Gear for tactical training?

barf

barf

Shooter of guns, petter of dogs
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 6, 2020
Messages
4,700
Location
Candler
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
So I’m going to start shooting at a place that allows more tactical drills, rather than static bench/lane shooting.

I have a decent gun belt that I use for EDC IWB and can be used for OWB.

My question is this:

Do I buy mag pouches and an OWB holster that will slide on to this belt (and be useless once I get a real competition style “gun belt” that uses molle style attachments?)

Or get the gun belt off the bat that is more stable during drills that uses molle attached mag pouches?

Any insight appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the world of “find out what works best for you”.

I went with a battlebelt with suspenders because I am somewhat of a chonky boy and the suspenders helped keep the belt up. Allowed me to add pouches/holsters/drop bags/FA/knife, whatever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the reply. I guess that answers it for me. I’ll just go without anything until I read enough reviews and get what I think will work best, and budget correctly.

Was just wondering if it was worth it to get temporary items in the meantime. I’ll just buy once I reckon. Thanks!
 
berf said:
Thanks for the reply. I guess that answers it for me. I’ll just go without anything until I read enough reviews and get what I think will work best, and budget correctly.

Was just wondering if it was worth it to get temporary items in the meantime. I’ll just buy once I reckon. Thanks!
Click to expand...

There is no real need, as far as I see, to go out and spend a bunch of money all up front. Go to the range and as you shoot make note of times you say "I wish I had a mag pouch here." or "I wish I could easily take something on and off" or "I really dont see a need to have X item." Then plan accordingly. And be prepared to go through equipment and stuff along the way. Most of us have cabinets filled with pouches and "stuff" we thought would be perfect, but ultimately just wasnt used.
 
Thanks for the responses! This place offers shooting classes, as well as runs 3 gun and both “require” mag pouches (2-3) to run the stages properly. So I at a bare minimum I know I will need pistol/rifle mag pouches and a holster at minimum. But stopping there and seeing if anything else is really necessary seems a good place to start.
Thanks again.
 
berf said:
Didn’t you post about a 3 gun match in old fort recently? What do they run for belt setups? And was this at VOD?
Click to expand...
July 31 at VOD.

Sign up and shoot! Very newbie friendly with loaner gear if needed.

Here’s the info:

Old Fort 3 Gun -7/31/21 - STAGE BRIEF POSTED

REGISTER HERE: https://practiscore.com/old-fort-3-gun-at-vod-tactical-v2/register We've been assured by the powers that be that sunny skies and slightly less mud will be on deck for July 31, so we went ahead and scheduled round 2. Post up here with questions about gear, mind set, skill set...
carolinafirearmsforum.com carolinafirearmsforum.com
 
berf said:
Yeah I just met with Jake today and checked out the range.
Click to expand...
Jake? From State Farm? Or Frank from VOD?

If Frank and VOD, I was there this afternoon as well. On the rifle range while orientation was happening then brought my AR-22 down to the pistol bays.
 
berf said:
Dammit I keep saying Jake. Yes Frank. I heard ya shooting over there. I left before you came to the pistol bays I guess.
Click to expand...
Sign up for the 3-Gun, then get with me about any gear you may want/need to borrow. It’s a great way to what works and what doesn’t. The ONLY gear requirement for the match is a holster that will allow you to run without your pistol falling out.
 
So I can’t run 3 gun as of now, as I’m missing the shotgun. May be able to borrow one from a friend but I’m also about to be in a weird spot with finding a holster for a new pistol that no one makes holsters for.
 
berf said:
Thanks for the reply. I guess that answers it for me. I’ll just go without anything until I read enough reviews and get what I think will work best, and budget correctly.

Was just wondering if it was worth it to get temporary items in the meantime. I’ll just buy once I reckon. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Remember, this is fun and games, you are not being deployed. You have time to see what others use, what works, what doesn't work, and why. Consistency of 'layout' is not as important because you a 'n' of 1. You will end up tweaking whatever you decide on anyway. I never ended a deployment with the same set-up I started (minus some things that are non-negotiable like the IFAK), and even now I am tweaking my gear to be better.

'War' belt by itself, 'war' belt with underlying scuba belt, leather or still nylon (i.e., scuba) belt with slip-on or clip-on pouches, whatever. They all work, you just need to see what works for you.
 
My first "tactical" match was just a two gun, and I ran it with one cheap galco single pistol mag carrier and a single AR mag carrier clipped to my regular belt. As was mentioned above, go into the first matches with whatever you have, and then observe and ask questions to the other dudes there. Heck, some dudes just threw mags in their back pocket.

In truth, sometimes these matches can be a great training tool for "minimalism" as if there is a "bump in the night" tossing a spare mag in a pocket may be the only option.
 
I FINALLY got around to building my battlebelt a few years ago, after several course instructors had already TOLD me - "BUILD A BATTLEBELT!!!" 😳

I had been doing my research the whole time, and settled on HSGI stuff in particular. CRAZILY enough, at this same time... I also 'found'... in the bottom of my safe, an Eagle Industries CR/M4-6-MS-LE-CCA chest rig! 😮 When I rediscovered it, I realized I'd taken it in trade as part of a larger deal some ten years earlier, but had/saw no need for it then. Just rolled it up and tossed it in the back of the safe, and forgot about it!

