2012-09-02

Gun & Gear Recommendations for starting out

In part because or new endeavor at Goal-Oriented Training, and in part simply because I just get asked a lot, I thought I would take a few minutes to generate a list of guns and gear that I generally endorse. Not because my name is on it, not because anyone is paying me, but because it's the stuff I use myself and have arrived at after wasting thousands of dollars on gear that was either garbage, great but impossible to ever get, or just simply wholly inappropriate for what I (and probably you, if you're reading this) do and want to do with a gun.  I'm going to break this down into separate sections for pistol and rifle, and hopefully you are smart enough to figure out how to mix and match in the event that you want or need both.

This list is not intended as all-encompassing.  It doesn't cover load-carriage for higher-round-count events, specialty gear, magnified optics, sighting systems for pistols, etc.  This is meant as a list of basic recommendations for someone starting out, which ironically also happens to be a lot of the same gear I myself am using 10+ years later after a ton of trial-and-error with fancier crap.  This is what we call "a clue".

For those that prefer a summary, here you go


PISTOL


GUNS

In short, what you want is a high-capacity, polymer-framed, pistol.  For more minutiae, nitty-gritty, etc. you can read my article "Where Do I Begin", but what that means is Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P, or certain models of Springfield XDm.  Do yourself a favor and get a 9mm.  If you have some objection to that round, the problem is you, not the caliber.  The once caveat I'll offer here to the entire pistol selection thing is that if you are in a job where you are issued a firearm, use that firearm.  In fact, go buy yourself a personally-owned example of that firearm.

GEAR

Pistol gear falls into three sub-categories: holsters, belts and magazine pouches.

Holster

First, if you already have a holster you use for concealed carry, train with that.  I cannot think of a single concealed carry holster that is worth a shit that doesn't also work well as a training holster.  By "works well", I include the ability to re-holster one-handed, which means it needs to have a rigid opening at the top.  If your IWB holster doesn't, and it collapses when you draw the gun, you're doing it wrong.

Second, if you're going to have a range holster, just get a plastic holster.  Your gun is plastic, get a plastic holster.  When it comes to holsters, there are two types with the first being a "pancake style" and the other being a " pouch-style".  Whichever you get, you need to size the loops to the width of your belt!

For the pancake style I only use one now, and that's the kydex holsters I get from Dark Star Gear.  They can do different sized loops, make tweaks to the design based on your needs as you shoot more and discover your own personal quirks, etc.  He can also do them in various colors, whether for vanity or operational reasons.

For the pouch-style, I like the Revolution series from Blade-Tech.  These holsters are widely available, inexpensive, and much better than the junk like the Fobus or the silliness that is the Blackhawk Serpa.  Just make sure you get the Revolution that comes with the Stingray loop, and not the paddle, as the Revolution paddle is massive, and I don't believe it's as secure as the Stingray loops that firmly affix the holster to the belt.  Then be sure to read the manual and adjust the Stingray loop to match your belt width.  These also make a good holster if you're trying a new pistol and aren't sure about it yet because it's inexpensive.

Belt

Whatever you do, get a shooting-specific belt, don't just use whatever belt you got that came with the pants you bought.  And use a belt that fits in the loops of your pants, or that is made up of an inner belt that goes through the loops and outer belt that attaches to that inner belt either via velcro or keepers.  An outer belt that isn't secured to an inner belt is a non-starter and a recipe for failure.  I also prefer the 1.5" width as it fits through the loops on every pair of pants and shorts that I own, and the extra .25" does nothing for me.  In a pinch, gear with 1.75" loops will fit on a 1.5" belt, but sometimes the reverse is not true.

I may be out of touch, and/or piss a lot of people off, but after doing the circuit of the various boutique belts, I'm back to belts from the Wilderness.  They have exactly the right balance of vertical stiffness to support the holster and gear and horizontal flexibility to be comfortable and make it easy to thread-on gear.  I like the 5-stitch, Original Instructor's belt which is a bargain right now at $40.

Magazine Pouch(es)

There are two options here.  Regardless of which you choose, buy at least two, preferably four, individual pouches, and avoid the double-pouches that limit flexibility.  

