This post is a tough one. We are new to guns and do not have a lot to post on this subject yet. However, we do have experience with hand to hand, knife work and other hand weapons.
Security is primo. The running thoughts in the prepper community seem to be bug out locations stay private. The extent of your preps and weapons' arsenal are also private.
What I will share:
We have extensive experience in martial arts and feel very comfortable with close encounters. However, that is a last resort. The idea here is to keep your perimeter secure so there is no breach. When the SHTF events happen, people who are desperate will do a lot more to you than normal circumstances will require. My thoughts, if they breach my perimeter then the intent is to cause grievous bodily harm and to react accordingly. That being said, I also subscribe to the idea of helping my community in need. Those things go a lot to your own judgement.
We practice Krav Maga, TKD and boxing. One teaches discipline and perseverance, one teaches ground tactic fighting and the last one really teaches you to take a hit and keep moving.
If you are intending on using a knife for protection, get training. This will keep you from slicing the tendons in your hands from improper handling. There are just as many safety techniques in knife work as there are in guns. They are there for a reason. Nothing is worse than some inexperienced person going Rambo on someone. They either end up hurting themselves or dead. Teach your kids proper safety with any weapons and keep them in a safe location. (Yes, I am a mom. :) )
Bows are great because they are used as weapons and as tools. Dual purpose is always better. I prefer a crossbow to compound. My reach is small, and I am a small person. The crossbow is more comfortable and easier to manage. Another benefit to bows is the ability to make your own arrows should you not be able to buy them. Eventually your ammo will run out and redundancy is key.
Your thoughts and input are welcome. We are security conscious but know there are plenty of things we have left to learn.
I agree. Security is key. I think everyone should know some, at least, basic hand to hand combat skills. Less lethal options are good too, if you just need to "let someone know they are not welcome". I love the bow...I have no experience with them, but am looking to get started; I actually looked at recurve and crossbows today.
ReplyDeleteFirearms are key, in my opinion. Several thoughts. Redundancy is key. If you own or are planning to own several weapons, buy them of the same type or at least caliber. That way, you can stock spare parts and they will work for several of your guns. For example, if you have a Glock 17, have 2 instead of a Glock 19 and a S&W 45. You need battle rifles - AR15, AK47, M1A SOCOM and again, pick one you like and have several. You need a "sniper" rifle - not only for stopping humans, but good for hunting. Have several of the same types of shotguns as well.
Another thing that would be beneficial is to find a good reference point in your home on each side - maybe a second story window - that allows you to see a good bit of your property. Then, stand at that point and draw a map of what you can see from that point - make sure other houses, roads, large trees, rocks, etc are on the map - basically put anything that can be used by a criminal to hide behind or use as cover on the map. Once drawn, use a range finder to clock the distances to each object and record those on the map too. Now you have a map with all possible places a criminal can hide and distances. This will allow you to adjust your shooting more accurately - for example: criminal one is behind next door neighbors car at 30 yards which should be a good range for your already sighted AR, but criminal number 2 is out behind the tree at the end of the road at 300 yards and now you have to adjust where you are shooting and how you use your scope and/or get out your bolt action rifle for a more accurate shot.
Lastly, if you already have several guns, I would spend money on some quality training rather than buy more guns. There are several great schools out there. I have been to Tactical Response twice - once for the Fighting Pistol and once for the Fighting Rifle. I may try another school next time just to get another point of view. Training is invaluable and will definitely help you survive an attack, whether a home invasion or being robbed in a grocery store parking lot.
Wow, thanks. That is great info.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to think about security, and this could also be a follow up to your bugging out thread, you have to think about perimeter security for your house. What are you entry points? Which windows will you need to barricade? How will you barricade them? Do you have layers of security? For instance, do you have non-lethal means of protection ( chemical, intimidation, very bright lights at night time to blind intruders with, baseball bats or batons, stun guns)
ReplyDeleteI could go on and on, but if you decided to hunker down think about these points. Also, if you hunker down are you food/water stores ready for that.
What are everyone's current thoughts on burying or hiding weapons? I know there are officials from ashingtonwa (pig latin to avoid word searches) checking around the internet for topics such as these. However, my thoughts are changing. With the coming ban and new weapon purchases and manufacturing, weapons we currently own will likely have to be registered. Why register? Because this will eventually lead to confiscation. It always has. This is the reason some people want to hide their weapons. However, hiding weapons may not be the answer. They will be found - metal detectors, checking your other properties, etc. There are other ways to hide them, but if it's time to hide them, isn't it time to get them out??? I have a saying...when will you know it's time? You walk out on your porch every morning and look right and look left. If your neighbor isn't on the porch with their rifle, it's not time, go back inside and check again tomorrow. I'll leave you with one comment I found on the internet:
ReplyDelete"Lots of talk about burying firearms. Its increased since the shooting in Aurora and the re-newed call for more gun regulation.
My question is.... if things are bad enough to cause anyone to bury their firearms, how bad would it have to get to dig them up again and use them?
When the British were marching on Concorde to capture the local magazine, those Minutemen didn't run out back and bury their rifles."
So about the weapons....I will say that just like food, we need to keep stashes of weapons with our food stores. If not weapons, at least ammo. I know the US is all up in arms about the coming gun control laws...and let me be frank, we should be up in arms about that. We should be prepared for any and all instances, be it food and water or self defense, leave little room for margins and as the Boyscouts say,"Always be prepared!"
ReplyDeleteSome tips for storing ammo and food stores:
Old Parmesan cheese containers, when washed out, make a great way to store .22 cal bullets, and you can store alot of them in a large plastic container. Make sure you have at least one container with .22 cal bullets per food store. This is the most common and cheapest ammo out there. I have .22 rifle for hunting small game, but they can get people to stop messing with you as well.
When you store you food, make sure it's food that can stand the test of time. Use the oxygen paks to keep the air out, and use a food safe, air tight container. I would use 5 gal. buckets...but don't fill them all the way with food...put some water bottles, a flashlight, a emergency blanket, a lighter, batteries, medicine...you get the point....this can also be a restock station for you as well. You won't be able to carry all of the food.
If you are going to bury items, make sure you use some sort of RFID in the container, and mark it with a GPS location so you can find it.