Captain Dave's Survival Center

Captain Dave's Survival Guide

The Role of Firearms in Survival

Firearms and survival go together like peanut butter and jelly. Firearms are, in a sense, the ultimate self defense tool, and whether we are talking about a global TEOTWAWKI disaster or a small regional event, you may well need to defend your self and protect your gear during or after an emergency. Any time you are facing a larger, stronger or more numerous foe, firearms are the great equalizer because they can stop an aggressor at a distance, before they can close with you where their strength or numbers could overwhelm a survivalist family.

Your goal as a survivalist is to survive. If threatened by a thug, criminal or even a desperate neighbor, you are unlikely to come away unscathed if you march out and meet them in hand-to-hand combat. Brandishing a weapon may resolve the situation. If not, shooting them may be the safest and quickest path to resolution. Remember, if some person or persons are threatening to kill you and take your supplies, and they appear to have the ability to do so, then you are well within your rights to use lethal force to stop them from killing you.

When faced by a gang, instead of an individual, your firearms especially a good assault rifle or battle rifle will increase your odds of survival in a way that appeasement never will. Remember, when the veneer of civilization is peeled away, it will be a dog-eat-dog world in which only the strong survive. Guns give you strength that mere muscles cannot. If you do not fight back, the best you can hope for is enslavement, the worst is to watch yourself and your family members be tortured, raped, beaten and left dead or dying.

Captain Dave realizes that not everyone likes guns, but any serious survivalist should strongly consider adding firearms and ammunition to their survival stash. Let's face it, political correctness ends when you are beaten and your food is stolen, just as vegetarianism diminishes in the face of starvation. In a survival situation, you may have to take extreme measures so that you and your family can live. If you would prefer to die, that is your choice, but it kind of defeats the purpose of preparing and lets your family down. If you prefer to live, you need to learn how to effectively learn how to use firearms for hunting and personal protection.

Remember, those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't.

Guns for Self Defense

If luck or planning lets your live through the immediate disaster -- the hurricane passes, the earthquake dies down or the riots are quelled -- you are faced with the longer task of living through the aftermath, or what we referred to above as Condition Black. All the topics we've dealt with earlier -- food, water, shelter and emergency medicine -- are critical. But you have to hang on to all four to survive, and many of those who are less-prepared may envy your stash and wish to make it their own. See the scenario we put together for an example. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, you may face bands of outlaws whose idea of survival is to steal from those who have food and supplies.

You need to protect yourself both from those who see the situation as an opportunity to cash in and those who are so desperate they have no way to survive except by taking your stuff. You will run into the first (criminals) early in a long-term survival situation. The second will be a later phenomenon, after their meager supplies have petered out and the hand of government is nowhere to be found.

There are several steps you can take to protect yourself from these and others who threaten your survival:

Always keep a low profile, before, during, and after the disaster. The fewer people who know you have a huge stash of food and water, the less who will turn to you seeking aid. Your three month supply of food will seem much smaller if friends, neighbors and co-workers show up unannounced and expect you to feed and care for them. This also means don't flaunt it and create resentment. Don't be boiling beef stew in the afternoon over a backyard fire when others are starving and not expect trouble. Instead, use a camp stove in your fireplace after dark.
Do not seek to profiteer from your advanced planning. This will result in resentment and possible retribution. If you have a surplus and wish to part with some goods, you will earn friends by giving it away, or trading it for labor. If you sell it at ridiculously high prices, you'll earn nothing but hate and resentment. (Frankly, Captain Dave feels your better off keeping or using surplus items for trade, unless the people you are feeding have useful skills you need.)
After disaster strikes, post signs saying looters will be shot. Like an alarm sign, this won't deter someone who seriously wants what you have, but it may send potential thieves and looters to easier targets. During "normal" times, there is an unfortunate liability associated with displaying "Protected by Smith & Wesson" bumper stickers and wearing T-shirts that boldly proclaim "I don't dial 911, I reach for .357." In the potentially lawless aftermath of a disaster, Captain Dave believes the benefit of such a sign will outweigh the liability. Avoidance is better than engagement when it comes to a fight. But if avoidance is impossible, don't hold back.
If you are threatened by looters or other criminals, you probably only have two choices: Turn tail and run or display a firearm and possibly use it. This latter technique served Korean merchants well in the L.A. Riots. If you choose to include weapons as part of your survival stash (a move Captain Dave obviously encourages) you must have the will and the skill to use them successfully. Otherwise, you'd probably have been better off taking option one and hightailing it out of there, giving up your stash but hopefully saving your life, at least in the short term.

