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My Survival Battery of Guns and thoughts on Survival (Long)

10K views 105 replies 28 participants last post by  pgrass101 
#1 ·
While this is about my gun collection I am wanting to build, it is also about my thoughts on preparedness for survival. I started thinking about becoming prepared when I started working on CEP - Family Readiness Guide for my work. My wife and I have a 2 month supply of food stored plus what we have in the kitchen. Most of or stored food is canned and does not or requires little water. We are slowly building up a food supply as outlined in the Crisis Preparedness Handbook.

Since my son was born I have rethought the guns I would like to have and why those guns. I am interested in comments and other peoples list to help me flesh out mine own.

First What I have:

Handguns

2 .357 mag (Taurus and Rossi) one snubnose one full size.
1 9mm Taurus PT-92
1 .380 Makarov
1 Ruger Gov't Model II .22LR
1 SSA Clone .45LC

Long Guns
1 Model 70 Winchester in 7mm Rem mag
1 FAL (Century Arms L1A1 Sporter) 7.62 NATO
1 Ishpore Enfield 2A 7.62 NATO
2 Mosin Nagant's 7.62R (M44, 91/30)
1 Remington 870 12ga
1 Mossberg 500 20ga
1 Winchester semi auto.22LR
1 M-1 carbine .30 carbine

What I want:
1 more .357mag revolver 3 or 4 inch barrel
1 9mm (Browning Hi-Power or quality clone)
1 Ruger BlackHawk .357/9mm conversion
1 more M-1 carbine.
1 more 12ga Shotgun (Mossberg 500 or Rem 870)
1 .357 carbine (Pump or lever action)
1 Bolt-action 22LR

I went away from 5.56mm because my wife really likes the M1 carbine and with CMP releasing them now I can pick up a good Inland for less than $600, plus I have reloading dies for .30 carbine.

My workhorse rounds will be .357/.38 and 7.62 NATO, with 9mm and .30 carbine being defensive rounds. The 12ga and .22LR are general purpose rounds and the Nagants are to arm others or general back-up. Nagants are cheap and tough, I will probably get a M-38 to round out my collection and a couple of more sealed tins of 7.62R to go with it.

So what is you list, and/or thoughts?

PS I'm not prepared enough to be a survivalist
 
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#3 ·
There is no AK listed becuase they don't fit me. Plus they are less accurate than my M1 carbines and would be one additional caliber to feed.
 
#4 ·
That's a whole lot of firearms for a fellow who only has 2 months of food tucked away. If I were you, I'd get up to a year's supply before buying another gun - you can buy a whole lot of wheat, rice, beans, and honey for what one of those DCM M1 carbines will cost ya...
 
#6 ·
True, each grocery trip we add more to our stockpile. I don't have a mill so no unprocessed grains yet but they are coming. The good thing is we have 6 cats so we don't worry about rodents.
 
#5 ·
I have become to believe over the past 2 years that we are headed toward a time of world-wide shortages of fuel and power along with economic collapse and instability.

I do not think that it is TEOTWAWKI but it will be hard times. I have come to this conclusion because I beileve that world refining capacity of crude oil is close to its peak capacity and demand is growing at a rate that can not be met. With out cheap fuel the rapidly growing economy of China will crash and send shock waves throughout the rest of the worlds markets.

Now add to an unstable world economy a Influenza Pandemic and you will get chaos for a limited time. Do I think this will happen....well I don't wear my seatbelt because I think I will be in an accident but I want to limit my losses in case I am.

Part of my thinking this is becuase I get paid to help think of ways the Alabama Department of Public Health can respond to different crisis. It has lead me to be a wee bit paranoid.
 
#9 ·
How much water do you have stored?

I have over 100 gallons in food safe 5 gallon jugs.

As far as your inventory goes, I think that what you have would more than keep you in the fight for a long time.

4 very common rounds that you might want to think about having in the inventory just for the sake of the avaliblity of ammo are .223(If not an AR then perhaps an Mini-14?), 7.62X39 (Why not a SKS if you don't like the AK?) .30-30, and .30-06.
 
