BOB

[SHOOTALL]

BOB weight . what is normal ? A change of clothes , food 3 MRE's , para cord , knife , meds , etc and it gets to heavy to tote far ? So how much should it weight ?

[45-70.gov]

don't forget..   ID, credit card,  and lots of cash.....thousand $ minimum


the small things that go a loooong way and are versitle


some one with gas money will be a welcome passenger going  to a better place


water  and/or a six pack of beer will get you a ride too

[mechanic]

A three day pack should weigh about 15 # or so.  I can take a full pack wilderness camping with 5 days food, tent and etc. for a total of about 30#, less water.  Water is a big one.  Really heavy, so Chlorox in a small containter and some coffee filters will cover that.....
 
Ben

[SHOOTALL]

I loaded a pack with 3 MRE's , knife , pants , t shirt , 2 pair socks ,change of underware, 50 ft para cord, 1 bic lighter , one GI match box and some little fire starter, a leatherman tool , a smaller multi tool, 50 rounds of 9mm and 20- 308 , and 25 30 carbine , a flashlight that runs on 3 -123 battries  and three spare battries, and few other items and it became a truck BOB or get home bag .

[mannyrock]

 
  Shootall,
 
   I think you once said that you live in Virginia, so if your BOB bag is a "get you home" bag, and you live in Norfolk, Virginia Beach or Richmond, then your real problems will start when you do get home.  :-)
 
Mannyrock
 

[Bugflipper]

Mine is 34 lbs with 4 liters of water. I only keep a bottle of water in it though. Plenty of water in my area to run through a filter and fill up the hydration bladder if needed. My goal was 35. In that I have a lot of things that would be geared more for long term. A simple 3 day could be 15 lbs easily. Just depends on the mindset of the fellow, what kind of creature comfort he needs and the climate.

[SHOOTALL]

  Shootall,
 
   I think you once said that you live in Virginia, so if your BOB bag is a "get you home" bag, and you live in Norfolk, Virginia Beach or Richmond, then your real problems will start when you do get home.  :-)
 
Mannyrock

I live out side Richmond , you do have a good point .

[SHOOTALL]

Mine is 34 lbs with 4 liters of water. I only keep a bottle of water in it though. Plenty of water in my area to run through a filter and fill up the hydration bladder if needed. My goal was 35. In that I have a lot of things that would be geared more for long term. A simple 3 day could be 15 lbs easily. Just depends on the mindset of the fellow, what kind of creature comfort he needs and the climate.

could you list items ? educate us .

[tacklebury]

We just bought some of these to put in bug out bags.  Guarantees 256 gallons of usable water for drinking/cooking.  If you want to cook with it, you need to add a length of clear tubing in the pack.    Only 9" long, 1" diameter and weighs a lot less than hauling water, I dare say.

[SHOOTALL]

We just bought some of these to put in bug out bags.  Guarantees 256 gallons of usable water for drinking/cooking.  If you want to cook with it, you need to add a length of clear tubing in the pack.    Only 9" long, 1" diameter and weighs a lot less than hauling water, I dare say.

what are they ?

[KC8GOE]

tacklebury -
Yea, what are "some of these"?
Bill

[Bugflipper]

Clothing, frog togs rain gear, a nylon tarp, 2 long sleeve cotton Tee shirts, 1 bdu pants, 1 bdu type bibs, 4 socks, 4 underwear, long sleeve bdu overshirt, lightweight hiking boots, boonie hat,  bug suit, light weight gloves and baclava.


Fire starting kit is a peanut lighter w/extra flint, zippo fluid, mini torch, butane fluid, 2 hand sanitizers, 3 bic lighters, 5 vials of magnesium dust, 2 flint and steel, waterproof matches, mini magnifying glass, pocket stove and some dryer lint all stored in a ss mess kit.


Tools, a mora carbon clipper, a wonder bar style prybar, leatherman tool, small kukri machete.


Food/Water, 3 MRE, an empty 4 liter hydration bladder, small stainless sports bottle with filter, sawyer squeeze filter, vial of bleech, 5 gallon collapsable water bag, 1 bottle of water, 3 protein bars, 3 candy bars, 3 granola bars, small handful of hard candy, 3 dehydrated meals.