Keep in mind that self defense and protection of property goes beyond using guns against human predators. Picture, for example, a pack of wild, hungry dogs. Sounds like a good reason to carry a shotgun, doesn't it? If you raise any meat animals, you may need a gun to protect your flocks. A single weasel can decimate your hen house. If you have a garden, you may need shoot varmints before they consume your crop. A groundhog in the garden today is an inconvenience. A groundhog in the survival garden in a post TEOTWAWKI situation is a disaster. The lack of a .22 caliber rifle and someone with the patience and skill to use it could result in the loss of an entire season's harvest and reduce your chances for survival.

Guns for Hunting

In the city, hunting may be limited to pigeons, squirrels, raccoons, rats and perhaps stray dogs, many of which will be easier to catch with traps than to shoot. But in a rural location, hunting is an acceptable method to provide food. Even with the overabundance of deer we have in this country, intensive survival hunting may cause many areas to be "hunted out" in a long term survival situation, but it will at least be an early alternative.

Today, most people think "deer" when you mention hunting, or maybe turkey and waterfowl, but there is no reason why you cannot shoot and eat just about any wild animal large enough to provide a decent meal. Those cute little rabbits nibbling on grass make a nice stew, and eating squirrels has been a tradition since the pilgrims landed. You may not think that mangy woodchuck looks like good eating, but I bet you'll have a change of heart after you've been tightening your belt a few months and the pantry is looking mighty bare. While trapping may be the best way to harvest much of this small game, you can also use a .22 rifle or a .410 shotgun. That led us to the oft-debated topic of what guns you should have. In general, it is better to have too many guns than too few, but it also makes a lot of sense to settle on a few specific alibers

A Survival Weapon Primer

For those with little or no experience with firearms, let's look at the basic categories of weapons and some nomenclature. Here is a brief primer that discusses standard weapons and ammunitions and does not get to esoteric. (If you already know all about guns, you can skim through this part.)

Simply put, a piece of ammunition (often referred to as a cartridge or bullet) is loaded into the chamber of a gun, either directly or from a magazine. (The chamber aligns with the barrel and holds a cartridge while it is fired. A magazine is an ammunition feeding device that holds multiple cartridges.)

The weapon is aimed and the trigger pulled, causing the bullet to shoot out the bore or muzzle, as we have all seen on the TV and in movies. In most weapons, the next bullet is automatically loaded into the chamber and the gun is ready to fire, so the trigger can be pulled again and again until the gun runs out of bullets. But how does that actually work? Let's explore this further:

A piece of ammunition is usually a brass cartridge that is filled with gunpowder and crimped tightly to a bullet on one end. The other end is closed off to a flat surface that has a primer in it. When the gun's firing pin is released by pulling the trigger, the pin hits the primer with sufficient force that the chemical compound in the primer explodes, sending a spark into the gunpowder and igniting it. The gun powder burns furiously, creating gas which propels the bullet out the open end of the chamber, usually at a speed in excess of 1,000 feet per second. (Gun powder does not explode, it just burns really, really fast. Also, it does not need oxygen to burn as it creates its own during combustion.) In the old days of flint locks, there was a bit of a delay between the time one pulled the trigger and a bullet shot forth, but these days it happens so fast someone with a good trigger finger can fire several aimed shots a second.

Bullets are almost always made of lead and are often covered with a layer of copper. Many have either flat noses or pointed noses, and some of the most destructive have hollow points, a design that is intended to make a bullet expand in size when it hits flesh, thereby creating a wider and more destructive wound channel. While both a hollow point and a full metal jacket (solid) bullet may kill an attacker, a hollow point bullet is designed to incapacitate them faster, thereby ending the fight and saving your life. If you are mortally wounded, the fact that your attacker dies a few days later from an infection caused by your bullet it is a Pyrrhic victory at best. In hunting scenarios, expanding bullets bring down an animal more quickly so that you don't have to track it and risk it getting away.