#14 ·
I do have a SKS and left it off the list for some reason. I like the SKS but my wife loves the M1 carbine so that is why I want another carbine.

I live within 200 yards of the Tallapoosa river and have 5 gallons of bleach. Water is not a problem now.

We want a small farm were we can grow some (at least 1/3) of our food ourselves. In our current house we don't have room for a vetgetable garden.
 
#10 ·
I, too, ponder this subject alot. I have 3 - .45 pistols. 1- S&W full sized 9mm pistol. 1- .38 snubnose and 1- 4" .357 revolver. 2 - .22 handguns one is a s/a revolver in convertable . 2 - .22 mag mini revolvers.
shottys---- 1- 12 guage, 1- 20 guage, and 1- 16 guage.
rifles----- 1- .303 brit enfield. 1- .22 mag. pump. 1- .22 LR semiauto. 1- .17mach2 -------
--------------------
The one I think alot to rid of or keep is my beloved .380 mustang For a 9mm (think Kahr PM9). and to get a another shotty strictly for house use (12 ga. REM 870 tactical), and some sort of small centerfire such as a .223 maybe.
Any thoughts and ideas ???.....
 
#13 ·
I too, ponder the potential of a temporary shut-down of foods and services...

I don't know if I would need 35 guns, just a few with ample ammo...
I also feel that small 'end of the street' protective units would be much more effective for 'home turf' protection as compared to an individual home, at least in our neighborhood.

We do have months of food, water, gas, etc...

These ideas have some extremely thorough threads if you search them out...

Stay armed...stay safe!

ret:urla9ub:
 
#17 ·
Seems like you have a great start on the set up. But a quick question, what about any potential bug out senarios? If the security/safety of your home is compromised, how feasible would it be to gather the items you have listed as part of your survival stores? Are there any possible places to bug out to? If so do your vehicles have enough fuel to reach those locations, or will you have room for extra cans if needed?

Personally I have few of these (mostly secondary defensive/survival locations), so I hope to not be sounding like I am harping on you. Just would be a shame for anybody to gather such great supplies but have no quick way to transport most of it. (For example if a flood were to happen)

About your farming and small land area issues I would suggest finding/purchasing a book called Back to Basics. Has lots of little info about farming and all sorts of do it yourself stuff. Not real great for any single thing, but enough to get by for a great many different things (depending on your skillset). Particularly good info on small size greenhouse farming, and passive heating/cooling systems.
 
#18 ·
Shadowsbane:

I can bugout with a good deal of food and key weaponry and ammo. I would have to abandon alot of my stores. I will bug in and only leave for one real occurence that I can think of train derailment and hazardous waste spill I live with in 2 miles of a rail line and have thought about this. I can reach my grandparents or my parents farms (about 300 miles) on 1/2 a tank of gas in my Santa Fe.

Even though I live close to the Tallapoosa river it is 200 yds up-hill. If my house floods Montgomery, Alabama (well most of South Alabama) would be under 30 feet of water. I live on top of the "Fall Line" here in Alabama, which is a ridge marking an anicent sea shore running through the state. It's called the Fall Line becuase of the number of waterfalls found along this ridge.
 
#19 ·
Looks like you have chosen some good stuff. The M-1 is a good idea if you are stocking up on ammo for it and can reload too. Right now, M-1 mags and ammo are far less expensive to obtain than 7.63x39, and especially .223(5.56). Should be easy to obatain some spare parts to keep around too.

I have also noticed that the Russian 5.45 ammo and mags are much cheaper than the two mentioned above. The demand is lower for it and .30 carbine right now, so the price is lower too.

I haven't gone that route, simply becuase I want to stay away from too many mutiple calibers, and .223, 7.62x39, 7.65x51 are the rifle calibers I chose to stick with long ago for primary use.

Unless major changes occur in the realm of NATO calibers, I'm gonna sit tight with my current choices.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I'm sticking too only 2 rifle calibers .30 carbine and 7.62x51 as my active stock, plus 2 pistol calibers 9mm and 38spl/357mag.

