Scroungers are trying to find items to bring back, so your gear has to be able to haul it. Hopefully your Scrounger Team has a vehicle, but if not or the wheels break down - you're walkin'.

Here's a run down of things your Team will need to consider before they head out.


Armament:

First, a Scrounger Team is NOT a combat team. A Scrounger Team's job is to go out, find supplies and haul them back to camp. (For Combat Teams, see Major Damage's Tactical Scenario) So they are "geared" for cargo hauling and not for Combat.

Second, Scrounger Teams will AVOID heavy fighting if they can, but they still must be able to protect themselves without support or until a rescue team gets there. This means one or two "heavy guns" and the rest are for individual protection. Also, Scrounger Teams will have MOST of their fighting encounters in close quarters - i.e. inside a building or vehicle.

With this in mind, let's look at the guns of a Scrounger Team.

Pistols:
Each individual should have one (or two) pistols for individual protection and close quarters combat. Pistols are designed to be carried IN CASE you get into trouble. That means they are carried a lot and used a little. They give you a high rate of fire and good power at short range in a small, transportable package.

Pistols that have high capacity magazines (9mm) OR heavy calibers (.45) are designed for this type of use. Some Pistols even combine capacity and caliber - i.e. Para Ordnance P14 Series. They have large "Full Size" frames and magazines and are NOT small in size for concealment. They have less recoil due to size and generally the ability to be reloaded very swiftly. "Service handguns" as they are known, pack the marginal firepower to hold on their own when primary weapons go down, and in the case of police officers, function as the primary weapon.

Many handguns are also quite compact, designed for concealment. They are light, comfortable to carry and occasionally found in the same chamberings as their larger cousins. However, they tend to be harder to shoot due to these same traits and somewhat difficult to use. They are best used as intended; backups.

Revolvers, for the most part, come in two similar flavors. Snub-nosed designs meant for close range personal defense, and full sized revolvers in chamberings like .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 Colt. These types of revolvers are designed as powerful handguns and have better power at range than most pistols. The biggest delimiting factor for this application is that a revolver is usually limited to five or six rounds most of the time, with the exceptions being some high end custom shop revolvers. They are simpler to use, but require significant practice to reload quickly, in comparison to a pistol.

All things equal, the additional ammunition and higher capacity makes the pistol edge over the revolver in this application. Stopping power can be a concern in the sense that you might not only have to find zombies, but as you should be working with a team, virtually any caliber is acceptable for use - often, this will be influenced by what is commonly found in the area.

Check out the Handguns page for some common models.

Rifles:
Rifles are large, powerful and heavy weapons that are carried when a Scrounger Team EXPECTS trouble. There are many different types of rifles designed for hunting, recreational shooting, military, precision competitions or even older "surplus" military rifles.

There are a couple of things to consider when choosing a Rifle for a Scrounger.

1) Weight - The rifle (and ammo) has to be carried WITH your load.
2) Efficiency - Most bang per round for the weight carried.
3) Range - Your pistol is for CQC and the rifle is for range.
4) Dual Purpose (Hunting/Protection) - It's going to have to do a lot of things well.

What fits best for a Scrounger Team?

My suggestion is that the team carry TWO TYPES of Rifles.


Rifle One "Main Gun"
Military rifle like .308 Springfield M1A/M14 (shown left), 5.56mm AR-15 (M16), 7.62x39mm WASR-10 (AK-47), 5.56mm Mini-14, FN FAL, etc. These have high rate of fire and quick magazine changes for continued fire. Large magazines let you provide covering fire for a team as they move or escape. Your team can each carry magazines for this rifle, while only of person has to carry the rifle.

The catch to this rifle is using a scope on it. This gives you the ability to make precision shots (for hunting) and long range sharpshooting. So this rifles needs to cover the gap between a scoped hunting rifle and an assault rifle.

Keep in mind that giving one person your main rifle does make your defense plan rather dependent on them. Always consider the risk of losing your big gun during an engagement. Everyone should know how to use the rifle even if they never plan on carrying it.

