In an Infantry division, can you customize your rifle and some of your gear?

2018-02-06T19:22:14-05:00

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2018 7:33 PM

2018-02-06T19:33:49-05:00

William Hay I served from 1968 to 1972, and with the exception of snipers and a few others, the answer is no. In Vietnam, some Marines drew peace signs on their helmet covers, etc. A lot depended on your unit. What do you think needs to be customized and why?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2018 7:36 PM

2018-02-06T19:36:11-05:00

I don't think so with the firearms, because the 1911 I used in the 70s, would look something like mine today. lol

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2018 7:42 PM

2018-02-06T19:42:19-05:00

To a certain extent yes. The extent will be determined by your Commander.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Feb 6 at 2018 7:50 PM

2018-02-06T19:50:13-05:00

The answer is yes. The only limitations on this will be at the discretion of your CO, 1SG, and the armorer. Strangely enough, if the armorer, regardless of their rank, doesn't want to deal with your stupid stuff, then you can't do anything about it; it is after all their property after they sign their hand receipt. As far as customizing weapons goes, when I was an armorer, I allowed soldiers to switch out anything besides the upper receiver, lower receiver, and the inside guts of the weapon. Pistol grips, hand guards, stocks, optics, if you wanted to invest in making that M4 something crazy, then you could go for it.
Usually, no one cares what you do with your kit. If there is an SOP set by the unit, then so be it.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Feb 6 at 2018 7:51 PM

2018-02-06T19:51:04-05:00

In the Infantry your unit controls what you do to Govt issue. I warned some of my folks not to go all HIGH SPEED when they went ahead and painted their M-4's and on the sly added gear queer crap. When we got home most of my guys just needed to clean their weapons and turn them in, the high speed low drag self appointed commandos spent many extra hours returning their weapons to original condition and it was not fun for them. I watched grown men purchase thousands of dollars of crap to trick out their weapons only to stay behind the wire the whole deployment. I guess they looked good in their selfies though.
I understand you excitement and curious mode but it would be best to just keep a low profile about certain things till you get to your unit and see what the situation is like, many units are different. Believe me when I say that after well over 35 years I have seen almost all of it and this is the best advice that will cause you the least blow back.

Response by SPC Izaiah Calabrese made Feb 6 at 2018 8:01 PM

2018-02-06T20:01:47-05:00

Do not be the private that gets out of basic and buys all high speed equipment. The E4s, E5s and 6s will notice and clown you for it lol you want to remain low profile and just do what you gotta do.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Feb 6 at 2018 9:12 PM

2018-02-06T21:12:21-05:00

If I were your Armorer I would tell you to stay with government issue because that is what your
trained on and your probably going to shoot better with what your trained on. Secondly, I might say you should stop calling people "brother" until at least you get through Infantry OSUT and have some years of experience behind you.

Response by SPC David Willis made Feb 6 at 2018 9:21 PM

2018-02-06T21:21:11-05:00

I'd recommend nothing more than a fore grip or hand stop and maybe a cheek rest on the stock. If you already own a rifle and want to swap out stocks that's usually cool too. A few guys opted to use their own eotech optics but they were only allowed if you could zero and qual with it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2018 9:48 PM

2018-02-06T21:48:39-05:00

You can customize at a minimum. Honestly there are more important things to worry about

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Feb 7 at 2018 9:14 AM

2018-02-07T09:14:24-05:00

If your unit allows it, yes. I had an aftermarket "gangster grip" with integrated led lights for a while, but normally I was fine with the stock weapon.

EDIT: If you are allowed, please don't try to be Mr. Tacticool Guy!

Response by SSG Gordon Hill made Feb 7 at 2018 11:21 AM

2018-02-07T11:21:34-05:00

Iit is government equipment and isn’t altering some form of destruction of government property

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Feb 7 at 2018 11:35 AM

2018-02-07T11:35:50-05:00

NO, NO, NO! The unit will give you what you need and must have, and equipment has to be turned in the exact same way it was issued to you! With that being the regs- When I retired, I had over 3 sets of gear- 1 that was issued and kept for layouts, 1 for special inspections, and 1 for the field. This didn't count extra desert, jungle and artic gear. My field gear was rigged for stealth, mobility and use- but your leaders have to be willing to ignore it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2018 3:17 PM

2018-02-09T15:17:09-05:00

Before you worry about custom gear learn the difference between being in a Infantry Division and a Infantry Unit.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Feb 9 at 2018 3:45 PM

2018-02-09T15:45:22-05:00

ROFLMAO, sure you can...just be ready for the feces to hit the oscillating ventilator.

Response by MSG Louis Alexander made Feb 9 at 2018 4:40 PM

2018-02-09T16:40:24-05:00

Son, you've been watching too much Television or movies. In reality Uncle Sam will not accept alterations to government issue weaponry, however, it's not impossible - wink, wink

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2018 3:09 AM

2018-02-11T03:09:24-05:00

Don't be that guy.

You'll look like knob.

MSG Bo

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2018 12:30 PM

2018-02-16T12:30:41-05:00

To an extent yes. But don’t go all out at first because of three reasons. First you need to find out what your company will allow, second you need to find out what works for you cuz there is nothing worse than buying all that stuff and finding out you don’t like it, third you don’t want to show up looking all “tacti-cool” and not even knowing your actual job (you will look like a dumbass)
But honestly you don’t need all that stuff all I put on my m-4 is a forgrip that turns into a bipod (I got it from the armsroom) and a flashlight attachment and I shoot a 40 out of 40 every time I qual.

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2018 12:17 AM

2018-02-17T00:17:33-05:00

It’s at your chain of commands discretion. But possibly, yes

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Apr 22 at 2018 6:41 PM

2018-04-22T18:41:16-04:00

Not recommended to do it.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 2:02 PM

2020-08-27T14:02:45-04:00

Yes, here is a picture of my issued rifle.

Response by SFC Jaysin Smith made Aug 9 at 2021 5:40 PM

2021-08-09T17:40:43-04:00

Some units allow it, others don't. It all depends on how your Top, and brass feel about it. To be honest it looks cool but when you have grown accustomed to it and you really need it it's probably not going to work. You'd be surprised on how many times I've seen shit that's supposed to be military grade fail and the guy have to go to iron sights. At best get a triangle and stop on your rail and stick with your ACOG and some iron sights on a 45° offset. Lasers give away your position when it's foggy or dusty. IR lasers are great target designators when they work (not all function well depending on what type of NVGs you're using.) And besides the old school guys like me that came in during the era of BDUs and iron sights are gonna fuck with you until you cry. You also have to consider weight. When you're a light infantryman (11B) you have to carry all of your shit. Trick out your rig along with all the other essential shit you need for daily operations/patrols and I promise you that you'll belay any unnecessary weight as soon as you finish your first 15 mile road march. As for your ACOG definitely get a quick detach riser. They are incredibly helpful if you wanna switch out optics to your tricked out crimson trace x-ray automatic speech enabled laser target designator that goes pew pew pew when you pull the trigger and suck starts your pickle in Joe's jack shack at the end of a long ass patrol!