Create Your Own Ideal Handgun Emergency Survival Kit

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I keep a small backpack in my van for one of those just in case scenarios. In the bag are 2 small 6x8 tarps, 100' of paracord, Gerber multi tool, gloves, boonie hat, hand saw, waterproof matches, couple of knives(fixed & folder), water tabs, butt Kleenex, binoculars, first aid kit, blood stoppers, tourniquet, bag of ear plugs, flash light & batteries, 2 33round Glock mags, pill bottle of salt, germ-x, thick socks, duck tape, 10 light sticks, ferry rods & tinder, couple of smoke bombs, compass, waterproof pen & notebook, and a bible.
We keep a snack bag in the van for the kids and refill it every time it gets half full, it has small bags of chips or granola bars, and pouch drinks and bottled water so we just grab it and go if necessary. I usually have a spare Glock with me when we are out and a couple mags so that could go into the backpack if we have to leave the van. I always have my Glock on me with a spare mag, so that should about cover us.
 
Ahh, yeah. My bad. That's easy, the gun, 4-6 loaded mags, tooth brush, pull through barrel cleaner, multi tool, spare batteries for the light, brass squib rod, needle oiler, handheld flashlight, holster and mag pouch
 
I don’t really need the gun box because I’m already wearing the gun (Glock 19 or 26). I do keep an emergency kit in a standard day pack that contains fire starting, navigation, first aid, water purification and flashlight supplies, that also includes a couple of spare magazines for a Glock 19 (which also works in a 26) including some Buffalo Bore hard cast rounds. It does have an NAA Pug and a plastic case with 30 .22 WMR rounds as a last-ditch backup gun/signaling device. The bag has some garbage bags and a rain poncho if I need to make it (and me) waterproof. My vehicle always has some kind of hiking boots and some outerwear suitable for just about any weather extreme (aka hunting clothes) and some water. It usually also has some spare Glock 19 magazines in it, as well as other ammo I forget to take out of it.

That’s just common sense stuff for living in a state where you can get stuck 50 miles from nowhere in differing weather extremes.
 
RPZ said:
Wrong handed,

Bulk and weight are a factor. But there is nothing like that feeling like, "if only, I had a.....".
Click to expand...

I can't argue with that. Though I was referring to carrying a hard case whilst on foot, that would only be used in an emergency. Which is quite different to carrying specific "may need" items in a pack whilst hiking, for example. :)
 
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Ah gotcha. Can't argue with that either . A case is more of a good airtight moisture proof storage that can be handily transferred to vehicle, office etc as needed.
 
RPZ said:
Ah gotcha. Can't argue with that either . A case is more of a good airtight moisture proof storage that can be handily transferred to vehicle, office etc as needed.
Click to expand...

Exactly. And realistically, the type of people to buy such a case based kit are probably not terribly focused on the preparedness aspect, and also looking to take up a small amount of space.

Small aircraft pilots, boaters (remote waters like the Everglades), and snowmobilers are examples of people and activities I think might benefit from such a kit. A pretty niche market really.

When we're talking about a "get home" bag, or whatever else it might be called, the little details become a much bigger issue. And that such an individual thing that it always seems hard to discuss.
 
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To set the situation. You are driving home and hit a deer or a patch of black ice, slide off the road down a deep ravine. Your car bursts into flames leaving you just enough time to bail out of the car grabbing your gun kit along the way. Ravine is to steep too climb out and your vehicle cannot be seen for the road.

Or you are flying in a light airplane. it crashes in a rural / remote area. You crawl free of wreckage and manage to grab your gun kit before the plane catches fire and burns.

Or you are fishing. You get caught in severe thunderstorm. High winds, waves and rain swamp the boat. You grab or wear a floatation device and grab your gun kit before the S.S. Minnow slips before the waves.

You are in the deep South fishing in swamp and your boat motor dies. Hopeless cause fixing it. Gators and snakes thrive in swamps. As a good ole boy you grab the beer :D and gun kit to wade / walk out.