Rifle Two "Secondary Gun"
Lightweight .22LR rifle like a Ruger 10/22, Marlin 795 or Remington 597. These are reliable rifles that can be used for small game hunting. They are NOT heavy calibered weapons and have questionable use as a defensive rifle, but with large capacity mags, they can be employed if needed. The primary use of this rifle is hunting and feeding your Scrounger Team, while they are out scrounging. The ammunition for these rifles is light and you can carry a substantial amount without much weight.

Like the main rifle, everyone should know how to use the secondary - it is the survival gun of the group and the most efficient by far.

Pistol Caliber Carbine "Tertiary Gun"
This tier is for Pistol Caliber Carbines chambered in the same caliber as your sidearm (Be it a Revolver or Autoloader) and, if it has a detachable magazine, and if possible, have the same magazines as your sidearm as well. It would be used in situations where more punch is needed than a .22 but less range than the "One Rifle." It can also be used for small game hunting, however it would do more damage to the meat than a .22 (so be watchful of that). Logistically, it would be better as well because you are not carrying around different calibers, you could also cut down on space as they use the thinner pistol magazines. Examples of this combo is a Glock 17 9mm and the Kel-Tec SUB-2000 or the older SUB-9, or a Beretta 92 9mm (or Px4 or 90-Two) and the Cx4 Storm.

Shotguns:
Shotguns are incredibly versatile weapons that can be used for CQC and hunting. These would seem to be the answer to a Scrounger Teams' needs and as much as I love them - they are not the answer for Scroungers.

A shotgun's versatility comes from two places:
1) The Ammunition
2) The Barrel Type. (More on Shotguns under Shotgun Tactics.)

They are heavy and cumbersome like a military rifle, but they do not have the range without a special slug barrel. They are good hunting weapons, but they need a barrel with removable chokes to be effective. They are excellent CQC weapons, but need a short barrel to make them fast handling for that. So if you don't have the right barrel OR carry around a couple of barrels, they become extremely limited in their abilities.

The second issue with shotguns is the ammo is incredibly bulky and heavy for the number of rounds you can carry. Like the barrels, you have to carry the "right" type of ammo for the job - i.e. Buckshot, Small Game loads, Duck/Goose loads, Slugs, etc. This gets heavy and is not a priority for a Scrounger Team.




Melee Weapons:

Melee weapons for a Scrounger Team fall into the "utility" or "improvised" category, because if a Team could carry any large dedicated melee weapons like a sword or baseball bat, they could carry a rifle. So tools and camping gear are the types of equipment that have a dual purpose are what a Scrounger Team uses.

Things like a crowbar, hammer (all types), hatchet (or short axe), machete, metal pipe or shovel. They are all designed with a utility or work purpose first and COULD be used as a weapon if needed.

Individual Gear:

Tactical Vests:

Tactical Vests are all the rage now (it used to be cargo vests), but for a Scrounger Team, these are important pieces of equipment. They are designed to distribute the load and make it easier to carry. (Shown is an EXAMPLE of today's tactical vests. It's a Mod Gear Tactical Assault Vest.)

Why is this important?

This is important to a Scrounger Team because ALL of a Scrounger's personal equipment has to be carried on this vest. Their backpacks are going to be used for carrying food & water for their mission, some group equipment and those items they find to take back with them. So a Scrounger's Vest is pretty much IT for survival gear, ammo, weapons and other personal necessities.

For example, on the vest shown: After you carry two loaded mags for your groups "Main Gun", your pistol, four extra mags and a knife, how much room do you have left? Maybe one mag pouch and the top utility pouch. That's it. So a Scrounger has to learn to pack light and to share the load with ALL team members.

Aside from common, sporting goods store variety, two other types of vests are common. MOLLE vests have webbing to allow customization with differing types of pouches depending on the role needed. Load Bearing Vests (LBVs) are really not vests but more of a pre-assembled web harness with several pouches on them. They are open compared to a conventional vest and much lighter. All three serve the same basic purpose.

