I need a gear solution

[D.B. Cooper]

So I'm doing a USPSA style, run n gun league at my local club, and I need a better gear solution for carrying mags, etc. Running an M9 and an A2 model AR.

Holster is a Safariland ALS. Mag pouches are open top plastic. I carry these on a nylon Wilderness Instructor belt. For just pistol, that kind of works. Mostly. Add in the AR and things fall apart. The only way I have to carry AR mags is an old-school USGI ALICE/LBE mag pouch. Not bad, but slow to reload. It doesn't attach well to the belt. I also used a dump pouch for a while. Not ideal.

I would probably just stick with the ALICE/LBE motif except that I can't find a way to attach the ALS holster to a GI web pistol belt. I have an M12 holster, but it's nylon and the rules won't allow it. It would be slow to draw and, I think, prone to sweeping my weak hand because of the flap.

So what would you suggest I could use in competition that allows me to carry a pistol + pistol and rifle mags? Preferably, something that, if things go south, I could grab it and go and have something suitable.

 

[jmorris]

So what would you suggest I could use in competition that allows me to carry a pistol + pistol and rifle mags?

How many rounds are you wanting to haul around?

Something like this is 60 rounds without adding anything to the belt and closer to where it’s going to go to boot.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

How many rounds are you wanting to haul around?

2-3 rifle mags and 3-4 pistol mags, at a minimum, for competition. Part of my problem is that I think I might want to incorporate all of this into a bug out bag (so that I'm competing/training with all the same gear), in which case, 6-7 rifle mags. (I cut my teeth on ALICE/LBE gear in the early-mid 90s, so I keep reverting to that-6 mags + 1 in the rifle, 2 pistol mags + 1 in the pistol, but that seems very impractical and...counter productive...for competition.

 

[Telekinesis]

You can set up a Safariland to work with an Alice type pistol belt. You’ll need to take the buckle assembly and all hardware off of one side and then you can get the belt through the loops on the holster. Then just reassemble. Not something that is quick or something you’ll want to do a lot, but it can work.

If you want to swap holsters around for different guns, I recommend the QLS system. Works very well if you have multiple holsters you want to use on one belt mount.

Gear setup is going to be more difficult and is honestly going to come down to personal preference. As a base I’d recommend going with something like a Molle war belt designed with a Velcro inner belt. Inner belt goes through the belt loops on your pants, outer belt that has the gear attachments goes on over the inner belt. It is surprisingly secure.

After that, it depends on how much you want to make this a competitive belt vs a fighting belt. For a more competitive style, you’ll be looking at open top pouches, possibly ones that you can orient in very specific ways. For example my USPSA belt has Double Alpha mag pouches that hold the mags bullets outward, and at an angle close to 45 degrees (so neither vertical nor horizontal). Makes a lot of sense from the mechanics of doing a mag change, but it takes up a BUNCH of space. It’s also a bit less secure.

On a fighting setup I would prioritize making sure the gear stays where it’s needed (flaps or similar on the pouches). I’m willing to give up a bit of speed on the reload if it means I don’t have to worry about my gear falling out (or getting pulled out by a branch or something) while I’m doing everything that doesn’t involve gunfighting. Normal pouches that hold 2x AR mags should be fine. They’re usually pretty inexpensive as well.

Remember that a fighting setup is something that will be (hopefully) carried/worn more than used, while a competitive setup is something that will be used almost every time it’s worn. In my opinion comfort and gear security are more important on a fighting belt than a competition belt.

For a fighting setup you’ll also probably want things like an IFAK, dump pouch, and general purpose pouch (a canteen pouch works well) that can hold all those small useful things that you don’t want to put in pockets (like snacks). It’s extra weight and “junk” that doesn’t need to be on a belt designed for competition, but it can be useful for a fighting belt.

Finally, 3 rifle mags on one side could get a bit lopsided. Maybe not an issue for competition, but it will definitely get annoying if you’re wearing the belt for 8+ hours a day. With 6-7 rifle mags I would strongly recommend adding some suspenders or splitting up the kit so you have some on a plate carrier / vest and some on the belt.