Pull-throughs or "Bodkins" speak for themselves in their utility.  Sometimes it is possible to securely tape "existing" cord to new cord and pull it through.  With no pre-installed cord, a bodkin is often most useful device.  Done so many times in replacing GI "static" cord with modern elastic cord.  Much improvement!

Besides, I kinda like the ancient term "Bodkin".

As I said above, buying a "set" of various sized chisels might be less expensive than buying a specific "sewing" chisel, since the "set" of chisels will be useful for many other projects.  Same thing for a "set" of hole punches. It's for sure you will need to re-sharpen all these items, but that opens the avenue to learning about sharpening tools, which is something with which I may be able to help.

I've got a few sets of chisels and hole punches - they aren't going anywhere near punching holes in fabric...   :-D  :-D  :-D  

All my chisels and hole punches, even those starting out as Harbor Freight items, will punch through multiple layers of fabric and webbing, once properly "faced" and sharpened.  It may also be possible to re-sharpen dulled sewing needles for almost zero cost and scant time, once one has the proper (inexpensive) sharpening tool.

FWIW, I've managed to learn how to sharpen small, curved scissors.  Conventional "Straight" scissors are not a problem.  Most knives/axes/hatchets are easy.  LMK if I can help.

Sharpening tools is a lost art.  Cheap disposable tools seem to be the current order of the day.  

Imma gonna have to have a binding tape seminar one of these days.  It is also a lost art.  

Not to mention woodland patrolling.  The comment about always fighting the last war is really spot on.

If I can learn how to sharpen common tools, so can you.

Sewing/attachment question--I have some pouches with Velcro closures that don't have enough Velcro connecting when loaded.  Any advice for an adaptor piece?  I'm thinking a strip of hook side that covers the loop on the body of the pouch, sewn onto an extended piece of loop that would stick up further to get about 2in extra connection with the flap's hook side.  Should I put any reinforcement material in between the hook and loop layers?

Not to disrupt the sewing thread drift (see what I did there?) but what about those SVD mag pouches/belt kits?

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Not sure how you can make belt kit for an M1917 beltfed, but we used one of those at the match today too

RACK IT!

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KRAUTS IN THE WIRE!!!!!

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Everyone should learn how to sharpen at least a basic knife blade to at least a basic edge.  And do it with a simple hand stone.

This, btw, is one of the cheapest, easiest things to get into.  And EVERYONE loves you.  I sharpen a kitchen knife for most of my friends for Christmas each year, and WAS doing all my parents each year.

You can pick up a simple double sided sharpening stone for cheap.  The one below is what I use.  They also have knockoff ones that are halfway decent if you look around for about half the price.  They do the job fine.

Sure, there are better stones, and better systems out there, but this is solid, does most of what you need to do, and it's small enough to carry around with you in the field.

https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-DC4/dp/B004731IBG

And yes.  I save all my sewing needles that aren't totally messed up.  I put them in a jar.  Never know in the apocalypse what you might end up needing when we can't import more needles.  Because they all come from overseas.

Once I get the sewing shop set up, I'll be able to have people over.  That problem will be fixed.  I'll have you come up and do it,  film it if you want.  




Too many hunters these days don't even stalk while hunting.  At least on the east coast.

Post a picture of the pouch.  There's probably an easy enough fix.

If Diz doesn't want to do a set, if someone wants to send me an SVD magazine, I can fab one up.  If they have a G3 and / or FAL / 20 round AR-15 magazine to send along too, I'll make sure they fit too.  I still need to finish those 40 round mag pouches, I keep putting them off, trying to catch up on stuff for customers.  

EDIT:  also, you could always make some pouches designed to carry the .30 ammo cans, like the Germans used during WW2.....

https://rainetacticalgear.com/collections/revised-molle-ammo/products/triple-m4-molle-pouch

This one.  
With all three mags, there is only about 1/4in of Velcro connecting.  Slightly disappointed, tbh.  I thought the flap was going to go down further.  

So, I'm thinking of an adapter that cover the original hook, but extends to more like this pic:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/939488989

Ha yep. This is basically a new take on old web gear I have in a duffel bag in my garage.

I need to dig mine out. Have not touched it probably in 20 years.

For a quick and dirty fix use a strip of Velcro one wrap and stick an extension on there. Hit it with a few staples, stitches, or even glue. I did this to an old Blackhawk chest rig so the pouches secure on ak and scorpion mags too.

