Guns are an issue. They have always been an issue and they will always be an issue. There is always someone out there with the great utopian idea that if we simply take away all the guns we will eliminate all the crime. This idea has been proven to fail for many reasons. And yet it still might happen. So what guns should we acquire before then?
Want to save this post for later? Click Here to Pin It on Pinterest!
This video cycles through several weapons and offers a variety of information about each one. It is a break down not of specific gun brands but more about the calibers that you should include in your kit or home arsenal.
I think this is a great beginners video for those who are new to firearms or prepping. This video details the what and the why perfectly. Some people may struggle with the idea of having an AR15 and .22 rifle. To the outsider, they may see two rifles and not the difference between calibers. You can watch the video below.
Directed Fire is more effective than automatic fire where you spray an area and hope to hit something. The caliber doesn’t matter unless it is some ratty .25 caliber pot metal junk. I’ve seen some PCP air rifles do better than their powdered cousins. Location, shot placement, and training in the choice of firearm you use is more important than any of the arguments I’ve seen here. The allies spread thousands of Liberty pistols across Europe during WWII, and it turned out to be the most effective firearm ever used. Smooth bore, extra ammo in the grip, chambered for the 9mm Parabellum, it got the Mauser rifle or Schmeisser into Resistence hands with all the Nazi corpse’ s ammo, and the Resistence still kept them handy for in city use. No gun? A knife worked at close range stabbed into the base of the skull and twisted, in and out, grab the weapon and ammo, and disappear. Weapons and tactics together is what counts, not caliber and gun type. The big question will always be, can you approach silently, use a knife or suppressed pistol, kill at bad breath range, and get away without being caught? Sniping is very effective psyops tactic, but won’t stop a platoon. Directed Fire inside 400 yards is very effective, and doesn’t waste ammo. Perspective, planning, intelligence, and placement is the key to all encounters. Screw what gun you have, what caliber it is. Training and all the rest I mentioned is what really counts, from “bad breath” range to a thousand yards, training and tactics count.
I have them all
from the food getter to the blow them in half to long away shot to ware their ass out
I think that when some one tries to take what is yours then you have the right to take what they have off their dead body is yours. that is the in of my way of thinking cause when they show up to do you harm God will not be a my house to help
Boys and Girls ,
It boils down to this – in a shtf situation , the best firearm is the one you have at that time . The AR platform is great until you need it as a club . Bend or break the buffer tube and it becomes a very dangerous single shot . People and critters have been killed with every caliber available . Go with the caliber and firearm you do the best with . A variety of firearms and ammo is by far the safest bet.
We can not control natural disasters, but what are you as an individual doing to stop the political disasters being perpetrated on the citizens of our country ? If you don’t stand up for your rights like our brethren in Virgina just did , you’re not going to have firearm choices to argue over.
Remember, the main reason for your handgun is to fight your way back to your rifle.
AR-15 v. Mini-14, once again, we’ll have two groups of people, each firmly entrenched in whichever encampment. I can only comment based on personal experience and observations.
I once watched two friends of mine at the range, one with a mini, one with an entry level AR with iron sights (this was around 2003-4). Side by side, the two fired, and a few things I noted.
First. The Mini had more FTF’s even with the Ruger factory mags. Friend Mini only succeeded in having a couple of complete mag emptying without at least one FTF. My buddy with the AR, only had a couple of FTF’s during the whole outing, and consistantly had no mag issues with the assortment of mags he used (Factory, Surplus, and AM Polymer mags). Hmmmm!
Two. Past 75 yards, the Mini’s accuracy became an issue, in spite of the longer sight radius. At 75 yards and up, the AR consistantly had better groupings. Now this might be attributed to the skill levels of the two friends, but they switched platforms a couple of times, each shooting the other’s rifle, and the results were still the same. Leads me to believe that the AR had the edge in accuracy past 75 yards.
