Archive for Firearms
Jun
30
Practicool vs. Tacticool
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Model 629 44 magnum and Glock 19 9mm
A few days ago I was talking about my latest interest in firearms being that of the more practical variety. I thought I’d go flesh out that subject just a little more for today’s post. As we break into one of the hotly contested areas of prepping and before I tweak any one’s nose unnecessarily… I own firearms of both configuration and probably always will. It isn’t so much a case of one is good and the other bad or undesirable.
As a serious prepper for many years, I’ve had the opportunity to stock up when the price was right and more importantly in the FAT years as aposed to the relative lean years many of us are experiencing now. These stockpiles can reach great proportions over a course of time and that’s what happened to me. Don’t lose heart you younger or newer preppers your pile’s will grow too over time! So, this is where I found myself as of late, big piles of stuff and much smaller piles of bank account. What to do? Like I said before I concluded that a degree of soul searching was in order as to what my current priorities were going to be?
Marlin Guide Gun 45-70
I really didn’t know how my decision was going to come out… It would have been much easier to have just left everything as is, stored away for a rainy day sure to come along soon enough! I also was deliberating on a direction to take with my firearms collection, I’d been feeling that I may have the ratio of practical tool guns out of kilter with the more tactical in design? As you already know, I decided that I would focus a bit more attention and money on the practical preps that were lacking in my plans…
The good thing was a significant profit could be made if I indeed decided to sell off surplus stores of guns and or ammo. Well, like I said, I already told you the other day I did eventually decide to sell off a number of duplicates from my collection as well as a huge amount of ammo. It took me nearly 2 years of contemplation before I began to make the phone calls and visits to the gun shows to move all of this inventory. It wasn’t exactly easy to see these items go as I know in my heart of hearts that I will probably never again be in a position to purchase this quantity of these particular items again…
I decided that my focus would move more into the practical direction and I would use the profits to complete projects at the BOL and also add a few firearms to the battery. Obviously, practical is a relative term and means completely different things to each individual! My version of PRACTICOOL is a more broad approach, practical preps like woodstoves and practical guns like the Marlin pictured above. The woodstove speaks for itself but the Marlin may not. I’m looking at practical firearms as those that will fill their intended purpose on a more regular basis… Yes, I know that we all have our favorite AR or AK for the practical purpose of home defense against the MZB’s that WILL BE coming on one gloomy afternoon not to far in the future. Let’s agree that we’re on the same page about having a high capacity, round spewing rifle close at hand, everyone should! However, how much Zombie death have any of us brought in the recent years? Remember, it could happen but has it yet? For most of us, at least the preppers that I have been privileged enough to gain their confidence, have an unrealistic skew in our preps leaning toward the Tacticool! Let’s face it, AR’s are cool and lately there have been a gazillion (sounds like a number soon to be used to describe our national debt) companies popping up to sell us there version of awesome upgrades to an already great firearm… I venture to say that we all enjoy taking that favorite gun out of the safe and just holding it while we watch a favorite action movie. Come on, don’t try to blow smoke at me, you all know you do that!
These Tacticool guns are great and I will probably always have more than my fair share of them around somewhere but lets get serious… Is that AR going to go out into the woods and bring back a rabbit? AR haters will always refer to it as a “mouse gun” but is it really? Of course not and it isn’t a rabbit gun either! How about using an AK for bear protection? Yes, I’d use any gun I happen to be carrying to protect myself from whatever threat came along but some threats and or uses are going to be more common than others… While at my residence in the suburbs, the 9mm will probably be perfect for the most likely threats I could encounter but out in the sticks at the BOL…?
With the exception of the lapse of judgement the other day when discovering our BOL break in, I would be more likely to cross paths with a black bear or cougar than a hostile 2 legged threat. While my 44 magnum will certainly make short work of a man sized threat, my 9mm would be anemic against that same threat in the form of a hungry bear! Can you see where I’m going with this?
Marlin Guide Gun 45-70
With the exception of the lapse of judgement the other day when discovering our BOL break in, I would be more likely to cross paths with a black bear or cougar than a hostile 2 legged threat. While my 44 magnum will certainly make short work of a man sized threat, my 9mm would be anemic against that same threat in the form of a hungry bear! Can you see where I’m going with this?
Bushmaster CAR15 .223
The same logic could be used while looking at the the to do list… Yes, a 10,000 round stockpile of ammo is AWESOME or at least more than adequate in most people’s minds but will it keep me warm when the power goes out? What if the power goes out and stays out? Can I eat it or would I be better off having a large woodpile to feed the stove while I dig through my bursting pantry deciding what the “Prepper” family will have for dinner to go with the rabbit I shot while doing my afternoon perimeter inspection? I say of the most likely scenarios I see on the horizon, I’d be better off with the wood and pantry… Am I wrong?
