the end game quest???? i was reading on the wiki, and it says it isnt available untill the end game quest. any conformation on this?

You mean the fancy ranger armour depicted on the cover? If so, you can get it earlier by doing enough quests for the legion that the NCR stops liking you (happened to me during my Legion playthrough) - eventually they'll send a squad (which usually includes at least one of those rangers) to "warn" you. You then have the option of taking them on right there (or waiting three days like the lady says - though I've never actually waited that long so i don't know if they actually come back to kill you after three days). But yeah - if you can bring them down you should get the ranger armour on one of the bodies.

AHA, and then i get the NCR to forgive me by making benny run from the tops, then i can keep the armor, and wear it too!

No. Ranger vets will start spawning when you start the first endgame faction quest. For instance, the first Wildcard quest, the first NCR endgame path quest, or the first Legion quest.

Then you just have to find a ranger vet and kill them. Or, you can try the old reverse pickpocket trick. Or lure giant radscorps/deathclaws/etc to the ranger vet and let the monster do your work for you.

Also, if you murder a ranger vet and nobody sees you (ie you sneak), you shouldn't lose any faction rep with the NCR.

Camp Golf is Ranger HQ and there should be a few walking around there you can kill and loot before running straight to Vegas and getting that pardon.

Its a lot easier just getting to lvl 14, starting up one of the last few storyline quests, and just silence snipe a guy from far away. Its the same way I was able to get the NCR salvaged "power-armor".

Yep.
:tops: