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The Survival Arsenal I wrote this office some time ago I have seen this topic continually popping up on the blogs and on different forums So here are about of my Ideas on this topic What you choose to fill your arsenal is mostly dependent on your whole philosophy of what you are preparing for Here are some possible scenarios 1 Pandemic2 Natural Disasters3 Economic Instability Social Breakdown4 Martial Law Civilian Disarmament5 Civil War6 UN NWO Takeover7 World War Nuclear or Biological Other factors that could influence your choices are as follows 1 What can you afford 2 Where do you know Are you planning on bugging out

or hunkering down 3 How old are your children Can they competently shoot a 22lr How near a larger caliber 4 Do you plan on hunting for sustenance 5 How does your family perceive your preparations Are they slow you 100 or think you type This will affect how good they will train prepare for TSHTF Rifles The 1 Gun Scenario If you can simply give one gun make it a one shot over under style Try to get 22 LR over 12 GA Other gauges 20 410 are acceptable as tenacious as you can store enough ammunition for it to last the spirit of the gun The ammunition is common enough for both as to probably be usable in almost anywhere you might be Role Primary Hunting small large game animalsSecondary Home Defense against IntrudersYour geographic location will give an impression on what make the best arsenal so I will develop this land into Rural and Urban choices RURALLet 8217 s see what I take to be the basic survival arsenal for a rural area Basic Budget 1 Shotgun 12 GaugeRole Primary Hunting small large game animalsSecondary Home Defense against Intruders2 Large Bore Bolt Lever Action Rifle Legal Hunting CaliberRole Primary Hunting large game animalsSecondary Sniping Home defense3 Rifle 22 LR caliber Bolt ActionRole Primary Hunting small game animalsSecondary Home defenseThis selection provides a variety of calibers that each compliment the other The shotgun is able of taking deer and bear as good as vehicles when using slugs With 6 shot it will be adequate at close place for national defense without too much risk of over penetration A pump shotgun is 1st choice followed by the double barrel and so the one shot My recommendations are Mossberg pump 500 590 etc and the Remington 870 There are lots of choices for accessories for these rifles The large bore rifle should be a common preferably military cartridge The Mosin Nagant 91 30 is a nifty respect for the price and is a good long distance and hunt round They cost around 90 at chain sporting good stores Big 5 in my area and 440 rds of 7 62×54R 147 grain FMJ Ammo can even be purchased from the Sportsman 8217 s Guide Stay away from the 200 grain surplus ammo that is usable as it may be designed for machineguns and thus have too high of pressure for your rifle The M38 M44 are a serious choice also but has a pretty good muzzle blast These rifles have been arsenal reconditioned and are in pretty fair shape The Finnish m 39 Mosin Nagant is reputed to be a better quality rifle but as such it is harder to get and more expensive The 8mm Mauser would be my 2nd choice for some 120 The consideration of these is not as good as the Mosin Nagant but is satisfactory for the price The Mauser can be re barreled to 308 7 62×51 and makes a nice rifle as such Re barreling though may be beyond the range of some lacking skill to do it themselves or income to pay to receive this exercise done If that is the case they are best off to put in Mil surp ammo There are other bolt actions rifles available but probably pricier than the Yugo m24 47 Mausers hitting the Surplus market currently Surplus 308 is also more expensive than the other calibers mentioned above Some of the Indian surplus ammo also has problems so avoid it if you go this route Reloadable 8mm can be made from resized and trimmed 30 06 cases It must be noted that the surplus ammo available is for the about part Corrosive Primed and your weapons should be cleaned soon after release it Visit Surplusrifle com and take up on the available Mil Surp rifles and their ammo http www surplusrifle com index aspOther non military rifles in common calibers are available but will be more to purchase and buy spare parts for Unless you are loaded with cash stay away from exotic calibers as ammunition for these will become hard to find The 243 270 and 7mm are popular hunting cartridges but unless you are into reloading and make much of supplies the ammo cost to abide these rifles long term is prohibitive They may however have a point in a limited Sniping role