I always have .22lr (around 600-700rds now) and it is easy to get so I won't actively maintain a stock of it. With 12ga I will keep a small stock of slugs and 00 buck, but I always have sevearl boxes of bird shot for it and the 20ga, plus bird shot is easy to obtain as well.

For the Nagant's I've got a couple of tins (of 440rds each) of surplus ammo, and will replace a tin when I open one. I got the Nagant's with my C&R license for sheer fun to shoot. They are reliable, simple and can be abused, but 7.62x54R could get harder to find if fuel becomes scarce and I have exhuasted my supply of ammo for them.
 
#21 ·
It's my wifes favorite. 10" bull barrel, I use it squirrel hunting. It is way more accurate than I am.
 
#23 ·
I have to get one of those sometime soon.
The Ruger Govt .22 ~ It's one of those firearms that I'm sorely wanting to own.

BTW: You have a real nice selection of SHTF firearms.

One firearm that I absolutely would think seriously about adding would be the tiny little North American Arms Stainless .22

I would buy the smallest one in .22 LR and not the .22 Mag.

The reason I would suggest that you buy one is that you can creatively hide it absolutely anywhere.

A tiny bit of imagination will tell you that could possibly be an incredible asset for numerous reasons and scenarios that I'll not bother getting into.

Since I Know You Folks Love Pics.
This is about actual size.
 
#25 ·
I’ve broken my reply to this down into two parts, because I am in a fairly unique situation.

I live and work in Brazil, though I am an American LEO. I have access to many firearms, some I have with me/on hand at all times, some I must come to work to get. I also have access to significant stores of ammunition, food, and water at my place of work, as well as generator power, multiple lines of communication (including satellite phones), chemical/biological protection and decontamination equipment and facilities, et cetera. (A note on that – in almost any conceivable SHTF scenario in my neck of the woods, I am duty bound to report to my place of work. The good news is, it is one of the most secure facilities in the country and has all of the things mentioned above, and has extensive plans in place to be a “bug-in” site. Also, I have on call massive US resources to evacuate my co-workers and me if the situation is that dire. The bad news is that I am fairly limited in my options – I cannot bug out without abandoning my duties, and I am expected to be “the last one out” if it comes to an evacuation.)

A side effect of being here is that I cannot have any of my personally owned weapons. This is almost entirely mitigated by the fact that I have so many (and so varied) issue/duty weapons available, but it does restrict my options yet again. With these limitations in place, I have been very slow to purchase my full “wish list” of SHTF firearms.

So, in a serious but not global breakdown of order (civil war here, major terrorist attack or natural disaster, etc.) the plan is to get to my place of employment, and get to work. If I cannot get to my place of employment (it’s only 5km away, straight-line distance) by any means, I live in a gated, grilled, alarmed house, with solid core doors and strong locks, complete with enough produce (bananas, papayas, lemons, avocados, star fruit, coconuts, grapes) growing in the yard (coupled with stocks of food and water) to last at least two weeks. I can’t realistically stock more, because I will only be living here for another year at most… I have a pistol and long gun available there, and 500 or so rounds of ammo. I also have body armor, chemical/biological protective gear, a huge water source (pool and portable water filtration system), and the usual assortment of medical, light, warmth, and assorted gear.

In a global catastrophe, where I can’t count on Uncle Sugar to send in the Cavalry for an extended period of time, I have a built in stronghold with a cadre of trained, armed, professionals around me. My place of business would become an armed camp, capable of being completely self-sustaining (even with 100s of people inside) for several weeks. If the situation was still untenable, we have the personnel and equipment to secure – by any number of means – what we need to survive. It is an infinitesimally low-percentage event, but we have plans for it.

So much for part one. In part two, I’ll reveal my inner Mall Ninja when it comes to SHTF scenarios… :biggrin:
 
#26 ·
Part two. The guns (assuming I was back in the States and had access to my POWs.)

KAC SR M110 SASS, 7.62N (20” bbl, Leupold 3.5x10x mag scope, w/ QD suppressor) -- Yes, I know, ultimate Mall Ninja rifle, but I’m only taking one 7.62N so it had better be a very high quality, very versatile one. – Don’t own yet.

