Are You Utilizing Your Equipment to It's Maximum? Example: Your Rifle?

[Dee]

I have been what some term a "Survivalist" all my life. I say I am a "Perpetual Boy Scout". Some inner voice has told me all my life that the simple skills are the most important in life. Example: As a very young kid I INTENTIONALLY experimented with the best, and surest way to get a small fire going. I discovered in my early years between the ages of 11 and 13 that to dig a hole, and build a fire, it left no trace of my being there.
I learned that you could cut up some veggies, a little meat (squirrel? rabbit?), and put them in an old half pound coffee can, replace the lid, and put it in the bottom of that hole, shovel the coals back in on top of it, and an inch of dirt over that, and come back hours later to a hot meal. When finished, just throw the can back in the hole, and cover it up.
The Scouts taught me many things, and a very wise, old grandmother taught me other things.
But this thread is about a small idea about your rifle, and in this case the M4.
 In the pictures you will see my M4, with a scope, with a back up sight just below and behind the scope, and about 10 inches of bicycle inner tube on the sling. The scope and backup sight are self explanatory but, the inner tube? It prevents the sling from slipping off the shoulder. It can be removed, and with one end pinched one can carry small amounts of water, or drink from it. It can be cut into small rubber bands, and if one has a wound on the arm area it can be cut into the appropriate width and worked up the arm to form a tourniquet or even a covering.
 Next to pistol grip, note the G.I. can opener, and magnesium fire starter. The can opener can be used as "a can opener", a knife, or a straight bill screwdriver, such as needing to take the scope off if damaged, and it will UNZIPP the hide on just about any size game one might kill, or gut a fish. The magnesium fire starter of course can be used with or without the aid of shavings off the magnesium. Also the can opener and fire starter can be used together, if needed.
 Both are held INSIDE the pistol grip, with an inner tube cap, and different size rubber bands made of the same inner tube. All useful in a survival situation. The fire starter was cut off at an angle on one end so that it would fit flush inside the handle.There is also room for small fish hooks, and weights, and line dropped in loosely.
Some may have already thought of this, and some maybe not. Hope it helps.
Dee,

[bilmac]

Most of my rifles have minimal survival kits in the buttstock. Easy with plastic stocks, and lots of room. Even my wooden stocks have large holes drilled out that will hold some matches some fishhooks and line that is heavy enough to do some lashing, and maybe an extra bullet or two. I may not always have a screw driver to get the butt plate off, but I always have a pocket knife and I figure I could always worry it off with that even if it means breaking it.

[Dee]

I've also done that, and am in the process of going back thru my fanny pack, and going more minimalist on it. Day back packs are ok, but I have a tendancy to load them up with too many what ifs.

[Almtnman]

Some good ideas that might prove useful Dee!

[Dee]

I have read everything I could get my hands on that I thought useful over the years, but as I get older, I realize that I am not able to carry what I used to. At the moment I am going thru a quality fanny pack I have had for years but, used very little. It is roomy enough to even carry some food such as sardines an crackers, and coffee yet small enough to be worn around the waist with a belt knife. Combined with what is in my rifle it would be all I needed for a couple of days if need be, even in winter in my part of the country where timber is plentiful.

[Oldshooter]

Good post Dee, I was thinking the other day about what I could put in there, the innner tube is a good idea also. I have the solid butt stock on mine with a storage spot in it. I'll have to think about what that would carry.

[Dee]

Good post Dee, I was thinking the other day about what I could put in there, the innner tube is a good idea also. I have the solid butt stock on mine with a storage spot in it. I'll have to think about what that would carry.

I used to have a full stocked ar. I had it loaded with with stuff, and in the pistol grip also. I had most a cleaning kit, and 3 piece cleaning rod in the stock.

[Oldshooter]

PM sent

[Almtnman]

I have read everything I could get my hands on that I thought useful over the years, but as I get older, I realize that I am not able to carry what I used to. At the moment I am going thru a quality fanny pack I have had for years but, used very little. It is roomy enough to even carry some food such as sardines an crackers, and coffee yet small enough to be worn around the waist with a belt knife. Combined with what is in my rifle it would be all I needed for a couple of days if need be, even in winter in my part of the country where timber is plentiful.

I'm kind of like that myself as I have a nice hunting backpack crammed with all sorts of useful stuff. I got to where I don't carry it much anymore, but it did prove useful if I sat in a hunting spot from daylight til dark. I was at Academy the other day and looked at a nice fanny pack that has straps that hold it up kind of like a pair of suspenders. I am thinking of getting one of those as the pack is low enough to not interfere with my hunting or shooting and looked like it might be comfortable to wear, especially having those suspenders that strap over the shoulders.

[SHOOTALL]

Dee good post . I use an Avery made shoulder bag as a possibles bag . I got it for duck hunting but it works for every kind of hunting and is easy to tote . I also use their blind bag as a truck/boat/4wheeler bag.

[jlwilliams]

Excellent post.

 A friend of mine has made a few costom wood stocks that relate to this.  I should say he customised stocks, not made custom ones in this case. Anyway; he replaced the butt pads with swiveling ones.  The new ones were simply screwed on at one point with a carefully seated screw.  The other end looked like a screw, but was in fact a simple plunger.  You push the plunger in with whatever you have (tip of a bullet, twig, whatever) and the plate can swivle (SP?) down revealing a compartment.  One was a neat job he did for a guy with a (legal, registered) silencer for his 22.  The stock had just enough room for the can to fit and was felt lined so it didn't rattle or get dinged up.  Another held a fishing/survival kit like the 1980's "Rambo Knife" kits.  Both were nice little field guns, made more so by using the otherwise dead space of the stock.

  Not a dificult job.  It helps to use a good thick pad so it isn't flimsy.  I keep meaning to make compartments for most of my guns.  At least the ones I may be in the woods with.  "Stuck out over a night or two" is the most common 'survival' situation.  It can end badly, or you can have a few items with you. 

  Again, great thread.  Seem to be o ton of them here on GB.

[bilmac]

When I go out I take both a fanny pack and my day pack in the truck. If I just want to make a couple mile swing, the fanny pack goes. Besides some survival stuff, I also carry my licenses, extra bullets, sling, drag rope, folding knife, GPSreciever. In other words what I need to hunt that would otherwise have to be stuffed in pockets or hung on my belt. If I intend to spend a day on foot, I put the fanny pack in the day pack. It also has water, lunch, a tightly compressed poncho liner and stuff like that . I could make a pretty comfortable overnight bivouac in nice weather if I wanted.

One thing I try to fit in almost every survival kit if I can is one of the tiny survival blankets. Besides being used as a blanket, they can be set up as a rain shelter, or as a kind of a lean to that will protect you from wet ground or snow as well as reflect heat from a fire down onto you. I had to use a couple of them to do this once when I was forced to spend the night out in Alaska in the winter, -30 degrees. I just kept a fire going through the night and actually was quite comfortable, just sleepy next day.

[SHOOTALL]

I like to keep a couple DRUM size trash bags along . They have many uses - sellping bag , rain coat , store meat , ground cloth , rain fly etc etc .