Current snapshot of my gear:
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The duffel bag on the left (Goruck Kit bag) contains the following:
ESSTAC Daeodon plate carrier w/ lvl IV plates
PIG pontoons
ESSTAC molle placard with BFG ten-speed pouch
Various ITW clips for attachment of placard and/or chest rig integration
Blue Force Gear Rack-minus chest rig
3x BFG double-m4 flap magazine pouches
BFG double pistol ten-speed pouch
BFG boo boo pouch
Everything seen on belt (belt is usually on me)
2x EMDOM IAP pistol pouches that accommodate 1 of any double-stack pistol mag I own, or 1-2 1911 mags each
1x EMDOM IAP rifle pouch, or seen below, ESSTAC mag pouch for .308 AR
Old TAD gear rapid deploy dump pouch
ITS tactical IFAK pouch with Dark Angel medical insert and a TQ in a Tourniquet now strap from BFG
Holster seen is a Bravo Concealment but this space could be occupied by a number of holsters depending on the pistol
Esee Izula 2 in a kydex sheath on some blade-tech tek-lok
Carabiner with Pig FDT-delta gloves usually attached to belt loop on pants
The big black dump pouch is an old CSM gear pouch I use exclusively for 12ga. It currently has 50rds of 00buck in it and I stow my 3gungear 7-rd velcro placards in there (not pictured: 870)
Shemagh or 'sniper-veil' or scarf or whatever. I have a lot of them
The longer duffel bag on the right (EMDOM TNT GyM bag) contains an AR (either a 16" .308, 16" Recce ((pictured)), or a 12.5" SBR):
There's enough room in there for one of my 16" rifles, broken down, plus suppressor, bipod, sling, and a mag or two
If you pack well I can get a chest rig in there too loaded up
The small backpack is a Goruck Bullet 15L but I also have larger packs depending.
As seen this pack only has a 2L source bladder in it and some layers to fill it out
Reasoning:
I like guns, and I like gear. I have guns to protect myself and my family, but realistically the guns get used at the range and of course they are fun. The gear started as a way to support the guns. Mostly I wanted a good belt to hold some reloads and a chest rig for classes or just general preparedness. I have gone through many pieces of gear and tried a lot of different things.
I always favored solid colors over camo as I always got the sense that camo gave off the impression of military, which I am not. First black, then ranger green and foliage green, and now grey. I like grey. I think it's perfectly practical in my area and when worn on top of or around things I usually wear it's not as eye catching: plaid, black or dark blue shell jackets, greenish/grey or khaki pants.
The next big idea was 'scalability.' The idea of 1st line, 2nd line, 3rd line resonated with me a lot. To me my 1st line was always go to be a belt, a pistol, pistol reload(s) and usually an emerson folder. 2nd line meant that I was donning either a chest rig or a plate carrier to support myself and a primary weapon. 3rd line meant I was going to be out and about for a while and may need clothes, food, shelter, water whatever.
I then thought; what if I could scale each of my line loadouts
and accommodate various handguns and primary weapons. This meant that the molle belt didn't suit me much anymore as I preferred the ability to swap pouches out easily. Either paddle attachments or just weaving my belt through belt loops on pouches. I also preferred to find pouches that by design allowed for multiple magazine types to fit in them without compromise. I've got plenty of kydex stuff for every day that's specific to guns, but kydex tends to take up a lot of belt real estate. The EMDOM IAP pouches have been great and can hold everything from a 1911 mag to a 14rd M&P45 mag. They're on their own belt loops so if I'd rather only run one I can. Pistol mags can also be added to the chest rig via the ten-speed pouches. Or handheld flashlights can go in the ten-speeds or the EMDOM pistol pouches.
The speed-reload for the rifle is pretty straight forward. One pouch for 5.56 and one pouch for .308.
If running the 12ga no speed reload pouch is needed and neither is the little TAD dump ouch. Instead the black CSM gear dump pouch is belt-attached with loose rounds inside. At a minimum there are 7-rounds in a 3gungear elastic side-saddle on the gun. Those are my 'speed reloads' where most tactical reloads will come from the dump pouch. If donning a 2nd line, be it the chest rig or the plate carrier, then 7rd 12ga placards can be put in the double-m4 flap pouches or ten-speed pouches. The double-m4 pouches can hold 2x placards each. If choosing to feed the shotgun exclusively from placards then the CSM dump pouch becomes unnecessary, but slims/cleans up the waist line a bit and the chest rig is easily concealed beneath a shell jacket.
The 2nd line itself is also very scalable. The chest rig as discussed can hold 12ga placards, and by name sake it can hold 6x m4 mags. But it can also hold 3x .308 pmags making it adaptable to any long gun I might use. One of these pouches can also hold the Dark Angel IFAK insert and a TQ can easily be moved to the left side near the ten-speed pouches. If you tuck the flap in and adjust the draw string you've got a pretty good speed reload pouch with good retention. The ten-speed pouches can hold pistol reloads, a multi tool, a handheld light or one langjaeger each
or if they're not used they take up no space. The whole chest rig can be rolled up to about the size of a nalgene.
The plate carrier without a placard is 'slick' and very concealable. With the placard + ten-speed pouches it's still very low profile and useful. Or, the chest rig can be clipped to the plate carrier and all of the scalability of the chest rig comes along with it. The back is left empty on the plate carrier intentionally. If I need to add hydration it will be done by way of the small Goruck back with a source bladder. Other things could be thrown in there too, I'm just careful not to fill the bag just because it's there.
The Baofeng radio is just kind of laying there. I haven't gone nuts on comms (still learning) but the Baofeng is what I go backpacking with. It rarely gets used but it's nice to be able to catch the NOAA weather report when you're way out there.
The reason for the demonstration of what fits in where is that I also like the ability to transport these things without sending up red flags. I live in the city and I live in an apartment complex to top it off. I have to pass people in my building and the street frequently just to go to and from the range. Even if they don't have a problem with it I don't need to put it out on front street what I'm working with. Last thing I need is a SHTF situation and my across the street neighbors going "hey, lets go to that guy's place that we always see carrying guns to his car." I also just think it's a nice option to have to be able to transport this stuff inconspicuously. You never know.
I think that covers everything. Questions/comments/concerns are welcome.
Appreciate all of the information and help this forum has given me.
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