I'd add another loop of webbing to the piece of webbing that acts as the pull tab on the lid, extending it.  Then sew velcro onto the old pull tab.

Or do the flap extension like you said.  But I'd sew it into place.

This:



... is fairly close to this (maybe it'll fit?):



... or the pouches for AI ten-round mags:

Thanks, but this thread is so far sidetracked it will never get back on track. It’s turned into an echo chamber.

You're welcome to push it in a different direction.  Like the SVD pouch guy did.

@towerofpower94

@Diz

Tower, I forgot I had these pouches made around the same time as the UW rig by someone named Fat Tony. IIRC I ran into this guy from arfcom and he offered to make these as a test run, but I ended up prefering the chamelion style 10 mag rig instead

I don't know if he's still around, but here is a possible example for you and Diz, assuming you guys can find the time. I can loan you this one and the SPOSN Smersh pouches if you want






SPOSN pouches as previous shown




I still have my Beez rig but don't use it. Here I added a variety of SRVV and other pouches to make it a 10 mag rig, but the base is 6 as you can see

The SRVV pouches in SURPAT have a quiet flap release mechanism. All things considered I like how Diz did it on the minute man rig better, but the SRVV system does work

The Zastava 2 mag chest rig came in, one with older straps and one with newer shoulder pads. The newer one has the taller accessory pouch instead of wider
This and a couple of 2 or 4 mag belt pouches would work pretty well, though as I said I would just a 10 mag chest rig and be done with it




And an updated pic of the minute man UW Gear AK rig

I read all your replies and you said a lot of stuff that I want to reply to, but I'm going to be head down on a project this week supporting a SCADA system cutover in the main operations center of an oil and gas company. Going to be a lot of 12-16 hour days, but Friday when I get back I'll probably start replying. Those were really cool comments

I'll PM you about getting an SVD mag in your hands. The longer 54R cartridge, and the bend needed in the mag for the rimmed cartridges to stack properly, would make a pouch designed for 1-2 SVD mags more than large enough for the same number of 20rd STANAG mags. Might actually be too big, with the 20rd mags jostling about and not getting as many mags on your belt line due to an SVD pouch needing to be longer front to back.

ETA: or did you mean a 20rd AR10/.308 mag? That would probably require the mag pouch to be a little taller but wouldn't be a huge change. I need to get some pics of an SVD mag(s) sitting on top of a 20rd and 25rd AR10 PMAG to get a better handle on where their dims are similar and where they're different.

And the 30cal can bit was just to give me an excuse to dump the M1917 pics in the thread, but thank you for the serious response

Even though I prefer fitted pouches for specific mags, you can get away with a "universal" pouch with some slight mods, such as extra wide/large but with bungee to cinch it up, and some kind of adjustable top flap length.  

On the velcro extension, yeah that was quite common back in the day, when guys wanted to switch from different mag lengths or even go from AR to AK.  Although you can get away with a single piece of extended velcro, the better ones are backed by a piece of webbing.  This usually keeps it from flopping around and getting in the way.  Although this will work, I never liked trusting velcro that much.  Needs something else to lock it down, IMHO.   Especially if you are doing any water work or riverine patrol.  I think that's why LBT put SR buckles on all their rigs for the Teams.  Velcro loosens up on long dives or surface swims.  

If someone else has the bandwidth and wants to work on these projects right now, I'll be glad to help with any technical support, if required.  Like estimating dims and so forth.  

On load bearing kit in the Ukraine, I did some looking this weekend and yeah, it's all over the place.  I think this has to do with us being in a transition period, and some folks still doing what they know, and others switching gears as required.  It was just like this after Vietnam, when all of a sudden, it was all about Northern (and Southern) NATO (well at least for us jarheads) which we trained for still in all our jungle gear, with antique cotton cold weather gear thrown on top.   Better kit slowly started trickling in, by the mid-80's, with better helmets and flak jackets.  Then the 90's saw LBV's and Molle rucks coming in, along with better boots. After 9-11, things really got rolling, with the new armor and armor carriers, and gucci gear for everybody.  I am amazed at the current issue kit, vs what I was issued.  

So back to "jungle" belt kit, and it's significance today.  I think it's a more viable system for dismounted patrolling, especially for extended periods of time.   Even if BA is still required, the Brit yoke fits over it much better, due to the extended mesh panel, negating much of the objections to wearing TA-50/Deuce gear over it.  And with lo-pro harnesses, you have the option wearing it underneath as well.  

