Looking for honest answers

There are no circumstances in which I wouldn't be safer staying in my home. But then, I don't live in a hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, fire, or civil unrest zone.

That’s the same thing I was thinking. I don’t know of any place safer than my own house.
I have food, guns and ammo.
Much better than trying to figure out what to put into a bag that I can carry.

I would never bug out until most of my ammo has been used. Problem solved.

Seriously, if it’s bad enough I think I need to leave my property, I would have had to already been defending the place.

I would be on very good terms with your Bud.
125k of ammo ain't hay!

Even more realistic, when that scenario occurs, are you even at home to get it? If you are, in the panic to leave do you even remember to get it? Like others I think I’m safest at home with the lights off and keeping to my own business as opposed to wandering around with 300 pounds of crap in a bag, or in the best case scenario, me and the family with all the guns and ammo, MREs, portable latrine, solar panels, curling iron, etc cruising around in the expedition until it runs out of gas. And you know this crap will happen when it’s on 1/4 tank of fuel.

Not much chance of a natural disaster around here which would put me into a bug out situation. I have two fueled atv’s with a Bosski with extra gas hitched to one ready 24/7. Not because Im a prepper but because I’m out riding a lot on weekends. Since I backpack in remote high country I also have a full pack ready to go with freeze dried food etc.

But there are other considerations. No way could I haul all my ammo and whiskey on those rigs. I ain’t leaving without the dog. I’m not one to give up my land without a fight (same mind set of the many ex mil mbrs that have settled around here). More of a Rorkes Drift kind of neighborhood. We’re gonna dig in and bleed you.

Hartkopf said:

I would never bug out until most of my ammo has been used. Problem solved.

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Let us know how that works out for you.

I had to evacuate during Hurricane Elena back in the mid-eighties and I was on evacuation notice during the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs.

Both times we had days worth of warning. We had plenty of time to get everything together and ready to go.

I remember a news story in Colorado Springs from the Black Forest Fire. There was a couple that waited till the very last minute to leave and then got trapped in their garage. The mom was on the phone with one of her adult children. The last thing she said was we're leaving right now and then the adult child got to listen to their parents dying on the cell phone

As someone said a while back, we never get to pick our scenario.

If I'm forced to leave the house I'm taking the mini safe, gun and the two spare mags that are in it. If I have time to grab another gun it will be a rifle, and what ever ammos on the shelf. Everything else stays.

Trunk Monkey said:

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Let us know how that works out for you.

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Yes good point and I have given thought about what to do in the event of fire. I took the OP as pertaining to the recent riots and coming civil war.

Collectors of stuff!
As shooters, hunters, and collectors we accumulate stuff.
We also have the important documents of our lives. Which is more important.

Most of us look at being able to protect ourselves meaning firearms. We also need to be ready to prove values of posessions.

If my wife and I had to leave do to a fire, flooding, or storm it needs to fit in a car and pickup.

If you think you can hold of an invading armed force you already lost unless you are John Wick. You have a chance against a few gang bangers, but not much more.

My point is preparing for the worst takes time. Look at what items will fit in your escape vehicle and make a plan. You will need food and water a lot more than 4 AR rifles and 10,000 rounds of ammo.
Personal files that show your gun collections value is more important than trying to take it with.
Looking at recent storms, flooding, and wildfires it can happen to anyone of us.

Great question...

I thought about it, and I think I could load up all of my shooting-related items into the truck in 20 minutes (give or take). I would definitely need to move with a "sense of extreme urgency", but it could be done. Ammo cans help a whole lot with this.

I would be forced to leave behind a lot of other non-shooting-related things, but those could be replaced somewhat more easily IMO. Especially as of today.


That being said, count me in the "I would stay put if at all possible" camp. But of course something like a fire or flood could make that not feasible.

357smallbore said:

If there came a time that you had to "bug out". And you only had say 20 minutes to get on the move from your home. How many would actually be able to load their gear, family guns&ammo and other items and "bug out"within the alotted time frame.
I'm pretty prepared but a heck of a lot of stuff wouldn't make it.
I know all my ammo would not get loaded and make it. And I'm an empty nester. Just the wife and me.
Reason asking. Buddy has 125k of ammo. All types. He said he would lose well over half. So got me to thinking what others would or would not be able to do.

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I live in a hurricane zone.

In 2016 we had a major flood from heavy rain. I was at work, my college-aged son was at the house. I told him to get into the truck and get out, he tried but the roads were blocked by then. Luckily my neighborhood was one of the few that didn't actually flood. It's been called a 500 yr event; so for flooding I think I'm ok there. For hurricanes, I'm inland enough that we haven't been blasted. I have my ammo stored in military cans.

Trunk Monkey said:

View attachment 942779

Let us know how that works out for you.

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Situational awareness -
If you choose to live in a place that is prone to wildfires and are caught unaware then you aren't paying attention to a lot of important things.

I have a firearms bugout bag and I bought one of the "Seventy Two" kits but really need to do put together an additional bag. Like many here, I feel my home is my castle and can't imagine leaving without enough time to prep.

I’m not prepared for a 20 minute bugout.

Like many here, I dont plan to leave. Family members live nearby. Not in a flood plain. No wildfire risk.
However, never say 'never'.
Maybe I would bug out to assist you with those emergencies.
As a volunteer fireman, I have had to drop tools and run many times.

For the occasion that I have to leave my home for an extended time, I have an ammo Can of 5.56mm, and a can of .45acp ready to grab.

Bugging in is my plan A. My situation affords that, and really, it fits my family needs best.

Where i live, if i need to leave, probability says i will have much more than 20 mins notice.

if i lived somewhere else it might be different

It's worth noting that hazards fall into two categories: those for which you might have strategic warning and those for which you would not. Hurricanes, floods, tzunamis, and wildfires are things where you might have enough warning to evacuate. Tornadoes and nuclear attacks would probably hit without (enough) warning.

By the same token, the kinds of things for which you might have warning are also foreseeable enough that you could avoid locating in those zones to begin with. I don't understand why anyone, given the choice, would locate on the Pacific Coast, given the high risk of earthquakes, tsunamis, and wildfires. (The people there are now paying for their previous poor decision.) Likewise in Florida and the Gulf Coast with the risk of hurricanes.

kidneyboy said:

Situational awareness -
If you choose to live in a place that is prone to wildfires and are caught unaware then you aren't paying attention to a lot of important things.

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Context.

The poster said he would NEVER leave his house until most of his ammunition was expended.

This whole bug out thing is based on fantasy. You will be bugging out to where?

In under 10 min, 2 dogs, 1 tortoise, all jewelry, guns and important paperwork... and a cpl days worth of cloths and a cpl boxes of ammo.

Another 5-10 and I can get the rest of the ammo too.

3Crows said:

This whole bug out thing is based on fantasy.

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How about changing "bug out" to evacuate?

Why don't you tell our members who live on the Gulf Coast or those of us who live along the Front Range how the concept of bugging out is just fantasy?

Where do you go? ANYWHERE but a government run evacuation center.