Food percurement, 6 snares, assorted fishing kit in a snuff tin, takedown 10-22, 4- 25 rnd mags and a 10 rnd mag.


Safety/Misc, first aid kit, glock 22 with 3-15 rnd mags, 100 ft para cord, high strength duct tape on a credit card, led hat light w/ rechargeable batteries, dynamo light/radio with solar for cell phone and battery charging, hammock, poncho liner, bivvy, toilet paper with tube out, soap, p-38.


That's really my get home bag, but I've been carrying it as my bug out bag for warm weather. In winter it comes out and my BOB goes in. About the same just wool clothes added, no bug suit, a bed roll, a kel tec sub 2000 with 3-29 rnd mags. The rest are duplicates besides the kukri. There is a 7" rat knife instead. Weight is 43 lbs with water loaded.

[Dixie Dude]

I have similar ideas,  but I only live 2 miles from work, so getting home isn't a problem.  Bugging out, maybe.  I bought a heavy hardwood rake handle that was tapered on the end to slide down into a rake.  I use a Cold Steel Bushman and it slides over this for a homeade spear.  I also bought a frog gig that will fit over this handle also.  I use the handle which is 5' long as a walking stick.  Put a cap on the ground end.  This gives me an option of gigging for frogs or fish in shallow water, or using it as a spear for defence against a rabid animal or even to hunt in a pinch.  I want to include a takedown bow with some arrows and arrowheads.  I have a complete hammock system with a tarp that goes with it for sleeping.  I got to get my stuff together and weigh it. 
 
You can take an Altoids ments can and use sewing bobbins to wind fishing line around, 50# Spiderwire, and some monofilimant, a folding pare of sissors, a needle and thread or light fishing line for emergency repairs, snare wire, a small pocket knife, military can opener, some asprin, alcohol pads, couple of bandaids.  You would be surprised as to what you can put in one of these cans.  You can sand off the paint and use it as a reflector.  You can also put a credit card in the small box.  I like to use parachord on boot laces.  Parachord woven bracelet.  Can pack a lot of useful parachord when it is laced or knitted into something.  Some people wrap it around knife handles etc.  I'm going to try to figure a way to wrap it around my spear. 

[Dixie Dude]

How much lighter is a Marlin Papoose than the new Ruger take-down 10-22?  I like the Ruger, but the Marlin shoots ok.  Also, would a Ruger 22 auto pistol (with bull barrel, I have one), be any better size wise than a full rifle?  This is mostly for small game hunting I assume that is what everyone has a 22 rifle for.  You can use a rifle to kill a deer at short range with head shots though, don't think the pistol can do that unless it is real close. 

[mannyrock]

 
  Just my opinion, but if you are limiting yourself to a .22LR as your only semi-defensive or game gathering firearm, I believe it better be in rifle velocities and not handgun.

[Dixie Dude]

I would probably use my AR-15 and have a 22lr bolt replacement kit.  That way if I need game, I can use that.  Then if I need the AR, have some Nosler Partitions or Barnes TSX for larger game and some FMJ for other needs.  Does anyone know if the McAce adapter will work in an AR?  If so, that might be lighter, because the 22lr for hunting single shot should be fine.  It could be quickly extracted to use the 223's.

[tacklebury]

We just bought some of these to put in bug out bags.  Guarantees 256 gallons of usable water for drinking/cooking.  If you want to cook with it, you need to add a length of clear tubing in the pack.    Only 9" long, 1" diameter and weighs a lot less than hauling water, I dare say.

what are they ?

Sorry guys thought I posted the link.  They are Life Straws. 
http://eartheasy.com/lifestraw

[tacklebury]

How much lighter is a Marlin Papoose than the new Ruger take-down 10-22?  I like the Ruger, but the Marlin shoots ok.  Also, would a Ruger 22 auto pistol (with bull barrel, I have one), be any better size wise than a full rifle?  This is mostly for small game hunting I assume that is what everyone has a 22 rifle for.  You can use a rifle to kill a deer at short range with head shots though, don't think the pistol can do that unless it is real close.

