preparedness

Disaster Survival: How Many Firearms Is Enough?

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I'll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you.*

To answer the question in the title of this article, you can never truly have enough guns.

This is true for most everything that you stockpile for survival. Since an apocalyptic disaster is always a possibility, you can never truly have enough food, water, medicine, ammunition, or guns. So don’t think that there’s a limit to what you should store.

That being said, while no maximum limit may exist for the number of firearms and supplies you need to store, there most certainly is a bare minimum that you need to meet.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today, the bare minimum number of guns that you need to own, and why you need to own them.

The Bare Minimum You Need

If you have just one make and model of firearm that fits under each of these seven categories (so seven guns minimum, with one gun in each category), you will have a sufficient armory to get you through any major disaster scenario.

1. .22 Rifle

Is any gun collection complete without a .22 caliber firearm of at least some kind? Not really.

The .22 rifle is one of the most ubiquitous, and yet also one of the most underestimated, firearms in existence. But no survival armory is truly complete without a .22 rifle, because it does things that no other gun can do.

You would be best served by a .22 semi-automatic rifle with a fairly large capacity. With this weapon, you will be able to do many things, including target shooting, training new people how to shoot, controlling pests around your property, and going small game hunting.

The .22 has the added benefit of being a low-cost round (the .22 ammo shortage that began around 2013 is starting at long last to come to an end and prices are dropping) that can be stored in bulk packs with minimal amounts of space taken up. It also produces extremely low noise and recoil, at least in comparison to other guns, and it can be used in a defensive tactical scenario if need be.

Examples of the best .22 semi-automatic rifles on the market include, but are by no means limited to:

Marlin Model 60
Ruger 10/22
Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 (this can be a great complement to an AR-15 in 5.56)

Related: 3 Best Ammo Calibers To Have After SHTF

2. Shotgun

The next gun you will need to have is a pump action shotgun, chambered for either the 12 gauge or 20 gauge round.

A pump action shotgun just might win the award for being the most versatile firearm on the planet. No, it can’t do everything, but it can do a lot of things. Range may be limited, yes, but a shotgun can be used very effectively for home defense with buckshot loads, bird and small game hunting with birdshot rounds, and even big game hunting (within moderate distances) when loaded with slugs.

In other words, it’s the kind of gun that can perform just about any task you need it to, other than long-range shooting and concealed carry.

The 20 gauge is also severely underestimated. This is unfortunate because it produces plenty of stopping power, and so long as the gun itself has not been lightened, produces considerably less ‘kick’ than the 12 gauge. This makes the 20 gauge a much easier weapon to fire, which means for general family use, it could be a superior option than the 12 gauge.

Examples of pump action 12 or 20 gauge shotguns that you can use include:

Maverick 88
Mossberg 500 series
Remington 870
Winchester 1300 (no longer in production, but excellent quality if you can find them)
Winchester SXP

3. Duty Semi-Automatic Pistol

The next firearm that you will need is a duty-sized semi-automatic pistol. This is the pistol that you wouldn’t necessarily use for concealed carry (as it could be too big to be used effectively in that role), but it would be used as a general purpose sidearm that you can keep strapped to your hip. This way, you can easily access your gun in emergencies.

The best caliber choice for this pistol would, undoubtedly, be the 9mm Luger. The 9mm is the most plentiful, abundant, and cost-effective pistol round that you can buy, plus it’s effective for self-defense with the right loads and it can have a large magazine capacity if you live in of the free (or at least freer) states.

Examples of suitable 9mm pistols to consider include:

Beretta APX
Beretta 92FS
Beretta PX4
Canik TP9
Glock 17/19
HK P30
HK USP
HK VP9
SIG Sauer P226/P229
SIG Sauer P320
Smith & Wesson M&P
Springfield XD
Taurus PT92
Walther P99/PPQ

4. Concealed Handgun

Since your duty sized handgun may be too big for you to conceal carry on your person comfortably, you may also want to have a smaller and more concealable handgun that you can truly keep concealed on your person at all times, or at least use as a backup gun to your duty pistol.

Examples of classes of concealable handguns include the .380 pocket pistol, .38 snubnose revolver, and the 9mm single stack pistol. These kinds of guns may be harder to shoot than a more full sized handgun, but they are easy to conceal and that’s what matters.

