"USMC Bugle Cords color(s) c. 1885" Topic

Anyone have info on what color(s) the [tactically used]
bugle would be for the USMC c. 1885..? or somewhere near
there.. up to the 1920's might work..

for bonus points.. the color of the ammo boxes for
the 1895 Colt MG..?

You ask a tough question – all of my photos of Marine buglers (mostly 20th century) show bugles without cords – given how tradition-bound the Marines are, I am not sure how long this has been the case, but I suspect for a while – mind you, all the photos I have are for ceremonial occasions

For 1885 I would use red since the uniform was trimmed with red but I don't know for sure. By the time the green uniform was adopted in the 1900s green and red bugle cords may have been in use.

reason I ask ois I have a OG figure with cords wrapped
around the bugle and the wrist..:-)

I would say scarlet and gold. During the civil war that was the color of the enlisted mans chevrons and ofiicers shoulder braids. Also the hunting horn badge for the kepi was gold horn on scarlet. So Scarlet and gold cords.

For smmo boxes ? Well most like a greyish blue. Since most ammo came from various contractors. I 've seen plain wooded crates from 1942 on my APC in korea. That had our .50 cal. ammo. So take your pick. Anything but OD green that didn't become universal till after ww2.

I believe the M-1911 hat cord was red and gold, so that would be my bet as well.