Rifleman on a Budget

Posted byvonsteubentrainingPosted ingear

Updated: April 8, 2024

This page is a resource for “good enough” gear for someone looking to build a rifleman’s kit on a tight budget. I seek to list equipment that is reasonably affordable but also reliable and rugged enough to withstand real-world use. My goal is for you to use this list to fill in gaps in your kit so that you can be fully mission-ready for at least 3 days worth of operations as a rifleman, independent of any resupply.

I am fully aware that there is better equipment out there, and if you can afford it, by all means get higher quality gear. This list is so that someone with a $2,000 budget can fully equip themselves with a fighting load instead of buying, for example, a $1,700 rifle and a $300 optic with no ammo, water, or medical gear.

Full disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate, and some of the equipment that I list here has affiliate hyperlinks embedded. If you click on these links and buy the gear, I may make a small commission on the sale. You pay exactly the same price for the item as you otherwise would, but by using my links you are supporting VSTAC at Amazon’s expense.

I recommend you use this list in conjunction with my article on what gear you should get in what order. This is a living document, and I will continue to update it as I find better recommendations. Total costs are at the bottom of the page.

Rifleman’s Essentials ($1,262-$1,629)

Sustainment Gear ($343)

Force Multipliers ($3,794)

TOTALS

Rifleman’s Essentials
Capability: Neighborhood security, short-duration missions (less than 24 hours)
Price: $1,262-$1,629

Sustainment Gear
Capability: Rural patrolling, reconnaissance, or combat missions up to 3 days without resupply.
Price: $343
Total Price: $1,605-$1,972

Force Multipliers
Capability: See and fight at night, communicate with nearby teammates
Price: $3,794
Total Price: $5,399-$5,766

Published by vonsteubentraining

Mike is the owner and chief instructor of Von Steuben Training & Consulting (VSTAC). A self-described “Tactical Scholar,” he spent 8 years in the Marine Corps as a radio operator, marksmanship coach, and small-unit tactics instructor. He has dedicated his life to honing the tactical prowess of himself and his fellow patriots, guided by the wisdom of his commanding officer, Jesus Christ. He can be contacted via email at vonsteubentraining@protonmail.com

19 thoughts on “Rifleman on a Budget”

  1. The old reliable US Army Alice rucksack, medium or large is the best pack I have ever used. Having been an airborne infantryman and jumped and humped that ruck I can attest that it is tough as nails. The are readily available online. Used is fine as long as it’s not totally wrecked. That in conjunction with the old style pre body armor LBE, or LCE (load bearing equipment) to carry you canteens, mag pouches and other goodies is meant to be use with the Alice pack. Again, plenty of Alice gear available on line. Despite all the high speed gear available, lots of which I have tried, I find the old style gear to be more than adequate. Hell, it was made to be infantryman proof!

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  3. They probably won’t last very long but RTG Parts currently has surplus British PLC sets, a fairly comprehensive belt based load bearing equipment set for less than $50 each. If you can accept a H harness belt kit, which I prefer for hot weather, it’s a good piece of gear. Some of the Primary Arms prismatic sights, 1x, 2x, 3x and 5x, are very capable budget optics. I’d say their 3x is 80% the capabilities of the ACOG for 20% the price. The 1x is an alternative to the red dot that has an etched reticle. That will allow it to function without batteries if that’s important to you, but still can be illuminated using commonly available watch batteries.

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  4. One thing I don’t see in your list is a field knife (unless I missed it). I use a Glock field knife. I only picked this listing because it shows the included sheath.

    +1 for the FLC vest. It can be set up in such a manner that allows you to bend at waist and to drive a vehicle. Be advised on the length adjustment. The rear straps have miles of room, but when you pull down on the front to level it out, you can only pull so far before the cross piece/drag handle hits the back of your neck.

    MOS 45B Small Arms Repair. Honorable discharge dated February of ’77. Still building AR’s, still learning.

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      1. Personally, I think any of the ESSE offerings, 4″ and over, are good alternatives. Inexpensive, rugged and excellent edge holding properties.

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  5. Cheaperthandirt.com, keepshooting.com and sportsmansguide.com are good sites for gear and have gotten alot of my money over the years. As a career reservist we were mostly issued leftovers at a basic level so these companies supplied those extras. During 2020 Summer of Love my $65 condor plate carrier saw near daily use on Neighborhood watch for months and it held up well (with plates). No visible wear but some stretching at shoulder strap stitching & easily reinforced. Learn to sew guys. It doesnt have to be pretty but when there are no more Amazon resupplies, if you cant maintain your clothes and repair gear you’re going to be at an even worse disadvantage. My brand new OCP issued uniform in 2014 was a flimsey pos. Comfy and great looking yes, but brushing past anything in my work area would tear holes in a heartbeat. I sewed alot in Kandahar. Anyhow good article for the newbies to consider and good advice for old timers as well.

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      1. I was going to say the same thing about CTD. They are the worst kind of shitbag company out there.

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      2. + 1 for sentiment. A lot of others were also in same group. Also am TX resident so I get dinged by state sales tax. CTD no longer is a stop for me.

        For knife, the Air Pilot survival 5″ fixed blade 1095 can be found with some shopping. Not fancy and doesn’t take much room in pack.

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    2. Good advice about learning and practicing sewing repairs for the reasons listed. When no longer available, its repair, manufacture yourself or do without. Some heavy needles and thread would be worth putting back.

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  6. I’m new here having come to this article via someone else’s blog that linked to this article. This article is very informative. Thanks for compiling the info.

    I note that there’s no body armor referenced which I had hoped to find in the article. Is there perhaps an earlier article published on body armor where you reviewed different set ups and manufacturers at various price points that you could point me to? I know there’s tons of offerings out there, however some recommendations from someone who knows something on the subject would, I think, be beneficial.

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    1. Body armor is not as essential as you might think. In fact, for people who do not regularly train with it, it can be detrimental. I would put in the “force multipliers” section as a nice-to-have down the road, but only after you have everything else and night vision.

      That said, if you get body armor, get NIJ rated lvl 4 ceramic plates. NEVER buy something advertised as “NIJ equivalent”, that means it hasn’t been properly tested.

      Steel body armor is stupid, ridiculously heavy, and doesn’t work as well as advertised.

      On second thought, this topic merits its own article.

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      1. I’d not place armor in a budget category article. Night vision yes as I find it far more useful all around. You are right in the fact that needing to train in armor is a requirement. I recently shot a qualification course of fire in armor, something I’ve done a dozen times before, but it’s not the same with and without.

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