Russian pockets

[gneed 0]

Dear wise forum!

I challenge your knowledge of worthless military knowledge with this problem:

The soldiers from the eastern block have a row of pockets placed on their chests. I guess they are supposed to carry ammunition there. Now I just wonder, do they carry their Kalashnikov mags in there? I mean it seems kind of strange to me to store the AK's curved magazines in these totally straight pockets.

Anyone knows?

[Guest]

You don't carry around magazines in breastpockets. A mag. is way too heavy and way too long.

[red oct 2]

i never thought of it that way... though they probaly don't have the mags on there chest cuzz they may damage a mag if they hit the ground too hard or if shrapnel hits ya there. so they probaly carry them around their waist like the american troops do because it would probaly be easier getting them out of the pockets at your waist than on your chest. they must either have something like flairs, gernades.

[gneed 0]

Well, I don't mean pockets in the uniform but those kind om pockets that are placed outside the uniform with straps and stuff.

In the swedish army we did have two such pockets (or pouches?) on the chest, and they were intended for ammo. While I was in the artillery they didn't care too muck for our personal firepower and gave us only one spare mag. That meant lots of space for cigarretes, candy bars and other useful gear.

I just don't get the purpose of the Warshaw pact dude's set of four pockets. There's no way an AK mag could fit in there. And I don't understand where else to put it. I mean the Kalashnikov mag is quite large. And it is that shape too...

Am I the only one who is silly enough to wonder?

[red oct 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (gneed @ Sep. 04 2002,20:33)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I was in the artillery they didn't care too muck for our personal firepower and gave us only one spare mag. That meant lots of space for cigarretes, candy bars and other useful gear.<span id='postcolor'>

heh was that standerd issue supplies?

[-TU--33ker 0]

this kind of pouches were used in vietnam, too.

and they had mags in there. where to put them else?? i don't see an pouches around the waist.

[DarkLight 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Red Oct @ Sep. 03 2002,21:19)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">they may damage a mag if they hit the ground too hard or if shrapnel hits ya there.<span id='postcolor'>

I'd rather want schrapnel to hit some stupid mag than i'd want it to hit me!!!!

Anyway, has anybody got a pic of that pouches or whatever it's called, i don't really know what all of you are talking about

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">While I was in the artillery they didn't care too muck for our personal firepower and gave us only one spare mag. That meant lots of space for cigarretes, candy bars and other useful gear.

<span id='postcolor'>

Lmao

[-TU--33ker 0]

that's what they look like:

from ofp.cz

there's a pic with pouches on the waist but i think the topicstarter means the pouches in flashpoint.

[Mister Frag 0]

A lot of that old canvas gear dates back to times when people used what would now be considered battle rifles (.30 cal and up), and many of those rifles used stripper clips. The stripper clips could easily be carried in those pouches.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

They put their back issues of Pravda in them

[ralphwiggum 6]

more likely Russian Playboy.

but i think they do put some useful things in there...

[Col. Kurtz 0]

Pravda is a useful item! Fullof good propoganda sure tomake sure they feel they they are the righteous force in any conflict!

The pouches are not wide enough to accomitade ammo so they must be for something trivial like torches. 5 pouches, 5 torches

[Oligo 1]

The pockets on the chest of the russian soldiers are definitely for AK magazines. This is called a "chest rig" design. The purpose of chest rig is to put the magazines over the vital organs of the soldiers. This way the full magazines provide cheap ballistic protection for the soldier. Each of the big pockets can accomodate 2 AK magazines.

Different models of Vests

[Paratrooper 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ Sep. 05 2002,12:37)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">

The pockets on the chest of the russian soldiers are definitely for AK magazines. This is called a "chest rig" design. The purpose of chest rig is to put the magazines over the vital organs of the soldiers. This way the full magazines provide cheap ballistic protection for the soldier. Each of the big pockets can accomodate 2 AK magazines.

Different models of Vests<span id='postcolor'>

So I assume the pockets just look small because they are empty?

[Oligo 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Paratrooper @ Sep. 05 2002,12:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">So I assume the pockets just look small because they are empty?<span id='postcolor'>

Correct. The canvas in wrinkled, so you cannot see the true size of the pocket.

[Paratrooper 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ Sep. 05 2002,12:40)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Paratrooper @ Sep. 05 2002,12:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">So I assume the pockets just look small because they are empty?<span id='postcolor'>

Correct. The canvas in wrinkled, so you cannot see the true size of the pocket.<span id='postcolor'>

Aha! your answer sirs.

[Col. Kurtz 0]

Ecellant work Oligo, now feel free to close this thread now that the question has been answered mods.

[DarkLight 0]

Why? Afraid of spamming?

[Warin 0]

Mods dont fear spamming.

Members who could end up post restricted should fear spamming