Guns to acquire Pre-SHTF

I enjoy hunting, both mentally and physically. I understand what an asset it is likely to be in augmenting other food supplies during hard times. Healthy food, organic, and FREE... other than the time spent, which brings up what I think is an important issue... time.
During a SHTF event of any consequence time will be very limited. Lots going on and lots to do. There just may not be enough time to hunt, even if you have a place to hunt, and most may not, with all the other pressing responsibilities and demands on your time. A very good option is traps. Traps hunt 24/7 seven days a week. Those who live in areas where hunting, especially with a firearm, make be difficult or even impossible could still trap. Having an assortment of traps, including snares, of various sizes could produce more food than hunting. I know this thread concerns firearms, but don't overlook the advantages of trapping.

 

As far as hunting goes if you are in even a lightly populated area game will disappear pretty quickly. After that it will eventually rebound after things get resolved or their is enough human die off if it doesn't.

 

It has. And thanks.

 

So basically any gun you have is good. Better than none! Just make sure someone is awake at the witching hour. A term kids use for 3 AM. That's when the criminals figure everyone's asleep.

 

I have always told people they should exercise their rights and at least own a pump shotgun. various loads make it versatile.

 

I keep looking at that title and thinking of different answers to the question.

Here are a few that stand out:

Common caliber guns.
Interchangeable parts guns
Duplicate guns
Trading guns
Throw-away/buy-back guns
Investment guns (seen a $35 91/30 or a $50 SKS lately? Me neither.)
Accurate guns
Concealable guns
Youth guns
Air guns
Black powder guns
and some fun guns. (Plinkers, odd caliber, strange action, nostalgic, impractical guns that make you smile.)

 

In and old book titled Survival Guns by Mel Tappan old Mel advocates having 2 sets of guns. 1 set was for defense and the other was working guns. I've taken this approach and so far it's worked for my needs. You can still find copies of the book. Although it's a bit dated (1979) the information is still valid today.

 

I'd suggest any repeating pistol and rifle that a person has great proficiency with would be first choice. That would stay the choice until great proficiency was built with a new and better substitute.

If you know nothing about guns you need to buy as high a quality weapon as you can with 20% of the available money and spend the rest on quality training.

 

I would also recommend having small quantities of ammo for guns that you might not own...now. I believe that after SHTF that there are going to be plenty of guns, especially odd calibers, that will become available... one way or another. It would be a shame to come across a K-98/8mm or Enfield/.303 and not have a few rounds for these fine weapons. The same goes for magazines.

 

should already be re-loading - if there's any chance of running across some iron in a caliber outside your usual >>> prep for it instead of investing in factory loads ...

 

Getting sum guns is easy.
Making them silent, or at least some of them silent should be the ultimate goal.

 

Sound suppressors are NOT that quite, everyone within range of that weapon is going to know that it has just been fired. If you want quite get a crossbow.

 

I was thinking more like not letting other people who may be several hundred yards or up to a few miles away know you are shooting a gun.
For example my neighbor who I am good buddies with warned me our closes neighbors call the cops when he shoots his shot gun.
I shoot suppressed subsonic 22LR and never been visited by the cops.

So we have 2 possibilities.
1 The neighbor doesn't hear it at all, which I believe is most likely the case, especially with my gemtech mist 10/22.
2 He does hear it and believes he is not hearing firearm noises or assumes it is much further away than it really is.
End result is the same.

 

I hold with modern firearms and ample ammo and magazines. I also hold with long term- flint lock rifle, shotgun and pistols. Primitive and simpler to keep supplied down the road.

 

Hears my take on the subject, one at least needs a basic 5 gun battery. 1 Shotgun in 12 guage. This will solve a lot of problems. Pick your action. 2 A 22lr rimfire rifle, small game, pest control and a training aid for the bigger stuff. This is where things start to get interesting. 3 Handgun, whether an auto loader or wheel gun it does one thing the others can't. And that is be on you at all times. CC or open carry. 4 Battle rifle, AR,AK,SKS,M1,don't matter which one as long as you can use it. 5 Bolt action rifle, big game and counter sniping . Get a really good scope and get dialed in. JMHO.

 

I have acquired odd ball stuff as it presents itself. Any gun with 50 to 100 rounds f ammo will be worth it weight in gold for trade. Some will own lots of fuel,gas station owners, and will trade 100 gallons for a gun and ammo, so any cheap gun is worth having

 

If you trade firearms and ammo, you may get the bullets back. Not a good idea in a shtf scenario.

 

can't be a hard & fast solid rule >>> need to use common sense and balance it out ....
if you're smart you'll gather around and solidify the relationships you already have - and they might need help in defending themselves >>> the egg farmer that you'll be trading with has some guns but like most has little ammo - the guy at the junkyard has nothing but a breaker bar >>> your neighborhood will likely be a hodgepodge of a defense where a few boxes of 00Buck and a single gun donation could make all the difference ....

 

It's another matter if it's part of your clan/community, but with strangers?
I read an account of a family in Bosnia that traded ammo, and buried a couple of their family members because of it.