MOLLE the start of the tacticool

[The Waco Kid]

The MOLLE bandolier

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“It may not be the tactical gear you want. But it’s tactical gear you deserve.”

The molle bandolier is a complete air soft rig. Nothing else needed.

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Each pocket can hold two M16 mags, a radio or smoke grenade. Job done.

Each pocket has a top flap secured by a press stud. These are not fully closed so thin items like mk5’s can fall out.

The shoulder strap adjusts but is sewn in. 

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 The press studs are used to install the bandolier in the claymore pouch on molle patrol and assault packs.

 There are two loops at the bottom edge so you can add a waist belt of bungie and have a compact hip/chest rig.

 The USMC are speshul and have a uniqueewee version. This has pals on the back to add crayon storage options.

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As it’s a grid you can add anything using MALICE clips. You could even sandwich two back to back as a grab bag.

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Yes, the USMC does have one piece of kit  that’s better than the Army’s version. ???

 

[The Waco Kid]

MOLLE 2 Tactical Assault Panel 

  AKA the TAP or chest rig

View attachment 117819

  This is a 3 rows by 18 columns of pals flat panel with internal 5.56 magazine slots secured with Velcro tabs. There is an additional short row of of pals above the center magazine slots. There are three rear pockets, two Velcro closing & one zippered. There are attachment points for a selection of hardware & straps that allow for several methods of wear. Available in UCP & OCP patterns.

View attachment 117815

  The TAP was designed to allow the quick release function on issued ballistic vests to work if the TAP was worn correctly fitted to the vest. The FLC stops the quick ditch feature from working if worn over the top as it predates most issued armor designed with that function.  Like wise the RACK, Ranger Assault Carry Kit and Marines Recon Assault Carry Kit, were not designed with an integrated quick ditch mechanism in mind and the TAP updates this. Hardware was included with the TAP to work as a stand alone chest rig as well.

View attachment 117818

  FSBE AAV/CIRAS/RAV were under the SPEAR BALCS system (ie. not general issue MOLLE) and pouch attachment was designed to not block separation of the panels.

View attachment 117817

 

[Lozart]

MOLLE 2 Tactical Assault Panel 

  AKA the TAP or chest rig

View attachment 117819

  This is a 3 rows by 18 columns of pals flat panel with internal 5.56 magazine slots secured with Velcro tabs. There is an additional short row of of pals above the center magazine slots. There are three rear pockets, two Velcro closing & one zippered. There are attachment points for a selection of hardware & straps that allow for several methods of wear. Available in UCP & OCP patterns.

View attachment 117815

  The TAP was designed to allow the quick release function on issued ballistic vests to work if the TAP was worn correctly fitted to the vest. The FLC stops the quick ditch feature from working if worn over the top as it predates most issued armor designed with that function.  Like wise the RACK, Ranger Assault Carry Kit and Marines Recon Assault Carry Kit, were not designed with an integrated quick ditch mechanism in mind and the TAP updates this. Hardware was included with the TAP to work as a stand alone chest rig as well.

View attachment 117818

  FSBE AAV/CIRAS/RAV were under the SPEAR BALCS system (ie. not general issue MOLLE) and pouch attachment was designed to not block separation of the panels.

View attachment 117817

Also available in Coyote Brown (USMC Issue).

 

[The Waco Kid]

Cheers, how could I forget the Jarheaded hero's and champions all things brown? Gunny Highway is very disappointed!

CLUSTERFUCK

 

[The Waco Kid]

MOLLE II, pack, patrol

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  Not including the similar later Assault pack there are at least three version of the "Pogie Bait" pack knocking around.

Initial production style pack.

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  The design takes inspiration from the IIFS/CFP-90 lid of the previous system. Layout and construction is very similar but the shape has been changed to look more like the Lowe three day Adventure pack (what Eagle copied for the 3 day assault pack) and reduced in size a little. I only have (so far) the later model but the differences summarize as:

1. Experimental. Soft back; ITW hardware; funky woodland pattern.
   
2. Original production. Soft back; National Moldings hardware; woodland & desert tri-color.
   
3. Later production. Plastic frame sheet; ITW hardware; woodland, desert tri-color, UCP, OCP. 
    
   

*Hardware might change by run date and contractor. Zips are always YKK though. 

  Someone tried to tell me they did them ABU Tiggercam. Can't find a reference though, perhaps aftermarket.

Common features across the versions are:

• 1500cu (24.5L) volume.
  
• Double action zipped main compartment with fittings to install SINGARS radio pouch.
  
• Slot for back pad plus frame sheet and jump lines on later model "jumpable pack".
  
• Padded narrow shoulder straps with sternum strap, top attachment point is adjustable for width.
  
• Drag handle.
  
• ID window thing.
  
• External buckled pocket with drawcord (claymore or promask pouch) with press stud to fit bandolier.
  
• Velcro slot pocket in external pouch (either for weapon cleaning kit or mask filters).
  
• Drain grommets on both compartments, sometimes with internal cover.
  
• Female buckle to mate to main pack. Late model uses the top ones to have webbing lashing loops.
  
• Bottom tabs to fit MOLLE waist pack or lash items too.
  
• Narrow strip of pals above the ouside pocket.
  
• Small pals grids on the sides, a little bit more on the later packs.
  
• Comms/Hydration Pierson the later style.
  

Side pals grid on jumpable pack.

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Canteen covers and waist pack fitted to use as a 3 day type pack.

