A year or so ago I finally woke up and decided to do some preps in the face of an obviously worsening societal disintegration in my area. In arms I wanted versatility, overlap, reliability, simplicity, ease of maintenance and low cost (given my limited fixed income situation). So I sold a car I didn't really need for six grand and with those funds set about accumulating.
The following is where I sit today, I spent a little under $4000 for arms, mags & accessories (all new but not incl taxes & shipping) and have ample decent factory ammo for each gun (an additional $2000 is allocated to that and I keep it replenished after range trips). The diversity in calibers is intentional, I figured if ammo shortages occur chances are I'll have a platform for whatever might be available. I shoot them all at the local range or in the country on a bi-weekly basis and I intend to get some training. I know I could have upgraded quite a bit or lowered my costs further by purchasing used guns but I didn't want to deal with that buying process. Using internet dealers and auction sites I found I was buying close to local used value for what I own anyway.
I live on 4 acres adjacent to a well traveled 2 lane road, semi-rural but in close proximity to a major urban area. Our kids are near gone but we're staying put.
Our local LEO's are stretched thin by tightening budgets and having to deal with an increasing influx of thieves and zombies of various stripes cruising out from the city. My once safe community of people used to leaving doors unlocked and keys in the ignition is battening its hatches.
I'm interested in an assessment of this collection by knowledgeable members of the forum here. What would you change, where are my mistakes? Did I go overboard? Am I sufficiently covered? If you started from scratch today and had a max of $6000 to spend on new guns, accessories and a good store of factory ammo (and were in my living environment) what would be on your list? BTW, my handgun choices were constrained by my small hand fit. Fat gripped double stack poly guns just don't work for me or my wife.
My budget battery:
Saiga .308 semi-auto rifle 16" w/scope - subsistence deer hunting, serious perimeter home defense & medium to long range stopper
Ruger .223 Mini-14 semi-auto rifle 18" w/dot - plinking, varmint, perimeter defense (bought it back when they were $300)
Ruger .40 S&W PC-4 semi-auto rifle 16" - plinking, in-house and close perimeter home defense, wife's MBR
Mossberg 20g Model 500 pump shotgun 18.5" - in-house home defense, subsistence fowl taker
Ruger 10/22 semi-auto rifle - plinking, family fun gun, small game
Sig 239 SAS 9mm semi-auto pistol - concealed carry, personal protection (a LNIB used purchase at very good price)
Rock Island .45ACP 1911 semi-auto pistol 5" w/laser grip - nightstand gun, urban/metro car gun, home defense
Ruger GP-100 .357 revolver 6" - backwoods open carry, bear, cougar & zombie repellant, impromptu medium sized game taker, campsite & home defense
The following is where I sit today, I spent a little under $4000 for arms, mags & accessories (all new but not incl taxes & shipping) and have ample decent factory ammo for each gun (an additional $2000 is allocated to that and I keep it replenished after range trips). The diversity in calibers is intentional, I figured if ammo shortages occur chances are I'll have a platform for whatever might be available. I shoot them all at the local range or in the country on a bi-weekly basis and I intend to get some training. I know I could have upgraded quite a bit or lowered my costs further by purchasing used guns but I didn't want to deal with that buying process. Using internet dealers and auction sites I found I was buying close to local used value for what I own anyway.
I live on 4 acres adjacent to a well traveled 2 lane road, semi-rural but in close proximity to a major urban area. Our kids are near gone but we're staying put.
Our local LEO's are stretched thin by tightening budgets and having to deal with an increasing influx of thieves and zombies of various stripes cruising out from the city. My once safe community of people used to leaving doors unlocked and keys in the ignition is battening its hatches.
I'm interested in an assessment of this collection by knowledgeable members of the forum here. What would you change, where are my mistakes? Did I go overboard? Am I sufficiently covered? If you started from scratch today and had a max of $6000 to spend on new guns, accessories and a good store of factory ammo (and were in my living environment) what would be on your list? BTW, my handgun choices were constrained by my small hand fit. Fat gripped double stack poly guns just don't work for me or my wife.
My budget battery:
Saiga .308 semi-auto rifle 16" w/scope - subsistence deer hunting, serious perimeter home defense & medium to long range stopper
Ruger .223 Mini-14 semi-auto rifle 18" w/dot - plinking, varmint, perimeter defense (bought it back when they were $300)
Ruger .40 S&W PC-4 semi-auto rifle 16" - plinking, in-house and close perimeter home defense, wife's MBR
Mossberg 20g Model 500 pump shotgun 18.5" - in-house home defense, subsistence fowl taker
Ruger 10/22 semi-auto rifle - plinking, family fun gun, small game
Sig 239 SAS 9mm semi-auto pistol - concealed carry, personal protection (a LNIB used purchase at very good price)
Rock Island .45ACP 1911 semi-auto pistol 5" w/laser grip - nightstand gun, urban/metro car gun, home defense
Ruger GP-100 .357 revolver 6" - backwoods open carry, bear, cougar & zombie repellant, impromptu medium sized game taker, campsite & home defense