As a discontinued item, I highly prize it, because I'm already a BIG guy, and do NOT care for double/triple stacked pouches on EITHER my belt or chest rig. As current doctrine seems to favor the rig even over the belt, I'm covered on both ends... but even the rig took some fitting and tailoring; discovering what else I could hang on it (AR500 IFAK, CAT-7 and molded sheath for it, and radio pouch), while NOT interfering with rifle manipulation (yeah... you DO need to go to the range/class, and try the stuff OUT, for proper fit & function!).

AS for the belt... well... here's what it looks like THREE iterations ago (and it's evolved QUITE a bit to this point). This is just as an idea/jumping-off point for YOUR consideration - YMMV.

100-6361-crop.jpg


- HSGI belt and pad (got the ugly forest green at my LGS, and it was $6 cheaper than any other color, so I took it! Besides, mismatching your colors keeps you looking like "irregular forces," should it come to that. There are NO "style points" awarded, in the 'boogaloo' 😜)
- Esstac Quadrunner pistol mag pouch - one of my FEW non-HSGI pieces of gear. As a 1911 guy, I also break my doublestack pouch rule here, because... 1911 mags. I like a CMC or Wilson 10rdr. in the gun - 8 round Wilsons in the quadrunner. Look this piece of kit up - unique design pushes the inside mags outboard, making reloads EASIER to grab.
- HSGI triple mag shingle - single stack, rigid stability. Note Magpul Ranger floorplates on my mags. ALL my "business mags" wear 'em.
- HSGI polymer taco - keeps an Israeli pressure bandage ON me, but in the center of my back and out of the way of firearms.
- HSGI soft taco utility pouch - holds my Gerber multitool (yeah... I bought the Gerber, before I realized it was made of Chinesium.:rolleyes: Gotta replace that yet)
- HSGI polymer taco utility pouch - holds my InForce TFx light
- Code4Concealment kydex holster - SA1911 LW Operator in the holster.
- CRKT M-16 folder - tucked in the webbing

Since this picture was taken (and after running it at the range, which I do after EVERY iteration), I've added HSGI suspenders (battlebelt MUST go on first, BEFORE the chest rig!!! Important things to remember in a crisis), a smaller, low-power O-light, tucked into the webbing, and a CAT-7 in a kydex sheath (which I moved OFF the chest rig, because it was interfering with rifle manipulation).

The one NICE thing about being a BIG guy is - LOTSA real estate for 'stuff' on a belt OR rig. You skinny, off-the-rack sorts... will be carrying a lot LESS. Or double/triple stack pouches. FYI.

My chest rig, for consideration.

100-6463-crop.jpg

Pulled the CAT-7 by the radio pouch OFF, and stuck THAT one on the belt (and if ANYTHING is worth having when the range goes "two-way," a CAT-7 is worth having two of for CERTAIN!).

The other CAT-7 and AR500 IFAK are on my left, as I'm a righty. Mounted a little low, my arm rests on it comfortably, and it doesn't interfere with the sling in that position.

NICE thing about this rig, is the map pouch behind the mags. Just PERFECT, for an 8" x 10" Lvl.III-A kevlar insert, which it just HAPPENS to have. :cool:

Again... here's my gear, to give you some ideas. Do NOT feel it necessary to copy in ANY way.
 
To start with buy some Esstac (or whatever trips your trigger) mag pouches and just use regular belt clips. If you decide you want a molle belt you can just get the wtf straps and mount them to your new belt.
 
I am in the gear business, its what I do.

So,

Here's my take. The gear needs to support your skill development, not to play dress up.

If you want to practice magazine changes with a firearm, you need alot of mag's and alot of mag pouches

If you want to practice drawing a handgun from concealment, you need a great belt, a holster, a gun and a cover garment

If you want to practice shooting under a object, you need a object to shoot under.

The missing link is this:
Does a "battle belt" help you in concealed carry?
YES
because clearing a malfunction / reloading a pistol takes alot of mags, to train this skill well. A battle belt can hold alot of magazines.

Does a "battle belt" help me in drawing from concealment?
NO
because the act of drawing a handgun from concealment does not include wearing a battle belt in normal everyday life.

Does wearing a "battle belt" help me shoot a handgun?
YES
Draw stroke is the same from a strong side hip or appendix carry once the pistol clears the holster.

Thats how I view this.
 
I think you'll end up with more than one belt so I'd just go to the classes and see what kind of drills you want to practice on your own and start setting up something that fits you. My battle belt is something I would never walk around with in public, its specifically for classes and the gun its configured for I would never carry either except maybe as a car gun.
 
If your mission is to learn how to shoot handguns and rifles, get:

1. two piece competition belt from DAA, Ghost, bladetech/etc.
2. get 3 mag holders for weak hand loading (likely only need 2) like Ghost/DAA/BT
3. get a single or double AR weak side mag holder
4. Plastic/Kydex non retention holster for pistol

Then, shoot matches like 2gun/uspsa/idpa because this will quickly show you exactly what you need to train on and what drills you need to do.

No competition belt I have ever seen has molle on it. That is a military thing. Just my opinions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom