Disclaimer: Mods, if I posted this in the wrong place, I apologize, please move it or direct me to the appropriate place, thank you. Also, this is going to be a very long, detailed, and probably confusing post. I’ll do my best to be succinct and lucid; however there is a lot to cover …
So a little background: towards the goal of a complete tool kit of firearms, my current way-points are to get (at a minimum) a 9mm fighting pistol (full size Smith and Wesson M&P), then an AR15 carbine (build-it-myself), then a 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun (Benelli M2 or M4), then an accurate .308 battle rifle (several many good options here, I’m leaning toward another build-it-myself), then a .338 bolt gun (DTA SRS), and finally a .22 (or .17 HMR) rifle (Volquartsen semi-auto); that covers just about all the bases and everything after that is gravy (useful and awesome, for sure, but still gravy methinks). Anyway, I have spent months (quite literally) researching, studying, and reading up on these choices, and I think I am just about ready to get started on the AR build; this post and y’alls responses are going to be my plan’s “press check,” so to speak. I will acquire the pistol, carbine, and shotgun by July 1 of this year, the battle rifle, bolt gun, and rimfire guns are after that (in that order too). I’m also going to include much of the gear and many of the gadgets that will go along with the guns, as they contribute to and complement each other to create a comprehensive and thorough system.
Before I begin, I’d like to lay out my philosophy on armor, kit, weapons, etc. THEY ARE A SYSTEM:
(tier 1) Worn every day, everywhere. Incorporates EDC (light, knife, multi-tool, etc), CCW weapon, at least 1 extra magazine for CCW weapon, and soft armor. Concealable and simple; it might also include a daypack with additional EDC supplies (here is a great post on the different layers of EDC).
(tier 1+) Worn if you have time, adds capability and modularity over tier 1, is also more overt, an "active shooter" rig; includes a long gun (read "trunk gun" or "go to gun"), ammo for long gun, and a med kit. A couple of good options here: a "war belt;" one would just pull the handgun and mags off their normal belt, transfer the handgun to the dedicated holster on the war belt, sling the long gun, and be off; this is good for people who want to draw from the hip regardless of rifle or pistol, although it is slightly more time consuming. Or a chest rig that one just throws on, slings the long gun, and goes, this is especially good for folks who always practice reloading from a chest rig. Another option is to always carry long gun ammo in your tier 1 setup (all you'd have to do is sling the long gun, although it’s probably inefficient/uncomfortable/less concealable to always carry long gun mags without a long gun …); or one could have long gun ammo holsters that attach quickly to a belt, although this may sacrifice some retention. The fastest, simplest option I think (although probably the least forgiving/resilient) is to have a long gun with on-board ammo storage (either a redi-mag for a carbine or a sidesaddle for a shotgun) and just grab the gun and run.
(tier 2) Includes additional protection over tiers 1 and 1+, can be worn in conjunction with tier 1 or tier 1+. Still an "active shooter" kit, my SWAG is it would take under two minutes to go from tier 1 (CCW + EDC) to tier 2 if everything was staged properly and the transition was practiced every occasionally. Includes a basic plate carrier with level III or IV plates (if all the plates were stand alone, then one could completely forego any soft-armor, reducing weight; one could even leave out the side plates and use ultra-light level III front and rear plates, which in a Crye JPC would weigh something like 7.5 lbs TOTAL. This may be the best option for good protection and absolutely minimal weight), more ammo for both weapon systems, a dedicated light, knife, med kit, and multi-tool (as one could wear this w/o their EDC, the rig needs to incorporate those items, and redundancy is good). It could possibly include a hydration source and a helmet (OPS-CORE BUMP) as well (an option here, especially for a civilian concerned about the overly litigious society we live in, would be to have the helmet and attach a video camera; if one turned on the camera as one donned the gear, it would record the proceedings, which could be very valuable in court after the fact).
(tier 2+) The maximum (in terms of armor and protection) I think a civilian needs, and suffices for 90% or more of what an LEO or soldier needs too (complete and total postulation, but what I’ve read, heard, and inferred supports my statement); has the ideal combination of mobility, protection, and capability as far I can tell. Includes everything from tier 2, but adds rifle rated side plates (or not, personal preference). Does include a "war belt," does includes a non-ballistic helmet (or possibly a ballistic one, depending on personal preference), does include a hydration source, might include some comms capability, and might include night vision capabilities (both of the previous are not really an issue for civilians, which is why I placed it on tier 2+ instead of 2).