So it all depends.  If "3d Gen" mobility warfare has been nullified by "4th Gen" Asymmetric warfare, then foot mobility might become the new order of the day.  Then you might re-consider your load-bearing kit.  Many guys already have, hence this thread and a few others.  If warfare "returns" to mountains and jungles where vehicles are not optimal.  Or deep forests for that matter.  

It certainly seems like the US thinks a Pacific war is going to be less about big formations of up-armored vehicles and people, and more about lighter, smaller, more dispersed, units that are fed/feeding ISR to shoot missiles at the CHICOMs then scoot so as to avoid being glassed by retaliatory fires.

Being able to live out of your kit for a few days is critical in that environment, since the KBR chowhall isn't gonna last in that kind of fight

Yea, no problem brother.  Look forward to your replies.

It was only halfway serious   :-D  

Yea, I'll see exactly what he wants and see if I can do it.  I can do ammo pouches decently enough.




YEa, I've seen everything from EARLY cold war soviet stuff to modern gucci kit.  There's ALOT of surplus being given to the Ukrainians, but most of that is going to the western trained units.  Most kit by the rest of the ukrainians are all bought by the soldiers, including the conscripts.  I've heard 3 different ukrainian soldiers talk about having to buy almost all their kit.  It seems the average Ukrainian is given a bare bones stock AK-74, 5 mags, and one of those quad mag pouches.  If they are lucky, they get issued some random other gear, usually old soviet surplus stuff or stuff pulled off of prior casualties.  They end up buying or otherwise acquiring everything else.  It's a madhouse of surplus options, various western gear manufacturers, black market of gear from other units, stuff taken off of russians, etc.

The Russian side isn't too much better, but they are finally starting to stabilize their supply lines with some standardization of gear coming in.  But they have also been rotating units on and off the front lines to get everyone combat experience, so we are still seeing a weird mix and match of gear from them too, especially throwing in the wagner and other paramilitaries, the chechens, breakaway volunteers, etc.

This brings to mind the "re-supply/re-utilization" system for the Germans, as depicted in the classic, "All Quiet on the Western Front", where after a battle, the dead are stripped of all usable uniforms and equipment; washed and repaired;  and then re-issued to conscripts.  A new recruit is handed a uniform with someone's name tag in it.  He says, there must be some mistake.  The clerk takes it back, rips the name tag out, and hands it back, problem solved.  As Pat would say (RIP) in police work, that's what we call a clue.  

WTF do you think we are going to be doing when we end up in a shooting war with Russia and China and our access to textiles are cut off?  

The new troops are going to be lucky to get handed a set of surplus FLC after a few months.

That would be among the most dire Ersatz/Volkssturm scenarios.
I don't know how it will go, but historically even during war there still was open commerce for goods between enemy nations. The most publicized Autarky hid the fact that most of the commerce for civilian material was still done.

Case in point, do you have ever seen Iraqi made field gear under embargo condition? canvas with Playboy bunny snap closures . Maybe US will start fielding hawaian camo field gear.
On the other hand as soon as the 2022 Ukraine war started China magically stopped sending Nitrocellulose that France use for artillery shells because of "problems".

Bringing this thread back onto "something" approaching original intent (and I admit my share of thread-diversion, lol), I had an idea about something that might be both sellable and useful.

Background:  Lots of States (mine included) have passed laws restricting magazine capacity to a max of 10 rds.  As yet, not many gear mfrs make pouches specifically for 10-rd rifle mags.  Most 10-rd mags are basically the same size, based on the ctg used.

10-rd mag pouches, on a belt, will take up same amount of horizontal space as similar 30-rd/20-rd mag pouches.  Yeah, can use 2-cell 10-rd mag pouches on belt, which would be "tolerable". I rather dislike "stacking" mags in pouches, but sometimes unavoidable.  I get it.  OTOH, will be problematic to carry sufficient amount of ctgs on belt using 10-rd mags and even double-cell pouches.

So, my idea is 1) to make 10-rd mag pouches, perhaps single cell, as well as double cell, most of which will be "Universal" mag pouches, with perhaps some "oddballs".  2) Second part of idea is to make an "Over-the-Shoulder" platform, semi-rigid to reduce "flop", which is "sized" properly to accept multiple 10-rd mag pouches.  Could also accept "longer" 30/20 mag pouches (multi-purpose), but the intent is for 10-rd mag pouches.  I know such OTS platforms exist, but kinda hard to find.   If folks can link some OTS "platforms" like discussed above, I'd be obliged.  I'll keep looking.  Some smaller platforms could also be "placards" with single-cell 10-rd mags.