All of us carry cellphones but we either lose the phone in the accident or can't get a signal deep in the swamp.

Where I live there are not any dangerous game . Well actually we do have mountain lions but they are few and no reported attacks. I working in a large city but it doesn't have urban civil disturbances. It does have a gang problems.

We go fishing on the lakes. As fishing persons we have a lot of gear in the boat. Fishing poles, tackle boxes, cooler(s) with food and drinks and for putting fish in, floatation devices, extra gas can, etc. With all of that gear a small gun es kit that floats is near ideal.

As promised here is some of the kit I am working on:

Firearm; Taurus 22 Magnum J-Frame 8 shot revolver. It measures 6” long and 5” high.

Ammunition; 2 50 round boxes of Speer Gold Dot. 100 rounds total. 2 boxes measure 3 ½” x 3 ½”.

Reason; Handgun is small so is easy to carry. 22 Magnum shots are loud so useful for signaling. 22 Magnum is a good small game killer and is actually pretty effective against humans.

Holster; I have a el cheapo iwb leather holster. It is made of thin soft leather and collapses flat when empty. This means I can store in under the foam with the mirror without taking up any space. It does hold the gun securely when I tighten my belt, I just can not reholster the gun.

Gear so far;

Swiss Army folding knife. Since it will be mainly kept in the case it will be a larger model with more tools.

Small led flashlight that use one AA battery.

Fire starter cubes (2). Lights in wet conditions. Can be broke apart so don’t have to burn entire cube to start a fire. I got these at Cabelas.

BIC lighter to start with. I will probably substitute it with a wind proof lighter in the future.

Mirror. Mainly for signaling. Since a mirror is flat it can be stored under the foam without taking up any space so there is no harm in having one.

Foam ear plugs. One set.

Some paracord. It seems like there is always a need for strong lightweight rope.

Large trash bag. Stores very flat so it takes up little room. Store it under the foam. (Thanks to WYO).

Storage case: Undecided as to exact brand. Once I am sure that I have all of my gear I am going to lay everything out on my desk and experiment with how to arrange all of it inside a case.

Am I overlooking anything else?
 
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Yes; if my car was in flames, and I had a dead deer, I think I would whip out my knife, cut out the backstraps, a hasty spit, and have a hearty meal before I set out :p
 
I like the BICs - I always have a couple with me anyway. The windproof make sense but I am yet to find any that are truly reliable.

Signal mirror makes sense. They are light and compact. I would normally include one in a survival kit as well.

Likewise Paracord and a lightweight nylon flysheet.

.22 magnum could make perfect sense to me, especially if I wanted to lighten the overall package for being on foot out in the summer heat. I wish someone would make a solidly reliable .22 mag pistol. An alternative might be a youth compact ultralight like Savage or Marlin.
 
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BSA1 said:
Thinking about more non-traditional handguns would anybody choose a TC Contender?

It could be broke down with two different barrels such as one in 22 LR and the other in 35 Remington.
Click to expand...
Don't know what the current availability is but the old Savage .22 mag/20 gauge over and under might make sense. My main bias against that idea is the weight of shotshell ammo.
 
First, if I'm out and about I carry a handgun appropriate to the conditions. Most usually a .45 acp or .45 colt. I don't need a "special" cased handgun.

But, I have bags in each vehicle with all of the stuff I figure will get me through everything from natural disasters to social unrest to my plain old oops'. In my vehicle I carry an appropriate long gun, also based on when and where I'm headed.

As a wise man once said, and I disagree with many of the things he did say but he got this one right, "a handgun is used to fight your way to a rifle".

Mostly, I think these pre-made cases are just someone's way of making a few bucks for the lazy out there. If it works and they make money I say congratulations. But, if someone buys one, I sure hope they don't think that just a "bag full of guns" will save them from the zombies. Yes, that is a reference to the first season of Walking Dead.
 
BSA1 said:
Thinking about more non-traditional handguns would anybody choose a TC Contender?