Something else that has me concerned is the “Preppers” that have only prepped the Tacticool way? Often, we preppers don’t know alot of others like ourselves from anywhere other than the internet. If those guys on the internet forums and even other supposed DOOMER blogs are any indication of what a prepper is suppose to look like… All guns and no food will make Prepper Pete a very hungry boy… I also believe that with a more balanced approach we serve our own survival needs much better. When we have adequate food and or the proper equipment to grow or gather more, we have a far greater chance of survival than if we are limited to attempting to take it from others…
Alright, you say that this doesn’t apply to you as you wouldn’t ever try to take from someone else… Besides if all you have is an AK, it will take down a deer for you, right? It might under ideal circumstances… I don’t expect that we will be able to count on ideal circumstances and when you’re hungry I believe you will no longer have the moral fortitude to starve before you attempt armed robbery!
As usual this post is nothing more than one preppers opinion and attempted justification of my own actions… I do think that my final decision to liquidate some overstocked items in favor of a more balanced survival approach will turn out to have been a wise decision, only time will tell! I’m willing to bet that there are others out there in our community that have been or maybe should be having these same conversations with themselves. If this post is nagging at you or causing you to think about something from a new perspective, don’t ignore it – act on it! You may find that you’re all set and no corrections need to be made but from my research there are far to many Tacticool survivalists and far to few of the Practicool variety!
Prepper
Bushmaster CAR15 .223
Feb
01
What’s in YOUR gun cabinet? part 2
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Welcome back, lets continue talking about that “preppers” gun cabinet we started examining the other day. I think most of you did get the point of what I’m saying in this discussion but I’m going to say it again for that one fella that missed it!
I’m discussing the firearms that I think make a well rounded “preppers arsenal”! This is only my opinion, as well thought out as I believe it to be, you are free to do ANYTHING you want when it comes to how you personally approach this area of your readiness.
We have a number of readers that have yet to begin their firearms purchasing. I thought it might be timely to discuss what I have come up with as a minimum firearms battery for any prepper and especially someone just starting out. Many of us find that we are under strict budget constraints as well. Like a lot of you, it has taken me a lifetime to collect all those special favorites and I’m definitely not encouraging anyone to stop collecting, just to look at NEEDS vs. wants!
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Alright, the other day I briefly discussed what I consider to be the bare bones firearms battery that I believe all of us should acquire. It was a basic .22 rifle and a versatile shotgun. These two along with a supply of ammunition can readily be had for around $800. Most every larger town publishes some sort of “Penny Saver” style classified want ads. This is where I would suggest starting your search for these tools. Not only are you going to maintain a level of privacy but you may be able to save the 5-10% sales tax, if that is legal in your local, as an added bonus.
Now that we have the first two guns covered, let’s look at where we’ll want to beef up our capabilities. Since both of the guns we have now are for relatively short range we will need something that can reach out a bit further. Not only will we want the ability to take a shot at that (insert your favorite game animal) and hit it, we want that sucker down.
I’m of the opinion that many if not all of the larger game in any particular area will be hunted out in short order if the poop ever does truly hit the fan. Considering this possibility, I still think that a versatile heavy hitting centerfire hunting rifle will serve us well. I know that each area of the country has its local favorite and I certainly am not familiar enough with all of the potential hunting calibers to make a selection for anyone but myself.
My suggestion in this regard is that if you’re currently a hunter, fill this particular slot in the cabinet with your existing hunting rifle. If you aren’t already a hunter, find a mentor! Don’t feel bad about asking for help in any area, I’m in the same boat… I’ve never had much of a chance to go hunting, even though it’s a skill I have been meaning to acquire. Now, I do own a hunting rifle that will fill this slot just fine and it’s all sighted in, just waiting to get out in the woods.
My approach to selecting a caliber for my center-fire “Hunting” rifle was to look to the proven and popular calibers. These in my mind were 30-06, .308, 270 and the like. I felt that sticking with a readily available caliber would give me the best chance at an ammunition resupply, if that ever became necessary. Once I had identified the caliber and action I was seeking, it took no time at all to locate a good quality rifle. I found my through said “Penny Saver” classifieds, there are plenty of good rifles out there for under $500. In our area of the country, there seems to be turnover of rifles shortly after hunting season and the bargains are plentiful.
