Pioneer Living Survival

Dixieman

Member

Suggested Gear For The 72 Hour Combat Load :

Keep inmind that these are suggestions, and not requirements. If you have an A.O.(Area of Operations), then you should already have a B.O.(Base ofOperations). Many of the items on this list can, and should, be left atyour B.O. This will keep you from being overloaded during your mission.You're not much good to your team if you're exhausted from carrying equipment that you don't really need.

Rifle,

Shouldbe semi-auto, but rule number one of a gun fight is: "Have a Gun."Should be of a common caliber e.g.. 7.62x39, .308win, .223rem. Militarysurplus are also perfectly acceptable, but you should bear in mind that ammunition may well become scarce, and 8mm and .303 Brit should be wellstocked if you opt for one of these calibers.

Sidearm,

Ifyou choose a secondary weapon, it should be of a major caliber. 9mm,.40S&W, or .45acp for semi-autos, and .38spl/.357mag for revolversare going to be the most common. Be sure to choose a reliable handgunwith a well established reputation. A 1911, 92FS, Glock, or Smith&Wesson would serve you well (as would many others). There are those who will tell you that you don't need a sidearm, but in a CQC(Close Quarters Combat) situation, it will probably save your life.

(Please indulge me while I go off on this tangent, and speak a few words about weapons. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for when it comes toarms. Good guns are not cheap and cheap guns are not good. While youmay find the occasional steal of a deal, this is the exception and notthe rule. Since you are buying a gun to defend your rights and quite possibly your life, isn't it in your best interest to procure the verybest rifle/pistol/shotgun you can afford? If you only plan to spend $100 on your main battle rifle, don't be surprised if it shoots like a$100 rifle. It bothers me to no end when I hear well meaning Patriots complaining about the cost of arms. I am not a dealer, so I have novested interest in the profit margin of the guns we buy, but I do havea vested interest in preserving my own ass. If you are currently without arms, and you are looking at buying that $60 Mauser, that isfine (remember, rule number one of gun-fighting "have a gun."), but you should be saving your pennies to buy something more substantial. Iunderstand all too well that Patriots are more often than not, 'not menof means.' But, even if you are getting by on cornbread and beans, youcan still squirrel away funds for that MBR...I did.)

Ammunition,

Youshould carry as much ammunition as you can comfortably carry.Obviously, weight will be a concern, and while .308win has more punchthan .223rem, you will not be able to carry as much of it. Most folkswill carry about 200-300 rounds on their combat load. A bare minimum of1,000 rounds should be on hand. If you opt for a sidearm, you shouldhave at least 3-5 magazines (or speedloaders) for your sidearm in your72 hour kit. (On hand means not taken out and shot up unless it isbeing immediately replaced)

Weapons Cleaning Gear,

For obvious reasons. If you don't keep it clean, it ain't gonna work.

LBE (Load Bearing Equipment),

LBEis what you use to carry your stuff. It is not your pack. Generally itwill consist of a belt with suspenders, and you will attach yourcanteens, magazine pouches/ammo bandoliers, first aid kits, sidearm,etc. Most folks opt for the USGI issued cartridge belt and H/Y Harnessor the USGI load bearing vest. There are a multitude of different typesof vests, harnesses, and the like (too many to list here). Basically,you need something to carry the gear that you need to have immediatelyon hand and still keep your hands free.

Pack,

Youmay well be on the move for a while, so you will need to have somethingto keep your equipment (that isn't on your LBE) in. Most folks use theUSGI A.L.I.C.E. (All Purpose Individual Carrying Equipment) pack or thenew MO.L.L.E. (Modular Lightweight Loadbearing Equipment) pack. Asimple book bag will work in a pinch.

Boots,

Begood to your feet and they'll be good to you. Uncle Sugar spendsmillions of dollars to figure out what boot is best (for the smallestamount of money) for his soldiers. He knows full well that if hisfighters feet are fubar (say that 3 times fast) they simply can'tfight. Having said that, any boot worn by our combat troops will bemore than sufficient. Don't expect to last very long if you plan tofight in a pair of sneakers. Go get a good pair of boots, and don'tskimp.

Water,

Without it, you'llgo tits up and die, it is that simple. You'll need something to carryit in. USGI canteens can be had for less than $5 each, but they onlyhold 1 quart, and you can normally fit two of them on your LBE alongwith all of your other goodies. There are also hydration packsavailable (Camel Backs). These can be had in a variety of capacities. Ihave seen them available in sizes up to 72 ounces.

Shelter,

Tent/Sleepingbag. Some may opt to sleep under the stars and save the weight, but ifyou are in a harsh climate like the desert, a hooch (tent) will keepyou from getting baked (it can be used as a lean to during the day toprovide shade) or in the north during the long cold winters, a decentsleeping bag will keep you from getting frostbite or hypothermia. Thispiece of equipment should be left at your B.O.

