# Milt Sparks Six Pack



## Old Padawan

Does anyone have a phot of the Milt Sparks Six Pack? I just heard of this thing. WOW thats a lot of mags...


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## Steve M1911A1

I've made a few of these for myself, both in leather and in Cordura.
The inside system of separators is hard to put together well, with either a complicated stitching process or a lot of material involved, depending upon the actual interior configuration.
The nice thing about a "six-pack" of M1911 magazines is that, with the seventh mag in the gun and one round "up the spout," you're carrying exactly one boxful of cartridges, 50 rounds.
Further information is available on request, including a drawing. I guess I could take a photo of one, but I am technologically challenged and don't know how to add it to a post on this forum.


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## DJ Niner

I was shocked to find that despite my strong Google-Fu, I could not locate a single photo of a Sparks Six-Pack on all of the Internets. Unbelievable. It's a true classic design.

I'll keep looking, but I think it's heyday was in the 70's, maybe early 80's; not much call for that stuff nowadays. Personally, if I was gonna do it today, I'd find a plain open-body pouch (with flap) that was slightly larger than needed, then make an insert of slick plastic of some type to keep the mags separate but snug in place. Wedge the insert into the pouch, and you'd be good to go. This would also allow for easier cleaning; a common problem if you're out woodswalking in heavy brush and/or high-wind areas is that pouches will pick up all kinds of debris.


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## JeffWard

... in case you run into a whole PACK of rabid dogs and need 50 rounds on your person....

JW


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## Todd

JeffWard said:


> ... in case you run into a whole PACK of rabid dogs and need 50 rounds on your person...


Wasn't there someone that posted recently that he carried soemthing like 70 rounds of ammo with them routinely? This just might be the product he needs. :mrgreen:

I couldn't find any pictures either. Now I'm totally intrigued.


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## Mike Barham

Todd said:


> Wasn't there someone that posted recently that he carried soemthing like 70 rounds of ammo with them routinely? This just might be the product he needs. :mrgreen:


http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=12560&page=2 :mrgreen:


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## Todd

Mike Barham said:


> http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=12560&page=2 :mrgreen:


I knew it! :smt033


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## DJ Niner

I don't really see a need to carry more than two magazines, either. Just make sure it's the RIGHT two mags:

http://www.handgunforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=37&ppuser=1533

:mrgreen:

Seriously, the Sparks Six-Pack was designed for unconcealed use in rural farm/survival retreat environments, where having plenty of mags for your everyday/everywhere handgun would allow you to expand that gun's options: 
- Allow a measure of defense even if a bunch of thugs popped-up on short notice 
- Fire suppression while moving to cover (tactically sound in a non-urban area)
- Shooting critters (small or medium game) for food when the opportunity presented itself (without drawing down your defensive ammunition supply too far)

See: Mel Tappan and his books "Tappan On Survival" and "Survival Guns".


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## Steve M1911A1

Back in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, when there were Survivalists running around in the woods, the "appropriate" ammunition load was at least 100 rounds of rifle fodder, and 50 for the pistol.
Thus the "six pack."

When you quote or refer to Mel Tappan, please be sure that you understand the source.
Mel was wheelchair-bound long before he ever took up writing about survival and self-defense. He had very little practical knowledge of his own.
As a result, he sometimes recommended some very impractical solutions to practical shooting and survival problems.
_Cum grano salis_, as they say...


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## DJ Niner

I have to admit, I did not know that he was wheelchair-bound.

I'd say he must have been another of the strong-willed, independent folks who never say they are "handicapped." :smt023


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## Mike Barham

On the other hand, having wheels may have made it easier to tote around a FAL with five mags and a 1911 with a full box of ammo. :mrgreen:


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## Steve M1911A1

Mike, what's your standard ammunition load (number of rounds) when you go out into the field?
What does it weigh, magazines included?

Just for comparison:
My memory says that 100 rounds of .30-'06 in either strippers or Garand clips weighs around three pounds, plus maybe two more for the pouch assembly. Do you think that this is right?
I'd say that 50 rounds of .45 ACP in 1911 magazines weighs about the same, or a half-pound more. Do you agree?

Mel's philosophy was that the survivalist should have at least "one of everything": one rifle, one shotgun, one pistol, one grenade launcher, one "Ma Deuce," one flare pistol, and so on, probably forever. That makes up a pretty hefty load to be carrying around in the woods (or the desert). So, yes, I think that his wheels -- and his wife, who pushed the chair for him -- tended to bias his thinking.


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## Mike Barham

In terms of ammo, the basic combat load is 210 5.56mm rounds - one mag in the rifle, six spares. Most infantry guys carried more than that and also had a bandolier of six more mags in their HMWWV. Not sure what the weight is, since it was attached to my body armor that was also weighed down with ESAPI plates, water, and various other doodads. Combat load for an M9 (if carried in addition to a rifle or machinegun) is 15 in the pistol plus two spare mags.

I can't imagine a scenario in modern America that would call for a complete military combat load of 5.56mm _or_ .30 caliber rounds, but then again I think "survivalism," SHTF, TEOTWAWKI and the like are all pretty silly.


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## Steve M1911A1

Rough guess, just for comparison:
210 rounds of 5.56mm in magazines, plus pouches, comes to maybe six pounds.


