Best Busse for a Marine?

I think it depends on his MOS. Not every Marine is in a line company. I spent four years working on the runway. Find out what his MOS is and you can make a much better choice. Anything larger than a Hell Razor and he is just going to be called "John Wayne".
 
There are several that I see as good choices:
BA E
BA TAC LE
Meaner S
Euro 4

These all have relatively thick blades and are around 5" which is close to ideal.
 
As a former marine (reserve,) I am going to have to agree with the aforementioned BATAC, in a subdued color. Anything bigger or flashier would cause him grief. Even the BATAC looks big when sheathed, but I think it fits nicely when inverted on a pack strap or vest.
 
I was in the Marines 20 some years ago, and as much as I would like to say an ash or sarsquach, an ad or ms would be much more usefull and practical. Every Marine is a rifleman first.
 
my son was just sent over for his third tour and he has 2 HR's one has a comp finish and one has the tiger handles and brown finish. He says he loves the way they feel in the hand even with his gloves on and it can be a quick fighter. He said the thickness is perfect and there is plenty of other things that weigh more. He wears it right now below is pack horizontal. Those two knives were the first busse knives i have bought and gave to him. He has destroyed knives in the past and these have survived. He also is 6'6 and has huge hands so i think you should go to a blade show and have him try out some knives. Because remember hes the one using it and if its not comfortable and he doesnt like it he won't trust it. thats just my 2 cents anyways.
Thanks
 
eagle359 said:
I think it depends on his MOS. Not every Marine is in a line company. I spent four years working on the runway. Find out what his MOS is and you can make a much better choice. Anything larger than a Hell Razor and he is just going to be called "John Wayne".
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+1 Even though he hasn't been to Boot Camp yet he should have a MOS specified in his contract.

I think my choice would be a Hell Razor or a BATAC, but not everyone likes a big knife. I'd say you need to feel out what he likes before you make a decision.

FWIW, I carried an Ek when I was in. I never felt like it was too big and it came in handy lots of times. I also had at least one pocketknife for smaller chores.
 
I have no xperience but everything and everyone I have encountered liked the SJTAC if they had any opinion at all.
 
Experience used to say 7" blade. Experience now says 5" blade, 4" if you're really good, 6" if you really need more. So that puts us squarely in BATAC range. If he thinks he'll need more than that, go with the SJT or JH. All these knives are wicked on both ends, what a Marine needs.

But I'd really push for the BATAC: to put it another way, it's small enough to carry instead of being big enough to leave behind. Marines walk a lot, carrying a lot.

But above I'm really talking about a Combat Knife. Something slightly different than the Ka-Bar he might otherwise carry and even a bit more capable.

Another knife to think about is an EDC knife, like Horton brings up. More often than not Soldiers and Marines are leaving their combat knives behind. If you get him a Public/Desert Defender or another medium/small blade like that he may be much more likely to actually carry the thing. Counter-intuitively, giving him a "lesser" knife may mean he has a knife when he needs it, so much better than an ASH in his assault-pack in the back of the Humvee or MRAP.

Best of both worlds he'd have a PD on his ballistic vest (those things weigh 65-75lbs when the mags are full, and upwards of 80 if he's carrying a camelbak too) and a Skinny ASH in his assault pack. But with the BATAC it's possible he may never need anything else.

Thinking about all that weight might help your decision.
 
I am a Marine.

Some very good suggestions here, the BATAC, SJTAC, and Skinny ASH-1 are all about the right size. It will come down to his preference in size. Some people like smaller blades.

The SJTAC I owned had too small a handle for my hands. I'd like to try one with magnum slabs on it someday. The SFNO wasn't right in my hand. The ASH-1 feels great, but it's so darn heavy. The Skinny ASH-1 with magnum handles has been the best fit so far. Unfortunately, mine had black/tan G-10 slabs on it (I like the feel of G-10 best) and the Sergeant Major thought it was too flashy. I sent it in to Garth a few months back to have magnum black G-10 handles put on it. Hoping to hear something about the knife soon.

My T/O weapon is an M9 pistol, so I wear it with a drop leg sheath and the knife sheath attached to the pistol sheath (bound to the leg straps with 550 cord that has had the core removed to make it flatter). However, even if I had it attached to my ballistic vest, I wouldn't want anything heavier than a skinny ASH.
 
I had a good friend being deployed...I gave him his choice from my busse knives...he opted for a 0.200" muddy AD. He just returned and couldn't say enought about the knife. He used it everyday (carried on his LBE), utility, split wood, throwing (for fun), digging, etc.

never sharpened, and still pretty sharp.

He also took his Gerber Silver trident, but was told he couldn't carry it...too big. I guess big knives are more threatening then the machine guns.....
 
If I was buying a Busse Combat knife as a gift for a Marine, it would be one of the Skinny ASHs Skunk has in the company store (my choice would be the Olive drab with black canvas micarta mags, although Muddy with tan canvas micarta mags might be more suitable to current ops). In addition to being a fantastic all-around blade, it's in-stock for immediate delivery so you don't have to search on the Exchange or wait. I didn't like the thick-bladed CG ASHs, but the skinnies are great!!

I've got some of those muddy ADs motionman2 is talking about -- they're a very sturdy, very useful smaller knife that would work exceptionally well for utility tasks and be easy to carry. A lot of those sage/black and muddy ADs were sold via 'ganza, so they come up on the Exchange frequently and can usually be had at a reasonable price. A CG AD like that would probably be a better choice for heavy-duty field use than one of the BADs Skunk has in the store, although for most folks who aren't likely to use it for prying, those BADs are a near perfect fixed-blade EDC.
 
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Satin Jack would be great. From personal experience I'd advise something small, compact and sturdy. BATAC or smaller.
 
Skunk bailed me out. Won't know his MOS until he grajamarates sometime in winter. (Smart boy going south starting in November. Everyone else I know goes in June. ???)

We'll go with my first instinct and see where it goes from there.

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.

Dennis

PS - If you want to donate a SHSJ at below MSRP (note, not current retail - MSRP) I can guarantee this new Marine would at least fondle it before heading overseas, UJ. ROTFL!
 
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