(tier 2 1/2) Identical to tier 2 (or 2+), but adds a small pack of some kind to include additional supplies (more medical stuff, more ammo, pack could be made a BOB by including food, water, and some other basics).
(tier 3) This is what you'd wear if you KNEW you were going into a fight and you valued protection over mobility (think convoy guards; or soldiers performing a high-risk, short duration mission; or a SWAT team responding to an armed, barricaded suspect, etc). Includes a full vest (think Crye CPC or the Interceptor vest), shoulder, side, and groin protection, a ballistic helmet, lots of ammo for both primary and secondary weapons, dedicated light, knife, multi-tool, med kit, etc. I think this is best left to SWAT teams and the military, but if anyone already has all of tiers 1 through 2 1/2, and you have a desire and the bucks to back it up, then I say go for it
(tier 3+) Identical to tier 3, but includes a pack for carrying even MORE stuff
(tier 4) Think the juggernauts from Modern Warfare
Here’s the nitty gritty:
The pistol and accoutrements:
-Apex Extractor -Apex RAM -Surefire X300
-Boresight Solutions grip work (Per Chris Costa’s recommendation)
-Warren Tactical sights -Silencerco Osprey
-Storm Lake threaded barrel (if anyone knows of a better one, I’m all for it)
-Kydex IWB/OWB (I haven’t decided which maker yet: Raven, Praetor Defense, Cane & Derby, etc) holster, with a 2 mag carrier on my reaction (left) side.
The carbine and accoutrements (This is where I’d most appreciate comments):
-Mega Arms MTS billet rifle length upper receiver (eventually, with part of the upper rail cut out for the Switchblock)
-AXTS AX556 ambidextrous billet lower receiver
- Spike’s Tactical Enhanced LPK
-Timney skelontized AR trigger w/ 4.5 lb pull
-BCM 410 stainless steel 5.56 NATO 16" 1:8 mid-length gas, button rifled, “mid-weight” contour with a Ionbond finish OR Daniel Defense 4150 chrome moly vanadium 5.56 NATO 16” 1:7 mid-length gas, cold hammer forged, government contour with a manganese phosphate finish and chrome lined bore. (All of these would be reprofiled by ADCO to a lightweight profile; I’ll need the .750 diameter under the gasblock for when I eventually get Switchblock, hence all mid-weight barrels. Or should I just get the DD lightweight barrel and the .650 low-profile gasblock and call it good?)
-Battle Arms Development - Ambidextrous Safety Selector – Short Throw
-BHI enhanced M4 SPOMOD Bolt upgrade kit
-IKICKHIPPIES SLAP plate
-DD M16 BCG complete (ought I to get a Young Manufacturing chromed BCG or a Fail-Zero BCG instead?)
- LaRue Tactical Aimpoint Micro mount, LT751 -Enidine AR-RESTOR buffer
-DD .750 Low-profile gas block -BMC Gunfighter charging handle, Mod 4
-BCM mid-length gas tube -Magpul MIAD grip
-POF Carbine buffer tube -Magpul STR (mil-spec)
-Troy Industries’ tritium Di-Optic Aperture folding rear sight
-Troy Industries’ HK style tritium folding front sight
-AAC Brakeout 51T compensator -Magpul MS3 sling
-Magpul AFG -Aimpoint Micro T-1
-Surefire M952v with Z41 tail cap -Magpul rail ladders
-a lot of PMAGs with Ranger plates
OK, so using Vuurwapen blog’s awesome AR weight calculator, I figure my rifle will be just over 8 lbs loaded with a 30 rd Pmag (without any of the below options). The below options are things I would love to get, and eventually will, but are not necessary right now:
-AAC M4-2000 suppressor (will hanging a suppressor on the end of a lightweight barrel have any ill effects? Ought I to go with a heavier profile to add stiffness?)