I know that our local PD went with Minis in the early 90’s as cruiser rifles for the officers. By the late 90’s, the Department dumped the Minis in favor of surplus M4’s. Why? Parts breakage. Minis of that era, had a bad tendency to suffer from broken extractors and firing pins. The Department had to send the guns back to Ruger for repair, since Ruger didn’t offer these parts EVEN TO CERTIFIED ARMORERS for replacement/repair. Whether that’s still the case, I don’t know, but to me, that’s a big No in the Cons column. A shade tree mechanic can rebuild a BCG, and do 99% of the field repairs on an AR with nothing more than his toolboxand a $20 Armorers Wrench. Yes, if you need to swap barrels, some gauges are required to headspace the barrel. Gauges aren’t cheap, but they’re not cheap for any rifle, semi or bolt.
While DI is not the best system for operation, the ammo you use is the biggest problem for that type of system. Use the correct ammo (it’s the powder that is the issue), and most of the problems go away. The other alternative is to upgrade the rifle to a Gas Piston system for less than the price of a good scope/optic, or buy a higher end AR with the GP already in place.
For nearly 60 years, the AR system, has been the US Military’s weapon of choice. Yes, it’s gone through numerous incarnations, but the basic platform/design has remained reletively unchanged. Even though the Military is looking at an increase in the caliber, they’re looking seriously at calibers that can be swapped out by a barrel & mag change, rather than complete replacement of the weapon. That’s not just a cost analysis, but a huge vote in favor of the AR platform for reliability and accuracy. TTBOMK, only a couple of the armies of small nations (Thailand and Bermuda) still use the Mini-14. Several foreign police and correctional departments still use it (very few in America, most all have switched to the M4), and Paramilitary organizations of various countries still use the Mini. That is a statement in and of itself as to the viability of the Mini.
As for handguns, the 9×19 v. 40 S&W v. .45 ACP has been debated ad nauseum. Personally, I own at least one gun in all three calibers, and I’m comfortable with carrying any as a CCW (not a 1911 though). Though my .40and 45’s are full size, and only carried seasonally. My 9mm P365 spends 75% of its time as the main CCW. Pick a caliber, a good reliable and accurate gun, and learn to shoot it is the best advice for a SHTF handgun. Whether it’s a semi or a revolver doesn’t matter if you can’t hit the arse end of a barn with it.
An Ar-15 uses .223 shells because we sold them to S..Vietnam in massive numbers . Their troops could not use a rifle with a serious recoil. I’d prefer a rifle that shoots a larger caliber(.30-06;.308,or an 8 mm Mauser for deer hunting. An AR-15 is America’s best example of a “Macho” rifle. AK-47 rifles sell well because it uses powerful bullet. plus it’s built like a tank.It’s also reasonably priced. It’s also easier to learn how to shoot accurately.
Adam Schiff was doing his job when he lead the Democratic Impeachment team. He’s The #2 guy in the House. So why should he be thrown out. He did nothing ILLEGAL.
Do you have links to articles about the .223/South Korea sales, or about South Korean troops being unable to handle recoil?
After the shootout the FBI reevaluated and ended up issuing their agents 10mm, not 9mm. I had a Glock .40 S&W and the muzzle whip was so bad I ended up getting rid of it (and the guy that bought it from me and the guy that bought it from him) all had the same problem. I haven’t known anybody yet that shot a lot and preferred the .40.
I’m a big believer in making a shot count, which is why I’m okay with clip capacities being regulated as a common sense way of preventing the mass shootings. Unlike many on this site and others, I don’t believe anyone is going to “take away guns”.
The hoopla about Obama was a marketing ploy by the NRA and the ammo manufacturers to get people to buy more ammo, which they did.
I’ve never been a fan of the AR system, unless you go to a lot of trouble and expense to make it accurate. I prefer the Mini-14 if I have to have a semi-auto, but overall would prefer a bolt gun anyway.
Shot placement is the key. Use what u can hit the target with. 2 things stop a bad guy.. blood lost. And disrupting the central nervous system. It sad we must plans on shooting another person but when it time to fight there are no rules. Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting twice.
one of the nice things about America is your right to be a moron is protected Moron !!!
S.R, you may want to believe that “no one wants to take our guns” but that doesn’t make it so. Beto is no longer on the candidate list because he plainly said “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15 and your AK.” How much more clearly could they make it? Every oppressive gov’t in the past disarmed the populace before the slaughter began. Won’t happen in US? Would you bet your life on that?
People like you are why we have to worry about gun bans. You cannot give politicians an inch or they will undoubtedly take the entire foot.