As an example of our guns doing double duty… Might a bolt action center-fire .30 caliber hunting rifle be pressed to serve as a defensive weapon? I’d say so, while the rifles that the police designated snipers use are much more refined, they are often in a similar caliber and possibly built on the same action as that hunting rifle you just picked up. I’m not saying that you and your hunting rifle are going to be qualifying as a sniper anytime soon but if the platform is sufficient to neutralize a criminal threat for a police officer, then it would probably work for us too.
I’m fairly certain that even a soft point hunting round would discourage the friends of that Mutant Zombie Biker that could come looking for their friend… You know the one that came a callin while you were in the garden… Since there was more than just the one this time, no one will blame you for taking care of the problem from cover while they fiddle with the lock on your gate out by the county road… Just sayin??
Something else to keep in mind when considering your ammo purchases for this rifle and it’s intended purpose, it won’t be going through a lot. While you may not be satisfied with less than 10K rounds for that AR or Ak, several hundred hunting rounds will last you for many years…
Cost: $500 for a good used hunting rifle w/ and inexpensive scope, $250 for a couple hundred rounds of ammunition. Shop wisely!
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Ok, we have short range to longer range shots handled. We now have a firearm that is capable of taking anything from the size of a squirrel, on the small side, up to an Elk, on the larger side. We can bag a rabbit or even, get the fixens for a black bird pie! All while keeping our out of pocket costs at a reasonable level. What have we missed? How about a good handgun to round out our meager collection?
Some people might want to leave this last purchase out in favor of more ammunition or a higher quality long gun than what I described. To each his own. However, I feel that the extra expense would be merited in acquiring a quality handgun to add to our collection. There is a versatility and convenience factor that a handgun brings that the long gun can’t easily make up for. We have all heard the saying that the handgun is only so we can fight our way back to the rifle we shouldn’t have put down in the first place… Well, what about when we aren’t fighting?
As “preppers” we may indeed have the occasion to need to defend our families or ourselves but I maintain that these instances will be in the distinct minority to other firearm uses. We have to eat every day and I truly do hope that I won’t find myself in a situation where each day is a life and death struggle against others just so I can feed my family. With this in mind I will make my handgun recommendation. Remember this is assuming that we will only be having these 4 guns and not the entire contents of a small gun shop at our disposal… I’m speaking to several of you that I know have EXTENSIVE collections and can’t imagine a scenario that wouldn’t allow you to select the exact specialized weapon for whatever you might choose to need it for!
My handgun recommendation for this scenario would be a good quality revolver. Paired up with a solid belt holster and you can have this gun on your hip without undo inconvenience. I don’t really think that the caliber is all that important either, a good .22 revolver or a .357 magnum, both will serve you well. Myself, I would tend to go for something more in the range of the .357 as this will give a more versatile platform but a .22 would have some advantages too. The magnum could be loaded with a mild .38 special round for some situations or targets, while you would have the option for the more powerful magnum load if defense was a concern.
There had been a lot of used Police trade in firearms a few years back as many of the departments made the switch to the semi-autos. I would have to say that these bargain guns were most likely already bought up but will undoubtedly have made it to the secondary market by now. A trip to the local gun emporium or even that same “Penny Saver” classified ads could turn up a great deal. Many of these guns were manufactured by Ruger and had very few rounds through them. These solid wheel guns would serve the variety of “prepper” purposes well.
Again, for our purposes the ammunition supply that would need to be bought and stored wouldn’t be anywhere as extensive as that of other firearms. This isn’t to say that you couldn’t purchase a Glock or semi-auto platform and have great results. I’m just attempting to keep this exercise simple and a proven revolver is going to be an easily learned tool for most any adult that might be handy.
In addition to all of the other attractive traits of a revolver, they are almost always less expensive to purchase. I regularly see Ruger revolvers in “Good” condition at the local gun show for as little as $200 dollars. Ammunition will of course be expensive like it all is now. Maybe its just me but a couple of hundred rounds for a wheel gun seems a lot more adequate than it does for my Glock?
Cost: $250 for a good used revolver, $200 for a couple of hundred rounds of ammunition.
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Alright, there you have it a 4 gun battery that won’t break the bank… $2000 dollars for enough guns to do whatever you might NEED to do. I understand that this number of firearms will never satisfy the dreams of a true enthusiast but it will suffice to handle the chores we “preppers” will face, if times ever do get really tough, or should I say tougher!
