How much ammunition did each soldier carry?

[KAR98]

I see two sets of numbers for the ammo that was carried for the KAR98...one is 45 per pouch +15 extra for a total of 105...and maybe the 5 in the rifle for 110.

The other is 30 per pouch + extras and the one in the rifle for around 65+ rounds.

Are they both right? Somewhere in between? More or less? Is anyone familiar with the thought process behind selection of the M1911? Personally, I'd like to carry more ammo going into battle.

[Christoph Awender]

Hello!

I just can tell you what a original Wehrmacht manual from 1941 says:
Each soldier has 45 rounds! Not in each pouch.... all in all.
The ammo pouches can be filled with 6x2 clips which makes 60 rounds. Which is the amount I told you 45+ 15 from the Gefechtswagen. Soldiers were not allowed to march with loaded wepaons so they had to have space for the clip in the rifle also.

\Christoph

[KAR98]

Thank you for the clarification, Christoph.

[stab131]

I have recently seen a picture ( a book The German Soldier ) of Lanser in Italy who had what looked like leather pouches of a single variety, one either side of the buckle.

May be the "medic" pouch.

Jeff

[krzysiek]

And how many G43 magazines did German soldier carry?

Best Regards
Krzysiek

[PreußensGlanz]

I'm interested if this layout was still so at the end of the war(1944-45), specifically for the Ardennenoffensive aka Battle of the Bulge:
The "early" values I have are:
98K: 60 + 5 in the rifle
MP 40: 192 + 32 in the MP
StG 44: 180 + 30 in the gun
leMG 42: 2 500
sMG 42: 4750
I'm especially unsure about the light and heavy MG as the value for the light is still with 3 soldier instead of 2 manning it, also from a time were the MG 34 was used and not the MG 42.
Maybe someone can confirm or correct the values for the late war stage.

[PreußensGlanz]

Well the MP 40 can be corrected to a total of 180, it seems that weapon was not transported while being loaded as it could go easily off so all magazines where in the ammo storage that the soldier carried and that was only for 6 magazines , also it tended to jam when the magazines were fully loaded with 32 bullets, instead 30 were usually used.