Author Topic: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear  (Read 14538 times)

Dave_M

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The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« on: September 15, 2011, 01:23:16 AM »
Preface: I wrote this years ago but the content is still salient

The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear

There are many many ways to setup your fighting rig. The first question you need to ask yourself is, ?What kind of rig do I need?? For a working rig, the answer to this question usually falls into one of three categories:
-Overt Rig
-Low Profile
-Minimalist (Get Home Rig)

In this thread, we?re going to focus on overt rigs.

These aren?t necessarily hard rules but before you start making extreme changes, you have to have a good base first. If you have not tried any of the broad strokes listed in this thread, it would be prudent to give them a fair shake before you discount them because what you do, ?feels better? or is, ?more comfortable?. When it comes down to it, shot clocks don?t lie. Everything in here is based on ergonomics and speed. There is nothing ground breaking in this thread but there may be some things for you to think about.

Let?s think about some basics. There are a few rules that need to be followed whenever possible:
-Strong hand is always on the rifle during manipulations (reloads, malfunction drills etc)
-Everything is placed for speeds sake. Comfort is secondary to time on target
-Everything is done the same way

Since your strong hand is always on the rifle, this means that your weak hand will be doing most of the manipulations, IE: Pulling the magazine out of its carrier, inserting into the magwell, hitting the bolt release etc

With this in mind let?s look at our gear:

Vest/Chest rig
Assuming the weak hand is the left hand (reverse for lefty shooters) your rig can be broken up into two halves:
-Fighting gear (magazines!)
-Admin/med/reserve gear



Regardless of your base (plate carrier, MOLLE platform etc), fighting gear should be on the left, admin gear on the right. Extreme left or right doe not make a difference IE: Directly at your 9 or 3). Like I said, if you are left handed and left-eye dominant, reverse this...

Having your rifle mag pouches centered is OK so long as you practice moving your magazines (when time allows) from the right-to-left, since you should be drawing magazines from left-to-right. Your next magazine draw should always be in the same place if at all possible. Also, whenever possible, avoid a cross-body (awkward and slow) pulling of magazines. As far as what kind of pouches to use, you have a wide variety available and that will be covered in a further thread.

For example: Although symmetry looks good to the eye, sticking a pistol pouch on either side of the rifle magazine pouches doesn't make much sense when it comes to gunfights--trying to cross your body with your weak hand for a reload is setting up for failure.

So what?s the right side for? Reserve (magazines), admin (maps/GPS), and medical gear. With the exception of the magazines, the gear on your right side mostly involves gear that requires two hands to use. Due to this, smokes & frags also may hold a place on the right side if your mission requires it. When you use this gear, your rifle will be hanging in front of you or tucked behind on a sling.

Avoid putting any pouches above your rifle pouches if at all possible. It is common to see pistol mag pouches haphazardly placed about rifle pouches as just a, ?place to go?. You do not want to make drawing your rifle magazines any harder than it needs to be. Sure, you might be able to do it the comfort of your bedroom but under stress everything will take far longer. If you are going to have any pouches above others, it is better to do to the gear on the right (reserve) side of your rig. Just ensure not to impede a the buttstock as you bring it to bear onto your shoulder.

Pistol rigs

We are big proponents of carrying your pistol and other leg rigs (if that applies) on a belt separate from your vest. This is for a couple of reasons:
-If you have to take off your chest rig for whatever reason, you are still armed with your pistol
and
-If you have to take off your pistol (to use the bathroom for example), you can still have your armor on and have access to your rifle magazines.

Whenever possible, keep your pistol on your beltline. Sometimes, when your chest rig is too bulky, this is not always practical. This is why you see pictures of guys in the sandbox wearing drop-leg holsters. If you happen to use a drop-leg, you want the pistol to ride as high up as possible without impeding your other gear. Drop-legs worn too low will make it harder to run and enter and exit vehicles.

Consider drop-legs to be less of a, ?thigh holster? and more of a, ?low-hip holster?. Some common drop-legs come with two leg straps. If you have the rig up as high as it would be in an ideal setup, unless you are very tall, the topmost strap will crush your testicles. A common solution is to take off the top strap completely.

In general, avoid cross-draw holsters because they take up much needed space better used for rifle magazines. There are some situations where a cross-draw is advantageous and almost all of them involve constantly driving a vehicle or riding a desk. Holsters mounted on the right side of chest rigs have also gained some popularity. The advantage of this setup is that your gear is all-in-one and ready to go in one piece. The disadvantage of this setup is that the pistol ends up taking vital real estate better served to hold med gear or reserve magazines.