Web Gear:

Used by the military for many years, belt and suspenders is still an affordable way to carry a decent amount of gear, and in some occasions, much more discreet than a tactical vest. The idea is to carry all the gear around the belt, with suspenders to help distribute the weight. It is fairly cheap and can be improvised easily. A typical loadout can be disguised under a jacket, if need be.

However, the limitations that caused the military to lean away from them apply to the Scrounger as well: limited capacity, and poorly distributed weight. They are best suited to very light loadouts. Pistol, knife, canteen, magazines and rifle ammunition would mostly fill the average waistline with a belt rig.

Gloves:

A scrounger will end up digging through all sorts of stuff, some simply nasty, some actually dangerous. A good pair of gloves is essential. For combat, it's disputed, but for scrounging, you need gloves. Even if you don't wear them all the time, you should have them handy. You'll need protection more than dexterity for most tasks, such as breaking into a store or searching through piles of junk. However, you still have to be able to grab things in a hurry. Strong, durable leather gloves are probably better than tactical gloves, though even cheap work gloves are better than nothing if you don't plan on wearing them most of the time.

Cargo Clothes:

Most think these are cool to wear and look very military in nature, but here's another example of gear that is a necessity for a Scrounger Team. All those pockets become necessary for a Scrounger's personal gear, just like their vest. They provide places to stuff things like extra socks, rope or gloves. We still need these things, but we also need to keep the backpack clear for salvaged items.

Dump Pouches:

Many times you are going to be on the run when you find something or need to pocket an item quick, like your empty pistol mag. You need a dump pouch!

These are popular today and come in good drop-leg style platforms as well as belt loop and MOLLE They originated from the old gas mask pouches that were improvised for this and have evolved into cool tactical gear of today. These are very handy and come in all shapes and sizes. Many will roll up or fold up till needed.

Dump pouches are also good for "quick load ups" for times when you have to scramble and don't have time to pack up your extra ammo or food.

Backpacks:

The single most IMPORTANT piece of equipment for your Scrounger Team to complete their mission!

Types of backpacks are not important, having a good one for EACH member of your team is important to the success of your mission. It does no good to find something only to loose it on the way home OR not be able to get it home. A backpack is your team's "mule". ALL personal gear should be kept out of it and only those items deemed necessary for the team should take up ANY space in it.

Personally, I like the US Military style A.L.I.C.E. packs because they have good pack frames with removable packs. The frame has a cargo shelf attachment that gives you a nice way to carry and secure heavy boxes - like a case of ammunition - when you need to.

Boots:

Next to the backpack as a primary piece of equipment, Boots are a Scrounger Team's mobility and what gets them home. That might sound silly to some, but boots protect your feet over rough terrain and stabilize your load as you walk. Bad foot gear will result in slow travel and/or injuries to your team. So as a Scrounger Team leader you MUST acquire the best boots you can find or buy for their Team, as well as thick, comfortable socks that effectively wick moisture.

All boots will have a break in period, something that is preferably not experienced on a scavenging run.



Team Gear:

Shelter:

Seems an easy thought, but for a Scrounger Team - it's not and someone has to carry it. A basic 4-man tent weights about 10.0 pounds. That's 10 pounds one person has to carry. Military tents are designed to be carried by two soldiers, but the average civilian tent is not. Having ONE shelter that a Scrounger Team can get into is a necessity in case they get caught out in bad weather - i.e. Winter Storm or Thunderstorms. If not for the team, then a cover for the salvage they have found. Either way, someone needs to carry a tent.

A variant of the military idea is for all team members to carry a plastic tarp (maybe 6' x 8'). This would distribute the load and could be combined to make a large shelter. It's a little more complicated in setting it up your shelter, but can make for more space and give you a lot more options for making different shelters.