Another option is a lever action Marlin 336 or Winchester model 94 in 30 30 It is a common enough caliber and it is more than enough for harvesting deer Lever actions are usable in other calibers but I wouldn t recommend them as a primary weapon for survival The 22 LR is available in so many different models and brands that it could fill a whole book I will just mention those here that I believe meet the requirements The cheapest model worth purchasing would be a magazine fed bolt action No Single Shots So why not an assault rifle Because the Assault rifle is too dear for the basic budget Many assault rifles come in 223 caliber The 223 is not legal to run with in most states The effective rate is less than a battle rifleThe cost is generally more than a Mil surp battle rifle The insight of the 223 is less than a battle rifle Even the 7 62×39 is not as good as the major military calibers for battle riflesHunting with an Evil Black Rifle will draw possible un wanted attention to you and your family The assault rifle has its place just not in the basic arsenal Read further on to find where AR s fit in A basic budget Arsenal would be the 22 LR Mossberg 590 and the Mosin Nagant bolt action This arsenal can be assembled with some ammo for under 1000 dollars It is also capable of filling all hunting roles from squirrels to Deer Also it is enough for national defense up to a point Once you have established the basic arsenal you might want to enlarge it as your finances allow Don t over buy if you can t afford to stock the ammo for it Your money would be best spent on food spare parts and other gear Few things are more useless than a gun without ammo It only becomes an awkward club Spare parts are a must Learn how to establish them In gain to the above choices Advanced Budget 1 Military Surplus Semi Auto Battle RifleRole Primary Home defenseSecondary Hunting game animals2 Semi Auto Assault RifleRole Primary Home defense3 Rifle 22 LR caliber Semi AutoRole Primary Hunting small game animalsSecondary Home defenseThere are many choices here but only 2 are actual Mil Surp The rest are re assembled parts from de milled selective fire military rifles with new Semi Auto recievers And since we are talking low budget these 2 fit the bill They are the M1 Garand and the SKS Now the question Why the SKS 1 Low recoil 2 Ballistics are like to the 30 30 3 Low cost about 200 00 less on sale or perhaps at gun shows 4 They are designed for people of smaller stature wife children 5 They are very reliable with a mere plan to maintain 6 There are lots of accessories for them 7 Adequate firepower Better penetration than smaller calibers 8 Ammo is fairly inexpensive and is readily available for now 9 It can also somewhat meet the use of the assault rifle due to its magazine size and caliber 10 It is legal to hunt with using a 5 rnd mag 11 It is subject of taking deer sized game I would suggest for adults 1 ea SKS s with the standard 10 rnd magazines with a minimal of 1000 rnds stored Average combat load for the SKS is 180 to 240 rnds with other gear Why the 10 rnd magazine Less risk of malfunction than with the larger capacity magazines I find that the ones that I have owned were of questionable quality and I would not risk my spirit with them If you have children they can be outfitted with an SKS or 22 LR depending on their height and age Say from 6 to 12 days a 22 LR From 13 up arm them with an SKS Give them what they are comfortable with shooting An option to the SKS or 22 LR for kids would be a carbine in 9mm 45 ACP or 30 carbine Another possibility would be lever action carbines in 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum I think that you can shoot 38 Special in one 44 Special in the other These cartridges should be manageable by some children Next I would appear at the M1 Garand from the CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program http www civilianmarksmanshipprogram com Services Their prices are getting higher all the clock and are reaching the point where you are almost better purchasing a new one from either Fulton or Springfield Armory 8217 s Surplus ammo is however fairly low priced and can be ground in the 8 rnd en bloc clips 280 rds of 30 06 150 gr FMJ with ammo can for 49 97 Includes 8 rnd en bloc clips http www sportsmansguide com cb cb asp a 259531The Garand is much heavier than the SKS as is the event with its ammo so it is primarily a weapon for adults It too has better penetrating power and will let you to charge thru some types of cover It has a longer range than the SKS also It is likewise a better made if not a little more complex weapon The assault rifle is a