You may find it more comfortable to carry your pistol on a patrol type belt that goes over the top of your regular belt. Even with heavy riggers belts, carrying your pistol or drop platform on it can cause the belt to sag. This problem can be avoided by using a thicker, more robust over-belt. Pretty much any, ?tactical gear? company has these available.

Your pistol magazines should be on your beltline at the 9 o?clock position. The magazines should be held vertically, base plates up, rounds facing front. That way when you draw the magazine you will not have to adjust it until it is in your pistol?s mag well. There is much more debate as far as rifle magazines as far as positioning them in holsters which will be covered in further threads. 

The best way to test your gear is to run drills or even better, take a training course. Poorly placed gear becomes obvious very early on. Many of you have rigs not setup in the manner which I have described. That?s okay. Like I said in the beginning of this thread: If you have not tried any of the broad strokes listed in this thread, it would be prudent to give them a fair shake before you discount them

Burt Gummer

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2011, 05:38:22 PM »
Great post! I take the same approach when it comes to my pistol belt (photo coming soon) but do take some issue with the comfort vs. speed point. If I would place my entire combat load of magazines on my non dominant side I would be drastically off balance. although I might be faster at reloading I would not be faster at maneuvering from place to place. so it's all relative.

Offline NOLA556

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2011, 05:43:25 PM »
this is an area where I need help BAD! the only systems I have for my secondary are a Safariland paddle holster, and a 5.11 dropleg rig. both have huge disadvantages.

I can't wear the paddle holster with my vest because the handle of the gun conflicts with the vest, and the dropleg makes me have to reach with my left hand all the way over my right leg to grab a mag. I suppose I could just put the secondary mag pouches on my vest but that doesn't feel too good either.

I've had great trouble in this department. I can't seem to find anything that feels good and/or fluid.
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Offline Reaver

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2011, 06:09:28 PM »
this is an area where I need help BAD! the only systems I have for my secondary are a Safariland paddle holster, and a 5.11 dropleg rig. both have huge disadvantages.

I can't wear the paddle holster with my vest because the handle of the gun conflicts with the vest, and the dropleg makes me have to reach with my left hand all the way over my right leg to grab a mag. I suppose I could just put the secondary mag pouches on my vest but that doesn't feel too good either.

I've had great trouble in this department. I can't seem to find anything that feels good and/or fluid.

That's what I did with the wifes set up. Its up near the breast.
Mine on the other hand is in a frag pouch just above the groin.
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Offline Currahee

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2011, 08:00:10 PM »
Solid advice. 

A couple of things I would add...

Go as light as you can.  The set up in the picture is designed for an infantryman, one who is with a large group of people who's job is to stand and deliver while a lot of his friends try to flank the bad guys or deliver devastating firepower that you probably can't imagine (much less have access to.)  Your job is to survive, if you haven't won a fight within one magazine you need to start escaping before you get annihilated.  More mags or armor are not a trade off for being able to move fast.

Tape all those loose straps up. 

Don't be afraid to use gear for something it wasn't intended.  I agree about the two pouches on either side of the rifle mags -my chest rig is locked like that.  See how I've overcome it in the DIY thread.

Don't wait until you get to the range to test your gear - test in in the living room or back yard.  The drill you should start with is grass drills, make sure you can get to everything laying prone on your back or on either side.  Get in and out of your vehicle.  Practice this before you think about the range.  Load it up (not with empty mags) and wear it for an hour or eight.  THEN think about going to the range.

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Dave_M

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2011, 11:24:47 PM »
Great post! I take the same approach when it comes to my pistol belt (photo coming soon) but do take some issue with the comfort vs. speed point. If I would place my entire combat load of magazines on my non dominant side I would be drastically off balance. although I might be faster at reloading I would not be faster at maneuvering from place to place. so it's all relative.

I mentioned center-setups with this tidbit:
Quote
Having your rifle mag pouches centered is OK so long as you practice moving your magazines (when time allows) from the right-to-left, since you should be drawing magazines from left-to-right. Your next magazine draw should always be in the same place if at all possible.

More mags or armor are not a trade off for being able to move fast.