Different guns use different kinds and sizes of ammunition. These are differentiated by caliber. In the U.S. we use inches, so a .45 caliber gun fires bullets that are 45/100ths of an inch in diameter. This is twice as wide as a .22 caliber bullet. In Europe, where they use the metric system, the diameter of bullets is measured in millimeters, such as the ubiquitous 9mm. To further complicate matters, shotguns use gauges, which is an old measurement based on how many spheres of a particular diameter could be made from a pound of lead. (You don't have to remember this, just know that a 12 gauge shotgun is bigger than a 20 gauge.)

To complicate things further, one kind of cartridge probably comes with different bullet weights. For example, the ..45 ACP cartridge often comes with 180 grain bullets and 230 grain bullets. (Both are the same diameter, of course, but different lengths and shapes due to the different weights.) Because of physics, a 180 grain bullet will be faster than a 230 grain bullet. In a .223 rifle, 55 grain and 63 grain bullets are very common, with some heavier bullets such as 77 grain projectiles gaining in popularity. In shotgun shells, the charge of powder and the size of shot will vary. The thing to remember is that the smaller the number, the bigger the shot. So a #8 shot is much smaller than #4 shot.

While we do not have enough room to go into all the varieties and the difference performance of each size of bullet or shot, the key message is to match your gun and choice of ammunition to the job at hand. Just as a good carpenter has different saws and the saws may have different blades, a gunman will have different guns and different bullets for each.

In general, when all else is equal, larger bullets do a better job of stopping game or a person intent on doing you harm, but bullet design and speed also plays an important factor. (This is why rifles that shoot small bullets at 2700 fps are more deadly than pistols that shoot bigger but much slower bullets.) However, the biggest, best-designed bullet does no good if it misses, so you really need to train and practice with your weapon or weapons of choice. The old saw about a hit with a .22 being better than a miss with a .45 is right on target.

There are many types and sizes of ammunition, but the key is to make sure you buy the correct kind of ammunition for your gun. A .45 ACP cartridge is different than a .45 Colt cartridge. A .308, a .30-06 and a .30-30 all may use the same .30 caliber projectile, but they are different rounds with different sized cartridges and you must match the ammunition to the gun. DO NOT SHOOT a bullet in a gun it is not designed for. All modern weapons are engraved or stamped with their caliber. Make sure you are using the correct ammunition or your survival situation will be worsened when your gun blows up in your hands and face.

Standardize for Logistical Simplicity

From a survival situation, Captain Dave recommends standardizing on a few major calibers. For example, the military and many law enforcement agencies currently use .223 ammunition. As a result, there is a lot of it around, as well as a lot of magazines and gun parts and accessories for the most common .223 gun, which is the M4, it's forefather the M-16, and their civilian version, the AR-15. While the 6.8mm rifle round may have better performance, if you outfit yourself with a 6.8 caliber rifle, you cannot count on finding or scrounging extra ammo.

If you have several pistols, it may make sense from a logistical situation to have them all the same caliber. For example, it is preferable to stock all 9mm or .40 caliber ammo than to stock both. This way if one gun stops functioning or is lost, you don't have some "useless" ammunition sitting around.

In fact, having multiple guns by the same manufacturer that share parts and magazines is an even better idea. For example, you could have a Glock 19 and a Glock 17 and simply buy magazines for the Glock 17, knowing that they will fit the Glock 19, if necessary.

Captain Dave also recommends having LOTS of ammo. At least 1,000 rounds per weapon, preferably more. While you cannot eat it ammunition, it's more effective than throwing #10 cans at the enemy. So stock up on food and water first, but don't scrimp on ammunition. Ammunition feeding devices, known as magazines, are also important. Without a magazine, your high capacity wonder gun is now a single shot. So buy a dozen magazines for each gun, and put some in your cache. One thing Captain Dave does is to store extra magazines with his ammunition. So if you grab an ammo can marked .223, there will be two or three magazines in side it. These days, 1,000 rounds of .233 ammo costs upwards of $350. Three good quality AR-15 magazines cost $18 or less. Its worth the investment.

