MP44 Ammunition Pouches - Green

Green MP44 Ammunition Pouches with Black Leather – equipment for the Sturmgewehr 44

The MP44 ammunition pouches, associated with the MP44 / StG 44 / Sturmgewehr 44, formed part of the late-war German infantry equipment developed for carrying the magazines of one of the most important small arms introduced during the final years of the Second World War. The pouch system was normally arranged as a matched left and right pair, each pouch having three main compartments, giving a total carrying capacity of six magazines. Museum and collector sources describe original examples as three-compartment pouches intended for Sturmgewehr 44 magazines.  

The construction in heavy green canvas reflected the material and production requirements of the late-war period. Canvas reduced the need for leather while remaining strong enough for repeated field use. Black leather straps, rear belt loops, metal fittings and stud closures secured the pouches to the equipment belt and kept the magazines in place during movement. Specialist descriptions of MP44 pouch sets specifically mention green canvas, black leather straps, correct metal fittings and light cotton stitching.  

The compartments were shaped for the curved magazines of the MP44/StG44, commonly described as 30-round magazines. Some museum catalogues describe preserved examples as holding 32-round stick magazines, showing a small variation in terminology across sources. Their function, however, remains clear: carrying magazines for the 7.92×33 mm Kurz Sturmgewehr system. Some pouch sets also included smaller auxiliary pockets, often associated with a loading tool or secondary accessories.  

The MP44, later known as the Sturmgewehr 44, appeared in the final years of the war and combined features of the rifle, submachine gun and light automatic weapon. Its larger detachable magazines required a dedicated carrying system, taller and deeper than standard rifle ammunition pouches. The three-cell arrangement on each side distributed the weight across the belt while keeping the magazines accessible.

From a construction standpoint, MP44 pouches reflect the practical character of German late-war field equipment: strong textile fabric, leather used mainly on stress points, simplified closures and a layout focused on carrying maximum ready ammunition. The black leather fittings contrast with the green canvas and correspond to the mixed-material construction often seen on equipment from the 1944–45 period.

Collector’s note: original MP44 pouch sets can vary considerably in canvas shade, leather type, closure details and auxiliary pocket configuration. These variations are closely connected to late-war production conditions, material shortages and differences between manufacturers.