BATAC LE or CG for military duty?

perryman

perryman

Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
93
I am planning on giving my youngest brother a BATAC. He is in the army, just got home from a deployment and is heading back out shortly. I have a SE in route and have a stripped CG as well (sold some non users to pay for them.) My favorite Busse knife when I was in was a BA-E so I wanted to carry on the tradition. He refused to take my BA-E last time I tried to give it to him and bought an an esee instead, so I want to give him a Busse of his own. I am not sure if the CG or SE would be better for him. I originally got a CG off the sale forum, but after it showed up I began to think the ..270 thickness of a LE or SE would be better and more like my old BA, so I tracked down a SE, which is in route. Any thoughts? My thought was to give him both or show him both and let him pick, but he would never pick the SE if it was next to the CG because he would think it was "too pretty" to use, but if just give it to him, I know he will take it and use the heck out of it, and I want him to carry the best blade for the job. So my question is, if you were headed overseas, which would you prefer, the CG or the thicker SE and why. Forget looks-I just care about performance. It the .270 thick blade too thick for actual use, or is it a better hard use knife becasue of the extra thickness? Thanks for any advice.
 
Give him the CG!!! One of the considerations is weight. Those boys are carring so much gear the weight adds up quick. I don't think he will want a .270" straped to him for very long. Give me ammo is what most of the boys are telling me. If there not carring theres there carring spare ammo for the SAWs and 249's plus the amount of water they are having to consume.
 
First, I have no combat experience. I use the BATAC as one of my camp knives though. I have owned both the CG's (micarta and G/10) and the LE. The LE is a brute. I sold it long ago feeling it was too thick. I kept a CG with mags and did not strip it. It is plenty strong. I prefer the non glare approach. Micarta is also a bit lighter than G/10. Noticable on these knives IMHO.
 
Russ nailed it, the lighter the better. CG BATAC out of your options listed.
Most of the local threats over there are not very large people, so a 511 or Ratmandu would be perfect for both his combat needs and edc tasks.
I only had a cold steel SRK back then, but it was enough to get me home.
You never know what can happen, so keep in mind that at the price point, he wouldn't feel bad if it were lost, stolen or confiscated over there.
I had a valuable ring stolen while I was in the sandbox and I was not a happy soldier. That particular item at todays value could buy me a moab if I sold it now. :(
 
I had a LE for a while and it was just too dang heavy- so another vote for lighter weight- go GC.
 
If you look at military issue blades in the past years you're looking at Camillius and Kabar type knives. They all have one thing in common that dull non-glare finish. I'd recommend a CG also. Never actually went into combat but after 20 years of playing their games I carried the Kabar but snagged an early Buck 110 for my pocket.
 
thanks! The CG I got had the finish stripped, but I sand blasted it so it is non glare. I am going to have a little something etched on the side of the blade like his battle roster #, I doubt that confiscation will be an issue with his unit, but if he loses it, oh well. Not a big deal.
 
Another vote for the CG. My oldest son carries mine and it will be deployed with him as well.
 
CG! CG! CG! CG!

for all the reasons above. Thank God men like you and your brother exist:thumbup:
 
I have been using a BATAC LE for quite awhile while on deployment but it was recently stolen out of my jeep. Most practical useable knife. It did everything i could have asked of it. Either one would serve him well in the sand. I loved my LE's width as it was used to open metal ammo cans, MRE crates, pry open door and anything else you could imagine. A CG should be more than adequate though. Hope this helps. Your doing a great thing, providing him with such an awesome tool. Enl. pay only goes so far.
 
Thanks for the comments. When I was in, a personal blade was a big deal as it was one of the few things that you could carry that wasn't standard, and as anyone who has ever served can tell you, anything you carry that is different is coveted. From what I understand, some units no longer allow personal fixed blades, in fact when my partner at work went to iraq with the guard I bought him an ESEE 4 and he was not allowed to take it. Thankfully my brother's unit is not like that. I guess I may end up sticking the LE on the sale board again, that is unless I decide to retire my BAe (NEVER!!) Thanks again for the help guys!
 
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Skip them both and get him a Jackhammer or HH-55 ,,,,,,,,,,,, 2cents

Respect
G
 
Regardless of which you choose he will be well served. Please pass on my gratitude and thanks for his service.

Garth
 
I have had both the CG and SE. I still have the CG. Though the stock is thinner(mine is .20") I feel it is a stronger design. The saber grind has no real weak spot near the ricasso as the flat ground se does. This is especially important if doing any prying. Also when I had both I measured behind the egdes and the CG was thicker there. The SE/LE may cut better but the CG is "combat grade for a reason. Probably why most classic combat knives are saber ground. Just my two cents. Both are fantastic blades.
 
shigawire4sure said:
I have had both the CG and SE. I still have the CG. Though the stock is thinner(mine is .20") I feel it is a stronger design. The saber grind has no real weak spot near the ricasso as the flat ground se does. This is especially important if doing any prying. Also when I had both I measured behind the egdes and the CG was thicker there. The SE/LE may cut better but the CG is "combat grade for a reason. Probably why most classic combat knives are saber ground. Just my two cents. Both are fantastic blades.
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While I understand what you are saying, that there is more steel at the ricasso of the SE, I can't imagine anyone actually breaking any Busse at that supposed 'weak spot' no matter what one was prying.
 
resinguy said:
While I understand what you are saying, that there is more steel at the ricasso of the SE, I can't imagine anyone actually breaking any Busse at that supposed 'weak spot' no matter what one was prying.
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I agree,the chance is slim of either breaking laterally. I just feel the design on the CG is better suited to such tasks. I was mearly trying to illustrate that the thickness of the blade isn't as important as the grind. Again either one would be well suited to a soldiers needs Id wager.
 
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