much debated weapon with many saying it is not essential and others that it is If you can give one and the ammo magazines spare parts for it get one They are difficult to get for perimeter defense against multiple targets at shorter ranges up to 100 yards If you are rushed by 20 hungry sheeple intent on looting your home the Garand and SKS might not be enough firepower The AK 47 is a better penetrator than the 223 and shares the same ammunition as the SKS The Mini 14 comes in 2 Military calibers the 223 and 7 62×39 There is some argue as to whether it will take up under combat situations but since you are using for defensive purposes this shouldn t be an issue I hope The AK 47 is the least expensive of the two rifles Some of the common assault rifles are the AR 15 family and other more costly guns such as the Galil Valmet Steyr AUG AR 180 and HK 93 I may have lost some but it doesn t really matter since they are beyond the cost limitations of a basic budget Everyone should be taught basic gun handling and marksmanship with the 22 LR to become skillful with a rifle 22 LR no flinching from recoil muzzle blast as good as low cost practice Then run up in quality to your main rifle For the 22 LR next up would be the tubular magazine feed The Marlin Glennfield model 60 is one such gun that comes to mind since I am familiar with it my 1st Gun I have never had any experience with the Remington Nylon 66 77 but have heard good things of them Last would be the better of the 22 LR s the Ruger 10 22 Make yourself afford it URBANThe roles of weapons are basically reversed in an urban environment from hunt to national defense Let 8217 s examine what I consider to be the basic survival arsenal for an urban area The choices of weapons are rather broad Basic Budget 1 Shotgun 12 GaugeRole Primary Home Defense against IntrudersSecondary Hunting small large game animals2 Large Bore Rifle Legal Hunting Caliber Semi AutoRole Primary Sniping Home defenseSecondary Hunting large game animals3 Rifle 22 LR caliberRole Primary Home defense Feral DogsSecondary Hunting small game animalsWith the exception of the large bore Semi Auto the choices for shotgun and 22 LR in the Basic category remain the sami as in a rural environment Let 8217 s looking at suitable large bores First what do I see a great bore Anything 30 caliber or larger in a Rifle cartridge If you survive in an orbit that is largely urban or suburban and design on staying there I would suggest a Semi Automatic with a clip of at least 10 rounds This would be good for self defense during a riot or other civil disorder natural disaster I urge the SKS once again It is difficult to beat this inexpensive semi auto without spending much more money Most of the HK s on the market now are actually rebuilt G3 s using newly stamped sheet metal receivers These can be had for a reasonable price An original HK 91 will set you support a goodly sum though 20 rnd magazines can be had for as short as 2 00 each in good condition Stock up The Cetme s are likewise a reasonable value but there have been some quality issues with the various receivers availableThey will for the about part have the HK 91 G3 s magazines having the same heritage The Chinese made M1A Polytech has one of the best receivers ever made however the remainder of the parts are questionable Fulton Armory will rebuild these with Original GI parts to a better than new condition When I first got into survival the cadillac of all firearms at the time was the FN FAL If I remember correctly they were leaving for about 1200 new then early 80 s New and rebuilt ones are available but are still expensive DSA make some nice ones I wouldn t call these 8220 budget 8221 though Any of these are suited for your large bore choice as farsighted as they are dependable So why not a Bolt action for urban areas You may want to use your Large bore for defense against crowds of looters or gangs intent on doing you harm and the greater firepower of a semi auto with detachable magazines may be needed If you are yet in the urban environment WTSHTF you will probably take the firearms in the modern section just to get out Advanced still Budget 1 Assault RifleRole Primary DefenseSecondary Hunting small large game animals2 CarbineRole Primary Defense3 Combat ShotgunRole Primary DefenseNote Avoid firefights at all costs The odds are you or some of your home will die as they are not trained for Urban combat The Mini 14 and AK 47 rifles in caliber 7 62×39mm are adequate for both dod and hunting with the increase of quality optics For strictly firepower the AK 47 can t be beat followed by the AR 15 family Dollar wise you will get more love