Bullets!
This is about self defense and protecting yourself, your family, and your property and supplies. It's easy to go overboard in this area, but it is vital to your survival. Buying a bunch of guns, ammo, and anything else related will do you no good with out knowing how to use them. I'm not talking about just getting a metric ton of this stuff and thinking you are the biggest, baddest Special Forces SEAL operator. Go get training on how to shoot properly and be safe. Then get training on how to fight with your gun.
With that in mind here is an article I wrote a long time ago about some basic recommended firearms to start with!
With that in mind here is an article I wrote a long time ago about some basic recommended firearms to start with!
Recommended firearms
I wanted to make this list to identify for the average person the need for different types of firearms and their uses. This is based off of the thought of economic or societal collapse, where there is no longer the normal means of protection (by law enforcement), buying food (store shelves are bare), and other factors that come into play when there is a major disruption of supplies. This could include regional earthquakes, multiple terrorist attacks throughout the country, the flow of gas coming to a halt from our overseas suppliers; you get the idea. This is about being prepared for any possible situation that may arise, and being able to handle it physically (emotionally is a whole different topic). This is by no means all inclusive; you may find a need for a different firearm that I haven’t thought of, or find my reasoning for a particular firearm to not pertain to your situation. That is OK; I just hope this will get the wheels churning in your brain about the necessity for more than one or two firearms. There is no magic gun that will do everything you need it to do, so these are in no specific order. I will not be specific on the gun itself, just the type or category, because there are a lot of quality firearms out there that will get the same job done.
The next firearm would be handy to have if you have the money and resources to purchase it and stock up on parts, ammo, and possibly magazines.
I’m sure people can come up with countless firearms and countless uses for each of them, but the above will allow you to ride out any storm and be safe in any situation, as long as you have the skills and the mindset to be able to use them properly. Remember that even with any regional breakdown in society, the police will not be able to respond for hours or days. There may not even be any ability to contact the police if the power and/or phones are down. To put it in perspective think of this: If someone has not prepared and their kids are starving, don’t you think they will do whatever it takes to feed their family? If you do not think that a father watching his kids starve would not take a gun and find a house of someone who did prepare and kill them to get food for his family if there was no other choice, then you are living in a fantasy world. There are people in this world, in this nation, and in your community that do NOT care about laws. They only care about themselves and what they can take from others. They are predators, they are wolves. The only way to stop them is to kill them. As a quote I heard before said “The odds are, any criminal who is intent on killing you has probably killed men before, knows how to do it, knows how it feels and likes it. You’re not going to talk him out of it, scare him out of it, or wound him out of it. You’re going to have to kill him.”
My only recommendation would be to get at least a rifle (semi-auto), pistol and shotgun to start out with, and work up from there. Also make sure they are common calibers, so if ammo gets scarce, you will be able to buy something.
With anything that takes a magazine (or as some mistakenly call it a clip) you will need to stock up on those, with several extra mags (4-10) for each firearm that uses them.
Get at least 1000 rounds for the rifle and 600 for the pistol, and at least 200 rounds of various shells for the shotgun (20-30 slugs, 50 buckshot, and the rest various bird/waterfowl/turkey rounds). Since the .22LR is so small and cheap, get at least 4000 round of it. With the bolt-action rifle (.308 or 30-06), most hunting or match ammo is expensive, so try to get at least 100 rounds for hunting, and slowly work up from there.
Once you start collecting your ammo, buy surplus .50 cal ammo cans to store your ammo in, and keep them in a cool, dry place. This will allow your ammo to last for decades.
I wanted to make this list to identify for the average person the need for different types of firearms and their uses. This is based off of the thought of economic or societal collapse, where there is no longer the normal means of protection (by law enforcement), buying food (store shelves are bare), and other factors that come into play when there is a major disruption of supplies. This could include regional earthquakes, multiple terrorist attacks throughout the country, the flow of gas coming to a halt from our overseas suppliers; you get the idea. This is about being prepared for any possible situation that may arise, and being able to handle it physically (emotionally is a whole different topic). This is by no means all inclusive; you may find a need for a different firearm that I haven’t thought of, or find my reasoning for a particular firearm to not pertain to your situation. That is OK; I just hope this will get the wheels churning in your brain about the necessity for more than one or two firearms. There is no magic gun that will do everything you need it to do, so these are in no specific order. I will not be specific on the gun itself, just the type or category, because there are a lot of quality firearms out there that will get the same job done.
- Rifle, .22lr. This can be one of the most versatile firearms you may own. You can use it to take small game, varmints, pests and even birds (when not flying); really anything up to the size of a rabbit, at reasonable ranges. Semi-auto, pump, bolt action, lever action will all work. I lean toward the semi-auto rifle for the ease of quick follow up shots.