In a "better" world, when-and-if SCOTUS declares "High Capacity Mag Bans" Unconstitutional, folks may still want to carry their "legacy" 10-rd mags.  For sure, that will be time to "reduce" production of 10-rd mag pouches, but the platform, if properly sized, could still be useful for larger mag pouches.

Now, this idea just occurred to me, and I don't pretend to have completely thought it through.  Still, it may be viable in some States.  I'm FAR from constructing any original items, so if this interests any gear-makers out there, the idea (good or bad) is yours to use.

I saw that scene in the movie, and it was chilling.  I'm sure it happened on all sides with casualties within one's lines, but I doubt there were many successful mass attempts to recover anything inside "No Man's Land".  Far too hazardous for limited gain.  Weapons/gas masks/ammo, maybe if easy to get without undue risk.  Crawling far into "No Man's Land" being under unpredictable artillery/mortar/rifle/sniper fire for a uniform or pair of boots?   I think the movie "overstated" some things-- call it "artistic license".  The scene in the movie made the point, all right.

You can size the Fallschirmjager FG-42 pouch pattern for AI sniper rifle, SVD, and AR-10 / SR-25 ten-rounders.  Note the web-and-snap on the back -- not too far off from MOLLE to interface with your PLCE Hippo:

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Yeah, there are some 7.62 NATO 10-rd mag pouches out there, some double-stack 10-rd pouches as well.  Was mostly thinking about 10-rd 5.56 mag pouches.  Regret if I was inexact.

While my Ruger Scout rifle came with a single-stack 10-rd, 7.62 NATO mag, most "experienced" Ruger Scout rifle users much prefer the double-stack plastic 10-rd Ruger mags.  Such will necessarily require a different pouch compared to longer, single stack mags.

*sigh* another thing to add to pattern making.

The smaller precision / DMR magazines make sense to make for too.

We are 61 pages into the thread.  While this is still belt kit base discussion, there is a lull in the belt kit news world.  And there are enough rabbit trails that are belt-kit adjacent that can be discusses while keeping this thread alive while waiting for more belt kit news / discussion.

I see belt kit not just as a technical item, a physical item  'oh, that's my belt kit LBE' - there is a whole philosophy of use and accessories that go with it that should be discussed too.  And for the most part, we've stuck to that.  For the most part.

You can't talk about wagons without talking about the the hay that feeds the horse that pulls it. Maybe.

Don't forget grain.  And the occasional apple.

This had been sort of a free-form thought exercise for LBE.  Stuff likes this helps me frame ideas that are otherwise just half-baked.

You know that dutch airborne shit is pretty interesting, in that it is optimized for smaller magazines, clips, what-have-you.  It's like a bare-bones LBV tying in with their waist belt.  And the horizontal arrangement is a plus for this size.

A set of LBE on an H-harness with a placard that can clip in with G-hooks would probably cover most contingencies.

Then if you want to add armor, throw the placard on that and boom. Done.


That Ranger Safariland holster looks nice, if you had a Beretta M9A4 and $300.

Apologies for the delay. Had some family in town and wasn’t able to grab some mag pics until just now.

SVD v 20rd and 25rd 308 PMAGs for the DMR pouch ideas.

I think a double mag pouch designed for SVD/PSL/M77 DMR mags could probably be used for 2 x 20rd 308 PMAGs, assuming the pouch lid closure system had enough adjustment to lengthen the closure tab or buckle. Making the pouch able to secure 25rd PMAGs and not be too deep for the 10rd SVD DMR mags is probably a bridge too far, unless you were willing to tuck the pouch lid back and use the pouch open topped.

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Comparing width, I was kind of surprised. The amount of curve required for the rimmed 54R actually makes the SVD mag not much wider compared to the 308 PMAG. In this pic you can just see the front and rear lugs on the SVD mag peaking out from underneath the PMAG.

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ETA: based on the size of a 25rd PMAG, and the fact that 2 SVD mags stacked on each other would be even taller, the initial idea of making a 4 mag pouch, with two mags stacked on two more, seems like it would be too tall to be used on belt kit. I think it would either dig into your sides and make drawing the top mags tough, or run too low and rub against your legs.

I think now is a good time to discuss what everyone's favorite wood for smoking meats is....

Get a good measurement of the 20 round magazine, from top to bottom.