Once you have a gun or guns, ammunition and magazines, consider getting other accessories, like cleaning supplies and holsters or slings. A good holster will carry your pistol safely and securely as well as comfortably. Sticking a loaded pistol in your pants without a holster is a good way to shoot off an important part of your anatomy. And in a TEOTWAWKI situation where there is no trauma center, this will probably kill you.

For rifles and shotguns, slings are also useful devices that make carrying your gun easier and leave your hands free for other tasks. A good sling can also be as shooting aid.

Types of Firearms

Here is a rundown on some common types of firearms and their strengths and weaknesses. Please note that we are avoiding things like derringers, machine guns, and other weapons that you are unlikely to run across early in your gun buying career.

Pistols are small, concealable firearms that usually come in two kinds: revolvers and semi-automatics. Many feel that revolvers are easier for the uninitiated to use, but semi-autos (often mistakenly referred to simply as automatics) usually hold more bullets. The benefit of a pistol is that they are small and can be carried on you at all times, so they can be handy should violence break out unexpectedly. Their weakness is that a pistol bullet is relatively small and weak compared to a rifle bullet or a shotgun blast. So your best bet is to carry your pistol and use it to fight your way to your long gun, which should be near by.

Pistols usually shoot solid projectiles, although you can buy shot shells for them. (Generally, shot shells for pistols is a waste of money unless you live in snake country and need a blast of shot to kill a snake.) Captain Dve's advise is to avoid weird ammunition just buy standard hollow points for serious use and sold full metal jackets for training.

Shotguns are designed to shoot multiple pellets or shot out in a single blast. This starts as a dense cluster of shot that disperses over distance, making it easier to hit a flying bird or a running rabbit. They are the weapon of choice for shooting waterfowl, pheasants or similar game. #7 or 8 shot is very small, while #1 or 4 shot is much larger. Captain Dave recommends any buckshot with a number smaller than #4 for man-sized targets, and prefers what is known as 00 buckshot. At less than 25 yards, 00 buckshot is a very potent man stopper. Because the shot disperses, shotguns loose their effectiveness at longer ranges. Because of this, you can buy shotgun slugs, which are solid projectiles. These are better than shot at longer ranges and useful out to about 75 yards, but beyond 30 or 40 yards, a shotgun is a poor second choice to a rifle.

Shotguns are long and heavy, especially compared to a pistol, and usually hold between 2 and 8 rounds. They can be semi automatic or manual pump. In a pump shotgun, you have to rack the slide between shots, casting out the empty and loading a new cartridge from the tubular magazine. Semi-automatics do that for you, but in return they are more complicated and require more cleaning and maintenance.

A shotgun shell is many times larger than a pistol bullet and most rifle bullets. They are usually made from plastic hulls but have a brass bottom that holds the primer. Inside the shell is a plastic cup that holds the shot. They work the same way as brass cartridges in that the firing pin strikes the primer which sets off the primer and ignites the powder charge. The powder burns rapidly, causing gas to expand, propelling the contents of the cartridge out of the shotgun barrel. The shot usually rides in a plastic cup, which serves to keep it together until it leaves the barrel. Due to physics, the shot continues to outpace the plastic cup, which falls to the ground while the shot continues to hopefully reach the intended target. In a semi-automatic shotgun, the power of this expanding gas is also used to cycle the action, loading the next round into the chamber.

Please note that shotguns have a reputation for spreading their shot so much that you do not have to aim. This is simply not true. Aiming is required and pointing and shooting works only at very close ranges.

Rifles are also long guns. They shoot solid projectiles that are usually intended for targets within a few hundred yards, but that can travel miles. There are many types of rifles. Short, light rifles are known as carbines and were originally issued to cavalry. They are designed for shorter range engagements than battle rifles. Hunting or sniper rifles are equipped with telescopic optics and are designed for engaging targets hundreds of yards away.

Note that many carbines shoot calibers designed for pistols. While cowboys once found it convenient to load their rifle or pistol from the same ammunition belt, this is not recommended for a modern survivalist. There are tasks you may need your rifle for that most pistol calibers are not adequate for. Don't spend your money on a pistol-caliber carbine until you have the rest of your arsenal sewn up.