It could be broke down with two different barrels such as one in 22 LR and the other in 35 Remington.
Click to expand...

I fail to see what that brings to the table. A .38 Special, 9mm, 40 S&W, .45 ACP etc. handgun can kill a squirrel to a moose in a pinch and also work for self defense in an easily carried and concealed package.
 
"First, if I'm out and about I carry a handgun appropriate to the conditions. Most usually a .45 acp or .45 colt. I don't need a "special" cased handgun."

You are missing the spirit and point of the thread.

"But, if someone buys one, I sure hope they don't think that just a "bag full of guns" will save them from the zombies."

This is NOT ABOUT ZOMBIES. That topic is not allowed on THR and I want to keep this thread open.
 
BSA1 said:
To set the situation. You are driving home and hit a deer or a patch of black ice, slide off the road down a deep ravine. Your car bursts into flames leaving you just enough time to bail out of the car grabbing your gun kit along the way. Ravine is to steep too climb out and your vehicle cannot be seen for the road.

Or you are flying in a light airplane. it crashes in a rural / remote area. You crawl free of wreckage and manage to grab your gun kit before the plane catches fire and burns.

Or you are fishing. You get caught in severe thunderstorm. High winds, waves and rain swamp the boat. You grab or wear a floatation device and grab your gun kit before the S.S. Minnow slips before the waves.

You are in the deep South fishing in swamp and your boat motor dies. Hopeless cause fixing it. Gators and snakes thrive in swamps. As a good ole boy you grab the beer :D and gun kit to wade / walk out.

All of us carry cellphones but we either lose the phone in the accident or can't get a signal deep in the swamp.

Where I live there are not any dangerous game . Well actually we do have mountain lions but they are few and no reported attacks. I working in a large city but it doesn't have urban civil disturbances. It does have a gang problems.

We go fishing on the lakes. As fishing persons we have a lot of gear in the boat. Fishing poles, tackle boxes, cooler(s) with food and drinks and for putting fish in, floatation devices, extra gas can, etc. With all of that gear a small gun es kit that floats is near ideal.

As promised here is some of the kit I am working on:

Firearm; Taurus 22 Magnum J-Frame 8 shot revolver. It measures 6” long and 5” high.

Ammunition; 2 50 round boxes of Speer Gold Dot. 100 rounds total. 2 boxes measure 3 ½” x 3 ½”.

Reason; Handgun is small so is easy to carry. 22 Magnum shots are loud so useful for signaling. 22 Magnum is a good small game killer and is actually pretty effective against humans.

Holster; I have a el cheapo iwb leather holster. It is made of thin soft leather and collapses flat when empty. This means I can store in under the foam with the mirror without taking up any space. It does hold the gun securely when I tighten my belt, I just can not reholster the gun.

Gear so far;

Swiss Army folding knife. Since it will be mainly kept in the case it will be a larger model with more tools.

Small led flashlight that use one AA battery.

Fire starter cubes (2). Lights in wet conditions. Can be broke apart so don’t have to burn entire cube to start a fire. I got these at Cabelas.

BIC lighter to start with. I will probably substitute it with a wind proof lighter in the future.

Mirror. Mainly for signaling. Since a mirror is flat it can be stored under the foam without taking up any space so there is no harm in having one.

Foam ear plugs. One set.

Some paracord. It seems like there is always a need for strong lightweight rope.

Large trash bag. Stores very flat so it takes up little room. Store it under the foam. (Thanks to WYO).

Storage case: Undecided as to exact brand. Once I am sure that I have all of my gear I am going to lay everything out on my desk and experiment with how to arrange all of it inside a case.

Am I overlooking anything else?
Click to expand...

Water purification.

ETA: I use one of these whilst hiking. They pack down quite small.

https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-mini-filter/
 
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I think of a kit gun as not being as expensive as a .500 revolver. Not trying to be judgemental, but I think for a lot of people who own them, they're more in the vein of keepsake guns, because of the high price. Cool guns, but not the best for a kit...and heavy, too!

