Vintage Swiss Army Military Rucksack Salt and Pepper Leather Canvas Rifle Holder

  
Vintage Swiss Army Military Salt and Pepper Canvas Backpack/Rucksack w/Rifle Holder. This is a well-preserved alpine Swiss Military rucksack from 1966, made from canvas and leather. We understand that this bag was a specialist alpine rifle pack issued to Swiss soldiers deployed in the mountains. There is an enclosed leather-reinforced canvas channel inside the pack with top and bottom openings for a rifle or walking sticks! The top aperture is 3x3, the bottom aperture is 5x4. Each aperture is cinched shut with braided cord. The bag's thick outer layer is made from the very popular'salt and pepper' canvas, which comes across as a mossy, olive green color. This very special, very strong canvas was developed by the Swiss using a combination of the fibres of flax and stinging nettle plants. The bottom of the bag is reinforced with very strong tan'saddle' leather. Heavy, darker leather is used for the shoulder straps (which are attached to the bottom corners of the bag), the straps which close the large side pockets, the two straps to secure the main backpack top flap, as well as two additional straps that thread through the top buckles to hold a sleeping roll or other items, plus a strap for the bottom rifle opening.

There are five additional heavy leather loops on the pack to secure additional items. The pockets and top flap are also edged with the same saddle leather. Additional reinforcement is achieved by the existence of two flat metal rods stitched into the back of the backpack on either side of the rifle channel. A curved, flat metal brace in the lumbar area is also there to provide support and comfort to the wearer, along with a canvas tension belt between the wearer and the brace.

There are also two internal pockets to either side of the rifle channel. The backpack is very sturdy and was built to endure harsh conditions. On one of the straps a Swiss cross is stamped along with Sch inside a rectangle. This shows that the pack was of sufficient quality to be entered into the Swiss military. On the opposite strap the number 66 - the year the pack was produced - is stamped. A pristine navy blue pouch measuring 16.5x 33.5 is included with the pack. It has a dark rectangular leather patch in the center and a leather-reinforced D-ring at the opening. An aluminum D-ring with leather stay also comes with the pack. Approximately 22 height x 24 width (when empty and pressed flat).

Side pockets are 7.5 wide, 12 high and are 3 deep. CONDITION: This 54-year-old rucksack is well-used but is in very good condition for this particular model. The canvas has a few faint stains but is otherwise very clean. There is one 3/8 hole in the topknot canvas piece that cinches shut the top rifle aperture. The leather shows signs of normal use; the bottom is scuffed and stained.

There is one pinhole in the bottom leather. The cord for cinching shut the main pack is frayed in one spot. Stitching is in excellent shape except for the stitching around the right shoulder strap buckle. The buckle does not move or shift when fastened but will slide off the strap if completely unfastened. The item "Vintage Swiss Army Military Rucksack Salt and Pepper Leather Canvas Rifle Holder" is in sale since Sunday, January 19, 2020.

This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Surplus\Personal, Field Gear\Bags & Packs". The seller is "opalinacat" and is located in Dover, New Hampshire. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, China, Mexico, Germany, Japan, Brazil, France, Australia, Russian federation, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Dominican republic, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, El salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Antigua and barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint kitts and nevis, Saint lucia, Montserrat, Turks and caicos islands, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei darussalam, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, French guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Cayman islands, Liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macao, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Peru, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Viet nam, Uruguay.

• Country/Region of Manufacture: Switzerland