-Insight ATPIAL
-Larue Tactical SPR/M4 Mount QD LT104
-S&B 1.1–4 x 20 Short Dot with locking turrets
-Adam’s Arms piston kit
-FRS anti carrier tilt buffer (to complement the above piston kit)
- Noveske Switchblock (I know it’s a clamp-on, so to be safe, I’ll have ADCO drill a taper pin hole and pin it, it will also be well shrouded by the rail)
I’m also interested in having all the plastic (hopefully including the Pmags, that would be pretty awesome) done in Multicam water transfer by CRC and an engraving on the lower done by Orion Arms Custom Engraving (reading “This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ”), but that’s just for gits and shiggles and not at all essential.
The shotgun and accoutrements:
-Benelli M2 or M4 (leaning toward M4, so I’ll go with that for the below)
-Aimpoint Micro T1 -Mesa Tactical Urbino stock
-Nordic Component speed button
-Mesa tactical Sureshell shell carrier (for the Urbino stock)
-Freedom Fighter Tactical (FFT) full length titanium magazine tube
-FFT ½” titanium charging handle -FFT green aluminum follower
-FFT Wolff shotgun spring -FFT forend
-LaRue Tactical Aimpoint Micro mount, LT751
-Mesa Tactical Sureshell shell carrier (receiver mount)
-CDM MTR (barrel magazine clamp) light and sling mount
-Magpul MS3 sling -Surefire X300 -Benelli tritium ghost ring sights
Battle rifle, bolt gun, and rimfire:
-The battle rifle will probably be built around a Mega MA-TEN monolithic upper and AXTS AX762 lower, with a Magpul PRS, Timney AR-10 trigger, a Bartlein 16” barrel, and an S&B 3-12 x 50 PMII Military (with the illuminated P-3 reticule).
-The bolt gun will probably be a DTA SRS with a .308 kit first, followed by a .338 kit; it will stand on and Atlas bi-pod and wear a S&B 5-25 x 56 PMII LP (with the illuminated P-3 reticule), I’d also like to get the Covert conversions eventually.
-The rimfire will be a Volquartsen lightweight in either .22 or .17 HMR (leaning toward the .17 HMR) wearing a S&B 1.5-6 x 42 Classic variable power or a S&B 1.1–4 x 20 Short Dot with locking turrets (decisions decisions).
Gear and kit:
So now to the kit itself (in no particular order):
-my EDC: Surefire Aviator or Vampire, Strider SMF or Chris Reeve Sebenza or Emerson CQC-15, Leatherman Charge TTI, either a Suunto X-Lander (military version) or an IWC Spitfire Chronograph, a Hinderer titanium pen or a Zebra Sharbo X CB8 (or eventually, when I can’t think of anything else useful to buy, a Mont-Blanc), Rotring 800 drafting pencil, an Exotac nanostriker, an Exotac matchcap (with two matches, two ibuprofen, and $100 cash inside), keys (with a tritium key fob) an Exotac titanium water bottle, a small Saddleback leather wallet (with a Gorilla-tape wrapped credit card, Bogota lock picks, and a Serepick file inside), an Ironkey (with important documents, an independent OS, and encryption software on it), and 550 cord EVERYWHERE. Most, if not all of this will be on my person, but the stuff that isn’t will be in a ITS Tactical discreet messenger bag or a GORUCK GR1.
-My CCW- the aforementioned pistol (with 2 extra magazines) and (most of the time) the below soft armor, and (most of the time) my fixed blade Strider (can’t remember the model, it’s a tanto with a ~4” blade).
-Level IIIA soft armor, needs to be concealable (I’d like the DiamondBack Tactical Synergy set-up, but I don’t know how it fared in the FBI test protocol, which matters because the NIJ protocol pretty much stinks)
-Level III plates by Armored Mobility Inc (ideally, I’d like two sets of their plates, the first being the TAC3S for general use, and then the SAPI3 for when I’m going to be wearing it for a LONG time)
-Protech Tactical PLT-III-2120-6x6 Mini Side Plate -Crye Precision JPC
-One of these mag holders (will try corresponding pistol mag pouches too): HSGI tacos, BFG ten-speed, Esstac KYWI, Emdom-MM IAP, ITW FastMag, and the USGG 5th gen mag pouches. I plan on buying one of each, figuring out which I like and why, writing a comprehensive, pic intensive review, and then going to all of the same one.
-Crye Precision Low-Profile Blast Belt -Emdom-MM Battle Suspenders
-Emdom hydration carrier -215 Gear Ultimate Rigger’s Belt
-MSM Monkey Combat admin pouch -Source Hydration 3 liter bladder
-Revision Sawflys (shooter’s kit) or Exoshield -Sordin Supreme Pro-X
-Westone custom in-ear hearing protection, style 47 (I also do construction, and these would be what I would use for that; definitely a “cry once” purchase)
-Crye Precision G3 Combat Pants (with knee pads)
- Crye Precision G3 Combat Shirt (with elbow pads)
-Magnum Sidewinder HPI boots -GR Tac baseball cap
-Just about every piece of unmentioned clothing (socks, sniffle gear, etc) by Massif, so it’s FR
-Surefire Aviator or Vampire (depending on what I’m doing) -Strider fixed blade
-ITS Tactical ETA kit in their new pouch -MOJO shears -SOF-T tourniquet
Now, I’d like to take a moment and cover a few likely responses:
First, I believe in software over hardware, and am aggressively pursuing training with all of these weapons, including classes of Magpul/Gunsite/Tactical Response caliber; so much so that at least once a week I drive 2 hours (each way) to the closest range that will allow me to train realistically (I also RSO there).
Second, I realize that I have picked some (OK, a lot of) very expensive parts and components, and could get almost the same level of performance out of cheaper options (or the same performance from a factory gun for less money), but I’m willing to spend the money, because hardware DOES matter (I agree with rob_s’s excellent articles on this subject), and what better way to begin to master my weapon (i.e. improve software) than by building it myself?
Third, I am going to buy these parts over the course of the next 6 months, as my second job’s income is primarily dedicated to this, so it’s not going to be a single large purchase. And many of the things won’t be bought in that time frame, the S&B Short dot for example.
Fourth, some of the above items require gunsmith level installation and I will let a gunsmith do it (as long as I get to watch, lol), and I will have the whole thing checked by an experienced shooter before I fire it (I’ve never built a rifle before, so I don’t want to blow the side of my face off).
Fifth, some of the above accessories/items (like the ATPIAL, FR gear by Massif, etc) cannot even loosely be considered “standard” or “normal” equipment for a civilian, and one might therefore ask why I want them; I want them because I am a martial person, I believe it is all but my as a citizen and not a subject to be capable of defending myself and my rights against enemies both foreign and domestic, it is my hobby, and it’s just plain cool.
So a little background: towards the goal of a complete tool kit of firearms, my current way-points are to get (at a minimum) a 9mm fighting pistol (full size Smith and Wesson M&P), then an AR15 carbine (build-it-myself), then a 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun (Benelli M2 or M4), then an accurate .308 battle rifle (several many good options here, I’m leaning toward another build-it-myself), then a .338 bolt gun (DTA SRS), and finally a .22 (or .17 HMR) rifle (Volquartsen semi-auto); that covers just about all the bases and everything after that is gravy (useful and awesome, for sure, but still gravy methinks). Anyway, I have spent months (quite literally) researching, studying, and reading up on these choices, and I think I am just about ready to get started on the AR build; this post and y’alls responses are going to be my plan’s “press check,” so to speak. I will acquire the pistol, carbine, and shotgun by July 1 of this year, the battle rifle, bolt gun, and rimfire guns are after that (in that order too). I’m also going to include much of the gear and many of the gadgets that will go along with the guns, as they contribute to and complement each other to create a comprehensive and thorough system.
Before I begin, I’d like to lay out my philosophy on armor, kit, weapons, etc. THEY ARE A SYSTEM:
(tier 1) Worn every day, everywhere. Incorporates EDC (light, knife, multi-tool, etc), CCW weapon, at least 1 extra magazine for CCW weapon, and soft armor. Concealable and simple; it might also include a daypack with additional EDC supplies (here is a great post on the different layers of EDC).
(tier 1+) Worn if you have time, adds capability and modularity over tier 1, is also more overt, an "active shooter" rig; includes a long gun (read "trunk gun" or "go to gun"), ammo for long gun, and a med kit. A couple of good options here: a "war belt;" one would just pull the handgun and mags off their normal belt, transfer the handgun to the dedicated holster on the war belt, sling the long gun, and be off; this is good for people who want to draw from the hip regardless of rifle or pistol, although it is slightly more time consuming. Or a chest rig that one just throws on, slings the long gun, and goes, this is especially good for folks who always practice reloading from a chest rig. Another option is to always carry long gun ammo in your tier 1 setup (all you'd have to do is sling the long gun, although it’s probably inefficient/uncomfortable/less concealable to always carry long gun mags without a long gun …); or one could have long gun ammo holsters that attach quickly to a belt, although this may sacrifice some retention. The fastest, simplest option I think (although probably the least forgiving/resilient) is to have a long gun with on-board ammo storage (either a redi-mag for a carbine or a sidesaddle for a shotgun) and just grab the gun and run.