What do you not understand with the words, “Shall not be infringed”? I have an issue with YOU allowing the 2nd Amendment to be chipped at with a chisel of Liberalism.
Primary – AR15
PrImary side – G19
Stock in B.O. location.
AR-10
270
338 Lapua
12ga
10/22 takedown
Buckmark
Several other 9mm
Several .45
2- .357
Get yourself a glock 19 9mm and practice n familiarize your self with it and you’ll be fine p.s. stock up on plenty extra 15rd. Factory magazines have couple hundred rounds of Winchester 124gr. +p jacketed hollowpoints and 400 rd. of 124gr. Military ball ammo
2008, when BARAK OBAMA (D) was elected for his 1st term….
2008, GB (R) II left office.
Right, it was Obama who spurned the big gun buy and ammo shortage because everyone started hording and the gov started buying in HUGE quantities.
Lol I can use any rifle to kill and take there guns you all have good points but stuped shoot a .22LR at 200 yards and hit a 4″ Circle you can kill any man or animal with a headshot and you might be able to shoot a thousand yards with the high power rifle BECAUSE THATS WHERE I WILL BE IS AT 500M TO 900M WITH A 7MM IF The SHTF!!!!
I plan on having my 308 bolt action folding stock with scope with me at first with 100 165 g boat tail ammo. But this is for getting to my bug out location. For hunting I have my 12 gauge pump 6 round shotgun. A 22 mag bolt action firing 55 g rebulleted bullets with more hornady gun power to move the same bullet as a 223 round to 2,100 ft per sec. I have 250 of these made up and 2,250 40 g round that go 1,850 fps which is for short 200 yds or less. The only problem with your strategy is that you will not always be on high ground will you?? 22 mag ammo weighs 1/5th that of 223 and 1/6th that of 308 bullets. SO, a lot of ammo to fire off compared 1/5th as much???
I’ve been through 3 tours in Iraq as an Infantryman and many firefights. A supported, take your time, line up your target chance for a headshot is extremely rare. Combat is loud and chaotic, everyone is moving or behind cover. Getting a torso hit is hard enough let alone a head shot.
It may look easy on TV, in video games, and in your mind but in reality, it’s far from it.
You want a caliber that will take a man out of the fight if hit in the torso. 5.56 barely achieves this but will be available almost everywhere.
My 20″ BCM AR is my “SHTF” go to rifle, stockpiled with 77gr & 55gr ammo. (55gr thru 20″ Barrel will penetrate most body armor)
I also own several 9 mm’s, several AR’s including a 10.5″ SBR, A 308 AR10, 12 ga Mossberg 590, an AK-47 and a AR 22 converter kit for small game.
If I could only keep one rifle it’s would be my 20″ BCM.
You can make a kill shot at 900 yards with 7 mag. Maybe when you get out of rehab , you full of BS. Me Vietnam Vet. 6 years in 82nd.
(Novice here) took a women’s gun class and shot 18 handguns with real bullets … scared me to tears!!! until about the 10th one – became aware and paid attention ! Tell me please what is 7 mag.? what would you recommend for house intrusion? Handgun and shotgun ? Blessings VV …
RUGER MINI 14 RANCH
Would be my choice.
A lot less problems & issues
No ammo issues it is made to fire both .223 & 5.56 from the factory.
No skinny piss pour gas tube to fail when you need it the most.
Does not require a tools to take it down & clean it, just a simple pinch, screwdriver, or if all else fails use bullet in the trigger guard & pry it out, then pull the trigger guard up & out & up the stock comes off.
It goes back together that easy too.
It can be scoped or open sighted.
It can be upgrades any a person wants, just like the black rifle.
It it based a M1 Garand design that build in 1936, & it still works today.
Fill the Mini 14 up with sand, mud, water & freeze it will fire.(as long as the barrel is clear) Do that with an black rifle.
Easy to use, clean & maintain no special tools needed to work on it that are easy to lose.
Not as scary to the liberal crowd as the black rifle. (With the wood stock still on)
The Mini 41 works just as well or better, than any black rifle out there.
AR 15 would be my first choice either or even my last choice.
To many ammo & gas tube failures.
Like shooting .223/5.56 in the wrong chamber
The gas tubes will burn melt & fail eventually (piss poor design)
Piss poor design & maintenance nightmare.
