A growing segment of the US population is preparing for everything from power failure to the complete breakdown of society. These folks are not nuts - they just want to be ready. Given recent events, they may be on to something.
Although I may be unthinkable for some, part of anyone's prepping should be firearms. You not only need to acquire guns, you need to learn how to use firearms. There are many potential situations in which rule of law may break down and you may have to defend yourself and your family against gangs out to take everything you have - including your life. You many also be forced to hunt animals as a food source.
There are many training courses offered by the NRA and others. Check with your local gun shop or firing range. Training really does not cost - it pays. Not only do you save money on ammo, you can avoid picking up bad habits.
As for firearms, a good collection for a couple might look something like this:
1) Two 9mm full sized handguns. We are talking here about something you would wear openly on your property or, if legal, while outside your property. Handguns made for concealed carry are optimized for that purpose. They are made to be carried much and shot very little. They are much more difficult to shoot well and many have less power than a 9mm. Why 9mm? Simple: It is the most commonly used handgun round in the US. Ammo will be easier to find. In addition, it has less recoil and is easier to shoot. With good hollow point ammo, it has more than enough power for self-defense.
What model? There are many good guns to choose from - from Glock to Smith and Wesson. My recommendation is to try to shoot several different kinds, and see if there is one you both like. I would only consider models than have .22 conversion kits available. Glock, Beretta, Taurus and SIG all produce models that have factory or third party kits. Ditto 1911 models. This lets you practice with cheaper ammo and gives you another option - such as carrying the rifle with the .22 kit installed when hunting big game. This would give you something to shoot small game with. A .22 kit is much cheaper than a dedicated .22 pistol. In addition I would get two for the small model so you can share the same magazines and .22 kit.
2) A good 12ga pump shotgun. The nice thing about a shotgun is that when you rack the action to chamber a shell, it makes the noise known as "the universal signal for GET OUT". Semi-autos are good, but you have to make sure they will cycle with all the ammo you might use - not an issue with a pump. It's a good idea to buy one with a short "riot gun" barrel and a second interchangeable barrel for hunting game. These combos can be found on sale for about $300.00.
If you are recoil shy, you might want to go with a 20ga - with my bad back, that's what I did. 12 or 20ga, a load of buckshot can be devastating at close range - and with slugs you can reach out more than 50 yards. Shotguns are very versatile, and probably should be the first long gun you buy.
3) A light, semi-auto carbine in .223 Rem. This could be a be an AR-15 clone, a Kel-Tec SU-16, or a Ruger Mini-14. Most of these - except for the mini-14 - use AR-15 magazines. Personally, I think that this is a big advantage.
Why a .223 carbine? Well, there are lots of good reasons. This is a very popular round (it is currently the standard US/NATO rifle round) so ammo is widely available. If you have to go up against bad guys wearing body armor, it can punch through it. If you need to engaged someone past 50 yards, you can do it. With the proper ammo, it can be used to harvest game up to and including small deer.
If you choose an AR-15 clone, .22 kits are available and could eliminate the need for a .22 rifle. Ar-15s also can be fitted with a telescoping stock - this helps people of different sizes to be able to shoot it well. This kind of stock can also be used on the SU-16.
4) A light, bolt action carbine in .308 Win/7.62 NATO. These are commonly called "Scout Rifles". Ruger makes a wonderful model. These guns can shoot out to 300-500 years if need be. It can be used to take game as large as Moose. If necessary, it can also be used in self-defense. It is light weight and "handles" well. The Ruger takes box magazines for fast reloading.
If you are handy, you can same some money by building your own out of a surplus military rifle. I built mine on a Yugo Mauser that I bought for $100.00. I cut down the stock, cut the barrel down to 18" and recrowned it, and glass bedded the action. I free floated the barrel and added a recoil pad. I then added the classic forward mounted scope. Finally, I added a Bold Trigger. It shoots 8mm Mauser, not 7.62 NATO - but this is not a problem because I reload.
5) Everyone should have a good .22 rifle. My recommendation is a Ruger 10/22 with a Tapco or other telescoping stock. As noted above, this lets people of different sizes use the rifle comfortably. A .22 lets you practice with cheap ammo - and we all know that practice makes perfect. A .22 also gives you something besides your shotgun for small game hunting.
So, there you have it - a nice 6 gun collection for “preppers”.