for your buck with the AK since it is priced well under the AR 15 family of weapons You can get ammo magazines gear and gun for the price of 1 AR 15 The AR 15 has the border over the AK in angle and accuracy as you can take considerably more 223 than 7 62×39 The quality of manufacture is better also In considering carbines their use is best left to those who are ineffective to contain heavier weapons and ammo and are not precise enough with handguns Some carbines to consider are the Keltec SUB 2000 in 9mm amp 40 S amp W Hi Point Firearms carbines in 9mm amp 40 S amp W The Marlin Camp Carbines Models 9 9mm and 45 45 ACP the Ruger Police Carbine in 9 mm Luger or 40 S amp W and the Beretta Cx4 Px4 Storm in 9mmx 19 and 9mmx21 IMI 40 S amp W and 45 ACP These run in prices from affordable to expensive and you will get what you pay for in these There are others out there If a carbine suits you look around you ll find what is better for you Another option is the 30 Cal M1 Carbine Ammo for this strip is no longer cheap and it is basically a pistol caliber in performance Many people know it and you may still find it round for a fair price Lots of different capacity magazines are usable for it too Many other guns are acceptable as farsighted as you can store the ammunition and spare parts for them If you are partly of Preparedness Group or a Para Military organization you will need to standardize your choices to maintain compatibility within your group So what is a Combat shotgun It can be either a Mossberg 500 590 or an Remington 870 with an 18 8221 to 20 8221 barrel and a 7 or 8 shot magazine It can have a folding stock as good as a pistol grip front and rear Most come with a heat shield on the drum that has Ghost Ring sights You can deck them out with Sidesaddle ammo holders and under barrel flashlights laser sights There is even now a 10 shot drum magazine and 6 shot box magazine available from Knoxx Industries These are only for the Mossberg line currently Another is the Saiga 12 self loading smooth bore shotgun manufactured by IZHMASH of Russia It is reinforced on the AK 47 action comes with 12 ga smooth bored barrel and the bedroom which accepts ammo equipped with shot or slugs including Magnum cartridges with 2 3 4 and 3 cartridge case It is magazine fed Since I do not make any experience with it yet I see it difficult to say it is a safe choice but it is available Some older military weapons are the Winchester Model 1897 and the Winchester Model 12 as good as the Ithaca Model 37 These are not readily found in the civilian gun market so I will just mention them in passing The combat shotgun is good for clearing rooms and hallways of intruders allowing you to get out of a bad spot in a hurry You can put a lot of hits on multiple targets with this weapon The biggest drawback to a combat shotgun is the burden of the ammunition you must take to make a fighting chance against adversaries If you are using a combat shotgun you should have someone backing you up with either an assault rifle or a battle rifle Even with slugs these are not a long range weapon Handguns This is a really personal choice and what works for one may not for another At the very minimum I would recommend a 22 LR revolver for your emergency pack along with 500 rnds of ammo That 8217 s 500 potential meals Buy and take what you are comfortable with If you are afraid of the recoil you will have a hard time hitting what you are shot at Before you buy go to a shooting range that rents handguns and try out several This is less expensive than purchasing a 44 mag only to get out you need a 38 special Magazines Buy at least 15 each 30 rnd for each Assault Rifle and an additional 5 for replacements For Battle Rifles purchase 15 each 20 rnd mags with 6 extra The Garand uses the 8 rnd clip so buy 100 each They are often easier to light than a standard magazine Handgun magazines should be 6 to 10 each depending on capacity and price Mil Surp battle rifles use stripper clips and while some ammo comes on it most does not 240 rounds on 5 round clips is 48 stripper clips Purchase an even hundred The SKS stripper clips hold 10 rounds so 240 rounds would require 24 clips Since these are still fairly cheap get a century of them also As always these are my opinions and are good guidelines for you to help build your own Survival Arsenal Weapon selection is a choice that must be made with forbearance and piles of thought Don 8217 t just rush out and buy something based on somebody else 8217 s experience Plan well now you won t be capable to do it WTSHTF and you will survive or die with your choice Selous Scout Posted by Selous Scout at 12 37 AM