Bug Out Vest

[Outlander Systems]

Ammo resupply post-collapse is one of my biggest worries. It's hard enough finding 5.56 right now, let alone during a catastrophe.

The only two commonly available ammunition types that I've been able to find as of late are 12GA and .22.

Another plus to the scattergun is ease of cleaning & maintenance.

Not a bad option. Cool setup; I've always wondered if anyone ran a dedicated SG rig.

[PA PATRIOT]

The shotgun rig is just one of the set-ups I am playing with at the moment. As already pointed out, there is abundance of 12 gauge ammo all over North America, so I don't figure that it would be overly difficult to come up with ammo if needed.

The Original SOE pouch has 12 rounds of slugs. There are six more in the side saddle on the shotgun. Yeah, you can carry more .223, but I don't feel undergunned with this load out.

Effective Range, Sustainable rate of fire and Combat accuracy is basically the nuts and bolts of single or small team combat. Many will say tactics can lean the percentages in your favor but unless you have the correct tools for the mission at hand one can under gun in open urban and rural SHTF fire fights. Case in point, how many Combat Marines currently carry a shotgun as their "Primary Weapon"? Those that due use them are mission specific for door breaching and indoor room clearing use. Not trying to knock you in any way with my response but just pointing out a few flaws with a shotgun as a primary weapon while moving in a hostile outdoor environment.

[PA PATRIOT]

Ammo resupply post-collapse is one of my biggest worries. It's hard enough finding 5.56 right now, let alone during a catastrophe.

The only two commonly available ammunition types that I've been able to find as of late are 12GA and .22.

Another plus to the scattergun is ease of cleaning & maintenance.

Not a bad option. Cool setup; I've always wondered if anyone ran a dedicated SG rig.

We are seeing a better ammo selection in the Philadelphia area with 5.56 and .45acp showing up on a pretty regular basis at the local shops and Wal-Mart. Prices are still a bit high but the ammo is there if one really needed a few cases.

[the judge]

Effective Range, Sustainable rate of fire and Combat accuracy is basically the nuts and bolts of single or small team combat. Many will say tactics can lean the percentages in your favor but unless you have the correct tools for the mission at hand one can under gun in open urban and rural SHTF fire fights. Case in point, how many Combat Marines currently carry a shotgun as their "Primary Weapon"? Those that due use them are mission specific for door breaching and indoor room clearing use. Not trying to knock you in any way with my response but just pointing out a few flaws with a shotgun as a primary weapon while moving in a hostile outdoor environment.

Point taken. But in my AO, there is no such thing as storing an AR or AK in the vehicle as part of SHTF pre-planning. Shotguns can be. Which is why a shotgun is a consideration and why I built a survival LBV around one. I more apt to have a shotgun in the vehicle if caught away from home when a crisis develops. Of course all the what is acceptable and what is not as far as storage and transport of firearms goes out the window in a crisis, but again pre-planning doesn't allow AR's and a stack of mags under the back seat. That would be a good way to earn a jail sentence here.

[K.L. Davis]

I think we've pretty well covered the pros and cons of a shotgun...

What was this thread about again?

[PA PATRIOT]

Point taken. But in my AO, there is no such thing as storing an AR or AK in the vehicle as part of SHTF pre-planning. Shotguns can be. Which is why a shotgun is a consideration and why I built a survival LBV around one. I more apt to have a shotgun in the vehicle if caught away from home when a crisis develops. Of course all the what is acceptable and what is not as far as storage and transport of firearms goes out the window in a crisis, but again pre-planning doesn't allow AR's and a stack of mags under the back seat. That would be a good way to earn a jail sentence here.

I understand and of course being Legal is the way to go. DOCGKR had posted something about using the shotgun shells which contain a Sabot-ed jacketed bullet which offered better down range trajectory and terminal performance. Maybe something you would wish to check into if it increases your effective range past normal slugs.

With that said I'M now back to are previous scheduled program.

[J_Hernandez]

this would be my vest of choice for a BOV. sadly the only pics i can find are from an airsoft page but a vest set up with a pack seems to work out pretty well in my mind.

[zushwa]

this would be my vest of choice for a BOV.

Why??

[Outlander Systems]

this would be my vest of choice for a BOV. sadly the only pics i can find are from an airsoft page but a vest set up with a pack seems to work out pretty well in my mind.

The issue I see with that loadout is that there's no way for the load burden to be carried on the hips, or displaced around the torso. As well, with so much open space and the "bib" type configuration, the load looks like it will rest entirely on the shoulders, which would NOT be a fun time. I haven't commented on some of the other vests seen, because they're minimalist and streamlined.

A vest with more surface area covering the majority of the torso, and a very rigid/snug fit will ease load carriage.

With no belt, and so much open space, with a moderate load I envision that thing shifting and constricting like a multicam anaconda.

The purpose, I see, for a BOV, would be to have good, even load displacement, and a very small loadout. With the amount of room on that thing, the benefit of the vest is lost, and you may as well go with a small pack.

You could achieve better results with a MOLLE vest, and a small MOLLE pack mounted to the back.

I'm not trying to be a hater, or a negative Nancy, but I'm not seeing a lot of benefits to that design.

[6933]

Navigating- Good points. Negative Nancy-hilarious!

Maybe Debbie downer?

I keep coming back to the benefits of a small pack that has a belt over a vest.