1919a4 cloth belt question

[42GPW]

Question. Didn't the 1919 cloth belts have brass tips for easy loading? If so. Where can I buy some with that? I don't like the eyelet ones.

Matt R

[Cal.Bar]

Question. Didn't the 1919 cloth belts have brass tips for easy loading? If so. Where can I buy some with that? I don't like the eyelet ones.

Matt R

This is a question that is best posted over on the 1919a4.com board. I don't use cloth in my 1919a4, but the disintegrating links.

[42GPW]

I'm trying to figure out what pawls I need to change to run links. I have about 4000 308 links.

[DJ's Jeeps]

The early belts have brass later have parked steel the come in both white and green cloth.

To run links it’s easier if your gun is a izzy kit. The original guns can jam on links occasionally best if you use a izzy top cover and associated parts in it. They help but do not always prevent that. I would try a small string of dummies with your current set up and see how it works by cycling by hand. You are able to use belts or links in the original runs best in belts.

Remember the links can wear your trunnion.
Get a trunnion protector plate to protect it if your running a lot
Of ammo through it.

[42GPW]

Thank you. It's an izzy kit. Has at .308 top cover. And a plate protector. I'd like to run links. Guess I'll find some dummy rounds and try it out( can i use some spent blank ammo). Thank you for your help.

[Bart1015]

42GPW,

Here is where you can get the reproduction brass tips:

https://www.sarcoinc.com/1919a4-brass-starter-tab-wwi/

[D_Conrad]

Your links will run just fine. I run mine with links no issues. Nothing needed to be changed out. If it's an izzy kit it will be just fine.

[dpcd67]

Israeli? Why call it izzy? No idea what that means.
I use both links and cloth belts in my 7.62 semi auto and both work fine. I don't use starter tab; never had any. Links won't wear out your gun. Just don't do like my idiot friend did and try to use M60/240 links in it and complain that it won't work.

[Bart1015]

I run both cloth belts and links in my Izzy 308 without changing anything. I modified my cloth belt loader to load 308 and it works ok when using old cloth belts. New reproduction cloth belts are very hard to load and can jam up the gun. I think the reproduction belts are simply not made to USGI specs. Overall, I find my rifle runs best with the metal links.


dpcd67,"Izzy" is a common nickname for the Israeli returns, usually in 308.

[dpcd67]

I have never heard of that term; I built my 1919 from an Israeli kit many years ago. When the Israeli kits came into the US. I see no need to invent a new word for them now that they are mostly gone.

[Myers]

They have been referred to as "Izzy" kits for over 20 years, whether you see the need for that word or not.

[D_Conrad]

If running denigrating you need to ensure the double link end is run through the gun first. Like the others said, no need for a starter tab.