Fighting Load-outs; Military/Police/PSC

[MattJames]

Alright guys. I know one of the most helpful internet discussions to get the mind churning has been those involving professional end-users and how they set up their gear. Not only does it help those who need ideas or guidance on practical set-ups and solutions for various gear quandaries but also provides a forum for people to discuss what worked and what didn't for them for a specific job. Also, instead of doing what I did and spent a small fortune over the years on constantly evolving equipment I could have been saved a lot of time and money by having such a resource.

A few ground rules first. This is NOT an training/preparedness/airsoft gear thread. Its cool if you have questions from that corner, but this is for professional end-users to discuss their set ups, what worked, what didn't, and why.

Quantify as best you can your why's for as much as possible. Get the hamster rolling in his wheel and be brutally honest about everything. I don't know about you guys, but I can generally look at a dude with his kit on and make a pretty decent judgement about were his mind is at and how much thought and brain power he put in to his whole system.

OPSEC as always is in effect. Scrutinise your photo's for you deployed and active duty cats with regard to individual team identifiers and markers.

Post pictures if you can, we have some visual learners here.

 

[TAC450]

OK gang get in here and post up your shit LEOs... I had a friend reach out to me regarding a new set up for his external 3A armor and I have shit to go on for advice. They aren't running any hard plates in his Dept and his current set up is some variance of a TT vest. His fellow officers told him to either buy TT or BlackChicken at which point he turned to me.
So know I turn to you.... Black is still the color of LEO excellence apparently, so have at it... Post you shit so I can gie him some ideas of what to look out for.

 

[Bill Blowers]

TAC450 - Is he sporting this as an external soft armor carrier for patrol? Or SWAT or Street Crimes or.....

 

[TAC450]

External Soft Armor for Patrol... Tribal PD north of you

 

[Joe Halloran]

Work gear:

- Eagle SFLCCS ACU PC (shemedium)
Stacked on front flap:
- ATS triplpe shingle
- ATS CLAP (strobe/garmin/multi-tool/smart cards/GRGs)
- ATS suppressor pouches X 2 repurposed as enclosed TQ carriers
Left C-bund:
- ATS MBITR pouch (11 oclock)
- ATS small IFAK (7 oclock)
Right C-bund:
- Issue canteen pouch with Eagle NVG insert (for PVS-14...1 oclock), batteries, strap cutter
Back:
- ATS hydro pouch
- TCI MAST antenna relocation kit

 

[Steven Andrews]

Pictures at the bottom, visual learners.

What I have is a modified external soft armor carrier. If you're allowed to use one and you aren't you are missing out. I am big on quick, lightweight equipment.

No molle/pals per policy for now. The pouches were custom cut and sewn on by an old world seamstress that knew what she was doing. The carrier is safariland.

Top right shoulder is a wireless mic pouch for the squad camera and will serve to anchor my forthcoming body camera. (Joy of joys).

Breast pockets have admin crapola in em. Stickers for kids, notebook, drug reference card, etc. cool guy surefire pen. I had to chop down my notebooks to fit nicely in the pocket. Cops love to load these pockets, I do not.

Centerline is a tab for my radio mic.

Right side
- surefire fury, single mode. It's a backup light, but I like my lights to be simple. Multi mode lights are nice for searching cars and scenes post arrest though.
- Oc spray , Meh. Not a huge fan of it, still have to carry it.
-leatherman tool and cuff key

Left side
Billowed utility pouch with CAT, quickclot, extra pair of cuffs. Should be self explanatory. If you aren't carrying a second set of cuffs or an IFAK in a patrol setting you've got some serious issues.

Belt is an old binachi nylon belt. Like to keep my back free of clutter.
Safariland slimline mag pouch, 2x 18 round mags ( for when you're really into firing). They save space, the forward facing mag is pretty natural to get a grip on, it's honestly something someone should have figured out years ago. I like open top pouches for my mags. These have plenty of retention and are mighty quick. I'm not jumping out of airplanes, and I haven't lost a mag after breaking brush for miles in the woods either. I'm not totally worried about someone trying to take a mag off me either.

Taser in a serpa (egads) holster. I have tried a few different methods of carry and draw and keep coming back to this cross draw style. The holster isn't totally terrible, but I don't consider it a retention holster at all, but it is very very fast to draw and reholster when necessary.

Radio pouch, like the low bulk of this style.

ASP talon airweght baton. The push button release on these are wonderful and they are super light. That's about it. I don't like expandable batons, but that's life. Used to carry what amounted to a baseball bat, but the weight was not worth how little it was employed. Also, deployed length became an issue when anywhere that wasn't an open area.