(tier 2) Includes additional protection over tiers 1 and 1+, can be worn in conjunction with tier 1 or tier 1+. Still an "active shooter" kit, my SWAG is it would take under two minutes to go from tier 1 (CCW + EDC) to tier 2 if everything was staged properly and the transition was practiced every occasionally. Includes a basic plate carrier with level III or IV plates (if all the plates were stand alone, then one could completely forego any soft-armor, reducing weight; one could even leave out the side plates and use ultra-light level III front and rear plates, which in a Crye JPC would weigh something like 7.5 lbs TOTAL. This may be the best option for good protection and absolutely minimal weight), more ammo for both weapon systems, a dedicated light, knife, med kit, and multi-tool (as one could wear this w/o their EDC, the rig needs to incorporate those items, and redundancy is good). It could possibly include a hydration source and a helmet (OPS-CORE BUMP) as well (an option here, especially for a civilian concerned about the overly litigious society we live in, would be to have the helmet and attach a video camera; if one turned on the camera as one donned the gear, it would record the proceedings, which could be very valuable in court after the fact).
(tier 2+) The maximum (in terms of armor and protection) I think a civilian needs, and suffices for 90% or more of what an LEO or soldier needs too (complete and total postulation, but what I’ve read, heard, and inferred supports my statement); has the ideal combination of mobility, protection, and capability as far I can tell. Includes everything from tier 2, but adds rifle rated side plates (or not, personal preference). Does include a "war belt," does includes a non-ballistic helmet (or possibly a ballistic one, depending on personal preference), does include a hydration source, might include some comms capability, and might include night vision capabilities (both of the previous are not really an issue for civilians, which is why I placed it on tier 2+ instead of 2).
(tier 2 1/2) Identical to tier 2 (or 2+), but adds a small pack of some kind to include additional supplies (more medical stuff, more ammo, pack could be made a BOB by including food, water, and some other basics).
(tier 3) This is what you'd wear if you KNEW you were going into a fight and you valued protection over mobility (think convoy guards; or soldiers performing a high-risk, short duration mission; or a SWAT team responding to an armed, barricaded suspect, etc). Includes a full vest (think Crye CPC or the Interceptor vest), shoulder, side, and groin protection, a ballistic helmet, lots of ammo for both primary and secondary weapons, dedicated light, knife, multi-tool, med kit, etc. I think this is best left to SWAT teams and the military, but if anyone already has all of tiers 1 through 2 1/2, and you have a desire and the bucks to back it up, then I say go for it
(tier 3+) Identical to tier 3, but includes a pack for carrying even MORE stuff
(tier 4) Think the juggernauts from Modern Warfare
Here’s the nitty gritty:
The pistol and accoutrements:
-Apex Extractor -Apex RAM -Surefire X300
-Boresight Solutions grip work (Per Chris Costa’s recommendation)
-Warren Tactical sights -Silencerco Osprey
-Storm Lake threaded barrel (if anyone knows of a better one, I’m all for it)
-Kydex IWB/OWB (I haven’t decided which maker yet: Raven, Praetor Defense, Cane & Derby, etc) holster, with a 2 mag carrier on my reaction (left) side.
The carbine and accoutrements (This is where I’d most appreciate comments):
-Mega Arms MTS billet rifle length upper receiver (eventually, with part of the upper rail cut out for the Switchblock)
-AXTS AX556 ambidextrous billet lower receiver
- Spike’s Tactical Enhanced LPK
-Timney skelontized AR trigger w/ 4.5 lb pull
-BCM 410 stainless steel 5.56 NATO 16" 1:8 mid-length gas, button rifled, “mid-weight” contour with a Ionbond finish OR Daniel Defense 4150 chrome moly vanadium 5.56 NATO 16” 1:7 mid-length gas, cold hammer forged, government contour with a manganese phosphate finish and chrome lined bore. (All of these would be reprofiled by ADCO to a lightweight profile; I’ll need the .750 diameter under the gasblock for when I eventually get Switchblock, hence all mid-weight barrels. Or should I just get the DD lightweight barrel and the .650 low-profile gasblock and call it good?)