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Side by side to Medium ALICE to give an idea of capacity.

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Venture surplus takes a look at the patrol pack, ‘Merica!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=epLs_rNO3ZU

Added for quality of beard and accent.

 

[Lozart]

Cheers, how could I forget the Jarheaded hero's and champions all things brown? Gunny Highway is very disappointed!

CLUSTERFUCK

View attachment 117827

 

[The Waco Kid]

General note on original molle issued gear and collecting.

Build quality:

Mostly well constructed as with US issues kit. More than adequate for pew pew larping.

  Bare in mind it was made to a budget, sometimes in a prison sew shop, rather than skilled Vietnamese children.

  There is a variation in materials and sewing quality. Pouch dimensions can be a bit off so you will have, mag pouches typically, that are very snug.

  Packs often have a lot of loose threads inside. If you was with them do so with care. Pals grids commonly contain a section that is not square or misaligned. These can some times be overcome by using MALICE clips or similar attachments.

Age:
 

 Original stuff still comes onto the market seemingly mint. On worn items  the Velcro and elastic can have lost much of it’s strength.

 Colour:

  Woodland can be difficult to get everything new as people still actively use it and are less likely to sell it on. Still very popular in the US.

Tri-colour desert items often turn up unused. Probably because stock were not immediately rolled out and then UCP came out.

UCP, don’t over look it. Lots of it out there still in the packaging. It can be dyed, especially the nylon. 
 

UCP DELTA. Good luck finding genuine items in this pattern. It’s like the A-team, “…if you can find them…”. Expect to sell a kidney.

Coyote Brown maybe heavily stained with someone else’s crayon juice. But parts are still on issue as the Corps doesn’t like to get rid of anything. When did they get rid of the pup tent?
 

OCP/skorpion is still current issue across several services so finding it is not a problem. With the complete system in inventory.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Sample molle 2 load out based on early issue setup.

There are several proscribed kits in the manual but recipients seem to have ignored them from the get go. ?

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This load out is based on a full molle set rather than the hybrid Molle/Alice/IIFS that was first seen in active service.

Rifle M16a2 with an after market three point sling.

Vest chassis FLC. Adjusted so most of the load sits on the waist belt. 
 

The front mag pouches are set high to make prone shooting easier.

Back in the day rifle mag pouches are often seen sat above each other as there are a lot of molle rows.

RHS:

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Frag pouch with compass

Double magazine pouch

Medical pouch as utility

Bayoney/knife

1 quart canteen

LHS:

View attachment 119417
 

Frag

CQB mag

2x double mag

1 quart canteen

Dump pouch is a modern add on for skirmishing. A leg bag would be more common at this time.

Waist pack on rear with a bit of snivel gear & 24hr sustainment.

In period pictures the canteen pouches are often worn further forward as utility pouches or simply for access.

The set up allows for eight plus one mags carried, so one pouch could be for a MK18 smoke.

In early TAP setups triple singles were commonly run behind the mags so troops are carrying 12-16 magazines on the vest.

Example from operations in Iraq.

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Armour carrier with canteen forward and bandolier on the upper chest. The issue sling has been modified to fit the side of the stock and somewhere around the delta ring. The knuckle duster is optional.

 

[The Waco Kid]

UCP Delta

Just a brief note for those who don’t know what UCP DELTA is.

View attachment 119427

The info below is paraphrased from Soldiervsystems articles, PEO Soldier and US militaria forums.

UCP camo sucks, but the decision was made to field it.

Reports from Afghanistan were not good so a process was started for possible replacement.

UCP, AOR & Marpat are printed using the same screens but UCP used only 3 with a different palette.

View attachment 119426

Therefore variants of UCP with less grey and more brown were simulated.

Of the five (A-E) C & D looked the most promising. After further simulation a version of D (UCP Delta) was deemed most effective. Uniforms, covers (hats and helmets) plus TAPs were made and issued to a battalion alongside commercial Multicam. 
 

The upshot is that OCP was adopted as everyone and their mother had said it should be in the original trials that produced UCP. ???
 

 

[Scubasteve89]

Sorry, all this Molle talk got me excited.

Still not had a chance to wear this one, but this is Molle and her older sister.  In the back is a replica RBA.

 

[The Waco Kid]

What’s the quality like on the RBA?

 

[gavinkempsell]

Any good souces for reasonably priced UCP Molle II kit please?

 

[JinxDuh]

Any good souces for reasonably priced UCP Molle II kit please?

Militaria events - I saw a LOT of UCP for dirt cheap recently at a reenactment. 

 

[gavinkempsell]

Militaria events - I saw a LOT of UCP for dirt cheap recently at a reenactment. 

Unfortunately they seem to be based down south.

 

[The Waco Kid]

The Finnish dudes at Varustekeka in from time to time and shipping isn’t too bad. 

If you want it from the US it’s cheapest to set up a US postal address with a shipping agent who forward it to the UK in bulk.

 

[gavinkempsell]

Thanks.
 

The US route isn't open to me but plenty based in Germany, just wondered if there was another source in or near the UK, I'll go check out Varustekeka before I comit to Fleabay.

 

[Cannonfodder]

Any good souces for reasonably priced UCP Molle II kit please?

Would this be of any help?

http://www.gbfmilitaria.com/shop/us-army/us-molle-ii-lbv-acu-vest-and-8-pouches/

 

[gavinkempsell]

Would this be of any help?

Thanks, fleabay works out cheaper & with the pouches I'm wanting.