Many people new to prepping may be asking themselves, “Do I need a gun”? I think many people I talk to are searching for the answer to that and to “If so, what kind”.

Guns are a tool. They are neither evil nor good, they are just a tool, like a saw, a knife, or a screw driver. They perform a useful service and they allows someone to do something easier then they can without one. That’s it, nothing more, nothing less. A gun is a tool. To my way of thinking, anyone who describes them as anything else is foolish.

Like any tool, guns have a function, a specific function and perform the task well if the person using it has the knowledge and skill to use it correctly and safely. Without that knowledge and skill, they can be dangerous and lead to severe bodily harm or death to the user or someone near the person using it. Just like a chainsaw, or an axe. They can also be used to intentionally harm someone, or to protect someone or some thing from harm.

Let us look at the first Question, “Do I need a gun”. My personal opinion is yes, you do need a gun when your considering prepping for SHTF. I would be very remiss to ever suggest otherwise to anyone. Yet, be aware you will also need to acquire the skill to use, maintain and be safe with it.

I am not saying this, because of the old grab your gun and we are going to fight the Government stuff, or fighting off the golden hordes. I am more practical in my reasons. Guns can provide more then the just the thought of security from predators, both two and 4 legged.

It can and will also provide food. Let us just face the facts, guns have been keeping people fed for a very long time. While pistols, shotguns and rifles were not created primarily for hunting (they were not), unlike the bow and arrow, or the spear. They were however quickly adapted for food gathering. They have been successful at that for over 500 years. If something works for over 500 years, you should get the idea that it is a pretty solid premise to base things on.

A gun, when used effectively, can stop the largest animals on Earth in their tracks. It can at extended ranges allow the taking of very fast and large game. It allows protection for the farmer against predators who will try and kill any live stock or plants he may have. It will also protect someone against those predators which may endanger you or your loved ones.

Not having a gun when you need one is as bad or worse, then not having an axe, saw or shovel when you need one. You might be able to get the job done with something else, but it will be harder and most often more dangerous then doing it with the proper tool.

It was not uncommon when I was young and growing up on a farm to wake up and hear a noise in the hen house and have to grab a gun and check out what was disturbing the flock, Usually it was a fox, or a weasel, or a snake, or an owl, etc. A single shot usually ended the threat and kept the flock safe.

Some times it was wild dogs or coyotes after a calf, once in awhile a larger predator, like a big cat. Again, usually a single well aimed shot protected our live stock and kept us from losing an animal we dearly needed for it’s food value to us or the money we would get from it’s sale. It was survival for us to keep our animals and plants safe.

Many a Mr. Bunny met his end with my 22 when a kid. It happened when he decided the veggies in the garden looked more tempting then something he could find in the wild. He added to our meat intake usually the same day. Rodents will eat a large part of your food supply if given a chance and ruin more by messing it up or messing in it, then they eat. Killing them, is a good way to keep this from happening, and the easiest way I know of to kill them is with a gun.

A gun, no matter what kind requires maintenance. This may mean as things as simply knowing how to break it apart and clean and oil it, to keep it from corroding or jamming, to replacing springs or small parts. This skill can be easily gained form practice. Get a manual of the weapon of choice, learn to handle it safely and unload it (treat every gun as loaded until YOU yourself have checked to make sure it is unloaded). Then following the manual, disassemble the weapons, clean, lubricate and reassemble. Do this a few hundred times and you will have it down pat and get to know your weapon. You can do this while watching TV, or chatting with your spouse or friends. Get to know your weapon, and where it needs special attention. Research it online or through books and asking knowledgeable people. If a spring tends to wear out on the weapon or a small part, learn how to replace that part. So if you plan on prepping and buying a gun, it means more then just buying one and then putting it in the closet with some ammo and thinking your set.

Now on to “ What kind of gun should I get”? This all depends on the type of range (distance) you are expecting to have to engage a target at and how small or large the animal you expect to have to engage..

With a gun, like any tool, you need to learn to be safe with the tool, and how to use it properly. With a gun, it means knowing how to be able to hit your target consistently at the effective ranges of the weapon.

Hand guns (IE Pistols) are meant to be used at very close to medium range, normally from point blank to 35 yards (though some people can effectively engage a target at much greater ranges with one).