- Shotgun. This is another versatile firearm. With a 12 gauge you can shoot slugs and take ANYTHING in North America including bear (with the right slugs). You can take birds, water fowl, etc. with bird shot. It is also great for home defense with buck shot or slugs.
- Bolt Action .30 caliber rifle. This is your main deer, elk, or moose rifle. You can take most game and can be used for any long range problems that may arise. Make sure to have a common caliber like .308, or 30-06. They are the most common calibers in the US. You need to learn to hit targets out to 300 yards or more.
- Handgun, major caliber (9mm; 40S&W; 45ACP; 357 Mag, etc.). This is for personal defense and home defense. You can’t go wandering around with a rifle slung on your shoulder, but with a permit, you can always be ready to protect yourself should a criminal chose you to take your money and possessions. Remember the saying, “When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.” This is especially true once there is a breakdown in society and the police most likely won’t show up for days because they will be too busy with other “pressing issues.” A semi-auto is going to be better for the ability to shoot more than 6 rounds without reloading and also the ability to change magazines rapidly, than a revolver. Either way get plenty of extra magazines or speed loaders. The most common and cheapest caliber is 9mm, and that may be a factor in your decision.
- Semi-Auto Rifle, Intermediate caliber (.223 (5.56x45); 7.62x39; 5.45x39). This rifle is used for home defense, neighborhood defense, and any other problem that may come up within 300 yards. You should have 30 round magazines so you have plenty of follow up shots if needed. An AR-15, AK-47, AK-74, SKS or any other semi-auto rifle that you can afford (along with spare parts and plenty of magazines) will do here. Some may choose a semi-auto rifle in .308, but that is up to you if you choose to do so. Be aware that the weight and cost of those rifles will prohibit most from carrying or affording them.
The next firearm would be handy to have if you have the money and resources to purchase it and stock up on parts, ammo, and possibly magazines.
- Truck/Trunk Rifle. This is recommended for each vehicle you own. Hopefully you always have your pistol with you, but if there is a major earthquake or some other break down where you will need to walk back home (along with a GHB (Get Home Bag)) a rifle will be priceless. This rifle can be anything from a 22LR, to a 30-30 lever action, to a semi auto rifle (like #5 above). For the sake of possible theft, a high value firearm is not recommended. Some rifles that fold up like the Kel Tec Sub 2000 (uses the same magazines as most common pistols; therefore it also fires a pistol round), or the SU-16 (uses AR-15 magazines) are convenient for their ability to take up less space and (at least with the Sub 2000) can fit in a backpack or small bag and look commonplace. There is also the AR-7 which is a semi-auto 22LR that the barrel and receiver fit into the stock and even floats (the reliability is hit or miss). As long as you have ammo and magazines (if needed), this will help you stay safe and get home safely.
- Pistol, .22lr. This is a great gun to have for practice and taking small game. New shooters learning to shoot a pistol on a .22lr will adapt better without having the blast, noise and recoil of a more powerful firearm.
I’m sure people can come up with countless firearms and countless uses for each of them, but the above will allow you to ride out any storm and be safe in any situation, as long as you have the skills and the mindset to be able to use them properly. Remember that even with any regional breakdown in society, the police will not be able to respond for hours or days. There may not even be any ability to contact the police if the power and/or phones are down. To put it in perspective think of this: If someone has not prepared and their kids are starving, don’t you think they will do whatever it takes to feed their family? If you do not think that a father watching his kids starve would not take a gun and find a house of someone who did prepare and kill them to get food for his family if there was no other choice, then you are living in a fantasy world. There are people in this world, in this nation, and in your community that do NOT care about laws. They only care about themselves and what they can take from others. They are predators, they are wolves. The only way to stop them is to kill them. As a quote I heard before said “The odds are, any criminal who is intent on killing you has probably killed men before, knows how to do it, knows how it feels and likes it. You’re not going to talk him out of it, scare him out of it, or wound him out of it. You’re going to have to kill him.”
My only recommendation would be to get at least a rifle (semi-auto), pistol and shotgun to start out with, and work up from there. Also make sure they are common calibers, so if ammo gets scarce, you will be able to buy something.
With anything that takes a magazine (or as some mistakenly call it a clip) you will need to stock up on those, with several extra mags (4-10) for each firearm that uses them.
Get at least 1000 rounds for the rifle and 600 for the pistol, and at least 200 rounds of various shells for the shotgun (20-30 slugs, 50 buckshot, and the rest various bird/waterfowl/turkey rounds). Since the .22LR is so small and cheap, get at least 4000 round of it. With the bolt-action rifle (.308 or 30-06), most hunting or match ammo is expensive, so try to get at least 100 rounds for hunting, and slowly work up from there.
Once you start collecting your ammo, buy surplus .50 cal ammo cans to store your ammo in, and keep them in a cool, dry place. This will allow your ammo to last for decades.