U.S. Armed Forces WWI 1918A2 BAR Browning Automatic Rifleman Belt

The Browning M1918 Automatic Rifle was issued to doughboys of the AEF during the last few month of World War One. The weapon's name, Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), is a post war term. During World War I, the M1918 was known as the Light Browning or the Browning Machine Rifle. The early Brownings were an improvement over the French made Chauchat Light Machine gun which was used by the doughboys during most of their time in the war.

The Light Brownings used 20 round magazines and special accouterments were manufactured to carry the gunner's ammunition. This is the standard belt used by Light Browning gunners, manufactured by the Long Company in May 1918. The metal cup seen between the BAR magazine pocket and the pistol magazine pocket was used to steady the BAR when fired from the hip. The butt stock of the BAR was placed inside the cup when the BAR was fired. The cup was found to be impractical and many belts were modified by removal of the cup.