Like shotguns, rifles are heavy and are difficult or impossible to carry concealed. Carrying them long distances often requires the use of a sling. They offer heavy firepower at long range. While there are semi-automatics rifles that can hold 30 or more rounds of ammunition, there are also bolt action rifles that hold only three to five rounds and require manual manipulation to load the next round into the chamber. While different types of guns are best utilized in different situations, a skilled rifleman with a slow bolt action rifle is in Captain Dave's opinion far more dangerous than an inexperienced rifleman who will simply spray bullets and pray one hits his target.

The Survival Arsenal

Choosing the best survival weapons will depend on your needs. Do you wish to protect yourself from a single intruder or a large group? Will you be engaging targets at close or long range? Do you wish to hunt as well as use your weapons for self defense? How big are you? How much money do you want to invest? These and other questions must be considered. Most importantly, you need a gun or guns that you can shoot well and carry comfortably.

Captain Dave recommends the following survival weapons:

One or two pistols for every adult or adolescent capable of using it. Should be at least .38/9mm caliber or larger. These are primarily for self defense.
A .22 caliber pistol for training and hunting, as well as for executing the coup de gras to injured or trapped animals.
A .22 rifle for hunting, training and for children to use. These guns are handy, relatively quiet and can add meat to the stew pot. The guns and ammunition are so cheap, that you could easily get two guns and have 10,000 rounds of ammo.
A 12 gauge shotgun for all large adults. 20 gauge for smaller-stature adults. Either semi-auto or pump, the higher capacity the better. Stock bird shot for hunting, buck shot and slugs for close-in self defense.
For urban defense and encounters under 150 or so yards, have a carbine in .223 or similar caliber, such as an AR-15/M4 or Ruger Mini 14, SKS, AK-74 or AK-47. Even an old WWII M1 carbine is good choice with modern ammunition. These lightweight weapons have minimal kick, are relatively easy to shoot and are light enough to be easily handed by women and older children. An AR-15 is preferred because it has ammo, magazine and parts interchangeability with our country's standard issue weapon, which is carried by many police forces as well as the Army and National Guard.
For rural areas or locations with long range shooting opportunities, a semi-automatic battle rifle, such as an M-14, Garrand, FAL, H&K 91 or G3, or similar in a .308 or similar caliber is recommended.
A large scope-equipped rifle capable of engaging man-sized targets or killing game 400 yards or more. This may be your battle rifle, but is probably a hunting or sniper rifle.
A good firearms stash based on the above list can help you protect yourself in many situations, if used properly. You will be able to carry the pistols concealed if you are not expecting imminent trouble but wish to be prepared. The shotguns are excellent close-quarter combat weapons, ideal for defending your home. The .223 rifles are not only intimidating, they are able to sustain a high level of suppressing fire and provide both offensive and defensive fire. The large hunting or sniping rifle (in 30-06, .308, 7mm or a similar caliber) is good for hunting and reaching out and touching someone.

That's quite an arsenal, and it would reasonably take several years to build up. So where to start?

Your first purchase should probably be a .22 rifle and several thousand rounds of ammunition. You can buy a Ruger 10/22, six or 8 magazines and 5,000 rounds of ammo for under $400. Then you can practice, practice and practice some more. Practice shooting while prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. Practice shooting targets as close as 30 feet yards and as far as 100 yards. Practice shooting bulls eyes to work on your accuracy, and then practice shooting man-size targets to work on
Your second purchase should probably be a good pistol in a decent caliber, such as 9mm, .38, .40 or .45. Buy at least 6 magazines and 2,000 rounds. Practice with the first 1,000 until you can draw the gun and shoot a 6-inch target 25 feet away in less than 2 seconds. Then practice shooting multiple targets and at further ranges. Practice shooting one handed and using your weak hand.
Your third purchase should be a .223 carbine. Your fourth should be a shotgun. After that, you will have on of each basic gun and can pretty much pick and choose based on your situation, anticipated threats and geography.
If you cannot afford a battle rifle and a carbine for each adult a good compromise is to have one carbine and one assault rifle for every two adults. They should be cross trained so that either one can use either weapon.