Kitchen:

Pots, Pans and Tin Cans all take up space and have weight, but your Team needs to eat and boil water to purify it for drinking - so you're going to need to set up a camp when you stop. Not only that, but your team is going to have to carry food and water too. What you carry and how you do this will be up to the Scrounger Team leader, but just remember to leave room for this gear.

Ammunition:

Rifle One is your team's "Big Gun" and everyone carries ammo for it. Each team member should be required to carry at least two loaded magazines for this gun - that's 40 to 60 rounds for each person. For Rifle Two, each member should carry two boxes (100 rounds of .22LR). Add in their Pistol, four15 round mags and extra pistol ammo.

The weight is starting to add up!

Climbing Gear:

Unless your Team is going to carry a ladder or a winch, they will probably have to make do with a Rope and Climbing Harness. Why? Because anything that is easy to get into will already be EMPTY! This gear is for climbing up OR down, so even a lightweight block and tackle setup might be a good idea to winch things up/down with. Either way, you're going to have to carry LOTS of GOOD rope and that weights about 6 lbs per 100 feet.

Pioneer Kit:

Depending on the terrain, a "pioneer kit" may be essential to making good progress. The general concept is a kit stocked with an axe, bolt cutters, crowbar, anything that will help break into or out of areas of interest. Melee weapons will probably pull double-duty for this kit.

Vehicles:

Land:

Fuel efficient all terrain land vehicles with good cargo space are a necessity for a Scrounger Team. That's a lot to ask for in any one vehicle, so you're going to have trade offs when you consider one. Fuel efficiency usually means smaller engine and cargo space means heavy loads. These don't work well together, especially when rough or hilly terrain is involved. Not only do you need Cargo Space for your salvage, but you also need to be able to carry a Scrounger Team of 3-5 people, team gear, fuel, spare tires, radios and other stuff. This points to a good size vehicle.

My suggestion would be 1 ton truck with an open cargo "stake" bed that are commonly used by companies for deliveries (pictured is an example.) These are very common "fleet vehicles", easy to acquire and easier than most vehicles to find parts for or repair due to the number of these made. They are more fuel efficient than a larger truck, but can carry more cargo weight than the average half ton pickup truck. They are usually NOT 4x4 drive, so you will have to park on solid ground/road in a central location and walk (this tactic conserves fuel, so you should be doing this anyway.) They can be found with gasoline or diesel engines.

If you can find a 4x4 one-ton truck like this, it would be an improvement, but these are not very common. The problem finding trucks of this type is that they are used with specialty service bodies involving tool boxes, heavy cranes or other equipment that are mounted on them. This takes up their cargo capacity and require removal and replacement of the bed - not a small task in a post Z-day world.

One major advantage to using a truck, like the one shown, is that it is easily modified by the Scrounger Team. A few sheets of plywood and the sides can be made enclosed. A few pipes on the top to make a "hard top" deck for storage or to carry a small boat. A couple of sheets of steel can be added for protection. If something is too wide or too tall, then the team can easily remove or add to the sides and top of the bed.

Water:

One of the most efficient way to move cargo is by water. Using the river's nature "flow" requires little power when moving with it, so a good Scrounger Team will start "up river" (empty) and move "down river" (loaded) as they go.

A good boat for the job is actually the common pontoon type boat. These boats have large open decks (with furniture removed), are stable in the water and can carry heavy loads. When unloaded, they are light enough to drag on land for storage. The pontoons give this boat good buoyancy compared to other boats when loaded and they do not "ride deep" in the water, which allows them to go into some shallow water areas. A small, flat bottomed John Boat would be a good supplement to Pontoon Boat and could be towed behind it when not in use.

These can have folding canopies (shown) or removable (zip up) coverings to protect from the weather.


Animals:

I bet you never thought of a dog as your "gear", but they certainly can be.

Dogs:

Dogs have better senses than humans, so they make fantastic alarms if trained. You might not think this is a priority, but with a small Team, you may only have a single person on guard at any one time while the other 2-4 members sleep. Having a constantly alert companion to help out is a well added bonus to a small team.