Everything is a compromise. We're always balancing weight, mobility, and capability. Judgements have to be made on every piece of kit in this fashion. This goes from packs to pistols to rifles to food to everything. Everyone has their own limit of what is acceptable. For example: For me personally, I accept the weight gain and mobility loss when utilizing ESAPI plates but I don't when side-plates and arm covers come into play (at least as far as dismounted troops--in the turret, another story). The protection gained isn't worth it when hefted against the increase in weight and loss of mobility IMO. As technology improves and ballistic protection gets lighter and slimmer, maybe I won't consider side plates a hindrance (Not that very many of us get a choice of what ballistic protection to wear in the first place).

Lighter is always better, assuming that everything else is the same. If they aren't, that's what you need to play the balancing act and figure out what you find acceptable or not.

Another example (which doesn't apply to most people here but it's a valid analogy) Not many Marines would give up a M203 (which makes everything much heavier, especially when you include the launcher and the ammo) just to save on weight. Why not? Well, for two reasons:
1) It's a force multiplier, despite the added weight
2) It looks cool to have one  :))

So, for you, more mags and armor isn't worth it. For me, it totally is. I do have a low-pro rig as well, of course. I tend to carry more magazines than most other people I know because I've been cut off with one other dude and stuck someplace before. I went through more magazines in 10 minutes than I see people have on most rigs. Being intellectually honest, it was an extreme situation during a direct military conflict against a [semi] trained foe. But, I truly believe the adage:
"The less men on your left and right, the more mags you'll need in a fire fight."

It should be obvious that you should di di mao if you get into an engagement. I'm just saying that you might not always have that option (I didn't at the time).

In regards to your point about wearing gear, I agree. When teaching a class, I know almost immediately who was former military and who wasn't simply by the way they carry themselves when they have a rifle strapped to them. Students wear their rifles and their gear all day (unless the entire class consists of military men). They don't take it off during breaks, to eat etcetera. This gets them used to being comfortable in gear all day and it also helps highlight problems and nuances with their setups. To the guys that like single point slings, this usually converts them (I also recommend trying to climb a fence or a ladder or negotiate other obstacles wearing gear + rifle)

Offline Erick

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2015, 10:58:37 PM »
Great Thread.

Too bad the pics no longer load.
I am assembling a new battelbelt rig.
I will post when done :)
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2015, 08:16:05 AM »
Cool Erick  :thumbsUp:
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Offline Nemo

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2015, 09:39:27 AM »
Glad you all added to this.  So I could find it.

Nemo

If you need a second magazine, its time to call in air support.

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Offline SemperParatus

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2019, 06:42:28 AM »
I have developed a modular system for my tactical gear.  First up is the light war belt which consists of a high ride thigh holster and one spare magazine, I carry another spare pistol magazine on the weak side. This belt is worn most often on the retreat property as a means of defense if needed and a means of fighting to the rifle which is never that far away.  I also carry one spare AR-15 magazine on each side of the belt, a multi-tool and fixed bladed knife.  I have a plate carrier that is used for property patrols and short area recon. the plate carrier holds 4-AR-15 magazines, 2 in single pouches and 2 in a double pouch.  It also has a 2 spare pistol magazines, radio pouch, blow out kit & TK and small admin kit. The plater carrier has front and back level-4 ceramic stand alone plates that are rated for multiple hit 308 penetrator and side plates as well.  I also have a Blackhawk armored vest which is level 3 soft armor as well as level 4 plates front and back.  The idea of the unit is for when you are more static and as such carries more gear.  The Blackhawk vest carries a total of 8 AR-15 mage and 2 pistol mags, radio pouch, blow out kit and admin kit.  I have also put together a long range patrol rig which is a vest type system with an attached belt system.  The system carries 6 AR-15 mags and 2 pistol mags, blow out kit, radio pouch, admin kit, two canteens, fixed bladed knife and multi-tool.  I have three packs set up, one for short patrols up two 24 hours, another for longer partols up to 36 hours and then the Mother Of All Packs,  which some people call the "I am never coming home pack."
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2019, 02:16:22 PM »
WOW SP, it sounds like you are well prepared.  :bravo:
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Offline patriotman

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2019, 09:37:47 AM »
I have never been a fan of having plates for patrols (just my personal preference) but that is a very complete setup nonetheless. Excellent work!
Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

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Offline Godsgirl56

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Re: The Basics of Setting up Fighting Gear
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2020, 07:16:03 PM »
Great post definitely gave me some things to think about!