Running the Scorpion Micro Out of a Backpack
The Scorpion has become a staple when it comes to Pistol Caliber Carbines over the past few years. For good reason too. It’s reliable, accurate, and affordable. Reliability is really where the Scorpion shines with its incredibly simple direct blowback action. In our eyes, this makes it a strong contender for being a backpack gun.
We decked ours out a bit with a Scalarworks mount, Trijicon MRO, Surefire M300c, SLR Hybrid Comp, and an Arisaka offset mount. Additionally we added the HB Industries spring kit to lighten that trigger up a bit. It’s a really capable little package and can get a lot done.
In concept, the idea of a backpack gun is awesome. You’ve got something shoulderable in a compact form that doesn’t take up too much space in your bag. However the logistics of it need some figuring out.
Off the bat you’ll need to find the right backpack. Obviously one that is big enough to fit the gun itself, but also one that can fit the stuff you need on a daily basis. This sort of becomes tricky and you’ll have to be a bit strategic. Spend some time analyzing where you’re putting things in your bag and figure out if you can still clear the gun from the backpack without ripping everything else out or getting caught up. We’ve been running The Brown Buffalo 26L CB which fits everything rather nicely. We did find that you’ll need to get some enlarged tabs for the zipper pulls so you can get to them in a hurry. Tying paracord through the zipper pulls and making an big knot could work well and we'll have to experiment with it. We also STRONGLY recommend that you do not carry this gun with a round in the chamber while it is in your backpack. If the safety accidently got bumped, you're putting yourself and those around you in danger.
Spend some time at the range pulling the gun out of the backpack. We discovered that it’s a lot harder than it looks, and it made us take a step back and assess the idea. Opening the bag in a hurry was probably the most challenging part and will take time to build consistency. Unlike drawing from your waist, there are a lot more variables when pulling from a backpack. Did the gun shift around? Did you get snagged on the bag? Can you get the bag off smoothly? There were constant hiccups for us, although you can work through them with some elbow grease.
The last thing to think about is how you would use it in a defensive situation? Carrying the Scorpion in a backpack won’t replace the concealed carry pistol and you shouldn’t think of it that way. It’s more of a strategic placement and another tool in the toolbox.
Ultimately the only way to figure out how these sort of firearms fit into your life is by taking them to the range and figuring out how they run for you. Experimentation is certainly required as it isn't as cut and dry as concealing a pistol.