How To Build An Urban Survival Armory For Less Than $1,000

Obviously, anyone can build an armory for less than $1,000. The question is: Can you build an armory with high-quality weapons for less than $1,000?

A lot of you are probably thinking, “No way.” At one point in time, you would have been right. But like other technologies, firearms continue to improve and you can now get high-quality rifles, pistols, and shotguns for affordable prices. You just have to know what to get.

Let’s talk about how you can build an urban survival armory for less than a grand.

Why You Need An Urban Survival Armory

First and foremost, why do you even need an ‘urban survival armory’ to begin with? In fact, what is an ‘urban survival armory’?

Basically, an urban survival armory is simply an armory of personal firearms that you would use to hunt defend yourself during an urban disaster.

How does this differ from a ‘normal’ survival armory?

Simple. The guns you would need for an urban environment are not necessarily the same ones you would need for a rural environment.

For example, a scoped bolt action hunting rifle is not a gun you would need in an urban area because you probably won’t be doing any long-range shooting.

Instead, the guns you need for an urban environment need to be guns you can use to defend yourself in close quarters or against multiple attackers.

Types of Guns You Need In Your Urban Survival Armory

So the big question you probably have: Which specific types of guns do you need to have in your urban survival armory?

Well, before we get into the specific makes and models, let’s discuss the basic types of guns you need.

Semi-Automatic Rifle With A Detachable Magazine

Basically, an AR-15, because it’s really the best semi-automatic rifle with a detachable magazine that also fires an intermediate cartridge.

And by best, that doesn’t mean it’s objectively the best, but it is the most popular centerfire rifle in America with readily available ammunition and spare parts, and that means a lot.

There are many reasons an AR-15 or any other semi-auto rifle is a good choice for an urban survival scenario. It has a large magazine capacity, which makes it a good choice for defense against multiple attackers.

The 5.56x45mm NATO round also has very minimal recoil, and the AR-15 is already a highly ergonomic rifle, making it great even for beginners.

Finally, the AR-15 also has far more stopping power than a handgun, and greater range than a shotgun. Don’t underestimate it. Even though semi-auto rifles are rarely thought of as being defensive arms, the truth is that they are actually great choices for the task.

In short, having a semi-automatic rifle for defending your house or apartment is going to give you a major advantage over your attackers.

Shotgun

Next, you’re going to need a gun that you probably expected to see in this list from the beginning: a twelve gauge or twenty gauge pump action shotgun.

Shotguns are among the most practical and versatile of weapons ever produced. In fact, the only things you really can’t do with them are concealed carry (at least not easily) and long-range shooting.

The reason shotguns are so versatile is because of their ammunition. You have a wide variety of options for defense, range use, and hunting alike.

Buckshot rounds are the predominant choice and are incredibly effective self-defense loads within close range, especially with 20 gauge and 12 gauge. Birdshot rounds are good for clay pigeon shooting, small game hunting, and bird hunting. Can they be used for self-defense, too? Yes, but they are far from the best option for that.

Finally, slugs can be used for big game hunting within moderate distances, though you’ll probably only be able to hunt small animals in urban areas. That being said, slugs can also be used effectively for self-defense, and again within reasonable distances.

Pistol

Specifically, a mid-sized or compact 9mm Luger pistol with a large magazine capacity would be a good choice.

There are many reasons for this. For one thing, 9mm is by far the most common pistol caliber in existence. It is cheap, it is plentiful, and it is suitable for self-defense when using the proper loads.

As a compact or mid-sized pistol, the gun will also be easy to conceal on your person, and this is something invaluable to you especially if you don’t want hoodlums or cops seeing that you have a gun on you. It’s certainly an advantage that you would be unwise to overlook.

Finally, having a large magazine capacity reduces the number of reloads and enables you to engage multiple targets. People in an urban survival scenario are more likely to be working in groups of two if not significantly more. 

For these reasons, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a large magazine capacity that is also small and light enough to be concealed is by far one of the most important weapons to have in a defensive scenario.

Keep in mind that a pistol can also be used as a general purpose sidearm or as a backup arm to your shotgun or rifle.

Del-Ton Core AR-15 – $400

There was a time when AR-15s were incredibly expensive and could only be had for about a grand or more, at least for a quality one.

But those days are long gone, and the budget AR-15 market has really been exploding since around 2014. The Del-Ton Core AR-15 is one example of a budget AR-15 that is made for the $500 mark or less. And online, they can sometimes be found for around $400.

Granted, this will be a very basic and no-frills AR-15 without very luxurious accessories. But then again, for less than five hundred bucks, who are you to complain?

Take note that the Del-Ton is hardly the only budget AR-15 in this price range. Far from it, in fact.

Anderson, DPMS, ATI, Ruger, and Smith & Wesson are all examples of manufacturers that make high-quality AR-15’s at a low and affordable price point.

Maverick 88 – $200

The Maverick 88 is a budget version of the Mossberg 500, which is one of the most popular and reputable shotguns ever made.

In fact, the Mossberg 590 was the only pump action shotgun to pass the U.S. military’s brutal torture tests in the 1980s.

While Mossberg 500s are already affordable and can be had for around $300, the Maverick 88 is around a hundred dollars or more cheaper if you’re really on a serious budget. As a pump action, it will feed just about anything and everything that you put through it.

Taurus G2C 9mm – $219

Without question, the Taurus G2C in 9mm is one of the best quality budget pistols on the market today.

The G2C is actually a development of the Taurus PT111 G2. The only difference between the two is that the G2C lacks the safety lock of the PT111 G2, which many people don’t like for a number of reasons.

The G2C is a reliable handgun that is compact and yet large enough to get a full firing grip over. As a result, it is suitable for both concealed carry or as a general purpose sidearm. It has a 12+1 capacity, so it has enough ammunition for you to defend yourself against multiple attackers if need be.

It also has very aggressive stippling on the grip for wet and slippery conditions, in addition to a loaded chamber indicator, a reversible magazine release, and a framed mounted thumb safety.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by now you should see that it is perfectly possible to put together an arsenal of quality guns to use in an urban survival scenario. It’s not like these are the greatest guns ever made, but they are without question quality guns and that’s what matters.

In addition to affordable guns, you’re going to need lots of ammo. All of this stuff can add up fast–to well over $1,000 if you’re not careful.

So before you buy another gun, you should join the National Gun Owners Association & Buyers Club. As a member, you get access to guns and ammo at wholesale pricing without having to get an FFL. There is a monthly fee, but the savings will make it pay for itself and then some in no time.