Ipsc rifle Chest rig?
- Thread starter rifleman1377
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Because it's harder and more awkward to reach for your mag pouches on a chest rig. Chest rig are perfect for combat when you need to carry a lot of mags. Belt mounted mag pouches is the fastest way.
Not if you're shooting prone!
Depend how you set it up... If you have 4 triple mag pouch in front + grenades or 40mm stacked in front of that... yeah might be a bit of a pain to go prone. Properly set up rig with 3 double mag in front is very doable.
460 days spent in Panjway, never went to prone
Northaways
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Yes, you can use the chest rig in IPSC rifle. Chest rigs are however not permitted in IPSC shotgun. Depending how you set it up the chest rig could be a bit of a pain in prone. And you will shoot a fair bit of prone in IPSC rifle.
If you practice with the chest rig you can be fairly proficient with it. Have a buddy who uses one a lot in CQB and he is pretty fast with it. He uses the same rig in IPSC rifle and 3 Gun.
I however use and like the standard bladetech double rifle mag pouches for IPSC rifle and 3 Gun. They’re compact, light and easy to add and remove from your belt and adjust in different positions and angles and takes almost no learning curve to become proficient for someone using them for the first time. Also not an issue if you go prone.
Dexter Morgan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've gone back and forth several times with rifle mag placement. They all have their pros and cons.
Rifle mags worn on the front of your belt are completely awful if you need to go prone.
Rifle mags worn on the side/back of your belt are a long way from your rifle. And you can't see them.
Mags worn high on the chest are as close as possible to your rifle.
They're easy to see, and easy to grab.
Drawing a mag while prone or kneeling or laying on your side/back is also easier from the chest.
But one big advantage I've found with the belt pouches is drawing a mag while sprinting.
For some reason; I find it easier to draw from the belt than from high on the chest while I'm running full speed.
Rifle mags worn on the front of your belt are completely awful if you need to go prone.
Rifle mags worn on the side/back of your belt are a long way from your rifle. And you can't see them.
Mags worn high on the chest are as close as possible to your rifle.
They're easy to see, and easy to grab.
Drawing a mag while prone or kneeling or laying on your side/back is also easier from the chest.
But one big advantage I've found with the belt pouches is drawing a mag while sprinting.
For some reason; I find it easier to draw from the belt than from high on the chest while I'm running full speed.
When I started shooting IPSC rifle last summer, I asked about this, since I'd been shooting CQB with a chest rig, and was told that chest rigs were not allowed per Rule 5.3.1-Appropriate Dress:
The use of camouflage or other similar types of military or police garments other than by competitors who are law enforcement or military personnel is discouraged. The Match Director will be the final authority in respect of what garments must not be worn by competitors.
So, I bought the Bladetech pouches and set up a belt for IPSC. When I got to the matches, almost everybody was set up similarly, although I do remember one guy with a chest rig. In that case, the MD didn't seem to care, and neither did anybody else. This was a Level 1 match, so it was pretty relaxed. If it were L3, it would be a lot stricter.
So, technically, according to the rules, if you show up with a chest rig, and the MD considers it to be a "military garment", then it may be a no-go. In any event, it is "discouraged" (at least it was for me).
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In fact, the IPSC Rifle rules seem to contemplate chest rigs since (a), they don't rule them out specifically like the shotgun rules, and (b), rule 5.2.4 (which doesn't say anything about waist level, etc):
"Ammunition and speed loaders must be carried or worn on the competitor or mounted to the rifle in safely designed pouches or other suitable retention devices, unless otherwise specified in the written stage briefing"
In any event, I just wanted to shoot without wanting to get into a big argument as a newbie - the guy who gave me the info was a very senior, qualified and experienced IPSC official - so I belted up, which turned out OK, since I now go this way for 3 gun anyway.
Northaways
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Yes, a MD could justify not allowing chest rigs under rule 5.3.1 - appropriate dress. My experience however is they typically don’t with chest rigs, unless you push it and go overboard with the ful Monty camo outfit. Have seen several use them in a Level 1 Rifle matches with no flak from the MD.
I initially bought an inexpensive chest rig from Amazon when i first started out, mainly thinking I could use it for CQB as well as IPSC rifle and 3 Gun. Only to discover it didn’t work well for me in IPSC rifle or 3 Gun and the belt rigs were a much better choice ...for me.
Money wise think there is not much difference between an inexpensive chest rig and a bladetech double rifle mag pouch or two. Most IPSC rifle and 3 Gun stages you can get away with just one double mag pouch on your belt. Especially if you use mag couplers, Lar and or Beowulf mags and keep the preload mag in your back pocket.
