Looking to keep one around the house should Bin Laudin decide to release some nerve-agent in the neighborhood.  You laugh, but Joe Terrorist can make nerve agent out of household chemicals or animal pesticides.  At $20-30 bucks, it seems like it might be a decent thing to have.  I know I used to wear my M40 when I went in a Port-O-Let on a hot summer day in the Army.  Filtered out the stench, but hot as hell.  Suggestions...are the Israeli ones any good?

[img]http://home.earthlink.net/~thegardenweasel/mask1.jpg[/img]
It even has a mic.

Where do you get them?

OT: I understand that the BATF has ruled that gas masks are articles of war, and they have banned importing any foreign masks into the U.S.

I completely understand the point about needing full MOPP 4 protection, but I tend to think that Joe Terrorist is not making VX.  Remember when the Sarin when off in Japan?  It wasn't full strength, and most of the people got sick, but didn't die.  In this case, a mask would have prevented them from getting sick...at least for a few minutes to get to a hospital right, right?  I'm not looking to get a full MOPP 4 suit should La Migra attack.

One of the threats our own Gov't has Identified is the use of Anthrax.  Anthrax is a spore that is inhaled into the lungs, which I believe causes an onset several days later of fatal pneumonia.  If a release occurred and I had warning of it, I would hate to be in a position where I was powerless to save my family.  I don't think we should be resigned to sitting around like a rat in a cage in that situation.  

Are there any industrial masks that can be purchased for use?  Something that would keep out the most common threats?  

As to the above post, where does the ATF get legal power to regulate protective masks?  Does Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms have a hidden letter in there specifying Masks as well, BATFM?

[url]http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=TE058[/url]

the thing is with nerve agents u would be dead before you even knew u were under attack let alone put your gear on

Personally, I chose the masks available at [url]www.exitsafe.com[/url].  They advise that they screen out all the toxins, smoke, Sarin, and and what not.  With the cheap cost on it, I got one for each of the family, and heck, that's not too shabby.  If anyone is interested, they can e-mail me for the special code I used...

Geez.

Sure are a lot of chemical weapon experts on this thread.....

From someone that HAS dealt with hazardous chemicals in the field....think about this...

Someone wants to kill a whole bunch of folks with a chemical release.  First, they need to concentrate the chemical and get it into your system

method 1 - spray it from above.  Question - do you need a "level 4 suit" to stay dry when it rains?  Answer - NO

method 2 - use a gas that will be absorbed, concentrate in a confining area like a subway.
Question - what is the #1 route of entry?  skin - no, lungs-yes.  If you place a mask on your face and run out of the subway, you will have less exposure...this is good.


Masks - available at any fire equipment supply store, not regulated, available to the general public. (Where do you guys get this big brother stuff?)

some manufacturers that make quality equipment (Scott, MSA, Survivair, Interspiro, Draeger, Cairns, etc.)

What kind of filters do I want?  You want a filter that handles volatile organics and fine mists at a minimum.  The duration of the filter is based on the volume of contaminant...it doesn't last forever.

On the Anthrax spores thing (speculating like the rest of you)...you won't know ahead of time to protect yourself, you will find out three days after you have been contaminated and have also brought it home and contaminated everyone in your home... you'll probably find out before you die that you have killed all of the people you love... nice stuff

Those aren't inserts for a gas mask.  They are "Go Fast" glasses for people that wear glasses in the field.  Non-breakable since there are no earpieces, and they fit under a kevlar.  Pro-Mask inserts are white plastic with two metal prongs, or in other models, metal frames that fit in the mask.  They are fixed and kept inside.  The use of Go fast glasses would create a small airhole where the band exits the mask and goes around the head where agent can enter.  

They also call those Ranger glasses since alot of Joes wear them @ the BN.  A must have when you are on patrol to keep the branches out of your face- even if you don't wear glasses.  At SFAS the cadre issued us Scott clear lense glasses to wear at night to keep from poking an eyeball out in the N. Carolina brush.  I hated wearing the glasses because they got hot and fogged up when you sweat- but they were a true lifesaver for traveling cross country at night.

Just an observation.

[red]NERVE AGENTS[/red]
To start things out:
The most hazardous route of entry for nerve agents are the EYES.

2nd: Inhalation Anthrax [b]is not[/b] spread person-to-person.  

When it comes to nerve agents the most important form of protection will be a correctly sized/worn protective mask, and an NBC rated filter (NEW NOT 15 - 20 YEARS OLD).

Some filters [b]NOT[/b] to use will be the ones included with the current civilian Israeli 'gas masks'.  Example:  Filters with [blue]BLUE[/blue] strings or the [yellow]YELLOW[/yellow]strings, (the yellow ones are the correct type, but completely out dated).

For those who are 'stuck' on using the Israeli masks, just make sure you use a BRAND NEW filter.  Save your old/bad ones for training.  Store 'BANANA OIL AMPULES' with your mask so when the time comes you can verify that you have a correct seal, remember, you will be unable to see, smmell, or taste whether or not there is agent in the air.

For those who demand the [b]BEST[/b ], then you will like the M95 Protective Mask System.  This system out performs any other NBC rated mask on the market, (filter and mask).

For more information about NBC Warfare Defense/Gear/Courses and the M95 Protective Mask System visit:

[url]www.ASOD.org[/url]
OR
[url]www.AmericanSchoolOfDefense.com[/url]

[red]REMEMBER: TO SURVIVE IS TO BE PREPARED!![/red]

There's a thread on a similar topic going on now also:

[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=23448[/url]

[flag]

Guys --

ASOD is a great resource.  I took one of their training courses last year and cannot even begin to tell you how great they are....

Highly recommended if you get a chance !

(btw:  their prices for gear can't be beat either)

It pays to stock up on gas mask gear plus some KI03 (for nuclear incidents)

Current military issue is the M40 mask. It uses the screw on NATO filter instead of the cheek filters. Makes changing filters take about 4 seconds.

What would you want for those M17 filters?

Current military masks are:

M40/42

MCU 2/P

MCU 2/AP

We are currently in the process of replacing the MCU 2/P and M40/A1 with the M95 protective mask and replacing the current C2A1 with the M95 C/A filter.  

The M95 will save lives on an NBC battlefield, plus the M95 is a excellent civilian mask, (easy to clear and seal - 'don').

The filter has a capacity against organic and inorganic agents/acid gases/[b]ALL[/b] known chemical warfare agents and all known biological warfare agents, including [b]smallpox[/b].  Ammonia and chlorine are also filtered, which by the way, no other NBC rated filter on the market has a capacity against.

[img][url]www.asod.org/07378870.jpg[/url][/img]

[url]www.AmericanSchoolOfDefense.com[/url]
OR
[url]www.ASOD.org[/url]

Inhalation anthrax can be "brought home".  The stuff doesn't just go into your lungs, some sticks to your clothes.

Your point on the eyes as a route of entry for neuro-tranmitter toxic effects makes sense. The eyes have a nice nerve conduit direct to the brain...

You mention that the M95 mask (made by whom?) filters chlorine and ammonia.  How do they do that?  Most masks use a activated charcoal matrix to absorb, not filter chemical toxins...

Is the M95 a PAPR?  What kind of batteries does it use?  If it isn't a PAPR how much breathing resistance does it develop for the user?