-Battle Arms Development - Ambidextrous Safety Selector – Short Throw
-BHI enhanced M4 SPOMOD Bolt upgrade kit
-IKICKHIPPIES SLAP plate
-DD M16 BCG complete (ought I to get a Young Manufacturing chromed BCG or a Fail-Zero BCG instead?)
- LaRue Tactical Aimpoint Micro mount, LT751 -Enidine AR-RESTOR buffer
-DD .750 Low-profile gas block -BMC Gunfighter charging handle, Mod 4
-BCM mid-length gas tube -Magpul MIAD grip
-POF Carbine buffer tube -Magpul STR (mil-spec)
-Troy Industries’ tritium Di-Optic Aperture folding rear sight
-Troy Industries’ HK style tritium folding front sight
-AAC Brakeout 51T compensator -Magpul MS3 sling
-Magpul AFG -Aimpoint Micro T-1
-Surefire M952v with Z41 tail cap -Magpul rail ladders
-a lot of PMAGs with Ranger plates
OK, so using Vuurwapen blog’s awesome AR weight calculator, I figure my rifle will be just over 8 lbs loaded with a 30 rd Pmag (without any of the below options). The below options are things I would love to get, and eventually will, but are not necessary right now:
-AAC M4-2000 suppressor (will hanging a suppressor on the end of a lightweight barrel have any ill effects? Ought I to go with a heavier profile to add stiffness?)
-Insight ATPIAL
-Larue Tactical SPR/M4 Mount QD LT104
-S&B 1.1–4 x 20 Short Dot with locking turrets
-Adam’s Arms piston kit
-FRS anti carrier tilt buffer (to complement the above piston kit)
- Noveske Switchblock (I know it’s a clamp-on, so to be safe, I’ll have ADCO drill a taper pin hole and pin it, it will also be well shrouded by the rail)
I’m also interested in having all the plastic (hopefully including the Pmags, that would be pretty awesome) done in Multicam water transfer by CRC and an engraving on the lower done by Orion Arms Custom Engraving (reading “This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ”), but that’s just for gits and shiggles and not at all essential.
The shotgun and accoutrements:
-Benelli M2 or M4 (leaning toward M4, so I’ll go with that for the below)
-Aimpoint Micro T1 -Mesa Tactical Urbino stock
-Nordic Component speed button
-Mesa tactical Sureshell shell carrier (for the Urbino stock)
-Freedom Fighter Tactical (FFT) full length titanium magazine tube
-FFT ½” titanium charging handle -FFT green aluminum follower
-FFT Wolff shotgun spring -FFT forend
-LaRue Tactical Aimpoint Micro mount, LT751
-Mesa Tactical Sureshell shell carrier (receiver mount)
-CDM MTR (barrel magazine clamp) light and sling mount
-Magpul MS3 sling -Surefire X300 -Benelli tritium ghost ring sights
Battle rifle, bolt gun, and rimfire:
-The battle rifle will probably be built around a Mega MA-TEN monolithic upper and AXTS AX762 lower, with a Magpul PRS, Timney AR-10 trigger, a Bartlein 16” barrel, and an S&B 3-12 x 50 PMII Military (with the illuminated P-3 reticule).
-The bolt gun will probably be a DTA SRS with a .308 kit first, followed by a .338 kit; it will stand on and Atlas bi-pod and wear a S&B 5-25 x 56 PMII LP (with the illuminated P-3 reticule), I’d also like to get the Covert conversions eventually.
-The rimfire will be a Volquartsen lightweight in either .22 or .17 HMR (leaning toward the .17 HMR) wearing a S&B 1.5-6 x 42 Classic variable power or a S&B 1.1–4 x 20 Short Dot with locking turrets (decisions decisions).