Colt M4, 5.56N (semi-auto, 14.5” bbl, Trijicon 2.5x “mini” ACOG, w/ QD Surefire suppressor and tac light) – Own.

Colt RO935, 9mm (semi-/full auto, 10.5” bbl, EOTech ACOG, w/ tac-light) – Issued, not owned.


These cover the basic NATO military calibers in a platform that I am intimately familiar with. I have the most ammo for these calibers, and know I can find them in a pinch. Also, parts for these rifles are common and easily accessible, and I can perform basic repair/parts replacement on any of them. These will serve (variously) as defensive and hunting arms, with the M4 being the “everyday carry” of the group.


Norinko AK, 7.62S – Not owned, top of list.

Covers the need to have a rifle chambered in 7.62S, and will serve as a suitable fighting rifle and a medium game rifle (at close ranges, anyway) in a pinch.


Remington 870 Shotgun, 12 Gauge (18”, 24” and 30” bbls, assorted chokes) – Owned, though still need (want) the 24” bbl

Covers bird/small game hunting chores, and can double as a defensive arm with the right barrel/load combo. This is also the shotgun I am most familiar with – allowing me to do minor repair and parts replacement work. Plus, the 870 (and 12 gauge ammo) is extremely common.


TROS Integrally suppressed Ruger 10/22, .22LR (20” bbl, 1-4x scope) – Not owned, though I own a standard Ruger 10/22 that will serve in the interim.

This covers small game hunting and general purpose use, and the 10/22 has plenty of parts and accessories available. Also, .22LR ammo is without question the most commonly available in the US, and possibly the world.


Beretta M9/92, 9mm. – Owned

Sig Sauer P228, 9mm – Issued, not owned


These are the pistols I have the most familiarity with, and both are robust, reliable, and common enough to find replacement parts. They are also fairly easy to work on, and I have a fair amount of experience with their internal parts. Yes, they are 9mm, but in this type of scenario I will be using a long gun as my primary defensive/hunting tool, and do not feel “undergunned” with a high capacity 9mm as a sidearm. By keeping them both in 9mm, I keep my total caliber count to 6 (12 gauge, 7.62N, 7.62S, 5.56N, 9mmP, and .22LR) – I can thus trade/barter with all other calibers that I come across. Also, I have a fairly large supply of 9mm with access to thousands more rounds on short notice.

To arm others, I would add some Glock 19s and a few Ruger Mini-14s in 5.56N.

So – 8 guns, 5 calibers. With spare parts, enough ammo and reloading equipment, and suitable accessories (slings, mags, etc.) I think this will cover any extended SHTF scenario quite well, while remaining fairly small and compact for transport.

Looking at other posts (and the literature on the subject), it seems most of us have similar ideas for what we need in a major SHTF scenario, but choose slightly different tools to get the job done. In the end, though, I believe it is the mindset and the will to survive that will serve best - the tools can change depending on the situation, but the skills and motivation are constant. Cheers.
 
#27 ·
OPFOR,

The hardest thing for me was to concentrate on the .30 carbine as my main defense round. I know it won't be plentiful in a major SHTF situation.

Looks like you did good on reducing you caliber selections. I'm not worried about .22LR, shotgun ammo or .38spl because a lot of houses in the US have a box or 2 of this lying around. 9mm and 7.62N are also pretty wide speard and should be able to locate some in a pinch. .30 carbine I know I'm pretty much stuck with what I have and have concentrated on reloading supplies for this round.

QK the NAA .22 is something I want more the the Taurus Judge, but it has to go down the list, along with a .30-30, .44mag and more guns than I can count.
 
#31 ·
Yeah Doc, it's the main reason I bought the Taurus 605 instead of the 85. Even if I carry .38spl +p in it, I can load .357's if I need too. Plus .38spl/.357 is probably the most popular handgun caliber in the US.

SIG229, I've put a .357 carbine on my to get list either pump or lever action. I might add a KelTec Sub2000 in 9mm to it also.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I know its already been said, but you really need more Military style firearms for real survival IMHO.