The 10-22 is 4.67 pounds and the Marlin is 3.25 pounds.  Basically 1.4 pounds difference.  Not a walloping difference.  I'd say the 10-22 gains favor in terms of Magazines that are available in 30 or 50 rounders or bigger even, but my original papoose is still going strong after 26 years.  I've completely worn out magazines on the gun and it keeps going.  I disassemble it for cleaning about every 3000 shots and have converted it to shoot black powder with percussion caps when needed also.  It still works with regular .22 LR ammo though.  It is a little smaller cased than the length of the 10-22 break-down, but the 10-22 has an 18" barrel, which might give it an edge on longer shooting.  Out to 50 yards though I've rarely missed on squirrels, crows, rabbits or wild dogs. 
 

 
This is what it looks like with the nipple in place.  Pretty solid hits using a .22 short case as a dipper for my FFFFg powder charges and a .22 Round ball or bullet. 

 
 

[Bugflipper]

Coming from their websites: Takedown 10-22 4.67, Henry AR-7 3.5, Marlin Papoose 3.25.


On the pistol, it depends on the shooter I would imagine. I had a buckmark that I squirrel hunted with for 3 years. It had a dot scope and I got pretty good with it. Missing one under 40 yards was a rarity. Out to 60 rested off a tree still had some consistency but would miss sometimes. Work got in the way and I missed a hunting season. I didn't shoot the pistol for a year. Next season I couldn't hit anything. What I didn't realize is it was cheap to shoot so I target practiced with it a good deal. It takes a little practice to hit small targets with a pistol. I can pick up a rifle that I haven't shot in 10 years and hit a squirrel. I was missing them without even a lucky shot at under 25 yards with a year of no practice. I thought about getting a ruger charger, but figured it wouldn't be the best to depend on if I couldn't waste bullets to practice with in an eotwawki  scenario.

[SHOOTALL]

With regard to the rifle vs pistol or revolver , It is not alwayys being able to hit the target the bullet needs to have sufficent power to stop a bad guy or critter . The 22 rifle I have heard "experts" say is about equal to a 38 spl. where the same round in a handgun is not. If I was going to carry a 22 rifle in my BOB ( a good idea BTW ) I think I would carry a handgun in a major cal. for personal defense. I know some live in places where having a rifle in plain view won't draw attention consider yourself lucky. Here even in a crisis a gun in view will draw attention. I would guess it will be taken if someone in authority sees it. , yea I know but if they take it all they ever have to do is maybe give it back later . So if you travel it might be better to look like you are not armed .

[Dixie Dude]

Maybe for weight, and survival hunting, a Marlin Papoose might be better than the Ruger.  The exta pound can be spare Marlin mags and more ammo.  Wondering now if a Ruger convertable 357/9mm revolver would be better, since it can shoot 3 types of ammo.  Can't reload fast though. 
 
Another sinario would be an AR-15, with a 22 LR conversion kit or a 22 LR McAce adapter for 22lr hunting.  The AR could be dissasembled into two parts for carry without drawing attention.  AR's aren't that heavy, but ammo can be.

[SHOOTALL]

I got a feeling most will have a good handgun in their pocket and a spare in the bag. Ammo that can be used in both as should magazines.

[Dee]

I find all these ideas quite interesting, and there was a time, I would add my own thoughts, and what I carry. However, I have given it much thought over the years, and I personally am in a situation with family members that could not travel "without a BOB", and I will not leave them. But if I did, where would I go actually. The American Indian was the premier woodsman, and sometimes entire tribes starved to death, so living of the land in todays world, makes for a good movie, but stops short of reality.jmo
In the event of a "national breakdown", trust of strangers would go right out the window, making travel of any kind difficult. One spoke of credit cards. Will there still be credit? To hoof it on foot, is to risk ambush, or down right attack, and once out of ones own "baileywick", one is at the mercy of the locals of the area. I suspect lawlessness would prevail, and their already robbing gas stations, and convenience stores, so I don't think anything less than a " personal gas stash", would get you anywhere.
I will sit tight, and defend myself and family "vigorously", but the BOB, is still present, only now has become a SMB (short move).jmtcw

[SHOOTALL]

Dee you have a good point. I hope to never have to run for the hills as I also have family members who could not make it far. I keep the bag in my truck as it might help me get home. Also after reviewing cases where people lost everything it might be good to have in that event.
 I would hope America would never destory itself and all the infastructure inplace now. I can't imagine no hospitals , water treatment or sewage treatment etc. I can see and have seen short term crisis that a BOB might ease the pain of just a little.

