Vickers starter tab

#1

Here is a picture of Vickers starter tab with markings

R.S.B. 250 ROUNDS
V.S.M. 1915

Please, help me to decode abbreviation R.S.B.

#2

Very interesting! What is a “Starter Tab”?

#3

May be this small scheme could help us?

#4

As Treshkin points out, this is the first part of a MG feed belt, that gives a gunner something to hang onto and pull when he’s first loading a belt into the gun; he would pass that tab through the feed port, then out the other side, and (while pulling it out) cycle the action to load the first round into the chamber to make the gun ready for firing.

#5

Ahhhh Hah! thanks so much! Makes allot of sense!

#6

Okey, now I hope that we deside a bigest questions WHAT IS IT and WHAT DO WE CALL IT …

But could somebody help me to translate abbreviation R.S.B.?

#7

Hello,

your starter tab is for a Vickers belt exported to Russia.
Although there are some discussions about the exact meaning of RSB, the most probable meaning is “Russian Service Board”.
You might note that in Vickers & Maxim contract book, the guns n

#8

Thank you very much for such detailed answer!

Regards,
Treshkin