Gear and kit:
So now to the kit itself (in no particular order):
-my EDC: Surefire Aviator or Vampire, Strider SMF or Chris Reeve Sebenza or Emerson CQC-15, Leatherman Charge TTI, either a Suunto X-Lander (military version) or an IWC Spitfire Chronograph, a Hinderer titanium pen or a Zebra Sharbo X CB8 (or eventually, when I can’t think of anything else useful to buy, a Mont-Blanc), Rotring 800 drafting pencil, an Exotac nanostriker, an Exotac matchcap (with two matches, two ibuprofen, and $100 cash inside), keys (with a tritium key fob) an Exotac titanium water bottle, a small Saddleback leather wallet (with a Gorilla-tape wrapped credit card, Bogota lock picks, and a Serepick file inside), an Ironkey (with important documents, an independent OS, and encryption software on it), and 550 cord EVERYWHERE. Most, if not all of this will be on my person, but the stuff that isn’t will be in a ITS Tactical discreet messenger bag or a GORUCK GR1.
-My CCW- the aforementioned pistol (with 2 extra magazines) and (most of the time) the below soft armor, and (most of the time) my fixed blade Strider (can’t remember the model, it’s a tanto with a ~4” blade).
-Level IIIA soft armor, needs to be concealable (I’d like the DiamondBack Tactical Synergy set-up, but I don’t know how it fared in the FBI test protocol, which matters because the NIJ protocol pretty much stinks)
-Level III plates by Armored Mobility Inc (ideally, I’d like two sets of their plates, the first being the TAC3S for general use, and then the SAPI3 for when I’m going to be wearing it for a LONG time)
-Protech Tactical PLT-III-2120-6x6 Mini Side Plate -Crye Precision JPC
-One of these mag holders (will try corresponding pistol mag pouches too): HSGI tacos, BFG ten-speed, Esstac KYWI, Emdom-MM IAP, ITW FastMag, and the USGG 5th gen mag pouches. I plan on buying one of each, figuring out which I like and why, writing a comprehensive, pic intensive review, and then going to all of the same one.
-Crye Precision Low-Profile Blast Belt -Emdom-MM Battle Suspenders
-Emdom hydration carrier -215 Gear Ultimate Rigger’s Belt
-MSM Monkey Combat admin pouch -Source Hydration 3 liter bladder
-Revision Sawflys (shooter’s kit) or Exoshield -Sordin Supreme Pro-X
-Westone custom in-ear hearing protection, style 47 (I also do construction, and these would be what I would use for that; definitely a “cry once” purchase)
-Crye Precision G3 Combat Pants (with knee pads)
- Crye Precision G3 Combat Shirt (with elbow pads)
-Magnum Sidewinder HPI boots -GR Tac baseball cap
-Just about every piece of unmentioned clothing (socks, sniffle gear, etc) by Massif, so it’s FR
-Surefire Aviator or Vampire (depending on what I’m doing) -Strider fixed blade
-ITS Tactical ETA kit in their new pouch -MOJO shears -SOF-T tourniquet
Now, I’d like to take a moment and cover a few likely responses:
First, I believe in software over hardware, and am aggressively pursuing training with all of these weapons, including classes of Magpul/Gunsite/Tactical Response caliber; so much so that at least once a week I drive 2 hours (each way) to the closest range that will allow me to train realistically (I also RSO there).
Second, I realize that I have picked some (OK, a lot of) very expensive parts and components, and could get almost the same level of performance out of cheaper options (or the same performance from a factory gun for less money), but I’m willing to spend the money, because hardware DOES matter (I agree with rob_s’s excellent articles on this subject), and what better way to begin to master my weapon (i.e. improve software) than by building it myself?
Third, I am going to buy these parts over the course of the next 6 months, as my second job’s income is primarily dedicated to this, so it’s not going to be a single large purchase. And many of the things won’t be bought in that time frame, the S&B Short dot for example.
Fourth, some of the above items require gunsmith level installation and I will let a gunsmith do it (as long as I get to watch, lol), and I will have the whole thing checked by an experienced shooter before I fire it (I’ve never built a rifle before, so I don’t want to blow the side of my face off).
Fifth, some of the above accessories/items (like the ATPIAL, FR gear by Massif, etc) cannot even loosely be considered “standard” or “normal” equipment for a civilian, and one might therefore ask why I want them; I want them because I am a martial person, I believe it is all but my as a citizen and not a subject to be capable of defending myself and my rights against enemies both foreign and domestic, it is my hobby, and it’s just plain cool.
