Make Your Own Bandoleer for 20 (&10) Round Magazines
Using the SKS bandoleer to carry your 20 round magazines has several advantages. First off they are much cheaper and easier to find than the surplus USGI M16 20 round pouches. They also carry 9 of the 20 (or 10) round magazines, almost twice as much as the USGI (5 magazines) and several times more than the commercial belt pouches (1 - 2 magazines). While the SKS Bandoleer does have 10 pouches, the leftmost pouch (as you wear it) is a bit larger and is lined with rubber. I use this pouch to hole extra patches and pipe cleaners (for cleaning my AR), as well as a pair of foam earplugs and a Stripper Clip 'spoon' (it can also hold a cell phone or a USGI trauma bandage). While the SKS bandoleer is functional as purchased, I found the following modifications greatly improve it.
Note: This works best with 10 & 20 round magazines with straight sides. If you have the curved 20 round magazines you will need to modify the latches that hold the flaps closed.
Tools Required
(2) Heavy Duty Sewing Needles (used for curtains or canvas, I recommend 2 because I broke one during construction of my bandoleer)
(1) pair of pliers (or a good Gerber multi-tool)
Materials Required
(1) SKS Bandoleer (When you go to buy one bring along an empty 20 round magazine to test fit EACH of the 9 unlined pockets. Put the magazine in feed lips first, it will be a snug fit.)
(1) Spool of HEAVY DUTY thread (O.D. Green in color). This stuff is not used in Sewing Machines and can be found in Craft/Sewing stores. It is found on spools that are longer and narrower than typical machine spools of thread.
(2) 1.25" Figure 8 Sliders (taken from a nylon USGI 'silent' sling)
(1) 1" Fastex Buckle (can be found at camping/surplus/climbing and craft stores)
(2) 1" Figure 8 Sliders (found at the same place as the buckle)
140" of 1" Nylon Strap (Black or O.D.; This is single layer strap [like the USGI sling] not the tubular stuff used by rock climbers. If you are a heavy person you might need more. )
Optional Materials
(9) Fastex buckles (to replace the loop & peg method of flap closure). You will also need 12" more of 1" nylon stap per pocket (9' more), and possibly use rivets (or grommets) to attach the strap to the pocket.
18" of sew on Velcro (loop & hook) to replace the loop & peg method of flap closure.
(1) Nylon 'Silent' Sling to be used a the back strap (instead of the 1" webbing). This reduces your 1" requirements by 40-50", but you will need 2 more 1.25" Figure 8 Sliders and a 1.25" Fastex buckle to replace the 1" versions.
Procedure
1- Purchase the SKS after testing the pockets with your empty magazine (it actually makes it easier - and is a better test - if you put a 1" nylon strap across the feed lips [side to side] as you feed it in).
2- First we will update the shoulder straps. Untie them from the steel 'D' rings and throw away the leather ring. Use the two 1.25" Sliders , first thread one strap through the slider, then through the 'D' ring, then back through the slider. Repeat for the other shoulder strap. It is now much easier and quicker to adjust the bandoleer to whatever clothing you are wearing.
This photo shows the 1.25" Slider and the strong side of the shooter (backstrap to fastex buckle)
3- Next, we update the backstrap. This strap only serves to keep the bandoleer tight against the body and does not carry any weight, therefore wide straps are not required. The current strap is a tie and is difficult to securely fasten (especially in heavy winter clothing). This modification makes it much easier to adjust.
Fastex Buckles have 2 parts one part is the 'anchor' that has no adjustments (it is generally the female portion). The other part (usually male) allows the strap to thread through for adjustment. For this step we will be using the female portion. You will also need to identify your 'strong' side (for right handers this is the side that DOES NOT have the rubberized pocket). Using the tie strap on the 'strong' side sew the female portion of the buckle to the bandoleer. I threaded the strap through the buckle, cut the strap really short, and sewed the free end to the bandoleer (see the photo).
4- On the 'weak' side (for right handers this is the side WITH the rubberized pocket) you will sew on the 1" Slider the same as you did for the buckle. One side of the Slider will be anchored to the bandoleer, we will be threading strap through the other.
5- Take the 1" nylon strap and thread the other 1" Slider on it (strap should go through both holes) and thread on the male end of the fastex buckle. About 8 to 10 inches of strap should extend beyond the fastex buckle. Take this end of the strap Fold it over about .5", then fold it over again. Sew this together to make a pull tab. This prevents the strap from feeding through the fastex buckle and prevents the strap from unraveling.
6- Now feed the other end of the nylon strap through the Slider that was sewed onto the bandoleer. Then feed that strap back through the slider that you put on in the previous step. This provides gross adjustment of the back strap, to fit the bandoleer to the individual (use light clothing).
The above photo shows the 'weak' side of the Bandoleer. One Figuer 8 Slider is use as an anchor ponit, the other is used to adjust the strap to the user. This end of the Fastex Buckle is used to 'fine tune' the backstrap length to the users clothing (heavy or light). The Slider is at the top, while the male part of the fastex can be seen at the bottom.
