I have written 40 some gun reviews on here and want to start doing some more on tactics and generally being prepared for whatever. From a violent encounter with a thug to chaos in the streets. So this will be a several part series where I want to cover topics like weapons and supplies, mindset, physical condition and some of the things I think we can expect if the world ever totally goes to hell. Just for the record, I’m not some doomsday loony bin but I have been around some and have seen what people are capable of. I’ve seen countries tore apart by war, crime here at home, Mt. Pinatubo that wrecked the Philippines in 91, I was part of the rescue mission there (Operation Fiery Vigil) and then Hurricane Katrina down south. People do some really bad things, even usually decent people when they are desperate. I think it’s a good thing if we just get some food for thought out there on some of these topics.
This first part I want to talk about not keeping your eggs all in one basket so to speak. As well as cover some ideas on what I think is prudent in the event of some major catastrophe, regardless of whether it’s a natural one or man made. One of the major points is starting to prepare NOW, not when it’s too late. The whole “ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure” thing.
So the 1st topic weapons: Without them our lives are very possibly in higher danger. You can have all the food, water, gas, shelter and supplies in the world but if you have no means to defend them then anybody who wants too can come take them away from you. Any thug who wants too can come hurt or worse, you and your family, WHEREVER you are. Crime isn’t just in the bad neighborhoods, there are nut jobs everywhere. So point number 1. BE ARMED ALL THE TIME. If you’ve got for example a Springfield TRP Operator but you only carry it 10% of the time because it’s large and heavy or don’t carry at all when it’s warm because you can’t hide it and it pulls your shorts down then it’s sorta worthless. A North American Arms 22 LR is the best gun in the world if you have it in your shorts pocket when you need it compared to that TRP at home in your dresser drawer. So again-BE ARMED!!
Example of my smallest lightest carry package. NAA 22LR, 5 spare rounds, Boker SUBCOM-F, which is a high quality, surgically sharp, sweet little knife and a cheapy keychain flashlight. You can’t ask for lighter or more compact than that. Of limited use?? Yes but beats hysterical screaming or harsh language.
Just saying but today (1-16-12) in my travels I carried a Sig 290 with factory laser and an extended 8 round mag. I also carried a spare 6 rd. mag. I had a Cold Steel folder and a Streamlight Keymate light. There was a .380 in my glove compartment as well. This is on a day where my “threat level” was below zero but you never know when that will change. I can’t say it enough. BE ARMED!!
Now some of us are fortunate enough to have the financial means to have “arsenals” so to speak, I am one of them. I have way more junk than I can ever carry or use. Even vehicle mounted. So as I ponder these things like crime, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, whatever. I thought to myself I’ve got WAY too much firepower all in one place. What if the house burns down?? What if I’m robbed, what if the world does go to hell and it’s ransacked before I get home or what if a tornado blows it clear to Oz?? Well then I would be defenseless, I don’t like the thought of that. So I thought about where I’m at most of the time and the possible “best guess” threats I could come up with and set up 3 “satellite armories”. One at my buddies house in town, so it’s very close. One at the G/F’s farm because she’s out in the middle of nowhere and I’m there half of my time and 1 out of state where I grew up at my Uncles house. So if somehow large areas were destroyed I would have someplace away I could go and be prepared. That way if worse ever comes to worse in the places I am likely to be I’m not sitting there wishing I had some guns and ammo. Point number 2. Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket.
So in all these places I keep a center-fire semi-auto rifle, a 12 gauge with an extended tube, at least 1 full-size auto pistol and a compact I can easily hide. As well as a quality fixed blade knife and a good folder too. Usually I stick with ColdSteel, Gerber and Tops. I keep a decent supply of ammo at these places as well, not 15,000 plus rounds of ammo like at home but enough to hold for awhile. This way whatever goes down I have the tools to defend the place and loved ones or at least have enough firepower I can make the journey home hopefully to the bulk of it.
Example 1: At my Love’s place I have 1 UZI 9mm carbine and a number of 32 round magazines, 500 rounds of Winchester ball ammo. 1 Springfield XD 9mm pistol, with 3 mags total and 100 rds of Remington Golden Sabre +P ammo. 1 Winchester 1300 Defender 12guage with a bandoleer of 50 rounds of buckshot. An extra Smith Bodyguard 380 with 1 spare mag and 50 rounds. A Cold Steel Recon Tanto, Cold Steel pushdagger, Coldsteel Trench Hawk and a Uzi an S&W folding knives. I just added a Tanker Model Garand 30’06 and 400 rounds of ammo on clips. So, 2 rifles, 2 handguns and 1 gauge, a total of 1100 rounds of ammo. I added the tanker 06′ because I wanted something more suited to hunting and with a longer range out there as well. If I’m engaging a threat at a longer range I do not see the 8 round capacity as a huge problem. Garands got Marines to the top of Suribachi, My Gramps held off the Germans in the “Bulge” and Jarheads kicked ass in the Chosin Reservoir. I think I can defend a farm with one somewhere in Michigan.
