MP40 Ammunition Pouches - Green

Green MP40 Ammunition Pouches – equipment for the Maschinenpistole 40

The green MP40 ammunition pouches formed part of the individual equipment used by German personnel armed with the Maschinenpistole 40, one of the most recognizable submachine guns of the Second World War. The pouch system was normally arranged as a left and right pair, each pouch containing three vertical magazine compartments, giving a total carrying capacity of six magazines on the equipment belt.

The construction in heavy green canvas provided a strong and practical solution for field use. Canvas was flexible, durable and helped reduce the amount of leather required in military equipment production. Closure straps, rear belt loops, buckles and leather reinforcements were placed at the points most exposed to tension and wear, keeping the pouches secure on the belt and the magazines firmly retained during marching and combat movement.

Each compartment was shaped for one straight MP40 magazine, normally holding 32 rounds of 9×19 mm Parabellumammunition. The three-cell arrangement on each side distributed the load across the belt and allowed the magazines to be reached quickly. This was especially important for personnel carrying a submachine gun, where ready ammunition and fast magazine changes were central to the weapon’s practical use.

The MP40 was used by a wide range of German units, including infantry, armoured troops, vehicle crews, paratroopers, non-commissioned officers, officers and support formations. Compared with the standard rifle, the submachine gun was better suited to close-range fighting, assaults, vehicle use and situations where a compact automatic weapon was advantageous.

From a construction standpoint, MP40 pouches were simple but highly functional: textile body, vertical compartments, adjustable closures and reinforced attachment points. The green colour belongs to the range of shades found on German textile equipment, alongside feldgrau, olive, tan and simplified late-war material variations linked to different manufacturers and supply conditions.

Collector’s note: MP40 pouch pairs may differ between the right and left sides. Some sets include a small auxiliary pocket on one pouch, often associated with a loading tool or maintenance accessory. These small construction differences are now important details for identifying variants, production features and period configurations.