Just like many of you I have more guns than I need but far fewer than I want. A time may come where we have to make difficult decisions on what assets we can keep and which ones have to be liquidated. I hope that this won’t happen to you or your family but contrary to popular belief the recession isn’t over and I don’t see any reason why it’s going to be turning around anytime soon. Please someone tell me I’m wrong! With this possible eventuality on the horizon and or for the new prepper, these thought exercises can be valuable in making difficult determinations in what our NEEDS really are!
I anticipate heated emails from all of the real gun guys that will disagree with what I’ve written. I think that I’ve come up with a short list of practical firearms that could actually be purchased when cash is tight for a motivated individual but fire away with where I’m wrong if you must…
Prepper
Jan
28
What’s in YOUR gun cabinet? part 1
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You’ve got to know when to hold em…
Posted by: Prepper | Comments (0)Some of you that know me personally know that I’ve been liquidating some of my collection… This certainly isn’t because I don’t think I’ll need preps in the not to distant future… I actually believe that we’ll all be needing them now, or soon, more than ever! Since I’m a bit cash poor currently or to put it more accurately, the cash I have isn’t available for preps and or improvements to the BOL, I’ve been selling off some of my duplicate items and things that are just plain stacked to deep!
As I’ve come to grips with letting some of these treasures go, I’ve been doing additional soul searching while I was at it… I turned 39 this year and I’m not in the best physical shape of my life, too much time doing the desk jockey routine. I’m convinced that riding a desk must be just about the farthest thing from what the human body was designed for, it’s no wonder that us paper pushers end up so soft. I digress, it isn’t my sorry physical state that I was pondering but my inner most feelings about what my prep inventory really required and what might be turned into cash for other prepping uses… That’s right, I’m not selling things off to pay the house note but to keep pushing forward with the more important things that wouldn’t get completed otherwise, at least not as quickly!
What I discovered was that the “Red Dawn” syndrome of my 20’s has passed and I no longer feel convinced that I’ll be called upon to defend my country from enemies foreign or domestic… Wait, I know what your thinking! Yes we have more and more evidence that our enemies are closer to home than ever before and the time may just about be upon us to stand at our personal lines in the sand. I haven’t given up on the ideals of fighting for the cause of liberty, I have just come to see those around me as ever less likely to stand up even for themselves, much less liberty and freedom. This being the case, my previous belief of needing to have plenty of armament to spread around for recently shocked awake friends and neighbors seems highly unlikely!
I even find myself less likely to go spend a day at the range than I once did… Ammo prices what they are and even cleaning the beloved battle rifle doesn’t hold the same appeal it once did? Who knows, maybe I’m completely crazy but I’m looking at my weapons more and more as the tools that they are, rather than the cool that they were… Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of guys of all ages that are looking at their guns in the ways that I used too and I’m not about to say there is anything wrong with it – I just wish I had the same LOVE for the gun I used too, at least when it comes to justifying it’s place in the safe!
I guess what I’m really saying is that I’m looking for a gun that’s going to earn it’s keep… Weather for hunting or homestead protection against 4 legged predators, those are my more likely scenarios these days, I’m gearing more to that end rather than say, “The other”…
It’s true that many guns will serve double duty, however many of mine would be poor choices in the roles I find the most probable. This doesn’t mean for a second that I’d be caught unprepared or I’ll even go out on a limb and say out gunned by most that would cross my path, I wouldn’t! I’ve “collected” for many years and have taken advantage of many great buys that I’ve come across… I’ll recognise a tidy profit on most anything that I have or will decide to part with. This is a good example of something we’ve discussed here in the past – Investing in tangibles… My investments can relatively easily be turned back into cash and not even one will have lost value!
I haven’t even posted this to the website yet and I can already feel the emails coming… “Why would you sell off guns right when we could be facing our darkest hours?” Well, for one, I think these coming dark hours will be better faced with some practical guns sitting beside a well stocked pantry, a well fed woodstove and a solid “debt free” roof over my families head… In recent years I wouldn’t have been forced to choose and hopefully you’re not faced with a choice like this… Given enough time, I would have found some other way to accomplish these goals and still kept the gun safe fully intact but I don’t think that we have the luxury of unlimited time!
If there are others out there with this same feeling in their gut, get moving – do whatever you have to do to get your house in order… Typically I would say you can’t have to many guns but in this present global setting you COULD have to little of something else, like food!
Let me just encourage everyone to do a little soul searching of your own and see if possibly you’re over prepared in one area and under in another? Maybe you’re like me and now is a good time to re-evaluate your holdings and see if there is a reallocation in order? No one can tell anyone else what the right answer is when it comes to something of this nature, we all have to decide for ourselves…
Prepper