Mac563

Well to be honest, I was thinking that both the flash bangs and the smoke would be used in ether in a training environment or if the militia had been activated and was working within their legal limits.

Thanks for the display. I am a cheap S.O.B. so I buy the manufacture and style I want with the cheapest coloring possible. I just dye the light colors or patterns that don't fit with the intent of the gear I am buying. It looks like a Frankenrig - which is a bonus.

Those are a bit pricey. Granted they are also only used in specific situations. As for the smoke as a cover, I have used "shutter bombs" in the past (I don't know if posting a link is allowed, or a good idea, but duck duck go Shutter Bombs and you will find them). Lots of smoke, most last about 1 min to 1 1/2 min. The smoke is not super thick (it is designed as a photography prop after all) but thick enough to help with the exit, and it does dissipate fairly quickly (so using it as a signal might not work well over any real distance). However for training they seem to work quite well.

I try to buy as much as possible with cash (not that my tinfoil hat is on super tight, I just stay in my budget better that way). I have purchased reloading components from a couple of places with no issues, how is it for the actual ammunition? Any special hoops to be jumped through? Thanks

It will become harder to get, but not impossible. The quality will go way down (across the board for all ammunition), due to the upped production. Buy it when you can and if the price is right. I would rather pay an extra dollar or two now for a brick, than an extra 25 later. Just do me a favor, don't buy out the store of any one thing!

I am not sure that the area code covers such a large area that we need to go down to sub-zones, just yet. However we do have members in the group who are in completely different area codes. Those individuals either need to pin the city they live in or a fairly close one. If they really are in those other zones they need to leave this group and join the group closest to them, no harm no foul. If they are like me, and don't want to change their phone number (mine is based out of Arizona), that is fine. But we need to know about where in our area code people are living so we can get together.

Hey all, I got it most of us are a bit private. Can you still put a pin in the city you live in, or the closest one to you? It will help us sort out where to plan get togethers, and God willing, training areas. I am not sure about all of you, but I would love for this group to go from keyboard to the wood-line.

Sorry for the late post. Life has been a bit...hectic.

I might have missed it, harbor freight is another good place to get some equipment. I understand that their quality is sometimes questionable (however as long as they are open, a broken tool can be replaced, not ideal I know). Go look at their tarps, moving blankets, screwdrivers, hammers, even their box wrenches. How about their small spare tires for wheel barrels and other small rolling equipment. They have dollies that can be used as is, or modified to use bigger tires. You can buy a fair amount of the tools needed (and even the tool boxes, just be somewhat gentle with them) from here. Add some grommets to the tarps and the moving blankets for tie downs. They have a ton of zip ties in various sizes, ropes, chains, and other fasteners. Dropping say $50 as a group each month can quickly build up a nice supply of needed items. The real issue is having a plan for what you are buying not just buying a lot of "stuff" so later you can MacGyver things.

Hi VikingPagan94, Welcome to the group. You are right about needing to meet in a neutral location. I am thinking some place where we can come and go without anyone really caring - like a restaurant (a large fast food place works just as well). Mainly I am wanting everyone who can to come. If you want to park down the road an walk in so no one knows what you drive - go for it. Same for circling the block and coming from a different direction. I know anyone can post anything on a forum, and there are people out there looking to "join" groups so they can see what everyone has and identify easy targets. Lets not forget the keyboard warriors, like you mentioned that will be full of ideas, but unless it is a "fun" training day - they are busy. Once we meet each other a time or two and establish training areas those people will become apparent and either removed or they will remove themselves. The key it to link up and start to know each other. One thing I am noticing is there are a couple of members to this group, 931, who appear to live in a different zip code. If you truly live in the other zip codes it might be a good idea to join those groups. I am saying this only because both training events and localized events (natural disasters, travel limitations, things like that) will be out of your local areas, so you will be less inclined to leave your loved ones and go 2+ hours away. I could of course be wrong. You are more than welcome to stay - I wont kick any out who are active contributors to the group. If you do live in the 931 area, but don't want you address known just pick a city or town close to you, make up a street name (I don't care about knowing your exact location but a 10 - 15 mile area would be nice).

Morning all, What is everyone's expectations for this group? While I would really like it if we are all on the forum several times a day, most of us can't do that. I would love to find out we have a member who already has a great training area already, but I am not thinking that will happen. I would like for us to meet once a month for a in person training even (classroom, field, firearms, survival, I am not picky at the moment). The reality is some of you reading this will be thinking, I wont go train if...and fill in the why. Others are thinking they don't want to be personally sociable, but they will share knowledge online. Others will have issues with leadership -that they are not at the top, leadership listening to them and doing what they say, or a dozen other issues people have with leadership. There are dozens if not hundreds of reasons why we can't get together and form a solid group of like minded individuals. My reply to all of that - what do you gain by us becoming a group of friends and patriots with similar ideas, views and goals? That is what I want to know. so: How would you feel if as a group we found a somewhat central location for a meet and greet? I am thinking at some fast food place, a park, some place that is public but not so populated that we cant all sit down and get to know each other, figure out just what this group will become and who is willing to do what to make that happen?

You bring up a couple of very good points. There are probably a lot more people in our areas that are interested in being ready for what comes, and at the same time they are afraid that if others find out, they will be mocked/shamed for their ideas, bombarded with requests/demands for help when things go sideways and finally they think if they are not part of a group they are "safe" from the government. Sadly I don't have any solutions for these people. If you think you will survive as a lone wolf or just your immediate family, I fear you will be greatly over-matched. Another issue is when these people do finally join a group they will be low on the totem pole which usually means their ideas are not followed, they get put on the crappy details, and their skills have not been tested by the group so there is not a lot of confidence in them. This will result in frustration on everyone's part, a sense of un-appreciation on the new persons part, and a lack of trust or loyalty. From my perspective I am much like those people. I don't want to advertise that I train and prepare. As a result I do not have a large group close to me should things go sideways. In fact the group of guys I train with are based out of northern Alabama. My main excuse is I go to MTSU so advertising my political, religious beliefs could become problematic for me, but honestly I don't think many would actually care - it is just an excuse for me to stay in my comfort zone. Again this is my view, YMMV. But should you find a person who is interested, you have to embrace them (not necessarily trust them), and make them feel like they are a part of the group. That their ideas, concerns, and skills are valid (if not necessarily practical). As a side note, they might have family that they will have to take care of as well - help them feel welcomed in as well.

That is a huge amount of information. Thank you for sharing it!

I don't use the double mags, so this might not work. Grab some kydex (I would go with the thicker ones, but the thinner ones might be the only ones that fit). Cut it to the width of your pouch and long enough to fold over your two magazines (if you want make it long enough to fold over the tops of the pouches to eliminate the risk of catching the mags on reinsertion). Heat and bend it to shape (the bottom corners is where you want to pay the most attention. Then slide the mags out and reheat just the tops so you can bend them out a little, so the mags don't get caught on the plastic going in. Also bend the side in just a touch so there is a good amount of tension. Put that in your pouch and see if they hold the magazines in and make adjustments until it holds with the tension you want. Now with the double mags, you might be able to do the same with the kydex being on the short edge as opposed to the big wide edges. I have never tried it, and I have only seen the kydex in the single pouches. Was I clear as mud? If you add some holes you could use 550 cord instead of the bungee cords to create the pressure needed to hold the mags in (the 550 cord would need to go sideways across the mags instead of over them)...perhaps combine that with the kydex...I might have just given myself a small project.