Example 2: My buddies house, it’s very close and serves 2 main purposes. One is weapons in close proximity if my stuff at home is gone or otherwise destroyed. 2. Is getting back in my own house if I find it “occupied” by people it shouldn’t be. So there is 1 HK Mp-5 with 15- 30round mags and 500 rounds of Winchester ball ammo. 1 mossberg 12 gauge with 175 rounds. 1 Springfield XDM 9mm with spare mags and 100 rounds of Remington Golden Sabre +P. 1 Ruger Mk3 22LR and 300 rounds. Another Cold Steel Recon Tanto, Coldsteel Machete and a Gerber Guardian bootknife. This is my smallest stash but I feel sufficient for the reasons I made it. It will get me back in my own door and if that’s not an option it will get me to the farm and then paired up with that stash back to where I grew up if necessary.
Example 3: My away from home armory, where I grew up. I’d have to go count the ammo but safe to say it’s enough. There’s a Remmy 700 Target Tactical 308, a DSA FN Para folder Fal 308 with 15 mags, totally decked out. A 44 mag and speed loaders, a 22 revolver, a Mossberg gauge, a Springfield XD 45acp service model with spare mags and light and that’s not counting all the families guns and ammo, which is a considerable amount. I think I left a Cold Steel Trailmaster, a USGI m4/16 bayonet, a Gerber MK2 fighting knife and a couple of decent folding knives down there if I remember right.
Now for all the people who don’t have the means financially to build the collection I have. Well here’s where one of the greatest inventions ever comes into play, the Ruger 10/22. It’s accurate, reliable, small, light and a million aftermarket gadgets to set her up anyway you like. You can buy boxes of 525 rounds for under 20$, good factory hi-cap mags are easily found. This is a great little gun and you could totally kick some ass with it. It’s a 22 yes, so what, it beats wishing you had a 5.56 or a 7.62. Pair that up with a 22 pistol and for a fraction of the $$ your all set. WAY WAY better off than a lot of people will be. For knives on a budget, Smith an Wesson makes some very heavy duty fixed blades. Look at Wild Bill Wholesale online for good Smith an Wesson knife prices but I’ll put up some pics. The knives obviously come with sheaths but I was trying to get a close up of the many styles and sizes I have. They’re all pretty solid and pretty cheap.
Additionally I think it’s prudent that if you know trouble is brewing, an example would be that huge power outage we had a few years back that lasted nearly 3 weeks. People were getting ancy. There was some small scale looting and other crime running rampant, now what if that had gotten huge?? You think people won’t turn on you?? WRONG!! I was one of the last to get juice back. I ended up going to a friends house to stay. A city cop friend of mine in Ohio. She was one of the only people for a long way with power. Gas pumps didn’t work, ATM’s were offline, restaurants closed, cold as all get out, no lights, electric or gas heat and people were getting kinda nuts. Just lack of gas alone was freaking people out. As well as so many people don’t carry cash, myself included. I ended up filling up where we fuel our patrol cars. The DOJ sold us government gas on a “I owe u”. Anyway at a time like that, I think it’s prudent that along with your handgun on your person that your rifle or gauge finds its way into your trunk, do it legally as if you were going to a range but keep it handy if you smell trouble. If you ever found it necessary to “fight your way home” then I’d sure rather be doing it with a rifle.
So I guess that about wraps up part 1. Weapons, the most important tool I think. Without them everything else can be in jeopardy. HAVE ONE being the most important lesson and remember it doesn’t matter if you have a Cobra gunship with rocket pods and mini-guns if you can’t get to it, that Smith Bodyguard in your pocket is much more useful cause you HAVE IT when you need it. Don’t forget your blade and flashlight. Think about what could happen to you and then prepare a back up stash of weapons, ammo and gear. It might be the smartest thing you ever did.
Parting thought is this, you read what I have put away for a rainy day and my recommendation for a “budget” stash of weapons but put away WHATEVER you can, I don’t give a damn what it is. This quote (NOT guaranteed exact cause I’m remembering it) from a legend says just that.. “You probably don’t need a better gun, you need to learn to use the one you have”…Lt. Colonel Jeff Cooper, US Marine, WW2, Korea vet, Shooting Icon and American legend and Hero.
As always thanks for reading and happy shooting.
By: Cary Kieffer
Cary Kieffer
Latest posts by Cary Kieffer (see all)
- 224 Valkyrie AR Build: Parts List Pt. 1 - September 4, 2018
- 458 SOCOM Oops! SB Tactical Pistol Brace - March 6, 2018
- 458 SOCOM Build List w/ Tromix Barrel - February 27, 2018
Recent Comments