Canvas mag pouches

roadie · 06-20-2009, 10:43 AM

I got a bunch of these heavy canvas 5 mag pouches the other day and am wondering if I can soften them up a bit. They are a bit old I think, and the canvas is really stiff. I am wondering if they can be run through the washer, will that do the trick? Anyone have any of these and or have you cleaned them?

Sprout47 · 06-20-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadie

I got a bunch of these heavy canvas 5 mag pouches the other day and am wondering if I can soften them up a bit. They are a bit old I think, and the canvas is really stiff. I am wondering if they can be run through the washer, will that do the trick? Anyone have any of these and or have you cleaned them?

They will prbably shrink if you do that. Just work them out with a mag, they will break in.

SightNSqueeze · 06-20-2009, 12:20 PM

Agreed. You see them a lot in the Middle East. They are pretty tough. The stiffness of the cotton canvas reminds me of the high quality M-56 cotton canvas web gear we used to have before it was gradually replaced with M-67/73 nylon gear.

I noticed overseas that if they shrink, they just dont snap the pouches shut. Loaded mags are big and heavy enough not to fall out. If you wash them, just use clear cold water and no soap. Let them dry naturally, but not in the blazing sun, or they will definitely shrink more.

imarangemaster · 06-20-2009, 12:35 PM

Also, many military canvas pouches are treated with an anti rot compound, and detergent will wash it out. I have a new 3 cell Romanian, and it feels like it is. Best example of that treatment is a REAL USGI Korean War M2 Carbine 30 round pouch. They are almost waxy!

Tulamosin · 06-20-2009, 12:52 PM

I've run a few through the wash and it doesn't soften them up. I wouldn't run them through the dryer though; it makes a hell of a racket and the pouch edges wear and fade (like jeans eventually do). Let them air dry.

SightNSqueeze · 06-20-2009, 02:19 PM

They are no stiffer than the cotton canvas M-14 pouches and M-1956 web gear that I have. I think people are just used to the flimsy nylon issue that has been common in the U.S. and some Western countries for the past 20-25 years.

roadie- If your pouches are as stiff as mine, then I think they were meant to be that way. Again, I saw similar stiff pouches in Iraq.

Mooseman684 · 06-20-2009, 02:22 PM

They may have been waterproofed as well and that makes em stiff !

06-20-2009, 10:43 AM	#1
roadie Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,268 Images: 10 Blog Entries: 1	Canvas mag pouches I got a bunch of these heavy canvas 5 mag pouches the other day and am wondering if I can soften them up a bit. They are a bit old I think, and the canvas is really stiff. I am wondering if they can be run through the washer, will that do the trick? Anyone have any of these and or have you cleaned them? __________________ Blaming guns for violent acts is like blaming the keyboard for your poor spelling.

06-20-2009, 12:20 PM	#3
SightNSqueeze Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Intercoastal Sea Islands, SC, USA Posts: 2,725	Agreed. You see them a lot in the Middle East. They are pretty tough. The stiffness of the cotton canvas reminds me of the high quality M-56 cotton canvas web gear we used to have before it was gradually replaced with M-67/73 nylon gear. I noticed overseas that if they shrink, they just dont snap the pouches shut. Loaded mags are big and heavy enough not to fall out. If you wash them, just use clear cold water and no soap. Let them dry naturally, but not in the blazing sun, or they will definitely shrink more. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Was "Your" Voice Heard Today? NRA-ILA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Last edited by SightNSqueeze; 06-20-2009 at 12:24 PM.

06-20-2009, 12:35 PM	#4
imarangemaster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 232	Canvas Also, many military canvas pouches are treated with an anti rot compound, and detergent will wash it out. I have a new 3 cell Romanian, and it feels like it is. Best example of that treatment is a REAL USGI Korean War M2 Carbine 30 round pouch. They are almost waxy!

06-20-2009, 02:19 PM	#6
SightNSqueeze Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Intercoastal Sea Islands, SC, USA Posts: 2,725	They are no stiffer than the cotton canvas M-14 pouches and M-1956 web gear that I have. I think people are just used to the flimsy nylon issue that has been common in the U.S. and some Western countries for the past 20-25 years. roadie- If your pouches are as stiff as mine, then I think they were meant to be that way. Again, I saw similar stiff pouches in Iraq. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Was "Your" Voice Heard Today? NRA-ILA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

06-20-2009, 02:22 PM	#7
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 11,316 Images: 2	They may have been waterproofed as well and that makes em stiff ! __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

06-20-2009, 12:52 PM	#5
Tulamosin Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Powder Springs, Georgia Posts: 296	I've run a few through the wash and it doesn't soften them up. I wouldn't run them through the dryer though; it makes a hell of a racket and the pouch edges wear and fade (like jeans eventually do). Let them air dry.