Titanium Man Machine Gunners Load Carry System for M240L Mk48

[Stoner63A]

This is what I've been wrecking myself trying to complete the past month:
Spare Barrel Scabbard: 1000d Multicam Cordura Exterior, 1" Murdock Jacquard Webbing, lined with charcoal grey Kevlar fabric for melt resistance, all seams exposed to scabbard inside are sewn with T70 Black spun Kevlar thread and T70 Tan499 Nomex on exterior, remaining bartacks and seams sewn with T70 thread. This one is sized for a Mk46, Mk48 or M240L short barrel.


Inside flap has black Kevlar pocket for ruptured cartridge or gas pistol cleaning tools:


Along the spine is a 1.5" webbing pocket for carrying an assembled cleaning rod for punching barrels fouled from blanks or punching stuck brass/cartridge in chamber.   There is no female snap set into the flap yet because I haven't decided which cleaning rod to use since the Army issues mostly the Otis kits anymore.   A WWII M1 Carbine M8 Cleaning Rod  would fit perfectly.


You can carry the spare barrel fully secured with the main flap, or, you can remove the main flap and the four Fastex SRBs to use scabbard with barrel handle exposed for quicker access, retained by single 1" webbing strap with SRB. Velcro is there for a folded Velcro/webbing patch to hold the slot closed, and, for sticking to optional hook Velcro to be sewn/self adhesive to the inside flap if the enduser decides its necessary while under field testing in the moment:


Heavy Weapons Support Carrier, aka M192 Beavertail, 1000d exterior, 1" Murdock Jacquard Webbing, coyote 16oz hypalon-lined.  Can be used to carry the M192 Tripod; 3ea 81mm tootsie tubes or M252 baseplate; 6ea 60mm tootsie tubes or M224 Baseplate; 2rd 84mm Carl Gustav RAAWS/Recoilless Rifle Carrier or M2/M3 Recoilless Rifle; or 5gal water can:



I made a Clothing Module, basically a 1000d/1" Murdock Jacquard Webbing MOLLE II Sustainment Pouch 2" taller to recup some of the carry capacity lost inside to the ammo can module:


We altered an issue Multicam Medium Ruck System with Downeast 1609 "U" Frame, I rebuilt the main compartment moving the #10 coil zipper along the front wall to give enough room on sidewall for a Helo Armament/M1026 7.62mm Feedchute and connectors.   I replaced all the Tan499 1" PALS Loops with 1" Murdock Jacquard webbing because I wanted the ruck to look as close to factory as possible instead of mixed color webbing on the exposed panels.  We moved the single flat and two vertical pockets from the back panel to sewn to the front MOLLE Panel, added 3 groups of 5 rows 1" Tan499 AA-55301 webbing to attach ammo can module with malice clips.  The two exterior pockets I removed, sewed a PALS backing to, for use with Malice Clips as detachable GP Pouches, the former top one fits well under the M192 Tripod Feed and the larger bottom pouch fits on exterior of the beavertail if need be.  I basically had just enough time to sew up the side seams and ammo can module before I had to go meet the enduser prior to movement.   He's already made some recommendations to improve system.

Here's the altered Medium Ruck, the Heavy Weapons Support Carrier and clothing module:

[Stoner63A]

Our prototype expanded capacity ammo can locally made, transfer over the 7.62 can hinge and latch assy, paint it, stencil it for M80 M13 linked 4:1 DODIC A165, and Bob's your uncle:


I have 2 more being made from a bronze-brown sheetmetal to save time painting it ourself and it lasting longer than spray lacquer.

[Stoner63A]

Due to loadout weight considerations, enduser requested possible use of the Downeast 1606AC Airborne Alice Frame or 1606MM USMC FILBE Ruck Frame instead of the 1609 "U" Shaped Frame.      I fabricated a frame collar similar to the USMC FILBE Ruck from 16oz Hypalon covered with 1000d Multicam Cordura.   Collar lies flat against the ruck above the original Y Yoke mount with a Velcro tab:


Frame mounts so as to allow use of the original Y-Yoke as well as upgrade to a FILBE or MOLLE II Ruck Harness:


Since this pic I added two each 1" AA-55301 straps and buckles similar to the Alice Ruck's, where you see the angled slots above the waistbelt.

It wore on my conscience, sending this Troop to the desert without some means of carrying hydro whether he choses to use it or not.  I made two gusseted Tan499 Mil-C-8061 Nylon Mesh pockets along the sidewalls with Hypalon flaps for belt abrasion protection to fit 70-100oz Camelbak bladders:


In final form I am confident this ruck is more than capable of becoming his primary rucksack vs having to hump the issue MOLLE II Large Ruck System with the MG Ruck piggy-backed on in lieu of the issue Assault Pack.    Between 50-65lbs in 7.62NATO, 5-7lbs of water, 12lbs for M192 Tripod, plus hygiene, cold weather, socks, batteries, 5.56mm. I wasn't confident the 1609 Frame would support the weight needed for US Troops returning to a traditional Light Infantry role vs fighting Tangos from the MRAPs.  Using the issue MOLLE II Ruck Waistbelt was recommended for field use to allow better weight distro the the hips, especially since the Gun Team is using the ruck without fastening the Medium Ruck Waistbelt when displacing from Support By Fire positions.   The shape of the Large Waistbelt allows the ruck to set on the hips to bear some weight instead of all of it on the shoulders.

In retrospect I think I would have started from scratch using the 1606AC/1606MM FILBE Frame arrangement (allows upgrade to Mystery Ranch NICE Frame, too, btw). I would have shaped the ruck more rectangular with radiused corners like a super-sized RAID ruck to better fit the 1606 Frame, ease of assembling the ruck bag/suspension system components.

[WPJ]

Looks like a work of art.

[Stoner63A]

Looks like a work of art.

Bordering on Rube  Goldberg....lol...
He really needs to score a 4' feedchute....then we be cookin' with mogas.