Requiring special tools to work on to do simple things.
Requiring special knowledge to work on.
Why
This is one of the dumbest postings I’ve ever read. I’m retired army Infantry and used everything from the m16a1 to the m4 in and out of combat for over 37 years.
The AR like the AK has its plus and minuses. As long as you keep your AR semi-clean and oiled it will be just a reliable as any rifle out there.
I’ve never seen a gas tube burn melt or fail (ridiculous statement) you don’t need any special tools and there is an abundance of parts here in the US.
Over 95% of AR problems I’ve seen throughout my career/life were due to bad or poorly maintained magazines. (same can be said for the AK)
Don’t believe this BS post above! The AR is a Fun, Reliable, Accurate rifle that every prepper should own.
I agree he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about Anthony Clark Founder of Strykeforce Combat Systems.
18 year army vet fought in the sandbox I’ll stick with my ar 15 dependable easy to maintain
Having many guns all of the same caliber as in 9mm is a stupid and fatal mistake!
Here is why when obamma was in office every type & caliber dried up, the 9mm, 40 & 45 acp all got very thin & all but went away even 22 long rifle.
So if you have one (4) guns in 9 mm, & it dries or gets thin you now have many (4) ammo less clubs or boat anchors.
When the 22 long rifles dry up, again & they will, you now have another ammo less club again (#5).
You need to have 1 or 2 guns of every common caliber like 22 long rifle, 9mm, 357 Sig, 38/357, 40, 45 acp maybe even a 44 mag.
If one type or group of ammo get hard to come buy you have many options to choose from.
As when obamma was in office 22 long rifle, 9mm, 40 & 45 acp became very hard (almost impossible) to come buy in the mid west area, the only easy gun & ammo option in this (mid west) area was 357 Sig.
357 Sig was the only option for a pistol in this area for about 2 or 3 years because we could get any other ammo easily (or cheaply) till the end of obamma.
There was many other guns but little ammo till the ammo comp. got caught up with the main pistol calibers out there.
You need to get at least 1 or 2 of revolvers to in 357 or 44 mag, for more options like hunting for food!!!
Even the reloading components became hard to come by during the obamma term.
So limiting you self to only one type of pistol ammo when things go bad is a stupid & fatal flaw & a good way to die early in the game.
9mm was never hard to find! even during the big scare. Obviously, you failed to comprehend the reasoning for this video. In a SHTF situation, 9mm along with 5.56, 22 and 12 ga. will be the most abundant ammo for many years here in the US and major barter item.
As of now, these 4 types of ammo are dirt cheap and easy to stock up on, not to mention the Billions of rounds in the military’s inventory.
Are you serious about hunting for food with a 357 or 44 mag revolver? ROFLOL also, your 357 sig will end up being a paperweight long before 9mm becomes scarce.
As for the mini 14 post above. There are many comparison studies done between the mini 14 and AR15 with the AR winning all of them! Poor sand into any rifle and it will jam. (see AK operator union videos) Also as good as the M1 Garand was, it was still prone to failure which has been well documented.
You seem to be that guy! the so-called expert with nothing but bad advice, who has read to many books, has little experience. Hopefully, most readers here have common sense and see through your BS.
I did not see a lot of BS! Everyone is entitled to their opinions – especially concerning firearms and ammo. My moderate collection of rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers still does not give me much comfort. Maybe if I had a couple of machine guns using the.50 BMG caliber and set up to defend my mountain fortress I would feel adequate. After spending 9 days in a field hospital in Southeast Asia in 1970, I realize none of us are really as safe as we think we are. Having many firearms and loads of ammo is a start. I received a small arms expert ribbon in 1967 using a M-16 and I still do not trust them or the semi-auto M4 (AR15). I have got to have something with power – like a 12 ga. double barrel for close-up targets with a .454 Casull holstered on my right side. 10 mm are great like giving a feeling much like a warm bed on a cold night – that’s comfort. At 71, it’s beginning difficult to convince my wife I need another firearm. Time & life go by way too fast!! (God help us all.)
