At some point, there may come a time when we (being my Readers, myself and kindred souls) may have to suit up and sally forth to resist the forces of Evil — protecting a neighbor’s house, a local store, a statue or similar artwork, and so on.
I’ve always resisted going full “Camo Barbie” because I think that I (and anyone else) look like a complete tit, clad in wannabe-soldier gear and all that — the term “G.I. Schmo” comes to mind. It’s all very well for actual soldiers and even for the SWAT-ies to look like that: spare mags, water bottles, knife/bayonet etc., but while it obviously behooves you to be prepared — we’re all about that — I’m not so sure that looking like some weekend warrior is all that productive.
For one thing, you start looking like all the negative stereotypes that the Left has been demonizing for… well, forever, really. Just as importantly, though, is that you identify yourself as a target — either to the Pantifa brigades or, more alarmingly, to a police force which doesn’t seem to care about keeping the anarchists in check, but seems perfectly willing to go after us — which isn’t so good.
Nevertheless, if this Pantifa/BLM foolishness is going to continue… let’s just say that I’m starting to change my attitude on this. But I absolutely refuse to go the full Monty.
If all I’m going to carry is a handgun (Browning HP or 1911) then I’m okay: I use old-style cell-phone webbing pouches to carry my spare mags, and those coupled with a trouser pocket will give me all the backup I’ll ever need.
The pouches hold either two 15-round HP mags, three 8-round 1911 mags, or two 10-round 1911 Chip McCormick 1911 mags each: 30, 24 and 20 rounds, respectively, along with whatever’s already loaded in the gun. I don’t think I’d ever need more than one of those options, under almost any circumstances. (And there’s the S&W 637 backup revolver, in extremis.)
The best part about all this is that it’s easily concealed under a light coat / sport coat, a “shoot-me” vest, a gilet or even just an untucked shirt.
Now add a rifle and spare mags, and you can pretty much rule out going around unnoticed.
…especially with all those spare mags. Good grief, they look as though they’re about to repel a Taliban attack rather than a bunch of Pantifa pansies or BLM goons.
Now maybe that’s a Good Thing, because nothing says “You’re not going any further in this direction” like a wall of armed American big ol’ boy civilians like the above. But even ignoring the optics of the situation, all that shit gets really heavy after a while — ask me how I know this — and while it’s okay for our soldiers (with the benefit of daily P.T. exercises) to hump that gear, for us Ole Pharttes and Fat Boys alike that’s not a pleasant prospect, especially as more likely than not, there won’t be much in the way of action. Anyone who’s pushed guard duty at a base camp will know exactly what I mean.
All that said: I probably need to look at some kind of webbing gear that, in a pinch, I could sorta-conceal under a dustcoat or similar. There’s this lot, which seem to have much to recommend them, being that their gear is all made in the U.S.A. and not in fucking China:
And if I were to go with any of their products, it would most likely be this one, tailored for AK mags:
While quite spartan, it’s still too much, although that seems to be about as small as this item runs — I’d prefer to hump only two spare 20-round mags because once again, I don’t see me ever needing more than sixty rounds of 7.62x39mm in any kind of situation where I’m not at home. (Also: $80? For webbing?) And you can forget about any camo clothing, FFS. Jeans and so on — “civilian” gear — will be all I ever wear unless I’m drafted into the modern equivalent of the Volkssturm.
So what think you, O My Readers: am I way off-base here? Or else, if the situation calls for the scenario described above, should I just throw on the faithful old photographer’s jacket and toss an AK mag or two into the inside pockets (yes, they can hold them, I checked)?
All thoughts are welcome.