A good AK, AR, FAL, M1A1 or G3 with plenty of mags is the best option.

Its always good to get one of those "Parts Kits, Less the receiver" also. for the exact same make and model of what ever military style rifle you get.
That way you will have all the parts you need for repairs in a SHTF scenario.

I have never hunted, and probably never will (dont want to). So all I collect, own and buy are military style firearms.

Although, I think I will eventually get a Remington 700 in .308 in case I ever need to "Reach out and touch someone" and longer than normal combat distances.

ETA:

I dont think the .30 carbine round will be plentiful at all in a SHTF.
5,56mm (.223), .308 and 762x39mm are the top 3 calibers that you can find in surplus quantities.

Since not many firearms are being made for the .30 carbine, its getting harder and more expensive to find.

Besides, its just a suped up pistol cartridge. If your getting a combat rifle, get a combat cartridge.

During WWII the M1 and M2 carbines were replacement guns for the 1911. People like clerks, truck drivers and officers were given that rifle for more accurate shots than a pistol. But since they weren't front line troops, they didnt need a "real" infantry rifle.

Granted, Tank personnel were also given that rifle, but its because they rarely used guns and needed something really compact for getting in and out of a tank.

Ask any Vietnam vet about how the US armed the ARVN solders with a lot of M1 Carbines, and how lousy it preformed on the battlefield against the AK.
Sure its reliable, but theres to muscle or knockdown in it.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Could you explian about the "pistol cartridge"?

I've got 7.62N as my main rifle round now. The Sub-2000 or .357 carbine would probably become a truck gun (12ga Norinco is now). That way I would have the same ammo for either pistol or carbine. They would just have to do until I got home.

Granted the .30 carbine is underpowered, but it still has more power than the .357mag at 100 yds. Plus their intended use is as a defensive weapon range as 200yds are less when rate of fire is important as a deterent.
 
#35 ·
For reloading supplies does anyone know how long primers can last?

How about powder, and were should it be stored?

I've got plenty of brass, and bullets especailly for my 4 main calibers (7.62N, 9x19mm, .357 mag, .30 carbine) but have a very limited stock of powder and primers.

I have just realized that this is were I should be concentrating next. We add to a food stock with each grocery trip (buying a few items for our stores each trip), but guns and ammo has to be specially purchased.
 
#36 ·
Powder should be kept in its plastic container in a dry cool place. If you don't mess with it you should have powder for years. I read in an article that Lewis and Clark carried powder in lead containers sealed in wax. Whenever they needed ammo and powder they would remove the wax, get the powder out of the container and melt the lead for bullets.
 
#37 ·
Thanks Miggy,

I'll start buying extra powder each time, like we are doing with groceries and slowly bulid up my stock. Once I have enough (how much is enough powder anyway?) I'll rotate it like we are doing with our food.

Our food stores are divided into type with the date purchased marked on each can, bag (dried beans, rice etc..)or container (flour, some grains/beans and corn meal are transfered into sealable plastic containers) The oldest is used first, we write down what we use and then replace it.

Our food stock is a working food stock, meaning that we are eating it now, as well as perishable (fresh meat vegtables etc..). This is so we know we will like what we have and we do not have to adjust to a major diet change.

Warning You will not eat anything if you are hungry enough, store foods you like. Do not store foods that are a major change from your current diet- rapid diet change can make you sick.
 
#38 ·
Warning You will not eat anything if you are hungry enough, store foods you like. Do not store foods that are a major change from your current diet- rapid diet change can make you sick.
You just haven't been hungry enough... :bier:
 
#39 ·
Well OPFOR I have eaten earthworm omelets (very gritty), fried crickets, raw grubs (which aren't to bad) you get the picture.

My point is that you will not eat enough to provide for your nutrientional needs (which I'm sure you know) but will tend to just eat enough to survive and not thrive.
 
#40 ·
I knew what you meant, pgrass, and I agree. You will, however, be surprised at what you'll eat (I was, anyway) after even 48hrs without a meal.
 
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