A Prepper's Armory

           Now this is a debatable topic among some preppers, as there are many that do not want to use lethal means of protection when planning their preps. I am of the opinion that in order to be best prepared to survive in a SHTF scenario we must be willing to take extreme measures in order to protect ourselves and our families. This includes training with firearms, and some form of hand to hand combat(which I will cover in a future post)
            So, in this post I want to go over a very basic armory system that each prepper should strive to build, especially with stricter firearm laws looming on the horizon. Your armory should really consist of a sidearm, hunting rifle, assault rifle, and a shotgun. Each of the weapons have their uses in a SHTF situation.

Sidearm-

            A sidearm, or handgun, is a valuable weapon for any prepper, as they are light, concealable providing an element of surprise, as well as possibly being a weapon of last resort. This is weapon for self defense, as you will not be hunting with one. They are ideal back up weapons.

Hunting Rifle-

           A hunting rifle is, as the name suggests, perfect for hunting, as they tend to have larger rounds than assault rifles, as well as being more accurate for the one shot one kill mentality. Having said that they are also great for doubling as sniper rifles. I would recommend that when shopping for one you get one that can be used to hunt both deer and elk, as well as invest in a scope, this provides you the option to have more options for hunting, as well as doubling for a long range scouting device.

         I am also going to include in the hunting rifles to also look into getting a pellet/BB gun. Although they are not usually seen as lethal for hunting, they are perfect for small game animals like doves, squirrels, and gofers. Also you can get thousands of rounds for very cheap, and they are air powered.

Assault Rifle-

           An assault rifle is ideal for combat and protection in a SHTF situation, that is why they are used by virtually every armed force in the world. They can can be loaded with several round magazines of varying sizes and reloading is relatively quick. The most common assault weapons that I have seen in the prepping forums and websites are the AK-47 and the AR-15. Both have their pros and cons, and it really comes down to a personal preference. The AR-15(picture above) is a civilian model of the rifle used by US troops.  Because of my time in the Army I am extremely familiar with this rifle and all of its parts, as such this is the rifle I have for myself. The primary strengths that the AR-15 has over the AK-47 is that it is much more accurate, and the ammo is usually cheaper and easier to find.

           The AK-47(picture below) fires a more powerful round and has fewer moving parts, so it makes a great suppression weapon, but as I said it is not as accurate as the AR-15.

Shotgun-

           Lastly, the shotgun is an excellent home defense weapon, and can also double for hunting flying game. If you have a shotgun and someone is trying to force entry into your house they are going to be very sorry when they see that they are looking down the barrel of a shotgun. This weapon is for close range, and hit with the force of a sludge hammer to the chest. Fun times.

          I would love to hear what weapon choices my readers like and why, as well as suggestions for what handgun and why I should try for myself, as my wife and I are in the market for new sidearms.

Stay prepared, stay alive!