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What's your favorite....9mm or 44
magnum.....223 or 300 Win Mag, 22 long rifle or 12 gauge?
Although there are a lot of "If, What, Then's"
about selecting survival guns.....I want to discuss primarily those guns which
are suitable for personal carry. But first, let's discuss briefly the term
"SHTF" and "Survival". For some, there is no difference, for others it makes a
big difference.
First, why do you need a
gun? Having a gun means you think there may be a reason to shoot something. If
I were in the wilderness and needed the ability to reach out and shoot food to
survive another day, I may select a 22 rifle, or a 22 pistol. If I were to only
select a 22 pistol type, I may select a revolver, perhaps a single action type
with interchangeable cylinders, a 22 LR cylinder for small game, and a 22 mag
cylinder for medium size game. In a highly populated game woods, this
combination would cover everything from chipmunks to small deer. In the desert
country this might get you some limited reptiles up to maybe jack rabbits and
if you are the really lucky type, a coyote!
If we take the survival a little further and
combine it with when the shit hits the fan (SHTF), your primary reason
for carrying a firearm to survive another day, may be more focused on
self-defense from others, rather than obtaining wild animals for food. If this
is the case, the smart shopper may want to op for something with a little more
punch. This would commonly be a 9mm, 40, or 45 auto or perhaps a 357 magnum
revolver. These are the common types we most often carry concealed for defense
against criminals on the street, and I think this is what is inferred when we
think of the SHTF scenarios.
We may also
want to consider something even more robust than a handgun and select some type
of long gun to carry such as a carbine, rifle or shotgun. Most often what comes
to mind is an AR-15/AK-47, high power center-fire scoped hunting rifle, or 12
gauge auto or pump shotgun.
There is an
argument for carrying the same wilderness survival tools regardless of the
reason for survival. There are those who feel the best survival gun is light
weight, capable of taking small game and self defense, while using ammunition
that is small, light, and easy to carry a bunch.......the 22 long rifle, fits
this bill, and would be the choice for many survivalist in most of the
countryside. It will allow you to carry a lot more other needed items for
survival, but still work great on small game for food (including urban pets and
wild game), and also is capable of defending against 2 legged foe with
limitations. The 22 long rifle is relatively quiet and you can carry a bunch of
them little rimfires bullets in your shirt pocket.
For most folks however, I think the "SHTF" infers
the reason for needing a gun is in self-defense against our own breed, the
marauding bandits who want to take away from you, what is yours......up to and
including your life!!! So, you may need to kill some wild (or tame) game/pets
to survive another day, but protecting your life and the life of your loved
ones and/or companions, may be the primary purpose of carrying a heater during
times of survival in the event society has a break down and everything, at
least for a short period of time, goes berserk!!!
It seems to me in the SHTF Survival mode, we
first consider self-protection against others of our kind and then a means to
an end of collecting feed. Although your favorite game gun can be used to
protect you (and it has in many incidents), I think we can all agree, the
firearm most appropriate for self-protection will work better at protecting us
and also double pretty well for taking some wild game if need be to collect
that evening meal. What I'm saying is, I think I would rather have a 9mm Glock
to fight my way out of a tight situation with a gang of bandits and survive to
head shoot a rabbit for lunch, rather than face off both marauders and rabbits
with a 22 pistol.
As for the selection of
handgun to use for self-protection, I think many readers here, already have
made a fine choice. What do you carry concealed while running around town? A
Glock, Sig, Kimber, or maybe an XD? In 9mm, 40, or 45 caliber? These are all
reasonable and capable choices for the job of self-defense using a handgun.
Having already made that choice, the way you carry your handgun and what else
you carry for it, may not be well thought out for the purpose of when the SHTF.
But before we discuss what you carry to support your selected handgun, lets
discuss what other gun you should consider carrying.
We should realize the popularity of carrying a
handgun for self-defense is based on convenience, not capability. Not only is a
22 rimfire a whoafully inadequate firearm for protecting your life.......so are
any the handguns every made!! Any reliable repeating center-fire long gun beats
any handgun as a defensive firearm....period! The reality is, handguns are
convenient, they allow you to have something that goes bang on your person at
all times, even when you are squatting to take a shit......something we all
have to do regardless of our status in life!
There are some folks who train and live with this
reality, congratulations you are more prepared than 98% of the rest. But, if
you are a member of the "rest", get ready......go to the gun safe, take out any
of those long guns you have and start thinking and preparing with it. It makes
little difference if it is a carbine, rifle or shotgun. That is, until you have
become "one with your long gun" any of them will do. Once you get handy
with your initial choice, you will have some knowledge from which to better
decide if another type is better for you.
Now....let's get back to that handgun and visit
the long gun later. Remember the primary key to the handgun is convenience. You
need a holding device on your body for the handgun, you can live with day in
and day out, through the night and through the week. It has to be accessible
when you need it and comfortable enough to carry 24/7. If you haven't tried it,
might be a good idea to dedicate a weekend and try it out. After work on
Friday, come home and strap that hog leg on and keep it there every moment you
are awake and at night curl up next to it like it was your new found lover. I
know, some of you already live like that (you, who do, like me....probably
should consider some therapy sessions!!!!), but for the "rest", try it out now
and if that holster and belt don't work to well, find out before you are forced
into it and make the adjustments needed. We all have a box or two of old gear
in the closet.....if that $100 Kydex junk holster turns out to actually be junk
(translation: Looks cool, a favorite with IDPA competitors, but totally useless
in the desert environment), face the music and get something better, or take a
blow dryer to it and make it work better.
