I wanted a smallish backpack for walking to the Cluster Box to fetch the mail and packages. I already have dozens of those. But I wanted a hidden Scabbard, that would offer instant & totally open access to a long gun, and I wanted it to "NOT" offer the slightest hint about the existence of the scabbard to any observer.
My "Fetching the Mail" Ultra COVERT (read as hidden) Scabbard.
- Thread starter Sourdough
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Available in several Colors and/or Camouflage patterns.
The H2 Gunrunner is a minimalist, lightweight rifle pack with patented Backscabbard. It is designed for hands-free hunting and quick access to your rifle, and has just the right amount of stowage for a day’s outing. The top compartment is a good size for range finders, calls, etc., and the main compartment is sized for a day-outings worth of food and clothing.
It has an internal sleeve sized for either Eberlestock WX2L or WXP3L hydration bladders (sold separately). Side webbing is configured to mate with the A3SBSaddle Bag, which allows you to increase the capacity of the pack by adding up to two of these 3-liter pockets.
The H2 Gunrunner is a minimalist, lightweight rifle pack with patented Backscabbard. It is designed for hands-free hunting and quick access to your rifle, and has just the right amount of stowage for a day’s outing. The top compartment is a good size for range finders, calls, etc., and the main compartment is sized for a day-outings worth of food and clothing.
It has an internal sleeve sized for either Eberlestock WX2L or WXP3L hydration bladders (sold separately). Side webbing is configured to mate with the A3SBSaddle Bag, which allows you to increase the capacity of the pack by adding up to two of these 3-liter pockets.
- Built in hidden rifle scabbard
- One vertical and one horizontal compression strap
- Pack Volume: 1,000 c.i.
- Scabbard Volume: 400 c.i.
- Total Volume: 1,400 c.i.
- Weight: 3 lbs 8 oz
- Dimensions main bag: 18"h x 9.5"w x 7.5"d
- Scabbard dimensions: 34"L x 7"W x 3"D, with a 20" circumference opening
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SAME PACK......Different CAMOFLADGE.
I bought one about a month ago, I used a lot, I tried several firearms fitting in the hidden "Gun Scabbard". I bought a second one a few weeks after the first.
I'll likely set one up with everything, then super-super-super package it up for adding to a nearby cache.
I'll likely set one up with everything, then super-super-super package it up for adding to a nearby cache.
Interesting pack. How fast can you get a rifle out of it in an emergency? Is there some kind of hidden sleeve built into it? Do you pull the rifle out over the top of your shoulder while it's on your back? I'm wondering how it works.
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Yep.
We first got issued Eberlestock scabbard packs about 15 years ago.
I still have a couple of them.
About the only "challenge" with them.....is to make them stable for a long march, you need to pull down the compression straps.....and that increases the resistance to pulling the long gun out of the scabbard.
But for the OP's stated use, that should not be a problem.
Eberlestock and Mystery Ranch make up >90% of my packs.
We first got issued Eberlestock scabbard packs about 15 years ago.
I still have a couple of them.
About the only "challenge" with them.....is to make them stable for a long march, you need to pull down the compression straps.....and that increases the resistance to pulling the long gun out of the scabbard.
But for the OP's stated use, that should not be a problem.
Eberlestock and Mystery Ranch make up >90% of my packs.
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Where do you order?
Never mind they cost $200.
Interesting..........What were you expecting to pay for a Quality pack.....??? There are packs (Good Packs) that cost near or over $1,000.00
The most I have paid for a backpack is $749.00 and that was roughly twenty-five years ago.
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Just curious, wouldn't it be easier to strap on a pistol?
YES..........and I do. But a pistol is not intended/designed for several types of encounters. Most preppers filter prepping decisions through the "EASY" filter.
I constantly run "what if" thoughts. I actually enjoy doing that. So even wearing a pistol, I am constantly considering, "Am I wearing the proper pistol for what I am at that moment doing". The "monsters" that I regularly encounter have more than two legs.
I often wear my ".475 LINEBAUGH" and still feel concerns about its limitations.
