Ode to Magnussen Bushbag

C

CShepherd

Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
1,085
After seeing Magnussen's great bushbag based off of the GI buttpack I got to running with it. Here are my efforts for now. There are some further upgrades I intend to do and I will mention those as I go. As always, suggestions, ideas, vetos, and critiques are always welcome. I'm here to learn. If I knew it all I would be listed in the "inspiration" threat. :)

Here is the bushbag as carried. It is designed to ride on my right shoulder across to my left side. I often carry a CCW pistol in the appendix position and that keeps that open.
Bushbag1small.jpg


Here are the contents as they are carried. I will break down each of the bags as needed. I will not bore you with details on the canteen and cup or the knife, I'm sure most of you know what it is. I do carry the canteen cup inside the pack as I haven't had a chance to pick up a canteen pouch. The pouch I'm using is sized for a blow out kit and will only fit the canteen. For now I tried to stay with as much stuff as I already had, buying a minimum.
Bushbaglabeled.jpg


Okay, let's start with pouch 1.
This is my general or miscellaneous pouch. It houses some wire bundles, approximately 9 feet each. 4 predone snares, some iodine tablets in the red straw piece, a breast milk bag (uses 1/2 iodine tablet to purify), a spork, mouse pad and various grits of sandpaper to sharpen my convex edges, sewing kit, pencil stub with duct tape, some wood screws, various ranger bands and some ziploc freezer bags (I like to collect stuff as I hike).
Bushbag8small.jpg


2 is a compass, firesteel with striker, fatwood and jute twine and a whistle. This rides on the small pouch on the front of the bag. This pouch is a GI compass pouch just sewn on. I attached a clip to the handle so the lanyard for this setup can be clipped so I won't loose it.
Bushbag3small.jpg


to be continued
 
Bushbag continued.

3 is a bit of TP along with some ziploc sandwich bags to carry out the used tp.

Of couse 4 is a canteen.

5 is my first aid kit.
Nothing special here except lots of bandaids. I'm a clutz and my two daughters and my wife are also clutzes. It's a family thing.
Bushbag7small.jpg


6 is a Cold Steel Roach Belly I recently picked up. I carry on my belt a knife I made along with a pocket knife as well. I liked the look and feel of this knife so I decided to try it out. So far I'm quite impressed. Have to get a Mora next. :)
The knife is attached to the shoulder strap with ranger bands.
Bushbag2small.jpg


7 is what I call my shelter kit. It includes a 50' hank of paracord and a 20' hank of paracord (I like paracord). 2 large garbage bags and some of the disposable hand warmers now that the weather is getting into fall. It also includes one of the better emergency blankets.
Bushbag6small.jpg


8 is a cheap poncho. It's not one of those cheap, cheap ponchos, just a cheap one. :). If it looks like it's going to rain I have a swiss surplus one that I'll carry lashed to the bottom of the bag. This is just incase something blows in, which can be quite common in TN.

9 is a rite-in-the-rain notepad with a pencil stub. I usually carry a mechanical pencil, the stub is just a backup. I like having a notepad with me. In it I've written some various tips and such including trap diagrams for reference.

to be continued
 
10 is my firekit.
I know I have a fire kit attached to the lanyard with the compass and whistle but I really like firestarting stuff so I carry bunches. I also have a firesteel on my knife sheet and one on my keychain.
In this kit is a ferro rod/striker/fatwood combo, two sticks of fatwood wrapped in jute twine and held together with a ranger band (quite flammable themselves), and a container with matches, PJCB packed in a duct tape pocket. This container is also wrapped in jute twine.
Bushbag5small.jpg


11, last but not least is the canteen cup. This rides in the pack until I can pick up a proper pouch that'll hold the canteen, cup and some iodine tabs.

The shoulder straps can be detached and will form a belt. It is large enough to fit around me with a heavy coat on. On the back of the pack I am going to add some belt loops so that the pack can then ride on the belt in case I get tired of carrying it on my shoulder.

This pack will also carry some family items when out with the girls so I have to leave some room in it.

I forgot to mention that the notepad and pencil ride in the M4 pouch attached on the outside, opposite the canteen pouch. I like having them easily accessible for taking notes as we go. I may modify that setup by putting another pouch on the very front of the bushbag that the notepad will fit in. Still toying with that idea.

Future upgrades:
Change the canteen pouch to a proper one.
Add belt loops on the back so I have the option of carrying in on a belt.
Add a method to attach my 12" tramontina machete to the back similar to this picture.
Bushbag9small.jpg

I think this would make a great way to carry this length of blade. Could even carry a small hatchet/tomahawk there if desired.

I think that about covers it. In the limited bit I've had to play with this setup, I really like it. It is convenient, comfortable and more than adequate. There's room for some food, an esbit or alcohol stove and other misc items I might decide to carry. Best of all it was fairly cheap. I had to buy the buttpack, the 2" webbing and buckles and the canteen cup (that one doesn't count since I was planning on buying one anyway).

Thanks for looking.
 
i think you did a fine job on your bag, you assessed and addressed you and your families needs. i like your bag very much...try this....you CCW right? do you carry an extra mag or load on your person?

i also carry a full load out for at least one more mag when i am out in the woods...depending on my carry.

me its like this..

Pistol ( in this case XD9 SUBCOMPACT)
spare mag
and 20 rounds extra in box in bag.

so i have 41 rounds on my person...total. 11 in pistol 10 in spare mag in designated spot. and 20 in a box on outside of bag.

just a thought....(this all caries over from work,where i never want to run out of ammo in a fight.)
 
Langston,

yep I do carry. Glock 23 IWB in the appendix position. 13 rounds there. I also carry a spare mag on the left hip. Still accessible with the bag in place. Haven't thought about extra rounds beyond that. May have to give it a try.

Charlie
 
Forgot to mention, the Cold Steel Roach Belly does not come with orange handles. It's amazing what a can of Krylon can do. In addition to firestarting stuff, I like orange handles. :-)

Charlie
 
Ok, I was about to ask if they just started making an orange one,lol. I like orange too. Nice set up. Looks like it would work really well.
 
No pics, but here's what I did with an old army buttpack about a year ago (posted on another forum):
Had some free time today to screw around, and as always, I'm trying to make my packing kit as modular as possible.
I decided to try and make a good daypack/bail kit that would carry most of the essentials for a day of woodsrunning or if I had to stay for an unplanned overnighter.
Of course money is tight, so I decided to make the kit out of items I already had.

I started with an old army buttpack. I managed to shoehorn in a pack towel, small first aid kit, bug dope, Gerber ProScout multitool, waterproof match case w/storm matches, a Bic in a small ziplock with Coleman tinder sticks, 2-50 ft lengths of braided paracord, a Mosin Nagant sling (more on that later) and 50 rounds of .22 magnum. To the outside, on the ALICE loops, I put a 1 qt canteen with cup and stove attachment with Katadyne MicroPur tablets for purification and coffee filters in a ziplock to prefilter, and on the other side, a utility pouch with food (3 cans of SPAM, 3 vacuum-sealed pouches of minute rice -- each pouch makes enough to fill 3/4 of the canteen cup when cooked, a dozen bullion cubes and a spoon. When all is said and done it's about as many calories as 3 MREs in the size of one.). I carry a GI bivy sack rolled up and attached to the bottom.

Then I thought, "Dang, it'd be nice to have more of a knife than just that multitool's dinky blade." I felt my RAT-7 staring at me, I tried attaching it by looping the MOLLE strap around the top straps of the buttpack, between where they are sewn at the back of the pack and the horizontal keepers that keep them on the top of the top flap -- perfect fit! When worn as a shoulder bag, it's very easy to reach and take out, when worn around back, it takes a little stretching, but I can get it fairly easily.

Since I hate carrying buttpacks as buttpacks, I attached a Mosin Nagant sling to the D-rings at the rear to carry it over the shoulder. I threw a second Mosin sling in the bag so that I can attach it later. I found if I put it on right, it rides like a backpack with the straps straight on the front, and crossed in back, stabilizing the load.

I was surprised at how much I could get in that small package.

Best part is, it fits on top of everything else in my rucksack, with a more comprehensive first aid kit on one side and a 2-qt canteen on the other side.
 
Cpl Punishment.

That sounds cool. Sort of what I was going for here. I've been working on a get home bag and after playing with this idea I think I'm going to do something similar to what you have. I like the idea of the spam/rice meal. Easy to make but good tasting and as you said, lots of calories for a small amount of space.

Thanks for sharing. Those buttpacks are really quite useful and versatile with a bit of tinkering.

Charlie
 
I missed this thread......

Thanks for giving me giving me some recognition there, buddy.... although what I did is nothing new, that's for sure. I drew my inspiration from the18th century longhunters "possibles bag".

Contents look good... bag looks good.... we're starting a fashion trend, bro!

Rick
 
ZombaiO said:
Very,very cool!
From where did you get the bag ?
Click to expand...

I actually picked it up from the company I work for (shooting sports wholesaler) but you can find them at any decent army/navy store or online. Just search for GI butt pack.

Keep in mind that i did add the shoulder straps but it was an easy adition.

Charlie
 
Magnussen,

The more I use this setup, the more I like it. Still wanting to add a pouch to hold my write-in-the rain notepad. I have also added a way to attach my 12" tramontina on the back diagonally. Seems to carry real well.

My dad used to the whole mountain man thing and gave me a nice possibles bag he made. I always theought they were on to something. If it worked for those who actually lived in the wild, then why wouldn't it work well for me who plays in the wild?

Charlie
 
;) I've tried small backpacks and fanny packs.... but always come back to a shoulder bag of some sort.... this one has worked out well for me. I'm constantly refining it's contents.

:thumbup:
 
Very good, well thought out kit.
The 12 inch tram at the end was icing on the cake, I love mine.
I have heard good things about the roach belly too.
 
I'll try to get a pic soon of the bag with the tramontina mounted. I can switch it out for a Cold steel Trail Hawk as well.

Charlie
 
My setup is similar except that I have a 2 Qt. military canteen attached on one end. My buttpack is one of the old canvas models. For my strap I use a military cargo strap. That piece of equipment was meant to be used in this manner as well as on the pistol belt.
 
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