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## Mike Barham

A decent guess. Colt says a loaded M4 mag weighs .45kg, which is almost exactly a pound. So, a combat load is seven pounds without pouches. Pouches are pretty light, and you get a couple of choices in the RFI "rifleman's kit," with flapped and open-top carriers.

In modern combat, I would strongly prefer 210 5.56mm rounds to 100 .30-06 or 7.62X51mm rounds.


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## themayer78

Mike Barham said:


> On the other hand, having wheels may have made it easier to tote around a FAL with five mags and a 1911 with a full box of ammo. :mrgreen:


Totally off-topic, sorry, but OOO MMM GGG I shot a FAL today. That is a seriously bad rifle. Used for $890, but I think I'll just rent it on occasion for $10/day. I can hardly get over how fun it was to shoot.


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## Mike Barham

themayer78 said:


> Totally off-topic, sorry, but OOO MMM GGG I shot a FAL today. That is a seriously bad rifle. Used for $890, but I think I'll just rent it on occasion for $10/day. I can hardly get over how fun it was to shoot.


FALs are nice. Forum member *Old Padawan* uses one pretty much to the exclusion of all other rifles. I think they are more refined than a G3 and more of a battle rifle than the more target-oriented M1A. Like all pistol-grip, detachable mag rifles, they are more fun to shoot than carry.

I like FALs, but I can't really figure out a use for a 20-round, mag-fed .308 in my personal life. I just stick to my bolt-action .308s. Everyone else's mileage may vary.


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## themayer78

It is a heavy gun, but way too much fun to shoot. I'm not familiar with the G3. I am familiar with AK, SKS, AR15, Mosin-Nagant, 30-30... It was definitely a unique experience loading 20 308's into a clip, and a likewise unique experience popping them off without having to throw a bolt.

I could not agree more about not having a legitimate use as a civilian, short of WW3 staged on our soil. I was joking with a friend at the range about keeping one for home defense, he laughed and said after exiting the BG your next concern would be how many of your neighbors houses the round had passed through!


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## Mike Barham

themayer78 said:


> I could not agree more about not having a legitimate use as a civilian, short of WW3 staged on our soil. I was joking with a friend at the range about keeping one for home defense, he laughed and said after exiting the BG your next concern would be how many of your neighbors houses the round had passed through!


Yep. That and having any hearing left. :mrgreen:


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## Old Padawan

I love running that gun!! We shoot scenarios out in the desert. Nothing fancy, just course to make you think and get you mobile. Mike would shoot one with his AR, bang, bang, bang. I would shoot it with the FN, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. 
On one occasion it was pretty cold out. Cold as in snowing in AZ cold. One of mikes friends ran the course with ole Big Thunder and you could see the gasses coming out of the muzzle break. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen.
I hunt coyote with it as well. Its mostly just for fun.


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## Mike Barham

Of course now that the ARs and M4geries are all gone and replaced by a Scout, it will be BOOM-clackclackclack-BOOM-clackclackclack-BOOM. :mrgreen:


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## Old Padawan

Mike Barham said:


> Of course now that the ARs and M4geries are all gone and replaced by a Scout, it will be BOOM-clackclackclack-BOOM-clackclackclack-BOOM. :mrgreen:


:smt082:smt082:smt082


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## Steve M1911A1

*Steve's "Six Pack"*

I made this "Six Pack" at some time during the late 1970s, after hearing the concept described in a conversation during an IPSC/SWPL match. After crafting this very first attempt, I've made maybe 20 more, both in leather and in Cordura Nylon. This one is made of nine-ounce oak-tanned cowhide, with a Velcro closure.
(If you click on these images, you'll get a larger picture.)







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Inside, the separators are formed of one continuous piece of three-ounce oak-tanned cowhide, sewn to the back of the box as required. (There are easier ways of doing the separators, but this was my first try.)







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Last, here's a rear view showing its belt-loop. It fits over any belt, including a G.I. web pistol belt, and the end of the loop snaps to the bottom of the box, forming an angle that keeps it from being pulled loose. The belt-loop has holes in it to hold a couple of ALICE clips, making this box very versatile.







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I hope that these images are helpful to anyone who wants to make one of these. If you have any questions, just ask.


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## Mike Barham

Wow, that's pretty impressive, *Steve*.


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## Steve M1911A1

Mike Barham said:


> ...Combat load for an M9 (if carried in addition to a rifle or machinegun) is 15 in the pistol plus two spare mags...


Lessee...15 in the pistol and two spare (14-round) magazines...why, that seems to add up to...43 rounds.
Why, that's almost a six-pack's worth! :mrgreen:


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## DJ Niner

Clever idea, putting the snaps on the bottom. Solid during use, easy to pop open/off when you need to.

Thinking outside the box; I like that! :smt023


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## Mike Barham

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Lessee...15 in the pistol and two spare (14-round) magazines...why, that seems to add up to...43 rounds.
> Why, that's almost a six-pack's worth! :mrgreen:


15 in each spare. 45 rounds. :mrgreen:

Of course, I was in a combat zone.


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## Old Padawan

Mike Barham said:


> 15 in each spare. 45 rounds. :mrgreen:
> 
> Of course, I was in a combat zone.


DID YOU GO TO MESA?:numbchuck:


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## DJ Niner

:anim_lol:


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