Nice post Mr, McLean
I have a 22 Magnum bolt action that I can also shoot 22 LR with an adapter. It’s not for long range shots but with 55 g bullets going 1,800 fps, anything within 150 yards that is still going 1,350 fps?? For longer range to wound unless a lucky shot, 33 g going 2,250 fps and 1,800 fps at 250 yards would be much more than hurting! That’s my rifle with my wife carrying her 22 LR Marlin model 60 mag fed rifle. I have a 357 mag revolver that can fire 38 Police Special rounds as well. My with has here 22mag revolver with a 22 LR cylinder to change if needed! With very light weight ammunition so many more rounds can be carried especially if we bug out. Also it can be used to harvest game for food! The back packs we have are a vest type with extra magazine pockets, ammo pockets, flash light, lighters and many other connections for other needs!
Notice how any argument in favor of the 9mm always includes how many rounds it carries not ever do the ballistic describe the awesome ballistic attributes because it has none. Being able to keep shooting all day is the hallmark of a terrible shooter. Trained shooters goal – one shot one kill. The 40sw is vastly superior in this regard and is why LEO across America chose it over the 9mm two decades ago.
If you are a typical average person go with the 9mm because you will be needing all of those rounds and a basic vest will eat them ALL. I will be making reliable 40sw head shots from 30+ yards because I can and won’t need the extra rounds. True.
Hate to burst your bubble but they are going back to the 9mm and getting away from the 40. Advancements in bullet design has brought the 9mm on par with the 45 and is a lot easier to shoot then the 40 and easier on the gun itself. Plus 9mm is cheaper
Because most new LE are not gun people anymore and can not shoot worth a damn.
No mater how good they think the ammo hollow point 9mm gets.
It still puts a 9mm hole in the person they shoot, & if you shoot threw clothes the hollow points fills up and now you a 9mm FMJ going through people
To think their LE life depends on the cheapest. (what a warm and fuzzy felling)
Look at the FBI 1986 Miami shootout
30 years since infamous bloody Miami shootout
FBI agents Jerry Dove and Ben Grogan were killed in a bloody 1986 shootout. FBI VIA CBS MIAMI
MIRAMAR – Thirty years ago, FBI agents Ben Grogan and Jerry Dove died in a vicious gun battle with two heavily armed suspected bank robbers in Miami-Dade’s Suniland area, which is now part of Pinecrest. It’s described as the bloodiest shootout in FBI history.
FBI Director James Comey is scheduled Monday to speak at a ceremony at the FBI’s office in Miramar. There will also be a wreath-laying event in Pinecrest, where the April 11, 1986, gun battle occurred, reports CBS Miami.
Grogan was 53 when he died. He was a two-decade veteran nicknamed ‘The Doctor’ and was one year shy of retirement. Dove was 30 and had joined the agency four years earlier.
The so-called “Miami Shootout” also left five other agents wounded in the April 11, 1986, gun battle with two serial bank robbers at SW 82nd Avenue and 122nd Street. The suspects, William Matix and Michael Platt were also killed by one of the wounded FBI agents. More than 140 shots were fired.
It all started when agents Dove and Grogan spotted the suspects’ vehicle. A high speed chase ensued when the agents tried to stop the vehicle. When agents in three FBI vehicles finally managed to stop the suspects’ car, Matix and Platt came out firing.
The incident is infamous in FBI history and is well-studied in law enforcement circles. Despite outnumbering the suspects 4 to 1, the agents found themselves pinned down by heavy rifle fire and unable to respond effectively due to their much smaller service handguns. The suspects had a Ruger assault rifle, a shotgun and .357 caliber handguns. Although both Matix and Platt were hit multiple times during the firefight, Platt fought on and continued to injure and kill agents. This incident led to the introduction of more powerful handguns in many police departments around the country including more powerful semiautomatic weapons for all FBI agents.
The “Miami Incident”, was more a result of extremely POOR tactics used by the agents against determined felons, than a choice of caliber. There are NO magic bullets. Poor tactics get you killed, Mattix eventually bled out at the scene from a .38 Special +P LHP fired from an agent’s three inch issued revolver.
In fact, Mattix was mortally wounded prior to both agents being murdered, he just didn’t know it. Which is why, tactics and cover are far more important than caliber choice in real life.