Does this list of recommendations mean that if you have an old reliable Winchester .30-30 that it won't have any use in a survival situation? Of course not. It may be an excellent choice for hunting and occasional self defense. But Captain Dave would not go out and buy a lever action rifle or carbine as a survival weapon unless he had already had checked off most of the other options on the list. Lever action rifles are not designed for the high rate of sustained fire that military-grade semi automatic weapons are capable of.

Suppose you only have a pistol and a .22 rifle. Well, you're better off than many. Hopefully, just the visible presence of a firearm will be enough to quell any problems. If you are an excellent marksman and can hit a headshot with a .22, you will be well served. But don't expect instantly incapacitate someone kicking in your door like a 12 gauge shotgun can.

Captain Dave is often asked, if he could pick only two guns, which to would they be. In an urban situation, I would want a .40 or .45 caliber Glock pistol and a M4 style carbine with a 16 inch barrel and a red dot sight. In a rural situation, he would probably want a .22 caliber pistol and a big .308 battle rifle that could double as a hunting weapon, such as an FAL or an M-14, possibly with a 4X scope.

People have always asked about gun brands. Brands rise and fall as their quality, customer service, and commitment wanes and waxes over the years. But some are standouts. Here are some general recommendations for good, quality brands at the time of this writing. Captain Dave's top choice is listed first:

Semi-auto pistols: Glock, Sig, Kimber, Springfield Armory, Kahr, Smith & Wesson M&P, H&K
.22 pistols: Ruger and S&W.
Revolvers: Smith & Wesson, Taurus
.22 rifles: Ruger 10/22
AR-15 style weapons: Bushmaster, Colt, Robinson Arms, Red Rock Arms, DSA
Other Carbines: Kahr M1, Ruger Mini 14/Mini 30
AK-47/AK-74: Arsenal
M-14s: Springfield Armory and Fulton Armory
FALs: DSA, Red Rock Arms
Shotguns: Remington, Mossberg (avoid the 930), Benelli.
Hunting/Sniper rifles: Remington 700, Winchester, Savage, Kimber

This list is based on personal experience and first-hand feedback from trusted sources. The fact that your favorite weapon may have been left off is not intended as a slight, simply that Captain Dave has not had any first hand experience with it. As long as your gun is accurate, durable and rugged, it can be a good survival weapon.

Using Military Surplus Rifles

While a good quality assault rifle can cost $1,000 or more, there are surplus military rifles on the market for much less. At the time of this writing, you can buy a reliable SKS for under $200 and a Cetme for twice that. Both are well designed guns that have provided reliable military service for years. Bolt actions rifles from Mauser are also available, often for under $100. There may even be some surplus FAL rifles still on the market.

If money is an issue, don't hesitate to buy surplus military weaponry. While an SKS is heavier and holds fewer rounds than an AR-15, you can outfit your survival group with four of them and several thousands rounds for the price of a single AR-15 and a case of ammo. So economically, it is a no brainer.

The biggest problem with surplus weapons imported from Europe is lack of a ready ammunition supply. For example, many of those old Mauser's fire ammunition that is not readily available in the U.S. Sure, you may be able to find a few boxes at a gun store, but don't expect Wal-Mart to carry it. So if you buy an old surplus rifle, buy several thousand rounds of its ammunition at the same time. Otherwise, it's an expensive club or, if you have the bayonet, a clumsy spear.

Breaking in your Guns

(PLEAE NOTE: The following assumes that you are a trained shooter and not someone brand new and unskilled.)

Once you have selected your survival weapons and run some shots through them, sighted them in, familiarized yourself with each one and decided it is the right gun for you, you need to give them a bit of a torture test.

For your semi-auto pistols and rifles, load up all your magazines, stand up and point it at a target just 25 or so yards away and fire a minimum of 90 as fast as you can aim and pull the trigger. This should be accomplished in less than one minute, and faster is fine. When you are done, load a new round into the chamber and keep the gun pointed at the target. This is a test to see if the round will cook off (fire unintentionally) due to excessive heat. If it does, you want to put this gun back in the safe and get a new one, as it is not appropriate for personal defense and in a survival situation.

If your gun functioned flawlessly, wait a few minutes, load up your magazines and do it again. If you pass the second test, then you have a weapon that can be used for serious survival purposes, including a running battle with a large group of adversaries. If you ran into functioning problems such as a failure to load a round, a jam, or another error you need to resolve it or find a more suitable gun. Your survival weapon should be able to pass this test any time, as often as necessary.

