLERIA MOD. 902
Adopted in 1902, it was a simplified and more practical evolution of the previous bandoleer, it showed a more linear, cut off and easier to repair upper lip, along with a more straightforward pouch design.
BANDOLIERA DA CAVALLERIA MOD. 27
Adopted in 1927, it was asmall update on the previous mod. 1902, implementing a mod.25, 2 clip pouch by sewing it in place of the pentagonal ring.
GIBERNA PER CARICATORI
DA CAVALLERIA MOD. 91
Adopted around 1894 (hence some sources calling it Mod. 1894) to supply the Cavalry with an extra pouch to attach at the regularbandoleer, in order to store more ammo for their Moschetto mod. 91.
GIBERNA PER CARICATORI
DA CAVALLERIA MOD. 1902 (?)
Basically only found on random WW1 pics of cavalry units, it was slightly different than the original mod. 91, since it apparently included two separate pouches, like the Mod.907 model for infantry.
This Cavalry pouch had more rivets and a slightly different design compared to the infantry one, but that didn't stop the Army to convert 50.000 of them to standard Mod. 907 infantry pouches once the Cavalry adopted the Mod. 25 load bearing system. [1]
GIBERNETTA DI CUOIO GRIGIO DI CINTURA, GRANDI/PICCOLE MOD. 25
Adopted in 1925 along with a specific belt and bandoleer, to equip the cavalry units with more ammo, through pouches easy to use and accessible at any time.
The 6 pouches designed for the mod.25 system were supposed to sit on the back of the horseman, and were either able to contain 1 or 2 clips.
​
This system was short lived, and in 1927 was ditched entirely in order to adopt the Mod. 27 bandoleer, with just an extra 2 clip pouch sewed on its bottom part.
GIBERNA PER CARICATORI
DA CARABINIERI REALI MOD. 1891
Adopted by the Royal Carabinieri to carry Moschetto mod. 91 clips in ordinary services, they were used until the 70s and 80s of the 20th century.
Like the first pouches mod. 1891, it has an internal tin frame.
GIBERNA PER CARICATORI
DA GUARDIE DI PUBBLICA SICUREZZA
Adopted by the Italian Police (Guardie di Pubblica Sicurezza) to carry 2 clips during service with the Moschetto mod. 91.
Made out of black leather, with interna tin frame.
​
Often used post ww2 to carry handcuffs.
Pic from R. Pettinelli
ITALIAN ROYAL NAVY
BUFFETTERIA IN TELA PER TRUPPE A PIEDI/MARINAI
As we saw in many other istances on this website, the Italian Royal Navy used to procure guns and equipment indipendently from the Army, sometimes following army paths and patterns, sometimes going completely their own way.
​
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Navy (as depicted in the pics of the Boxer Rebellion) used basically the same leather equipment of the army (Mod. 1891 Pouches and harness)
​
Sometimes around 1910 the Navy decided to adopt several new equipments, including a complete set of canvas pouches and harness, similar to the British "Mills" P08 equipment, and most probably based on Mills' Mod. 05 equipment.
​
Canvas pouches were way more comfortable to wear for landings and far more resistant to salty water environments, as the navy was constantly exposed to.
​
The Mod. 10, 11 and 13 patterns consisted in 6 pouches distributed on the frontal part of the belt, plus two pouches directly linked to the neckstrap, that got positioned either between the first two pouches or right above the middle pouch, depending on the specific model.
Navy Marine with two Bersaglieri
China, 1900
Two Navy Marines
Italy, WW1 or early 1920s
Navy Marines, Army Alpini and
other corps' units, Italy 1918
BUFFETTERIA MOD. 1925 PER SERVIZIO CORRENTE
GIORNALIERO PER MILITARI ARMATI DI MOSCHETTO
Adopted in 1925 with Act n.438 to simplify the equipment for regular armed duties on ships, naval bases or simple ceremonies.
There was a specific blanco'd white (and more refined) mod. 25 harness for parades, used up until the 1950s when the Navy dropped the Carcanos for the SMLEs and their pouches.
Pic from R. Pettinelli
EQUIPAGGIAMENTO DA SBARCO MOD. 1925
Marines in active duties needed a proper load bearing system to sustain prolonged fights, hence the old Mod.13 harness system wasa updated, simplified and made more ergonomical. It can be seen regularly on WW2 marines troops, especially in the African theater
[1] Bollettino di notizie Commerciali, 1926, pag. 297
[2] Giornale dei lavori pubblici e delle strade ferrate, anno XXXIX n. 30, 25 Luglio 1912, pag. 573
[3] Gazzetta Ufficiale del Regno d'Italia, Foglio delle inserzioni n.169, 18 Luglio 1912. pag. 1730
[4] La Lettura, rivista mensile del Corriere della Sera, anno IV n. 5, Maggio 1904, pag. 403
[5] Il Secolo XX, rivista popolare illustrata, Luglio 1903, pag. 591