If you own one pistol, or one type of pistol, and only shoot that one pistol/type (which I strongly recommend, FYI), then having a kydex pouch, or several of them, makes the most sense.  Given that, I like and use the Ready Tactical Pistol Magazine Pouch from SKD Tactical.  They have a secure clip that allows you to clip the pouch on and off the belt without undoing the belt, they can be adjusted for tension with just a little bit of heat if you need to, and at $23/ea they are a bargain.  There are other, similar, pouches on the market but they aren't as good as the Ready Tactical.  Again, get the loop sized to match your belt.

For those that insist on changing their pistol more often than they chase their underwear, or if you are just starting out and aren't entirely certain you ade the right choice of pistol, having a pouch that is more flexible and takes a variety of magazine types, the HSGI Taco with Dark Star Gear loops is the way to go.  The taco is a "modular" pouch design that allows not only a variety of magazines but also things like flashlights, multitools, etc. all to fit in the same pouch.  The Dark Star loops, in turn, allow you to attach a pouch that's meant for MOLLE to a regular pants belt.  Understand that at $25 for the pouch and $10/loop, it is a more expensive option, but it is cheaper than buying four Ready Tactical pouches for every gun you own, and you gain the flexibility of being able to use the pouches for other items as well.



RIFLE/CARBINE


GUNS

Colt 6720 from Clyde Armory.  This is the single best option on the market right now, and what I would buy if I was buying a new rifle today, or giving someone else a rifle to start with.  If you want to start with iron sights, talk to Clyde Armory about getting them to swap the folding rear for a fixed, but if they won't, get yourself a Daniel Defense fixed rear sight.  Second choice would be any of the BASIC rifles with plastic handguards from BCM or Daniel Defense.  This is not a slight on any other product on the market, but is simply my preference.  The major advantage the 6720 has is that it is light, and that it is a Colt.  Just because it is a Colt does not mean that it won't have problems right out of the box, but in my experience it does mean that it is the gun least likely to have problems right out of the box.  BCM and Daniel Defense are very, very close behind that.  

For those that want to start out with an optic, the Aimpoint PRO is the best deal going on the market right now.  Comes with a mount that gets it up to the right height on an AR and all you have to do is bolt it on and go.  I'll cover the pros and cons of starting out with optics vs. irons in another bog post.

GEAR

Rifle gear falls into three sub-categories: slings, belts and magazine pouches.

Sling

I like, and use, four different slings.  In truth, I find that as long as it's a quick-adjust, two-point sling, I'm pretty happy, but these are the four I'm most familiar with, have been happiest with, and actually use and recommend.  I'm going to list them in order of cost.

Boonie Packer 2P Cinchable - $20.  This is the best $20 sling I'm aware of on the market, and it does what other slings do at half the cost.  Great option for those starting out, but GET THE 1.25" VERSION AND NOT THE 1.5" VERSION.  While I love the 1.25", I can't stand the 1.5" as it adds complexity to how the sling attaches to the gun.

Sheriff of Baghdad Weapon B-Sling - $40.  This is the sling I buy now when I need a new one, although if I have a heavy rifle I'd prefer a padded sling.  For anything ~8 lbs or less, this is my first choice.  Light, simple, unobtrusive, quick to adjust, etc.  The rear attachment may not work on all stocks, but you can just cut it off and attach it with a QD sling swivel if your stock has the socket.  No big deal.

Viking Tactics Sling - $43.  The best thing about this sling is that it comes slightly padded but not overly-so.  The downside is that with the way it's designed and adjusts it leaves a dangling tail which I find annoying sometimes.  GET THE ACTUAL VTAC VERSION, NOT THE 5.11 VERSION.  They are not the same.

Blue Force Gear Vickers Combat Applications Sling - $45.  Essentially the same as the Boonie Packer but with better hardware and materials.  My one complaint with this sling is that there are a lot of variants out there and I just flat out don't like the way that some of them attach to the gun as they over-complicate the thing for no reason.  There is also a padded version for $55 if you have one of those heavy guns with a lot of crap bolted to it.

I need to make a note about sling accessories.  How you attach the sling to the gun is as important as the sling itself, and you are going to want to experiment with different locations as you go through different evolutions of how you shoot.  Flexibility is your friend, and to that end having a way of quickly attaching/detaching the sling is a good idea.  Get yourself some QD sling swivels.  At least three (for when you lose one).  If your rail or handguard don't have a way to attach them, you'll need to add it. ONLY USE ATTACHMENTS THAT LIMIT THE ROTATION OF THE SWIVEL.  If it doesn't limit rotation, don't use it.  4-axis limits (with stops vertically and horizontally) is good, 6 is better (which adds stops 45* in either direction between the 90* stops).  Impact Weapons Components offers a variety of QD sockets for almost any application.