During this exercise, you may notice some things. For example, you may see a heat wave rising up from the barrel like a mirage. You may find that your grip on the gun is uncomfortable due to the heat. You may find that your front site has loosened up as the silver solder holding it on melts due to the heat. Or maybe the wood stock is charring where it touches the barrel or action. Maybe the optical sight loosened and lost its zero (meaning the gun no longer shoots exactly where it is aimed). These are all things that need to be addressed now, before TSHTF.

Generally, weapons designed for military use or derived from military weapons will pass this test while hunting weapons will not. This is why lever action or pump action rifles are not great survival weapons. They may be good hunting guns and serve in the absence of another weapon, but do not count on them for serious confrontations with a gang of people intent on doing you harm.

Similar tests can be preformed with your shotguns by filling the tube and firing all the rounds seven times. For a sniper rifle, we recommend firing at least 20 rounds through it. These smaller round counts are not as brutal, but should show any performance issues.

Gun Maintenance

The most important thing you can do to preserve your weapon and its ability to protect you is to clean it frequently. Review the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and lubricating. Make sure your survival stash has cleaning kits and chemicals. Get a couple of bore snakes or other portable cleaning kits so that you can clean your weapon when on the move. A dirty gun is likely to fail when you need it most.

Spare parts kits are available for many popular weapon systems. These are highly recommended as the failure of a $1 spring or loss of a $1 pin can render an expensive weapon useless.

Heavy Weapons

Owning fully automatic weapons and other "weapons of destruction" such as grenades and rockets is illegal for the average citizen. While you may be able to obtain a class III firearms license, the process is time consuming, requires payment of a special tax, and the weapons are expensive. That means most of us will need to rely on home made weapons if we need something heavier than a rifle or pistol.

Captain Dave recommends Molotov cocktails, which can be made by mixing gasoline with detergent. He does not recommend experimenting with home made explosives.

For those interested, TEOTWAWKI, a survival novel now know as Patriots, discusses ways to take out tanks and other heavy vehicles.

A Survival Scenario

OK, you've gone to all this trouble to stock up on survival goods to keep you and yours safe and sound through whatever disaster or emergency strikes. All this preparation stands you in good stead when the balloon goes up. You have food, water and shelter while most of the sheep are lost without the shepherd.

Then your neighbor is killed by a bunch of marauders who steal everything he has, rape his wife and children and torch his house. The last you see of them, as you peer out the basement window, they are laughing as they drag his 14-year old daughter away, naked, into the night.

You have a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. You know they'll be back, and your house will be their next target. No one has seen a policeman for over a week and the national guard is protecting gas stations in the city, nowhere near your house. Maybe your brother was right you should have spent some money on weapons and some time at that firearms training seminar he attended. Too bad he lives two states away.

After the disaster arrives, it is too late to realize that you should have included a gun or two in your survival supplies. To make matters worse, in some states the sale of firearms and ammunition is blocked when the governor declares an emergency.

So the scenario above is not the time to realize you need firearms. It is the time to make sure all your magazines are loaded, all your guns are clean, and to set up some rules of engagement with your family. If you have extra weapons, it may be the time to arm some of your neighbors and use some smart tactics to catch the band of marauders in a withering cross fire the next time they approach your neighborhood. Military style rifles fired by trained, motivated riflemen will put an end to those marauders

The Best Tool for the Job

Captain Dave realizes not everyone likes guns. But in a scenario like the one above, they are probably the best chance you have of surviving the next day or week. And that's what this site is all about: Survival, using all the tools at hand. And guns are just that -- tools. Used properly, they can get the job of protecting you and yours done more efficiently and effectively than you could do without. misused, they can be dangerous, just like your car or chain saw.

If you abhor the thought of killing someone to save your own life, if you think having a gun simply means you'll end up getting shot by it, or if you believe the right to bear arms granted by the second amendment applies only to the National Guard, not we the people, then we wish you good luck. Your idealistic and simplistic notions will get you killed or enslaved. But that's OK. It leaves more resources for the rest of us.