WILCO

I don't think it would be too tall, just a matter of what "ride" you carry it at.  I prefer "low ride" (in holster terms) for my pouches, simply because it creates a shelf for your rucksack.  And I think it's more comfortable, overall.  But.  If you adjust the hanger system so a bit of the top rises up over the belt, then it could work.  Remember those Brit "commando" pouches for the Sten mags?  That's an extreme example, but it can be done.  

That being said, I think a combination of SVD mag/20-rd 7.62 NATO would be more do-able.  

And I have an idea for an adjustable tuck tab so the top flap could accommodate both.  Look at the USGI canteen pouch.  If you make the closure system separate and removable from the flap, it does a couple of things.  You can now tuck the flap behind, and use a bungee and tuck tab arrangement (or whatever you want) to make it an open top pouch, or make the bungee adjustable so it will accommodate different height mags.  I'm doing something like this for a CF "Universal" pouch, which will take 2 x 5.56 NATO mags, or any radio up to a PRC-152.  

You guys remember the SOMAVs NSW vest?  They used elastic on a metal hook that engaged webbing "tunnels".  Imagine that system only now it sits in a tunnel in the top flap and can be removed and used on it's own.

So combining these two concepts.   The closure feature (tuck tab for me, but use anything you want) stretches to accommodate different height mags.  And the top flap is tuckable to prep a ready mag.  Maybe even multiple tuck tunnels, or whatever, to allow for the different heights, especially after one mag is used.  In other words, double or single mag height.

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Here is a chest rig I did for my SF buddy.  Notice how the tuck tab is separated from the base flap.  So you can tuck the flap and just use the tab on bungee to hold in place.  These pouches would take 1-2 5.56 NATO, or up to a -152.  The utilities were cut for NV gear or what-not, but also could take a 1 qt USGI canteen, if you tucked the flap and used the tab/bungee arrangement, similar to a USGI canteen pouch, which is where the idea came from in the first place (with a tip of the hat to the SOMAVs vest).  Instead of webbing, I used a double layer of cordura, to create a "tunnel" for the bungee/tab to sit in.  As it's open on both ends, you merely pull the bungee out of the tunnel to tuck the flap.

Notice the "jump locks" v.1.  The tuck tab could also be tucked under it to secure just one mag.

I don't think it would be too tall, just a matter of what "ride" you carry it at.  I prefer "low ride" (in holster terms) for my pouches, simply because it creates a shelf for your rucksack.  And I think it's more comfortable, overall.  But.  If you adjust the hanger system so a bit of the top rises up over the belt, then it could work.  Remember those Brit "commando" pouches for the Sten mags?  That's an extreme example, but it can be done.  

I presume this is responding to my comment that stacking 4 SVD mags, two mags high, either in the same pouch with a horizontal divider or in 2 x 2 pouches attached to the same backer. I didn't take a pic, but putting 2 SVD mags on top of the 25rd 308 PMAG, which is already a pretty tall beast in its own right, made the whole stack another 3/4" taller and about 9" tall overall, and that was before you'd add in the additional overall height from the pouch material. As I don't see being able to run 4 mags in the same pouch with a series of vertical and horizontal dividers being very user friendly from a mag drawing perspective, you'd probably want to do 2 x 2 pouches attached to the same backer (similar to the Soviet belt mounted pouch I posted earlier). It seems best to keep the SVD mags to a single pouch with 2 mags sitting next to each other with a simple divider for noise discipline. Figure four of these double mag pouches on your belt kit would give you 9 mags with one in the gun. Run a minimalist chest rig for another 6-10 mags and you're starting to lug a descent amount of relatively heavy ammo and mags for a DMR.

Yeah that's very true.  I look at any 7.62 as equivalent to 2 x 5.56 rounds.  So you'd adjust mags accordingly.

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Another version of said vest, on SF buddy for trial fit up in team room.

This one was to accommodate dual comms for the team leader with at least 4 mags on the vest.

I think this concept would work well for some "universal" pouches as we are discussing here.  And yes, those are the exact same pouches.

Nice looking rig. And the dual-purposed flap/bungee retention system is pretty innovative.

Hey thanks.  I really like this pouch, prolly my favorite.  Only thing is the flap needs to be flat so no side pro, but if that's doable you get a lot of versatility.

This rig was made a for a mission where they were advisors to heavy infantry, doing straight up bunker busting.  He was wearing a JJ's belt kit with it as well.  I'm not sure how much advising and how much ass-kicking he was planning on doing.