7- Put the bandoleer on. The top of the pouches should just be under chest level, and the shoulder straps should cross BEHIND your neck. Clip the Fastex Buckle end on the strap into the female end on the bandoleer (about 6" of strap should be off the end of the buckle). Adjust the strap to be snug, using the free end that goes through the Slider. The slider should be 8 to 12 inches from the weak side of the bandoleer. Take off the Bandoleer. Cut the strap about 2" from the end of the slider (depending on your width there should be 90 to 120 inches of free strap that was just cut off) save this as it will be used later. Now the with the 2" of material from the slider, fold it over and sew together to make a tab. This will prevent the strap from coming off under hard use. The backstrap is now completed.
(Prev 2 Photos) Proper wearing of the Bandoleer. Note the shoulder straps cross BEHIND the neck and not in front.
8- Now we will add Extraction Straps to each of the pockets that will hold magazines. This straps have one end that is sewed into the pocket and one free end. By pulling up on the free end the magazine will pop out. This is where you might need to use the pliers to pull the needle through the canvas (and where I broke a needle). Cut a piece of Nylon strap about 12" long. Wrap it across the feed lips of a magazine and push the magazine all the way into the pouch. If it is a straight wall magazine then the base will be flush with the top of the pocket (sometimes an extra push is needed for the last half an inch). On the inside (flap side) you should have an extra inch or two; and you should have an extra 2 to 3 inches on the exterior side. Cut off any extra, remove the magazine and strap, measure the strap and cut 8 more just like it. On one end of the strap make a tab. The other end of the strap should be folded over one-half to three-quarters of an inch and sewed into the flap of the cover (see photo). With the flap opened, the strap should hang straight down. When I sewed mine, I aligned the bottom of the foldover with the top of the pocket, such that all the sewing was done on the flat (much easier to do than on the back of the pocket).
(Above) Strap used to aid in magazine removal. (Below) Attachment of strap to flap of a pocket.
9- You are now finished with the basic design. The Bandoleer is now easier to adjust to the individual, and the magazines can be removed with ease. I kept the original peg-and-loop system for the flaps because it worked and was silent (though it is slow). If noise isn't a concern then you can replace it using Fastex Buckles (silent, quick, but expensive), Velcro (cheap, quick, but noisy), or brass snaps. At the time I was making mine I was using some steel curved 20 round magazines. So I removed the loops (using a very sharp knife to carefully cut the threads) and installed brass grommets. Then I used Elastic cord for new loops. This would tie down the flaps for standard 20 round magazines, but would have some 'give' for the longer curved 20 round magazines. A Fastex buckle on an adjustable strap, or Velcro straps could give the same results.
Using the Bandoleer.
The bandoleer is put on putting your arms through the straps, such that they cross behind your neck (if they cross in front the straps will tend to fall off your arms when you bend over). Magazines are pushed in feed lips first (with the extraction strap across the magazine), it's much easier than base first. The back strap is connected and detached with your strong hand. Once latched you pull on the tab (from the buckle) to tighten the strap to your clothing. If you also wear an LBE you can now put it on (the shoulder straps will tend to block 2 of the pockets, but the others are still easy to get to).
Courtesy of Forest (forestplatt@hotmail.com)
Post Script (08/21/01 & 10/02/01): I've been thinking about my Bandoleer and working on some upgrades. First off I sewed on some small strips of 1" webbing on the shoulder straps about 7" above the pockets. I only sewed on the vertical edges. This allows me to add a USGI compass case to each shoulder (fit the ALICE clip under the sewed on strap, through the opening on the top of the strap). The pouches are not as high up as the USGI ones (on the LBE straps) so they don't interfer with the shouldering of a rifle.
Below: Left Shoulder strap with 'loop' added to the strap so the compass pouch (holding an FRS) could be attached. The 'loop' is the darker OD squre and is made from 1" OD Nylon webbing. Left photo shows the compass pouch removed and the mounting point, Right photo shows the pouch attached to the strap.
Above: Right shoulder strap with 'Loop' for attaching another compass pouch. Note the 'D' ring that was added above, it can be used for a lanyard so I couldn't lose the compass.
Also, I've been less than impressed with the pin & loop method of pocket closure. I bought a snap kit and some brass snaps. On the accessory pocket (lined pocket on the left) I put the snap directly on the flap. All the other pockets I sewed a small OD strap on the flap and attached the snap through the strap (and onto the pocket). This gives me a more postive grip when opening the pocket. Don't worry about the snap on the pocket scratching your magazines. The magazine removal strap protects the magazine from the snap. It looks great (much better than new), the only problem is the snaps are a silver color. I solved this by sanding the top of each snap (quick with a Dremel tool) then using a Birch-Casey Aluminum touch up paint (flat black), two coats. Hopefully I'll be able to post photos soon so you can see the upgrades. What's next? Maybe remove the right-most pocket and replace it with other loops so I can attach my Otis cleaning kit.
Below: Replaced loop & peg with snaps. Accessory pouch (left-most) got a snap on the flap. Magazine pouches have straps to make opening easier (especially with gloves). These are brass snaps that were sanded rough. Be sure to use primer before painting as the Birch-Casey Touch up pen isn't durable enough.
Below: This was the right-most pouch. Since its difficult to reach with the left (loading) hand I replaced it with some 1" wide nylon webbing so I could attach my Otis M4 cleaning kit. On the Left you can see how I cut away the pocket and sewed 3 straps across the area. The top and bottom are tacked in the middle, while the center strap is just tacked at the ends (to make options more flexible). The Otis kit only requires the top and middle strap. On the Right you can see the bandoleer with the kit attached, this also works with the USGI cleaning kit (but I don't find it as comfortable when bending down).
