View Full Version : Gear that's compatible with eveyday life.
Sorry for this long post, but I've been dealing with a bit of a conundrum regarding gear to go with my rifle. Quick background to help explain my situation. Currently I am a college student who is doing farm work when not at school. This translates to no gun most of the year and when on the farm an AR-15 goes with me just about anywhere(I don't carry a handgun). So for right now I'm just focussing on a suitable setup for employing my rifle.
I started out accumulating full battle gear(vest with many mags) when I came to the realization that in most cases that's just over the top. Then I started giving thought to a belt with a pistol, 2 pistol mag, possibly a FAK, and 2 rifle mags, since I could don it quickly and would provide me with the most needed stuff to defend myself. So I made a mock-up of stuff I had lying around(LC-2 belt with zip tied on molle pouches, and a holster) and quickly ran into trouble. I wear a leatherman on my right side of my pants belt and I found that it prevents me from correctly wearing a battle belt and I will not get rid of the leatherman so that's pretty much out.
This pretty much leaves me with small shoulder bags like the eagle patrol bandoleer, US peacekeeper RDP, or the larue survival bag made by hawkpacks. These have looked like a good option since they would be grab while exiting a truck and things like coats and coveralls would interfere very much with wearing it. I figured that in addition to carry a few rifle mags I could possibly(but not sold on my own idea yet) store a handgun in a pocket like on the US peacekeeper RDP. My only concern is that it sounds like a horrible way to deploy a handgun if I need it.
So, I'm asking the knowledgeable people here to give me some direction with what I should be looking into so I have the needed gear that would work good with my rifle in my situation. I'm really interested in thoughts on the shoulder bag idea since it seems like the most practical. That and should I be reconsidering my choice to not carry a handgun around(since that changes my gear choice) I'd like to go beyond my current plan of grabbing my rifle an stuffing a spare mag in my back pocket.
well somewhere between a mag stuffed in your back pocket, and a full war belt setup, there's gotta be a good compromise for you.
what about a versipak or one of those small chest rigs?
personally, I don't understand your inflexibility with the leatherman. if that's all that's stopping you, can you possibly move it or have another sheath mounted to your warbelt in the same location?
Skintop911
12-05-09, 00:07
Sounds like you're on the right track. I'd carry a handgun on my person. A small go-bag/murse of some sort (EI PB, Sneaky Bag, TT Crossfire, US Peacekeeper, etc). If you can't carry the HG on you, put it in the bag.
well somewhere between a mag stuffed in your back pocket, and a full war belt setup, there's gotta be a good compromise for you.
what about a versipak or one of those small chest rigs?
personally, I don't understand your inflexibility with the leatherman. if that's all that's stopping you, can you possibly move it or have another sheath mounted to your warbelt in the same location?
I use the leatherman often enough that I'd rather not get rid of it and I can't think of another satisfactory way to keep it on my person other than the belt(it's a leatherman core so pocket carry is not an option). My only other problem with the belt is that I'm not sure if it would be compatible year round with my clothing.
I'll have to look more into the bag option since I'm pretty sure everytime I bring up a gear question, Skintop911 has recommended them. I'll figure out that's the route to go someday.
I have a Core too, nice tool. I have an old Galco leather double-column pistol mag holder that uses one of their "J" clips to hold it on the belt. it is pretty tall and works just about perfect for the multitool. how are you attaching yours to your belt?
I like that bag idea too,. Uncle Mikes makes a pretty cool briefcase that has a concealed pocket for a pistol and mags. not much money and works really well. would this be an option for you?
http://www.uncle-mikes.com/products/briefcase_hidden_holster.html
http://www.uncle-mikes.com/images/briefcase_hidden_holster.png
Skintop911
12-05-09, 13:31
I'll have to look more into the bag option since I'm pretty sure everytime I bring up a gear question, Skintop911 has recommended them.
I'm pretty sure of that too. :D
They work well. Duty gear, CCW gear, boxers in the middle of the night, in my nanook suit in the dead of winter...