A Shotgun is from short range to medium range. The shotgun is used when the chances of hitting a target on first shot needs to be increased by using shot (many pellets) instead of just one solid hunk of lead as most pistol and rifle ammo does. The skill to use a shotgun effectively is much lower then that needed for a rifle or pistol. The range a shotgun can be used effectively can be increased by the use of longer barrels and different types of chokes (chokes allow the concentration or spreading of the shot to be modified from the pattern given by a unmodified barrel). Shot guns come in different gauges (for the laymen think of it as calibers or size of the shells), the smaller the number of the gauge, the larger the shell is. !2 gauge being a large most common gauge and 410 as a small common shell size. The Normal gauges people will come across are from largest to smallest 12, 16, 20, and 410. There are many more that are out there, but those are the ones you will see most commonly.

Rifles are designed for use at medium to long range. Think from 35 yards to over 1000 yards, depending on caliber, action, modifications, etc.

Personally, I suggest to a new buyers, to pick a shotgun, a pistol and then a rifle. In that order. The shotgun, because of it’s ability to use different shells, and on many models you can exchange barrels quickly allows for one of the most versatile of weapons. It can be used to engage effectively form small game to the largest animal found in North America. It also is reasonably priced for what you get if you select wisely.

A handgun is my next choice of people because it allows someone to carry it and have their hand free and perform normal tasks until they actually need to use the weapon.

The rifle is the last thing I suggest, because of it’s ability to engage targets effectively a medium to long ranges, it takes the most skill to learn to use. It does no good to have a tack driver rifle that can hit a one inch target at 1000 yards if you can’t shoot that well. In fact it’s a waste of money for most people. Most people though can fairly quickly learn to hit a target at 100 or so yards consistently without too much trouble. I suggest getting a rifle that uses just iron sites (not a scope or electronic sites) and learn to shoot well with it. After that, you may start to learn to engage at farther ranges, but if you can’t hit a target every time at 100 yards with just iron sites, you need to practice more until you can. Then you learn to do so at 200 yards and so on. Depending on your eye sight, then start thinking about getting a rifle with a scope or just get one for your current rifle.

great primer!

Well Done!

Very nice post!
Though I might have a different thought on the precedence of order in weapons purchase, my order was based on budget, lol
Either way good information and a realistic goal setting guide.
The shot gun as you stated is one of the most versatile of all weapons!
Thanks Wulfin

Very

I just hope that the new preppers don't take it to mean to have 20 guns and just a week or a months worth of food.

It is real easy to aqquire a large number of firearms. The is just so many variation and uses. plus they are a lot of fun.

But a person needs to make sure that they don't allow themselves to always be on the lookout for weapons and forsaking the rest of what is need ot prep.
I know all too many folks that have gone overboard in the gun department and let the other supplies slide. Big mistake, and a easy one to fall into, i did it myself yrs ago.

dreadstalker wrote:Very

I just hope that the new preppers don't take it to mean to have 20 guns and just a week or a months worth of food.

It is real easy to aqquire a large number of firearms. The is just so many variation and uses. plus they are a lot of fun.

But a person needs to make sure that they don't allow themselves to always be on the lookout for weapons and forsaking the rest of what is need ot prep.
I know all too many folks that have gone overboard in the gun department and let the other supplies slide. Big mistake, and a easy one to fall into, i did it myself yrs ago.

Notice I said a shotgun, a pistol and the a rifle. :) That makes 3, if i count right. :)

now we need to teach the demacrats that a firearm is a tool just like a screwdriver it is only bad when misused .

wulfin wrote:

dreadstalker wrote:Very

I just hope that the new preppers don't take it to mean to have 20 guns and just a week or a months worth of food.

It is real easy to aqquire a large number of firearms. The is just so many variation and uses. plus they are a lot of fun.

But a person needs to make sure that they don't allow themselves to always be on the lookout for weapons and forsaking the rest of what is need ot prep.
I know all too many folks that have gone overboard in the gun department and let the other supplies slide. Big mistake, and a easy one to fall into, i did it myself yrs ago.

Notice I said a shotgun, a pistol and the a rifle. :) That makes 3, if i count right. :)

True. but I am fairly certain you have seen the same type i was mentioning... a dozen and often more firearms they have bought since they stated prepping and a weeks worth of food in the house.