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Is your mailbox in a dangerous location? That would suck. I'm armed when I go to my mailbox ... because I'm always armed when I am clothed. I'm not into naked mail retrieval yet, but as I get older that does become a possibility, so I might experience unarmed mail retrieval at some later date. Arming myself is part of getting dressed for me, even when inside the house.
I haven't found any need for a rifle when getting the mail though. However, if I lived in Alaska and large bears were known to be in the area, I certainly might reconsider that! I don't consider handguns and bears a good mix, no matter the power of the handgun.
I haven't found any need for a rifle when getting the mail though. However, if I lived in Alaska and large bears were known to be in the area, I certainly might reconsider that! I don't consider handguns and bears a good mix, no matter the power of the handgun.
Probability wise, I feel for me fatal Moose encounters top my apprehension list.
Moose can actually kill a human (literally) in one or two "SECONDS". Much faster than a bear. They are scary fast to attack, and the profile of their body when attacking does not offer quick disabling targets. Actually, if by dumb-luck they were shot in the knee, that would stop things.
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When I lived in Alaska I wore a .500 S&W mag in a chest holster. I've seen more moose encounters than bear attacks. When we lived in north Idaho we've been chased by moose, fortunately not for very far.
My experience generally has been, if your gun isn't already in your hand, you are probably too late. This works for most animal encounters, and quite a few human.
That said I keep my truck gun (Keltec Sub2000) folded, in a sling bag behind the seat. Obviously it's not readily accessible - and what bothers me is if I had to bail there might not be time to grab it. But for current conditions it's fine.
Our mailbox is about 1/2 mile on the other side of the sub-division. Our threats are nasty dogs, rabid people, and yotes. An occasional snake, usually golpher, maybe once a year a rattler. If I had to run a guantlet of bear and moose I think I'd want a major caliber rifle, like a lever Guide Gun (or maybe a SCAR .308
) and I'd carry it in hand.
I certainly defer to @Sourdough 's experience regarding Alaskan creatures, both 4 and 2 legged. I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping it in a pack (discretion?). I know walking through my hood with a long gun, I would have plenty of protection when the 18 cops showed up - and my neighbors would avoid me forevermore. Which might be nice...
That said I keep my truck gun (Keltec Sub2000) folded, in a sling bag behind the seat. Obviously it's not readily accessible - and what bothers me is if I had to bail there might not be time to grab it. But for current conditions it's fine.
Our mailbox is about 1/2 mile on the other side of the sub-division. Our threats are nasty dogs, rabid people, and yotes. An occasional snake, usually golpher, maybe once a year a rattler. If I had to run a guantlet of bear and moose I think I'd want a major caliber rifle, like a lever Guide Gun (or maybe a SCAR .308
) and I'd carry it in hand. I certainly defer to @Sourdough 's experience regarding Alaskan creatures, both 4 and 2 legged. I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping it in a pack (discretion?). I know walking through my hood with a long gun, I would have plenty of protection when the 18 cops showed up - and my neighbors would avoid me forevermore. Which might be nice...
LOL - You'll hate me.
I don't know what I paid, but not much. Under $100 for sure. My hiking day/Go Bag is a maroon cordura book bag with a waist belt. It's at least 30 years old. My adventure / bug out pack I got in 1985 when I first went to Central America. It's kind of denim blue cordura. I still use it, though I have a newer (20 yrs) bigger one for colder areas that I can stuff a warmer bag and parka in. That was about $100. I'd carry either one up Denali, or take to war.Oh, I just remembered, BOTH my adventure packs have slots behind the side pockets for a machete or long gun like a shotgun or hunting rifle (or fishing rod) but they aren't hidden.
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On 8 acres, how many miles is you mail box away?
"Classified"
The design makes very little sense to me. That type of scabbard on the back does make sense with a large pack on longrange excursions but a 4lb pack for 18litres of capacity doesn't make much sense to me personally. How far is one walking with a rifle to merit a built in scabbard vs. The sustainment timeframe of an 18 litter pack- furthur what are they planning on shooting where they don't need any kind of fast access, longer term sustainment or ability to carry out meat?