No. Mattix was hit by one of the 115gr 9mm bullets fired by one of the deceased agents. I think the autopsy said it rested within an inch of his heart. I addition, there was over a liter of blood in his heart. The wound WAS a fatal wound, just fatal quickly enough.
The tactics by the involved agents wasn’t the issue, it was about caliber (and bullet weight). This shootout is start prompted the FBI to perform their iconic ballistics testing. From that they determined that penetration and expansion were the keys to surviving a shootout (along with shot placement).
This comment gave me cancer.
It defiantly made us all a lot dumber. Every one of “What I know says” comments brings a new meaning to clueless stupidity. These guys the poster boy.
Came across this but the true proof a person has no clue is what you said. If you look at the ballistics tests comparing 9mm, 40 and 45 there arent much difference. One shot one kill shows you’re an idiot watching too many movies. You should carry as much ammo as you can. A trained LE officer under stress will hit only 18% of his shots, 24% if we use the highest numbers available. That means 1 of 4 hit, 3 go somewhere else. I dont usually chime in on these and didnt look at the list of guns but your information about 9mm is wrong.
But this guy is obviously a superhero, so I’m sure he can get the 30 yd headshots all day long (while possibly being shot back at, by the target… Which is presumably moving the entire time).
He also doesn’t realize that while shot placement is the ultimate goal, the perfect shot that directly disrupts the central nervous system is unlikely I’m a high stress situation. He doesn’t realize that it’s not about bleeding out of the smaller-diameter 9mm hole. It’s about penetration and expansion that causes the bad guy to stop doing what he’s doing. That same bad guy can bleed to death internally just as quickly as he can externally.
Thats not true the 9mm 127gr. +p+ Winchester Ranger has the energy of a 125gr. 357 which is incidentally the best 1 shot manstopper of any caliber in over 4000 acual gunfights that was compiled to include only torso hits a 9mm loaded with a proper load acually outperforms a 45a.c.p. hands down everytime and touching on Miami 1986 I’ve studied the advents of that April 11th. extensively and the F.B.I. on top of poor preparation were outgunned regardless of handgun caliber and were up against two highly trained army rangers who were former strikeforce team members Platt was extremely well trained n demented as Special Agent Gordon McNeil said in a 1991 interview I looked right in his eyes and he had a big smile on his face like he was enjoying himself out there. And one last point in favor of the 9mm after extensive testing and switching to the 10 mm then the 40s&w the F.B.I. has recently switched back to the 9mm no handgun is a great manstopper but loaded with a decent load and driven to either +p or +p+ velocities the 9mm is as viable of a combat handgun round as any . Anthony Clark founder Strykeforce Combat Systems
I think the main point of having a 9mm is that caliber will be the most AVAILABLE in a SHTF situation or a government abuse of the 2nd Amendment. It is not about how MANY you can carry. .40sw will not be nearly as east to find as a nice simple .9mm. I don’t care how good a shot you are, if you don’t have ammo and are not able to find more, you are not going to shoot a darn thing.
AR is just a rifle velocity 22. Both the 22LR and the AR-15 ammo come in 34-50 grain weights and are both in the same approximate 22 diameter slug. The 22LR exits the rifle at up to 1200 FPS where the AR15 .223 round exits at around 2600 FPS a huge difference in the energy and accurate range. Add to this the fact that light weight rounds carry less momentum and are more easily diverted by winds plus the fact that AR rifles sell at a premium price and you can find much better alternatives to this standard rifle.
The AR is a versatile rifle, but the comment about setting up for close quarters or long range is not that simply as you would need to change the barrels and most people cannot do that, also switching ammo between .223 and 5.56 is not recommend if it can be avoided. 5.56 has a higher chamber pressure which could lead to damage or disaster over long term use.
That’s why they make .223 Wylde, problem solved. You can shoot .223 in a 5.56 and believe it or not you can shoot 5.56 in a .223, not recommended of course, but if you have to in a life threatening situation you can.
Change barrels, change calibers, change optics, in a matter of moments. Multiple uppers, is key. Two push pins, and maybe a magazine. It’s an expensive alternative, but it’s available, and easy to do.
Not too easy to change calibers, optics and especially barrels if you are walking and trying to be somewhat stealthy and have to carry every darn thing on your back. Its best to choose one, become expert with it and wield it like your life depended on it because it does.