Until 1925, the QM and the Ordnance Department both used the "Year" model system. The United States Magazine Rifle, Model of 1903. Abbreviated as M-1903. For a short time, during WW1, they moved to commonality with the US Navy and British with the use of "Mark" designations but that didn't last long.
The Quartermaster only used the Model when necessary and even then sparingly. The Ordnance Department used it almost religiously.
In 1925, the Ordnance Department moved away from the "Year" system to the "Alphanumeric" model system. M4A2. Model 4, sub-model A2.
The M1 rifle was carried by a soldier wearing the M-1943 field jacket and M-1923 cartridge belt, while wearing the M1 helmet. From that, it's clear that they were provided with equipment from both the QM and Ordnance Department. He might also have a TL-29 knife and TL-13A pliers/wire cutter. Those last two, being provided by the Signal Corps, use their system. Our soldier also would most certainly have a first aid packet which, being provided by the Medical Corps, would have a Medical Corps Item Number. I believe the water purification tablets in his pocket were Medical Corps Item #9121810, but don't quote me on that.
Again, the Quartermaster only used the Model when necessary and even then sparingly. The Ordnance Department used it almost religiously.
Let's look at sleeping bags.
The Army was just one Federal Government Departments with other existing. The United States Forest Service (USFS) was under the Department of the Interior as I recall. They adopted a sleeping bag. That was duly entered into the Federal Catalog as "Bag, Sleeping, Kapok."
When the Quartermaster first adopted a sleeping bag, it too was Kapok. With the USFS bag already being in the Federal Catalog, they then had to apply a model to differentiate them. "Bag, Sleeping, Kapok, M-1940" thus came into existence. If the USFS bag hadn't existed, it wouldn't have had a model number.
In 1941, the "Bag, Sleeping, M-1941" came about. This, too, received a model to differentiate it from earlier models.
Thence to the "Bag, Sleeping, M-1942."
In 1943, three bags were introduced, namely the "Bag, Sleeping, Wool," "Bag, Sleeping, Mountain," and "Bag, Sleeping, Arctic." These, using a different nomenclature, didn't have models.
In 1945, new Arctic and Mountain bags were adopted and, as the earlier ones did exist with that nomenclature, needed models. Thus these were "Model 1945."
The rule? The first of a nomenclature doesn't get a model. Follow on items with that nomenclature do.
People like to call the helmet used by tankers the "M-1938" or "M-38." Both are entirely spurious.
1) The Ordnance Department had moved to model numbers in 1925. The tanker helmet was an Ordnance Department item. There certainly weren't 37 previous tanker helmets and it wasn't a QM item.
2) It came out much later than 1938.
The rule? The first of a nomenclature doesn't get a model. Follow on items with that nomenclature do.
What was the proper nomenclature? "Helmet, Tank." What was the model? None. It replaced the "Helmet, Tank, Cavalry" and the "Helmet, Tank, Infantry." With the different nomenclature, it didn't need a model. One of the few Ordnance Department items that didn't.
"Jacket, Field, M-1943." What does this tell us? There was an earlier one. Which was? "Jacket, Field, o.d." They didn't use "o.d." in the 1943 edition but it was olive drab.
Jacket, Field, M-1941 is entirely spurious. It was the "Jacket, Field, o.d." Without a model there was no earlier one.
Jacket, Field, M-1938 never existed. Follow the rules. The "Jacket, Field, o.d." doesn't have a model and there is thus no earlier edition.
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"These tests were continued through 1936, and reports of them were referred to the War Department Uniform Board in 1937. There the matter rested for 2 years until November 13, 1939..."
How does anyone ram a "M-1938" in there? Clearly it never existed.
Models are good indicators one what has an earlier edition and what doesn't. The M-1943 field jacket had a predecessor. The Bag, Sleeping, M-1940 had a predecessor. Took me a while to find that USFS bag but I wouldn't have even been looking without that "M-1940" designation. The USFS bag was adopted in 1936. The "Jacket, Field, o.d." had no model as it was the first. It was also introduced in 1940, not 1941, so the M-1941 term for that is doubly spurious. Go back to that QM history thing above.
"It will be recalled that by 1941 the field jacket was being issued in volume." Not "in 1941," it was "by 1941." Large numbers were contracted for in the Fall of 1940.
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Indicated in green. A contract for "Jackets, Field, o.d." in 1940. I own one from that contract. Those are the ones the uneducated call the "M-1938." That is a spurious designation.
Read the Specifications topic for more information.