Cool guy sideways cuff pouch - cobbled the horizontal mount of my open top pouch to better fit under my vest when seated. ASP cuffs too, very light, very quick. I have read others' concerns about prior generations and besides the single strand getting pushed out of line when twisting them on a fighter, I don't buy into the paranoia. They're temporary restraints, if you treat them as such you'll be fine. I have never broken them in multiple fights, and they work just dandy. Bonus, the plastic cowling helped insulate an officer cuffing a Tased suspect under power when dealing with the copper wire shrubbery from the deployed probes on the suspect.

Blaster - p226 9mm /x300 u safariland als/Sls holster. Used to have an Sls hood only, but the als offers a lot of retention and again, is damn fast. I was concerned about having too-much retention, but the als operates seamlessly on the draw stroke that it really isn't a separate movement. I haven't had a gun grab yet, but I have beaten someone on the draw from the hood down/als only position that I will sometimes run on traffic contact. Recently acquired the x300u, no complaints. Upgraded from the x300. Run one of those horrible DG switches. Comes in handy when opening doors, using a ballistic shield, etc.

SOCP dagger is carried on body as last ditch/in the clinch weapon. I also carry a .380 backup for similar situations, but I won't disclose where that is either.

 

[Chad H/BC520]

Steve, how comfortable/efficient is the ability to throw a PC over your current external?

 

[Steven Andrews]

I don't.

If I have time to throw on a pc, I doff this and I don a mayflower low profile assault carrier with plates and concealment cut soft armor that rides with me.

Tried the plate carrier over external vest before, when I had a slick faced external vest and plate-only carrier before, but it flat sucks.

Some folks wring their hands over that thought, taking a minute (less in real time usually) to switch vests and get the rifle ready to rock. But I have had no issue with it. Gives you a moment to plan your response and you'll show up ready to fight from the car if necessary.

 

[Chad H/BC520]

I agree that I will likely have time to change if I'm taking the time to put a PC on, but I have to maintain soft armor coverage on my sides and for ICW plates so mine rides over my concealment armor still. I do like how yours looks.

 

[Chad H/BC520]

For anyone that looks at Steve's picture, the radio holder on his duty belt also works EXCELLENT as a rifle mag holder. I've used that same one for years now. It sits low enough that it allows for a grip on the magazine lower than ones armpit, and it does not sit so low that it pushes up on the duty belt when one sits. It is more comfortable for me than the ones that stick it out in front of the pistol mags. YMMV. A black Pmag disappears in it. I've worn a rifle mag at my 8 o'clock position for years now, and not had anyone really notice it.

 

[Steven Andrews]

If you're interested, the mayflower pc is backed by soft armor that is concealment cut, it covers your sides. Mine is actually my old vest inside.

 

[Chad H/BC520]

I use a Mayflower APC. It fits plates only, and would not fit my old vest. Are you using the Mayflower LPAC by chance? I used one of those before, and my vest apparently is an odd enough cut from Paraclete that it also does not fit.

 

[Steven Andrews]

Yep, lpac. Old vest was Paraclete too. Sorry you're shaped weird, bro.

 

[Chad H/BC520]

Yup...Us big tall guys get called freaks of nature by short guys...

 

[Bill Blowers]

No experience with the external soft armor carriers.

 

[Dog Off Leash]

I've become extremely fond of BFG and helium whisper/10 speed pouches on my external carrier. In fact, the only non BFG pouch on my carrier is a HSG bleeder that I use for my IFAK.

 

[Presscheck Consulting]

Yep. My latest set up just has ten speed pouches all over it, I have a HW radio pouch and a trauma kit now, but other than that it's all HW 10 speed M4 pockets to hold whatever else I want to hold.

 

[Tracker6]

I took this the other day and don't have time to separate it out.

From top to bottom (while wearing it):

Crye Airframe with PrincetonTec light and Surefire M1IR illuminator. ANVIS mount for Sentinel goggles.

Peltor Comtacs and Oakley MC glasses.

Crye Combat or field uniform, multicam. Salomon boots.

Crye JPC with Velocity Level III multi hit ceramic plates rated for 7.62 and 5.56 green tip. I use the kangaroo pouches for a TQ, shears, a a dagger.

 

[Tracker6]

Double post. The 5 minute edit timed me out. More to follow when I am not on my phone.

 

[Tracker6]

Remaining pouches are two Crye radio pouches, dark light med kit with chest decompression needle added, a Paraclete banger pouch and a Mayflower pack attached to the JPC.

Belt is a Tyr Brokos belt with BFG suspenders, a MC covered ALS, a whatever cuff pouch and an EAG dumper.

Pack is Arcteryx Khard 30 for anything I need short term. Bigger pack is a Mystery Ranch.

Cold Weather clothing is all Arcteryx. From RHO LTW base layer to wet weather outer layer.