Educate me on the philosophy of use for this type of rifle carrying vs. The size pack. Personally I'd prefer a good sling/shoulder hook- then I wouldn't have to take the pack off every time I wanted to sit or access my rifle.
It just seems like an overkill method to hump a rifle around for its lack of range. This designs been out for a long time, I read an article about how a guy used it for fishing and it made good sense in that role, but I've also read reviews that said the load bearing ability of the pack was pretty inadequate.
Looking forward to new info on it.
Educate me on the philosophy of use for this type of rifle carrying vs. The size pack. Personally I'd prefer a good sling/shoulder hook- then I wouldn't have to take the pack off every time I wanted to sit or access my rifle.
It just seems like an overkill method to hump a rifle around for its lack of range. This designs been out for a long time, I read an article about how a guy used it for fishing and it made good sense in that role, but I've also read reviews that said the load bearing ability of the pack was pretty inadequate.
Looking forward to new info on it.
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The eberlestock packs were designed for sniper teams.
The principle was that the primary long gun was the main load and most of the weight being carried. Up until we got eberlestock packs, we used drag bags.....which were more just a big soft gun bag with shoulder straps added as an after thought. The drag bags also carried the long gun muzzle up, which put the top/muzzle way above your head and would hit everything you walked under. When you went prone with a drag bag......the barrel was pushing down on the back of your head. Wearing a drag bag made it obvious from a distance that you were a sniper......and a lot of bad guys have a grudge against snipers.
Drag bags also made the gun 0% accessible without removing the bag from your shoulders.
On the eberlestocks, the scabbard was put closest to your back to decrease leverage applied by the weight of the gun against your back.
Some of the long guns we carried were accessible without removing the pack.....and some were not. It depended upon the length and shape of the gun.
Sometimes we carried the precision long gun in the pack and an M4 as a "ready gun" for the walk to the destination.....it is difficult to carry two long guns any other way.
The volume of the other pockets on the pack varies widely by model......but these packs were not designed to carry huge amounts of sustainment gear or to pack meat out from a hunting trip.
The eberlestock scabbard packs are not perfect.....but they were a big improvement in many regards over drag bags.
Yup- I get all that. What I'm curious about is the civilian application- huntwise this size pack/format makes little sense to me. SD wise it makes little sense to me. Highly niche gear- and from what I understand about the eberlestock packs the military fellas used they were all very large in order to carry the rest of the sniper team gear aswell.
this small day bag version of this concept that in the 1000ci/18L "gunrunner" seems to be marketed at day hunters, the problem is day hunters aren't going far enough to merit a scabbard pack imo especially given the access constraints the come from the gain in carryability of a longer range system is what I'm drivin' at.
Perhaps the older crowd benefits from the improved balance in the short range stuff? For the weight though I'm dubious of the overall benefit given the drawbacks in that usecase.
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Probably about local priorities and mindset.
Those packs are a niche product.....that started out that way from the beginning of the concept.
Note the thread title does state the pack hides a long gun and keeps it covert.........while still being quickly accessible.
Those packs do a good job of that........
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That depends on what load a person desired to carry. I have several packs for backpacking Empty 55-gallon steel drums. I also have some that I have carried near (or over) 200 pounds of wet skull still in, large Alaska Coastal Brown Bear hides, over 38 years of guiding hunters in Alaska. At one point I had 44 different backpacks. Most were specialized for special species hunts.
I have one of the truly massive backpacks built by Alaska Range Gear.
What I did not have is a backpack perfect for a person attempting to be "Gray-Man" while fetching the mail. I wanted "small" as the pack only needs to be empty the carry packages back from the cluster box.
The reason I posted the two carefully selected photos of the pack I purchased, is that they only show a Very Small "Day Pack" size and configuration. The scabbard is totally hidden in that configuration. I also prioritized having instant access, not needing to open "ANYTHING" for access.
It is perfect for what I wanted. The important thing is as long as the firearm extension is not extended it appears as a small "Daypack", thereby not drawing any attention.
Now my question for you is what tools would nicely fit in that compartment.
