Forgetting Essential Gear

[K22]

Saw some posts about inadvertently forgetting to bring essential gear to either the range or on a hunt so in the spirit of a helpful hint, I thought I'd post my system. Nothing unique about it, probably a lot of you are doing this already especially if you screwed up once or twice and forgot something essential which can ruin your day.

I have separate shooting gear transport boxes / bags for range shooting and hunting, i.e., a rifle range box, a pistol range bag, and a hunting bag. Each transport box/bag contains all the essential 'small' gear I always need and use.

For larger items, such as specific firearms, shooting sticks, orange hat (varmint hunting in PA), shooting chair, etc., I have a 3 x 5 card attached to each transport box/bag, a checklist, that lists all the items I will need. Once small item of the list is the specific ammo I will need since it varies depending on the firearm I will be using. I check the list before I depart to assure everything is loaded in the truck.

Since I started this system about 20 years ago, I've never forgotten an essential item. I once drove 30 miles to hunt ground hogs and forgot my ammo which ruined a perfect weather day with a freshly cut hay field. I decided right there and then - THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN! 

 

[Oso]

I leave the range basics (3 ear muffs, targets, clothe pins, corrugated backer boards/political signs, spare 10 or 20 round PMag magazines, spare pistol mag, chamber flags, bipod, shooting rest bags, essential small parts & spare BCG, tools, lube and cleaner, etc) in cargo bin in vehicle. This way at any point I can go to range and have enough to play without having to cancel my range trip over something minor. This way I can keep the kids happy and still have a plinking session. Forgetting the firearm or ammo is a different matter.

Oh Yeah - Cleaning Rod to knock out a stuck case or lend to a neighboring shooter.

The specialized and expensive stuff lives in the house.

 

[Tempest]

I have check lists and still forget stuff!

Father's Day weekend we drove 8 hours to the beach and shot a match. In the middle of the night I woke and remembered I didn't pack my sons coat and glove for service rifle. That would have been a bummer!

 

[FeMan]

I do extreme backpack hunting trips, where forgetting anything is at least inconvenient and at worst, dangerous. I developed a simple system for that and also use it for matches. Its similar to K22's

I start by making a list of everyhting I will need. I have an excel database that I pull from for major trips hunting trips (with the weight of each item ) which helps. Once the list is completed, I go through it item by item. I get each item, place in it a pile, and check the item off. Once evertyhing is checked off, I pack everything. As items are placed in my pack, I draw a line through the item. Once everything has been checked and marked through I am ready to go.

I have never forgoten anything this way. Buddies who are less formal have though. One fogot his water purifier and figured it out when we were 8.5 miles and 4,000 vertical feet from the truck in the Wyoming back country!

 

[nmkid]

One elk season I forgot the sling for my rifle. I had taken the sling off while sighting in. That hunt was a loooong 4 days.

 

[M-61]

Well I forgot my bolt. I realized this after setting everything up. The good part is it’s a short drive. Bad part is I have a short fuse.

 

[KMart]

Forgot my chrony today. Which was the main part of my testing today. Trying a new powder in a case I can find no info on. Successful day. Didn't blow anything up. No sticky bolt. No ejector marks. No cratered primers.
On the down side, no information.

 

[joshb]

Forgot my chrony today. Which was the main part of my testing today. Trying a new powder in a case I can find no info on. Successful day. Didn't blow anything up. No sticky bolt. No ejector marks. No cratered primers.
On the down side, no information.

Wrong!! You know what won’t blow up! That’s good! What did your groups tell ya?

 

[KMart]

Wrong!! You know what won’t blow up! That’s good! What did your groups tell ya?

Not a damn thing. I was shooting 120 gr 6.5 lapua. I had purposely jammed them pretty good to see where the pressure would go and they don't usually shoot well with that much jam. The powder column had a lot of free space in the case.

 

[Oso]

Well I forgot my bolt. I realized this after setting everything up. The good part is it’s a short drive. Bad part is I have a short fuse.

Hadn’t been shooting much recently. Was nosing around in the safe and noticed a rifle missing its bolt… last time I shot it was a year ago?! Started searching all areas …. Luckily, I found it in pocket of gun case. Never again