In fact, well used guns might be a good choice....lower priced. As to cal., 9mm or a .357 sound like better options - the 9mm if you opt for more capacity, the .357 if you opt for more power. If no large wildlife is around, smaller calibers might be good, like .38 Special, .32 H&R or .327 Federal. Even .22 LR. Any gun should be reliable though.

Taurus occasionally markets a "survival kit" that seems like a total scam. They'll put a $500 gun in a $75 hard case, throw in a knife, a rope, a poncho and a few band aids and charge over $1000 for it. What's with that ?
 
In addition to my regular carry gun on me, my bag holds a hand-held ham radio transceiver and a roll-up J-Pole antenna, GPS, compass, head lamp, AA batteries, eye wash, suntan lotion, binoculars, Schrade LB7 knife, Bic lighters, metal water bottle that has a carabiner to keep it from falling out, energy bars and couple of extra mags.

Always carry a Leatherman Juice XE6 everywhere.

I also have a tire pump that works off the car's power outlet as well as an inverter (12V DC to 110V AC) in the car.

Have a folding shovel, small ax, first aid kit, large flashlight extra batteries, a 50 round box of ammo in the car as well.

For trips into forests, I add a bag that holds tow ropes, hitch, pulleys plus an 8000lb winch.
 
My everyday belt, my everyday holster, my favorite 4" .357 revolver, and a tool bag with all the. 357 I could stuff in it woukd suit me. I envision being in my truck. If I had to abandon it and go in foot, I would swap as much ammo as I could comfortably carry to a internal frame backpack.....I have no need to get all paranoid and prepped. I could have all that stuff together in less than 3 minutes and be out the door. My truck has plenty of just in case stuff always in it.
 
Hmmm.

Normally, I'd have a "gun kit" outfitted similar to a first aid kit. That means everything in the gun kit would be solely for the support of the gun. A box of ammo, a pistol length cleaning rod, a few patches, some oil, magazines or speed loaders, etc.

Another kit would actually be a first aid kit, while another would be some water and some non-perishable food, and yet another would be a basic lightweight tool kit. The tool kit would be very similar in size to what I'd put in the tail seat storage in my motorcycle days. Round it out with a decent compass, lockblade knife, a pair of small flashlights, and perhaps one of those re-charge batteries for cell phones. Perhaps a small handcrank radio.

Each kit would be about the size of the gun kit, which means they would be grabbed with clear knowledge of what I needed them for. Yet, they'd all be small enough that they could fit all in one smallish backpack. I'd still have a pocket carry gun on me if possible, even before I'd need to grab a kit.

The only gun I've ever had ready for such a possible use is my Glock 36 in .45 ACP, with four 6-round magazines on hand. Fully loaded (6+1) the G36 is 28 ounces.
 
I want to build a kit like this. But I'm thinking a 9mm auto with a tacrail so I can put a flashlight on it. A few magazines. About a hundred rounds. A good kydex holster. A double edged blade preferably one with holes so it can be lashed to a stick if need be. A single edged blade fit for skinning. multitool. A compass. A decent flashlight. Batteries for both lights. Paracord. Several methods for making fire. Space blanket. A water filter. Electrolyte pills. Tweezers. Med kit. Snakebite kit. A Mirror. A super small weather radio. It's kind of a general kit. I live close to a major urban area. Flooding and hurricanes are a thing here. The tweezers seem silly but if antibiotics aren't available a splinter can be a problem. My biggest concern is two legged predators. But reptiles are an issue too. So too might be trying to get attention. Seems like a lot to go in a medium sized pelican case. Maybe I can layer the foam and make it sort of puzzle like.
 
Keep your gun on your hip where you can get to it. Locked up in a plastic shiny box is a lousy place too be when you see a bear.

Keep the rest of your gear in a soft pack that's easy to carry, unlike the shiny plastic box.
 
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