Food,

Youshould have at least a 3 day supply in your 72 hour battle pack. MREsare expensive, but they will last a long time. Canned food is cheaper,but it's heavier than an MRE. Another option is Coast guard survivalrations. A three day supply of food is about the size of one MRE. Theytaste like a sugar cookie, and you need about a quart of water to washdown one ration, but they will keep you alive and well nourished.

Uniform,

Mostmilitia folk (at least most of those in organized groups) wear somemanner of uniform. Generally they wear some manner of BDU (camouflageutilities) with the pattern determined by their AO (Area ofOperations). This is not to say that you MUST use BDUs. Anything thatyou would wear to hunt in the field with would be perfect for militiause. If you are in an urban environment, street clothes are the bestcammo. The point is to blend in using durable clothing that can standup to extended wear, and is comfortable. Just keep in mind, even incivilian clothing, carrying an assault rifle WILL get you noticed.

Knife,

ForCombat purposes this should be of the fixed blade variety, not afolder. A 5" blade seems to be the unspoken standard. The USMC issuedK-BAR fills this requirement and is relatively inexpensive. I preferthe USMC K-BAR with the seven inch blade due to it's many utility uses.

Compass,

Preferablythe lensatic, military style with some manner of luminous dial. Alongwith a compass you should have topographical maps of your AO andsurrounding areas.

Entrenching Tool,

AnE-Tool, if you don't know is a shovel. They are available at anycamping store or military surplus outlet. If you buy from a militarysurplus store, opt for the more current tri-folder, vice the WWII stylewith the wooden handle. The tri-folders are more durable and compact.

Flashlight,

Anysize or style, just make sure that it has a second red colored lens touse at night in tactical situations. (just remember, even a red lenscovered flashlight looks like a Christmas Tree in Night Vision Goggles).

First Aid Kit,

Thisis a must. It should contain (at a minimum); Sterile Gauze pads,antibiotic creme, a cravat, any over the counter pain medication, asuture kit, anything else you think you may need. Ready-made F/A kitsare available at most camping stores, and surplus shops.

AdditionalGear - (Get this stuff as your budget allows). You may or may not needto carry these items with you on your mission, if not, you can leavethem at your B.O.

Field Jacket & Liner,

Themost common is the USGI M65 field jacket, it is available in woodlandand desert cammo patterns. If you got the cash, you may want to look atthe Gortex versions of the jackets. The M65 with the liner will keepyou quite warm, the Gortex will do the same and keep you dry at thesame time.

30 Day Food Supply,

Hopefullyyou will have a base of operations, because there is no way you aregoing to be able to carry a30 day food supply on your back. Same as the3 day supply for your 72 hour kit, it should be nonperishable, nothingthat requires refrigeration.

Ammo Cache,

1,000rounds for your primary weapon. This is a bare minimum. You should haveas much as you can afford, and keep adding to it whenever your budgetpermits. If you opt for a sidearm, you should keep plenty of ammo onhand for that too.

Cold/Wet Weather Gear,

Forthe cold, you'll want to be sure you have some decent long johns towear under your "uniform," Along with a good pair of polypro socks tokeep your feet warm and dry. For wet weather, you can get your paws onthe old USGI "gumby suits" These are a rubbery rain proof parka andpants set. If you have the money, you may want to look at the Gortexparka and pant sets.

Binoculars,

Admitit, your eyes aren't as good as you think they are. You need a good setof Binos to be able to identify friendlies and enemies at a distance.Stieners are probably the best you can get, but you can get a decentset from Wal-Mart or similar stores for less than $60. If the shit hasalready hit the fan, always keep these handy.

Body Armor,

Be it a USGI Flak Jacket, or a Level III Vest, body armor is worth its weight in gold for obvious reasons.

Helmet,

Same as body armor, kevlar or steel pot, worth it's weight in Gold. Get one. Use local foliage to break up your outline.

Water Filtration System,

Ifyou are pulling your water from a river and not your kitchen spigot,you need some way to get all of the unknown nasties out of it. Ifyou're in an urban area, you probably won't need this peice ofequipment.

Night Vision Equipment,

Ifyou decide to buy night vision equipment, be it goggles, or riflescopes, don't skimp. Be sure to get 3rd generation technology. 1stgeneration plain ol' sucks, 2nd isn't much better, but 3rd generationactually works.

Spare Rifle/Pistol Parts,

Theloudest sound on the battlefield is not a bomb going off or the belchof a machine-gun, but the unmistakable "click" of a hammer dropping ona firing pin without the expected crack of the bullet breaking thesound barrier. You should know your weapon like the back of your hand,and you should know it's weaknesses, and what parts are prone tofailure, and have those parts on hand.