Required Battle Gear

[Michigan Slim]

Battle load out, my butt. I'm fighting my way into my house. It's all there and my wife can fix me a sammich.

 

[Vanderbilt]

...after reading through all these threads....unless the majority of you guys are superman or fitness freaks unlike anything like me and most of my buddy's and cohorts resemble. This'll be a more realistic portrayal of most of us if TSHTF. More of us whether we would admit it or not would be more likely to trip over the fan and knock it into the $#-+, lol!

 

[Ark]

 

[Cavman]

 

[BigMoose]

This is why I've decided to go with a 10/22 with 3x 25rd magazines for my battle rifle.
TX22 for my pistol. I can also carry 500rds of ammunition without much problem.

This will give me the ability to pack a lot of lifesaving food.
View attachment 311727

I've even got a battlemobile picked out.

Apply purple as needed...

Nah you don't want Reese's, you want Tootsie Rolls.. the BIG ones.

How Tootsie Rolls Accidentally Saved Marines During War

Have you ever wondered why Tootsie Rolls hold significance with the Marine Corps? During the Korean War, the First Marine Division met the enemy at Chosin mountain reservoir in subfreezing temperatures.

albany.usmc-mccs.org

"Have you ever wondered why Tootsie Rolls hold significance with the Marine Corps? During the Korean War, the First Marine Division met the enemy at Chosin mountain reservoir in subfreezing temperatures. Out of ammunition, Marines called in for 60mm mortar ammo; code name “Tootsie Rolls.” The radio operator did not have the code sheets that would tell him what a “Tootsie Roll” was, but knew the request was urgent; so he called in the order. Soon, pallets of Tootsie Roll candies parachuted from the sky to the First Marine Division! While they were not ammunition, this candy from the sky provided well needed nourishment for the troops. They also learned they could use warmed Tootsie Rolls to plug bullet holes, sealing them as they refroze"

 

[bwframe]

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I need a med kit but I get super exhausted whenever I try to decide what should be in it. Otherwise my go bag is a chest rig with eight rifle mags, six pistol mags and a pistol. I'll grab whichever rifle is closest, but my preferred one has a sling and light as previously mentioned. I've got a couple shotgun bandoliers loaded up in case that's the proper tool for the job.

 

[Kdf101]

View attachment 311763

Those are true weapons of war, right from the beginning. I find them scary and offensive…..

 

[cosermann]

As Garand Thumb says, if you don’t have the necessary knowledge, skill, and fitness, your gear won’t matter much.

 

[DadSmith]

As Garand Thumb says, if you don’t have the necessary knowledge, skill, and fitness, your gear won’t matter much.

I agree 100%

Knowledge, and experience is needed along with the proper gear.

 

[Route 45]

Those bright colors would really pop in a good LPVO.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Nah you don't want Reese's, you want Tootsie Rolls.. the BIG ones.

On a related note, "Fun size" is a lie. They are less than bite sized and an abomination, even for those that like them.

 

[BigMoose]

On a related note, "Fun size" is a lie. They are less than bite sized and an abomination, even for those that like them.

When by big, I was thinking about the ones that come in the size of rod sized sticks.

Tootsie Roll - Giant - Economy Candy

Chewy, chocolatey candy 2.25oz roll

economycandy.com

Reese’s are good, but would be far too fragile in a combat situation. But those giant tootsie rolls are pretty stout.

 

[DadSmith]

Reese’s are good, but would be far too fragile in a combat situation. But those giant tootsie rolls are pretty stout.

You think Reese's would actually make it into a battle
They would be ate long before that.

If I had to walk 1/2 mile nowadays with 90lbs of gear. The Reese’s would probably disappear at the half mile point.

 

[Vanderbilt]

If I had to walk 1/2 mile nowadays with 90lbs of gear. The Reese’s would probably disappear at the half mile point.

....$&-+..at 69....just carrying my stuff from the vehicle to the bench or range is a challenge these days!

 

[ZurokSlayer7X9]

You'll find that anything in this subject opens up into a wide rabbit hole. We all have fantasies about being a Wolverine in a Red Dawn Scenario, or picking off rabid furies at 300 yards, but reality is far more complicated. There are a lot of variables that will determine what kit and what strategies you should use. Things like geography, demographics, political and economical situations, OPSEC, and many many more. Many authors and internet profiles have studied this and have their own pieces to add, but remember, there is no panacea here. Some people to look into are: Matthew Bracken, Fernando "FerFAL" Aguire, Forward Observer, Garand Thumb, and many more.

The first point is you can divide preparedness into different levels on a pyramid with the bottom layers being the most important (think foundations on a house). I would suggest that the first layer is the temperament of your mind. They say you cannot survive three seconds without hope, this is what they mean. Are you mentally able to withstand a potential SHTF scenario? The second level IMO would be physical health and fitness. Third would be sound strategy and situational awareness (not just personal awareness, but also know your region and what threats you may come across). Fourth layer would be you logistics and support (your network and who can you count on). Only at the fifth level would I put the specifics of gear and equipment. Gear and equipment will likely be determined by the variables presented during the lower levels of the pyramid.

Many of these variables will be determined by the situation in your region. Things like terrain, geography, demographics, and political situation. Forward Observer on youtube as an excellent series on doing an area study that will determine some of these variables. Things like what the enemy will likely be to what their most likely course of action will be. Obviously you cannot prepare for every eventuality, but you can lessen the effects of Strategic Shock by figuring this stuff out. These things will determine the "mission". One situation may call for a concealed handgun and civies with a "grey-man" strategy. Another situation may call for a full on plate carrier and combat load.

Another big point is keep your fantasies and ego in check. I used to want to carry a full 21" barreled FAL as my main rifle because it looked cool, but ditched that for a simple AR, simply because the FAL wasn't worth it for the weight. I used to imagine fighting like Mel Gibson in The Patriot, saving the country against those rabid furies. Then I actually watched The Patriot, and realized how horrible war really is (think the enemy torching your family simply because you ambushed a supply convoy or something).

I could go on, but the point is, many variables will determine your kit, and even thus so, these variables are far more important. I'll leave this with a small story. This comes from the youtube reviewer NutNFancy. In one video he was explaining the exact stuff above. To make the point, he gave a story in his past. So he used to be really big into paintball, and would do paintball every week with his friends. They had the best guns, the best equipment, everything. One day they were set to play against two dipsticks with the basic rental guns, flannel jacket and jeans, with one having a mullet and the other having a ponytail. Sure of an easy victory, NutNFancy and his friends got creamed every time by these two guys. They used guerilla tactics and were very mobile. Good gear can act as a force multiplier, but many times proper strategy and knowing your limits and capabilities will win at the end of the day.

 

[jwamplerusa]

If I had to walk 1/2 mile nowadays with 90lbs of gear. The Reese’s would probably disappear

Let me fix that for you!

... Before I took one step, so that if I died in that next half mile, I would have at least eaten the Reese's.

 

[jwamplerusa]

On a more serious and practical note.

Go to Google earth and use the measurement tool to identify known ranges and defensive points for your location(s). This little exercise shocked me with how far many things in my vicinity actually were. Many points I thought were within my 200 yard point blank range turned out to be at 350 yards, a 15 to 18 inch drop for my kit. Better to know now, than later.

 

[SmileDocHill]

On a related note, "Fun size" is a lie. They are less than bite sized and an abomination, even for those that like them.

Pro tip, a full size snickers fits in a pistol mag pouch like it was designed for it.

 

[BigMoose]

Pro tip, a full size snickers fits in a pistol mag pouch like it was designed for it.

Does a king size snickers fit in an MP5 mag pouch I wonder..