Thread: Bugout Loadout
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Old 09-11-2017, 23:04   #58
G2squared
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Portland, Oregon area
Posts: 74
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flagg View Post
A couple things:

1)Has anyone seen the takedown AR15 SBRs?

Some videos of a few able to stuffed into a camera bag or vehicle centre console sized cubic volume.

What say you about the value of discretion over reduced long range performance?

Use pistol to fight to long?

2)What does everyone use for water storage/sterilisation/filtration?

I prefer 1 no more than 2 canteens, the rest in a single large bladder with a backup heavy duty rubbish bag.

For water sterilisation, I like my Katadyn portable pump filter.

I own Life Straws and Steripens. The Steripen demands high end batteries for efficacy. For me, I carry the Katadyn and Steripen as backup.

3)Food?

For food I carry long shelf life hugh energy density, small cube snacks.

4)Mini-Bivvy for colder areas/months?

I've used an ultra light mini-bivvy for civvie climbing in NZ and Colorado, ultra light, very small cube. I just leave my gear on bar boots/socks and hop in.
FWIW:

About the "takedown" AR15s. There have been a few new additions to that arena that don't add any more weight than going to a good free float barrel assembly. The barrel nut ends up being the weight add at 5.4oz vs a std at 1.2oz. But keep in mind that most free floated barrels require special barrel nuts that are also in the 5oz range. So if you're considering the difference in a free floated barrel on a fixed barrel AR vs a "quick change"/takedown setup, it might just end up being personal preference. Some manf take the barrel and free float handguard off the upper and others just pull the barrel out. So if you are considering the difference in packed length for concealing it until you get out of populated areas, see the manf literature for what you are getting. Regardless, they are "slow" to setup with parts that are not easily assembled as gross motor skill movements. The gas tube still has to fit into a small hole and if the threads don't line up, it won't work no matter who made it or how mad you get in a hurry! So they claim you can change barrels/setup in "seconds" but if it's carried in a bag with the rest of your gear, it won't come out quick when needed and won't assemble nearly fast enough. Even if you can take the extra length of just separating the upper and lower, the time it takes to assemble if you need it is too long.
If your plan is to use something else until you can assemble it without needing it RIGHT NOW!!, then a take down/quick change system might be ok for your situation, but I'd consider your circumstance very carefully.
I've built several systems as pistols and SBRs for quick change between 300BO and 5.56. They make for very short storage possibilities. But require fine motor skills to assemble.

On 300BO, out of a 10.5" barrel and subsonic ammo...D@mn they are quiet! But consider the scenario and your situation. Is the 200+gr per projectile worth it over 5.56 at 55-62gr/proj? and are you wanting to deal with problems you find now or get to your BOL and come back with help and the best tools for the job instead of the tools you have. "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" shouldn't be on your mind for this scenario.. get to your BOL as quickly and quietly as possible!

My pick on firearms:
Glock 19 with threaded barrel, suppressor and 2 spare 19rd mags. Being an SOT manf, I probably have a couple laying around.
AR15 with a 10" pencil weight barrel and suppressor (see above stuff laying around). 1-30 rd mag in it and 2 - 60rd surefire spares. And screw all this BS military ball crap! I use good hunting ammo!

Personally I think the above list is tragically under armed for nearly everything, but when you need to cover ground and "stay and fight" or "seek and destroy" is not you're mission, then it'll do. Ammo is heavy and so are firearms. Take notes for what you need to come back and deal with later. Just a pistol might also work well for you if you are good at blending both urban and wilderness. I'm just not that confident that I can let them walk past me without seeing me, so if I have to, I want to deal with them at longer range than a pistol will reasonably assure success. 10" barrel on an AR in 5.56 will do the trick out to 200yrds reliably for me. Longer ranges are a stretch but shouldn't matter for this scenario. At 200+yrds even I can move out of the AO without being seen most of the time.

And FWIW, I LOVE my full frame 1911s in 45. But carrying one long distance just isn't practical. It's like a boat anchor! I'm pretty good with it, but they just don't make them light! M1A is in the same category. It's a FANTASTIC rifle, but just too heavy to be practical for this scenario.

g
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