Belt

For a standard pants belt, see above in the pistol section for the Wilderness belt.  There are other options that are more complicated and allow for carrying more load, but for starting out I think one or two magazines added to the Wilderness belt is all you need, and even now I rarely use more.

Magazine Pouch(es)

As with the pistol examples above, there are two options here.  Regardless of which you choose, buy at least one, preferably two, individual pouches, and avoid the double-pouches that limit flexibility. I am also generally not a fan of the pouches that stack pistol magazines outside of carbine magazines. 

If you own one carbine, or one type of carbine, and only shoot that one carbine/type (which I strongly recommend, FYI), then having a kydex pouch, or several of them, makes the most sense.  Given that, I like and use the Ready Tactical AR15 Ambi Speed Mag Pouch from SKD Tactical.  They have a secure clip that allows you to clip the pouch on and off the belt without undoing the belt, they can be adjusted for tension with just a little bit of heat if you need to, and at $28/ea they are a bargain.  There are other, similar, pouches on the market but they aren't as good as the Ready Tactical.  Again, get the loop sized to match your belt.  Since they are "ambi", they also allow you to experiment with bullets-forward or bullets-rearward in your pouches, and they accept Pmags, GI mags, Lancer mags, and Tango Down ARC mags (the only four magazines I use or recommend).

For those that insist on changing their carbine more often than they chase their underwear, or if you are just starting out and aren't entirely certain you made the right choice of pistol, having a pouch that is more flexible and takes a variety of magazine types, the HSGI Taco with Dark Star Gear loops is the way to go.  The taco is a "modular" pouch design that allows not only a variety of magazines but also things like flashlights, multitools, etc. all to fit in the same pouch. The HSGI rifle Taco will take magazines from ARs, AKs, AND 7.62/.308 rifles! The Dark Star loops, in turn, allow you to attach a pouch that's meant for MOLLE to a regular pants belt.  Understand that at $30 for the pouch and $20 for a pair of loops, it is a more expensive option, but it is cheaper than buying four Ready Tactical pouches for every gun you own, and you gain the flexibility of being able to use the pouches for other items as well.


Magazines

When it comes to pistols, you should buy factory magazines for the gun you have, and that's it.  When it comes to the AR, there are a few options, and typically buying "factory" magazines will just mean you're paying a premium for the same thing you can get elsewhere for less.  There are four types of magazines I use and recommend, with my first choice being the NHMTG magazines because they store tighter and I can get more into an ammo can or a bag.  No matter which you use NUMBER YOUR MAGAZINES and trash the ones that repeatedly give you trouble.

I currently use NHMTG which I get from 44mag.com for $14/ea. I like the smaller profile, I like that they will fit in any pouch, I like that I can fit more into an ammo can, and I like that I can add the Magpul Ranger Plate and not affect the size of the magazine in any dimension other than length. 

The Magpul Pmags are EVERYWHERE and can be had for less than $15.  I found myself using them exclusively and I almost couldn't remember ever buying any.  They are good magazines, but the feedlips can chip, which in turn can cause malfunctions, with the colored versions (meaning, not black) appear to be more prone to this failure.  If you simply have to have colored magazines, get the black ones and paint the ridged part.  Leave the smooth part, that goes into the magazine well, unpainted because if you add bulk in that area they may not drop free.

The Tango Down ARC magazine are a good magazine, and if you want a clear mag these are my choice.  The clear material in most magazines is weaker, and I like the ARC for this because they have what appears to be the strongest waffling to add rigidity to the weaker material.  ONLY BUY THE MK2 ARC MAGS.  I hated the first gen because they caused me lots of problems and I watched others have problems, but the MK2 version resolved those problems for me.  Many online retailers were recently dumping the originals, so buyer beware.

If you shoot a lot of Wolf or other steel-cased ammo, the Lancer Advanced Warfighter Magazine (AWM) is what you want.  They are a little expensive, but the steel they use in the feedlips somehow gives the slickest feeding of any magazine I've tried, even... especially with the steel-cased ammo.  I'm not a fan of the clear/smoke/etc. and prefer the black.


























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