[Dixie Dude]

If one had a good place to live, say in the country or small town.  Staying would be fine, but what if you are on a trip, or work some distance away from home, and you have to get home?  Worse case senario is from the bood "Patriots, Surviving the Coming Collapse" by Rawles.  Best case is we get a decent president who actually CUTS the federal budget, and uses some common sense before we collapse ourselves.  However, there is still the possibility of EMP bombs in space above the US from a rogue country that could knock out our power supply, half the vehicles, among other calamaties.  Spoiled cold and frozen foods in stores, not being able to get supplies to the various stores because truck electronics are knocked out by EMP's.  Railroads would still be in operation since they are steel and contact steel tracks thus grounding them, but they don't travel to every nook and cranny town like they once did.  One might have to hoof it to get home if their vehicle is knocked out.  Discovery channel said if we had a giant solar flare over the US, it would knock out the power grid for about 6 months, half the vehicles would be knocked out.  Planes and railroads would be ok.  This would create food shortages due to lack of transportation.  If you were 30 miles from home, and had to walk, that could take a whole day of hard walking. 
 
Another senario is a pandemic.  Having a surgical mask or two in your BOB might come in handy also.  Keeping away from people during a pandemic. 
 
Financial meltdown.  We are headed that way.  Credit cards might not be useful.  A few gold or silver coins might.
 
Facist, Communist, or Nazi style dictatorship.  It can happen in America the way we are going.  President is getting too powerful, too many executive orders.

[SHOOTALL]

Or as happened to me I was working on the north side of the James river when it flooded and all bridges that could be used to get to south side (HOME)  closed except one 60 + miles east of town. That bridge was a parking lot with all the traffic . It was one of the reasons I got a bag in the first place . Had I had a BOB I would have got a camp site or room for the night instead of a long ride .

[Dee]

SHOOTALL, I ain't tryin to shoot down the thread, but I look at places like New Orleans, and realize that a nationwide break down would make New Orleans look like a minor traffic accident. Lawlessness would immediately go into affect. The squeaky wheel would most certainly get the grease, and that would be the large metropolitan areas. It would be nice to look across the road, and know whom lived there.
Tribalism would be in affect very soon after such an event. I travel for a living, and I travel light. I have no illusions of help voluntarily from folks that don't know me. I will do whatever it takes to get home should it ever happen.
As far as auto transportation happening, I see that as no more than a two to three day event. Folks panicking will drive them till the quit, and leave them where they stop, causing that mode of travel to not last long. Motorcycle! Maybe. But risky in a hungry, desperate society, that the "thin blue line" no longer has control of.
An economic depression could trigger civil unrest, and that in itself could, and would spread. In the 30s, when folks got hungry, they got mobil.

[SHOOTALL]

I don't take it as shooting down the thread at all. When I first posted on this board I was ask by a lady if I could shoot fellow Americans in a full out crisis where people were attacking each other or trying to take what food and water you have . My response was similar to yours about what to expect . I admit a couple MREs and a pistol with a couple boxes of ammo won't go far in really bad times but it might get you through the first crisis in a condition to be ready for new challenges. Will alot die in a bad crisis ? I would think so which makes me remember a line from a movie " if I need a rifle there will be plenty laying on the ground " same might be true for many items.

[Dee]

I agree. It's easy to lay the money down to buy a weapon. It's an entirely different matter on havin the nerve to use it. You can't buy that. I suspect for a little while there will be several layin around.

[Dixie Dude]

If it is weather related, economic colapse, or pandemic, there is time to "get of of Dodge".  An EMP would be instantaneous, but still allow time to get home if you had a working vehicle or could walk via woods home.  Crossing a stream or river might require something as simple as hipwaders with an innertube for floating across with a small paddle.  Or knowing the area and all bridges.  A railroad bridge by foot may be safer to stay away from people than a highway bridge.  Having a well grounded or protected electronics in your vehicle would insure it would work in an emergency.  I try to fill up at half a tank now just to have enough fuel to go about a 100 miles if necessary.