Chest rig thoughts?

[mattw]

I am going to a 3 gun match at the end of the month and wanted something that would let me carry a few mags on my person without having to stuff them in my pockets. I did a little research and found the best compromise between price and function (I was going for something as low-profile as possible, but still able to carry a minimum of 3 AR15 mags) was the Eagle M4 LE chest rig.

This rig as sewn in pouches for 3 AR mags that are lined with kydex and felt. This holds the magazines very secure in the pouches and I doubt I would be able to shake them out or pop them loose unless I really tried. The straps have a wide latitude of adjustment and even fit my smallish frame.

So what do you use for a chest rig? How do you carry extra magazines during matches or in a situation where you might need them quickly? I'm interested to hear thoughts on specific models of chest rigs or just general opinions.

 

[mokin]

That looks like a nice rig but maybe a little pricey. I've been using Vietman era 782 grear. That is a pistol belt, a nylon magazine pouch for rifle ammo, a canteen cover for shotgun shells, and a newer 90's issue Bainchi holster with a thigh rig for my pistol. A little more classy system is on my list of things buy but so far (two years later) it still works really well for me.

Any chance you could try it on before purchasing it? Another thing I've noticed about chest rigs/tactical vests is that many guys I shoot with say they are hot in warm weather.

Be safe and have fun!

 

[BBBBill]

What I have used "in the sandbox" is probably too much (space) for your needs, but food for thought. I used two rigs with equal success. Both by High Speed Gear. No, this is not an ad for them and I don't own/work for the company. It is just good stuff! One was the original first version Warlord (not made anymore or special order). It carried 12 M-4 mags and 8 M-9 mags as well as a bunch of other stuff you probably don't need. The minimalist version of that is the DACH which still carries 12 M-4 mags.
http://www.hsgi.us/proddetail.asp?prod=HSG-DACH
While both carry more than you probably need, they are hell for stout and will not let you down by coming apart at the seams or tear easily.
The other rig was called the Wasatch. It normally carries 12 mags, too. But it is smaller/lighter than the above. It, too, is built tough. They make a smaller version of that called the Weesatch that holds 8 mags. I recommend looking at that one for your needs. http://www.hsgi.us/proddetail.asp?prod=HSG-WEE
You can find all kinds of uses for the excess space.

Mine have seen two full deployments and some short "excursions" along with some trips to Gunsite, etc and are still very worthy of use. I wouldn't hesitate to take either back again.

 

[mattw]

Bill,

HSGI definitely makes some nice stuff, I hear nothing but good about their gear. Their chest rigs look like a good option for exactly what you described - going out looking for a fight in the sand box. Right now I am just doing 3-gun and want to keep my waistline clear for my pistol, but I would definitely look at either HSGI or EssTac for large-volume mag carriage. Good call.

mokin,

I've got a set of deuce gear from OCS. It is just about indestructible. Unfortunately I think that's all its good for, when you need a cheap, tough solution. If you want to be quick or need to change the way your gear is set up for different activities (hiking, assaulting a fake enemy up a hill in Quantico, 3-gun) deuce gear is not the best option available. I HATE ALICE clips with a passion and would never use ALICE or LC-1 load bearing gear if given a choice. In the time it takes me to open the 3-mag pouch on my deuce gear war belt I could have done a complete mag change from my chest rig. If you don't need speed, then I guess 782 gear might be a cheap answer. And to top it all of deuce gear isn't even comfortable...

Bonus points for pictures of any of your chest rigs or war belts.

 

[armoredman]

Blackhawk Chest pouch for AK, but shown here with 8 vZ-58 magazines, and two CZ P01 mags, and my fat gut. Heavy, but not too heavy.
Bonus point for fat gut?

 

[mattw]

Nice. Are those pouches all sewn in? Is the flap the only method of mag retention? What is your primary use for the chest rig (other than hiding your "fat gut" )? You run it for 3 gun or at any classes? Pros/Cons?

 

[armoredman]

Everything is sewn in place. The flap is what holds the mags in, velcro closures. Use is a "run and go SHTF" setup, second to hide fat gut during SHTF. No matches out here.

 

[mattw]

You should start one.

 

[armoredman]

No shotgun. :/

 

[mattw]

So just do a tactical carbine or tactical pistol course.

 

[armoredman]

Thought occurs, great free public range.

 

[rduckwor]

No shotgun. :/

Remmie 870. <$300. Every Armoredman needs a good shottie.

RMD

 

[ultradoc]

this 3 gun run sounds pretty cool

 

[taliv]

mattw that is the exact rig i use for 3gun and classes.
i have one substantially identical for 308 sr-25 mags from SKD tac, except it has the little bungee bands on top and no kydex lining. i prefer the eagle one. the way the eagle one has the big buckles makes it easier to don/doff

 

[taliv]

sorry if that last one wasn't clear

i use the eagle rig in 223
these guys sell a comparable product for 223 www.atstacticalgear.com called a low profile chest rig
and i have one except it's for 308 mags.

 

[mattw]

taliv, I was actually looking at the ATS low profile chest rig but the Eagle M4 LE was $40 cheaper and I don't need the GP pouches. I wish ATS would do a run of the low profile rig WITHOUT the GP pouches, that could bring the cost down to within the realm of the Eagle rig and I would have definitely bought one instead.

I ordered a PPM dump pouch and an Emdom 3o2 pistol mag pouch. I am going to put the dump pouch on my belt and the 3o2 will go on the chest rig. In the future I plan on getting an ATS war belt, at which point I will get some Eagle FB pistol mag pouches.

 

[Iansstud]

go to botach tactical and look up "BlackWater I-O Zip Rack" just type it in, i think its $39 On clearance then look at the mag pouches they have too, all blackwater is clearance...