Now how about those extra magazines or speed
loaders. How many and where do you stash them on your body? Remember when those
marauding bandits come calling, you may find yourself on the run, so I would
think weight, bulk and location on the hips, chest, thighs, etc. And, whatever
the decision is, they also need to sleep with you for the weekend test. In
other words, how much ammunition do you want to carry, what caliber should it
be.....kill power, size, weight, quantity-vs-firepower, are all reasons for
consideration. I personally like the 45 ACP. I also like full size handguns,
and I think having two spare magazines is minimum. Why? Great question......for
another discussion, at another time. What it does mean is, I will be carrying
about 40 rounds of 45 ACP, compared to others who select a 9mm maybe carrying
up to 58 rounds in the same configuration. I'm willing to carry less ammunition
because of my faith in the capability of the 45 ACP compared to the
9mm.....it's a personal choice.....you make yours, I've already made mine. 9mm
vs 45 ACP......more important is getting the carry method developed which
allows you to carry 24/7 without fatigue, so you have optimized on the
convenience.
Once you think you have the
convenient carry thing worked out, put the rest of your gear on and live with
it for 72 hours. You know, that backpack you bought for a 48 or 72 hour bug out
bag (or GoBag, BoB)......or maybe you are working on the 2nd or 3rd backpack
you thought was going to be perfect!! And, if you are one of those weekend
Commando types with the load bearing vest, to carry a couple dozen AR
magazines, don't forget to strap it on as well before going to sleep tonight.
Some folks spend a lot of time, money and
effort attempting to get their gear ready before they actually need it. If you
haven't, after reading this, I hope you will consider getting some gear out and
making the best of what you have and maybe making the changes necessary to make
it all more useful.
When the shit hits
the fan your best choice may be to stay put and hunker down.....or maybe,
move to a safer location. Either or, regardless, you could find the need to
move out. If that need arises, you are going to be better prepared if you have
enough personal gear to survive for 72 hours on your back......that minimum
water, food, shelter, first aid and defense equipment you can have on your body
at all times. Work it out now, when you don't need it and continue to refine
it......spend time now working out the kinks, so you will have more time later
to deal with the tragedy, rather than deal with inadequate gear.
Now, let's get back to that long gun thing. My
favorite is a carbine, and even though I'm most comfortable with it as an all
purpose long gun, I would not be outside of my comfort zone carrying my
Remington 700. Others prefer a shotgun and with good reason. The 12 gauge
shotgun auto-loader or pump, is probably the most versatile choice for home
defense and survival in an urban area one can invest and train with. With the
capability to select load.......be it bird shot for hunting, buck shot for
defense and slugs for big game and hard targets......it is without a doubt, an
excellent choice.
I think it is important to
have the capability to lay down some firepower, so my selection would include a
repeating type, be it an auto-loader, full-auto, bolt action, lever action or
pump action. There are definite advantages to consider in the newer designed
military type long guns, with box magazines and gas operated actions. They are
usually more suitable for defense and offense than other older type designs,
such as the pump action and lever action. Unless you have a specific mission
such as compound defense, rapid patrols or deployment, mostly your choice in a
long gun is going to make compromises.
Unless you are built like Mr. America, most
likely you are only going to be carrying one long gun on your person, so your
decision will most likely select a "do-all", and with that in mind your
selected long gun will take on the roll of "All Purpose" and have some
limitations. Most likely your choice may not be perfect for any one thing, but
good for most everything.
Once the choice is
made remember, it has to fit with all the other gear you have.....handgun,
backpack, vest, etc. How heavy is your choice, how many magazines or pouches or
ammo bags will you carry? Where do those extra rounds go on your body for your
most valuable defense tool, second only to your gray matter? If you can't get
to them right now to reload, they are a liability. Move them around on your
body and gear, until they are available during a fight, without having to drop
your gear.
Getting a primary and secondary
gun setup, along with your other required gear, can be summed up as a real Pain
In The Ass. Ask any combat soldier or SWAT officer. They will tell you
nightmare stories about their gear and how they have been frustrated with
getting it positioned. A big advantage you may have over individuals who are
members of organized groups, such as the Army, Marines, or your local police
department......you are not strapped to carry what the boss says.....you have a
choice. The disadvantage to having choices is, you have so many
choices......and most of those choices are bad......that is, most of the gear
offered on the market, are bad. KISS......keep it simple stupid....if you
really don't need it, leave it behind. If you really think it is needed and
that black tactical gizmo doesn't work some times, replace it or leave it
behind and learn to live without it.
So even
if you don't make the best choice in SHTF Survival Guns, become one with your
guns.....learn and train with them......become an expert in handling,
maintaining and shooting them. Even if you were wrong about your initial
selection of what you thought was the best, when you become an expert, you will
have already overcome the shortcomings of your choices. And, that will place
you far ahead of those who have not dedicated the time and effort to better
prepare. |