Lots of other options, and good ones, but it's an easy and flexible solution.
I'm not really sure what your question is. Unless you're going to sling your rifle and carry it all the time, then it will be stowed in a vehicle or building. There are dozens of good bags but this method does not provide immediate access to your gun. If you anticipate coming under fire from a horde of invaders then your rifle needs to be with you all the time.
Seems to me the answer is to have a gun that is on your person all the time and that most likely means a hand gun. There are also dozens of options for that. A scandium J frame in a kydex pocket holster is light, sweat resistant, and immediately available. Belt carry is available for larger handguns that provide plenty of firepower. I carry a Glock 36 in 45 acp with a mag in a pocket on most days. You could do that on the farm without interfering with your work.
If your gun is not with you, you are unarmed.
What type of "farm work" in what type of location would put someone in a situation with the need to deploy an AR15 and a handgun at a moments notice? :eek:
To address your concern about drawing a handgun from your shoulder bag, another option is to keep your handgun in a paddle holster. If you anticipate the need to be armed, you can simply don the paddle holster. As for your leatherman, you need two hands to open it anyway, so just wear it on your left side.
What type of "farm work" in what type of location would put someone in a situation with the need to deploy an AR15 and a handgun at a moments notice? :eek:
Ha ha. I do normal farm and ranch work. I just went to taking an ar15 around with me since it's a handy rifle to have and I don't feel bad if it gets scratched. I never really carred about having a handgun around since I'm really bad with them, but I was under the impression that a sidearm is a good idea.
I'll tell you as well that I never thought I'd really need to carry something like this around, but a few years ago someone broke in to an abandoned house we own and when he was caught later he had a gun. I was never in contact with him, but I had given thought to going to the land where the house sat. Then I got lazy and stayed home. Nothing bad happened, but it changed my thought a little bit. I live in an area where the largest criminal activity is drunks, but that situation made me re-evaluate what I carry around.
Skintop911
12-05-09, 17:35
What type of "farm work" in what type of location would put someone in a situation with the need to deploy an AR15 and a handgun at a moments notice? :eek:
There are bad guys everywhere, even out on the lonely prairies of the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
If you're going to have a rifle around, you might as well have the kit to support it as well.
My experience is that most of these "E&E" bags are ridiculously heavy when fully loaded and most of the paranoid fantasy types will wind up leaving them behind after carrying them for more than 20 minutes.
To that end, I am very happy with the Mini Sneaky Bag that One Source Tactical we nice enough to send me. I keep the kit in it light, but I have carried it loaded with the two mags and other kit for upwards of 3 hours at a stretch, and I carried it for over 8 hours a day for 3.5 days straight with a load of similar weight while at SHOT last year.
It also comes in various non-tactical colors.
http://www.onesourcetactical.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1199
I would strongly suggest opting for the Deluxe shoulder strap as it is properly contoured for a bag like this (in fact, I think they should sell the bag with this strap and save you having to buy a separate one and pay for the original strap that you won't use)
http://www.onesourcetactical.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1213
Depending on your use you may also take a look at their covert rifle bag. I believe the outer pouch is designed to hold the mini sneaky, which would make for a great overall package for your use IMHO.
http://www.onesourcetactical.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1641
Carry a hand gun all the time and you will always be able to defend yourself. Easily done without interfering with your farm work. Keep a rifle nearby if things are that bad, but realize that when you need a gun, you need it now, not when you can finally get to it.
I didn't realize farm life was so dangerous now. Should I feel safer here in the big city?
Carry a hand gun all the time and you will always be able to defend yourself. Easily done without interfering with your farm work. Keep a rifle nearby if things are that bad, but realize that when you need a gun, you need it now, not when you can finally get to it.
I didn't realize farm life was so dangerous now. Should I feel safer here in the big city?
I'm sure city life is much more dangerous. I would say I have a far better chance of being hurt by a cow or piece of machinery than a criminal. My little experience was a very rare event indeed, but a person only needs to be in the wrong place at the wrong time for everything to change. I figured I want to be better prepared in the off chance it happens again.
I'll have to look more into carrying a pistol around. I've usually just stuck to the rifle since it is more useful for me, but I'll start thinking about it.
Your choice is easy. Unless you can carry a rifle all the time, and still get your work done, you need to carry a pistol which is concealable. It's that easy.
Are you looking for a way to carry extra mags?
These:
http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/products/p_098000015_1.jpg
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=24903/Product/AR_15_M16_KYDEX_reg__MAGAZINE_POUCH
On your regular belt may solve the extra mag conundrum....since you're carrying an AR I suppose you don't need concealability, so I don't think these will be too obtrusive.
*ETA* I also assumed that you liked to carry a rifle instead of a pistol to occasionally shoot the varmint on your farm. Otherwise, for personal protection, unless you live where rifle threats are common, a pistol like the rest of us CCW people carry may be your answer to self defense.
Sneaky Bag, small, mid or large.
The small works with the rifle bags too.
I ran across a small Sneaky Bag in a dark red/brick color that would go completely unnoticed.
Maybe we need to define the "mission" here a bit better guys.
I'm picturing the OP in a pickup truck or on a quad, driving around the farm, fixing this and working on that. Just like old cowboys were fine with a lever-action on the saddle, he should be fine with a rifle in the truck. Plenty of view to see anyone approaching, no real threat from the downtown crackheads, etc. Truck breaks down you can toss on a Sneaky Bag, sling the rifle, and start walking back. Rifle (with right optic) gives you range to scope and deal with approaching potential threats, and a bigger bullet to deal with 4-legged predators you'd find on a farm looking to pick off livestock. You could make an argument for a pistol on the belt to deal with snakes or whatever, but if he can't or won't carry a pistol then that's on him.
Perhaps the OP can elaborate on his situation a bit better.
threeheadeddog
12-06-09, 11:26
I am very much in the same boat as you. The difference is that I do carry a handgun all the time.
Long ago when I started carrying I had to make the change to move the multitool to the left side. It just makes everyting easier.
Personally I am looking at maby one of the left handed versibacks with a mole attachment on the velcro in the "handgun pouch" to carry a couple AR mags in eagle fb pouches. This would leave my right side open for handgun. I am hoping that it will be possible to wear the pack slightly around back at about 7:30 or 8 o'clockish to allow me to put a mag pouch just infront of it.
and I will not get rid of the leatherman so that's pretty much out.
Have an extra Leatherman sheath (empty) on your "go-belt" to drop your Leatherman into before donning the warbelt.
Keith
threeheadeddog
12-06-09, 11:30
Not to speak for the OP but in farm/ranch situations a rifle is pretty much a must in the truck. From cyote's around the animals, to prairi dog putting holes in the cow pasture to cats(both big and small) that will hurt you,your livestock,family or domesticated pets. Not to mention the possibility of having to put down one of your own animals from encounters with preditors/the prairi dog holes/sickness ect.
I am not exactly a "country boy" but come from a ranching family that I spent some summers with.
threeheadeddog
12-06-09, 11:33
grr. srry to keep posting thoughts in seperate posts but I will also mention that the leatherman/gerber pouch also makes a great handgun mag pouch for when you have a hard time concealing your extra mag.
I carry this in my truck all of the time. It is big enough to carry a few mags, IFAK, Survival gear, and a few other items and still not be too big. It is a good bag and does not look too MIL.
http://www.skdtac.com/v/vspfiles/photos/EAG.565-2T.jpg
Seen Here:
http://www.skdtac.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=EAG.565
Failure2Stop
12-08-09, 11:06
I would look into something that can be easily thrown over a shoulder that could carry 2 to 3 mags, a first aid kit, and a small survival kit. There are a few readily available solutions from go-bags to bandoleers.
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