Examples of .380 pocket pistols you could go with are:

Glock 42
Kel-Tec P3AT
Ruger LCP/LCP III
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard
Taurus TCP

Examples of .38 snubnose revolvers are:

Colt Cobra
Smith & Wesson J-Frame
Taurus 85
Taurus CIA

And examples of 9mm single stacks are:

Beretta Nano
Glock 43
Ruger LC9S
Smith & Wesson Shield
Taurus PT709
Walther PPS/PPS M2

Related: 7 Common Gun Myths That Too Many People Believe

5. Revolver

While having a revolver may not be truly necessary if you already have a duty semi-automatic pistol, revolvers have the benefit of being drop-dead simple, meaning that members of your family who don’t know how to use guns would still be able to pick up a revolver and fire it if necessary.

Plus, if your revolver is chambered for the .357 Magnum round, it can also chamber and fire the .38 Special round as well, which makes it incredibly versatile.

A double action .357 Magnum revolver with a 4-inch barrel and stainless steel finish would be the best kind of duty sized revolver to own.

Examples of handguns that fulfill this criterion include:

Smith & Wesson 686
Ruger GP100
Taurus Model 65

6. Defensive Semi-Automatic Rifle

While the shotgun is commonly thought of as being the ‘ultimate’ home defense gun, the truth is a semi-automatic rifle will be a better choice if you need to defend your house and property against multiple attackers.

With a rifle, you have greater range than a shotgun or a handgun, with greater controllability than a shotgun and improved stopping power over a handgun.

As far as which specific rifle you should consider for your defensive rifle, there’s really no question that an AR-15 is the right way to go. Spare magazines are easy to find, the 5.56x45mm NATO round is plentiful and cheap, and the AR-15 is also incredibly accurate, reliable, and ergonomic.

You can also easily buy a quality AR-15 without breaking your bank. The following manufacturers produce high-quality AR-15s on a budget:

Del-Ton
Ruger
Smith & Wesson

Related: 8 Secret Gun Safes You Can Hide Around The House

7. Long Range Rifle

Last but not least, you’ll need a long range rifle that you can use to tap targets at extended distances and that has enough power to bring down large game so you can put food on the table.

The .308 Winchester is arguably the best caliber for this task, as it is the most popular centerfire rifle round in the world (and has been for many decades), is incredibly easy to find, and will drop virtually anything in North America.

Your long range rifle can be a semi-automatic, in which case you have choices such as:

AR-10
Century Arms C308
PTR91
Springfield M1A

Or alternatively, it can be a traditional hunting rifle, in which case there is absolutely no shortage of options.

While you could go with a nice hunting rifle such as a Remington 700, Ruger 77, or Winchester 70, if money is an issue, there are a plethora of budget hunting rifles as well, such as the Mossberg Patriot, Ruger American, and the Savage Axis. Some of these budget rifles also come with scopes as part of a combo, which can help you save money.

Conclusion

Maybe you have some of the guns listed above already, or maybe you don’t. But regardless, the ideal survival armory would have at least one of each type of gun in the above list.

Of course, don’t feel that not having each of the guns in those above categories makes you totally unprepared or makes survival in a post-apocalyptic world impossible, because it doesn’t. Having just one gun, regardless of its type, would be vastly preferable to having no guns at all.

What to read next: 6 Survival Guns You’ll Need After The End Of The World

Want to prep but not sure where to begin? Sign Up for Our Newsletter and get your FREE One Year Urban Survival Plan!

Sponsored Links This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

preparedness

4 No Cook Meals For Surviving The Pandemic And Food Supply Shortages

When it comes to your food supply, you just can’t risk not having enough. These no cook meals will be a great addition to your food supply planning. Check out the recipes below!

No Cook Meals to Help You Through the Pandemic

As of the writing of this article, there are 20 meat processing plants that have been shut down due to COVID-19 infections. We have been worrying about these types of effects on our food supply for months now, and this is the first real sign of how infections can affect the food supply.

When you walk into a supermarket, you might not see all the choices you had in the past. An empty meat case is a humbling thing for your eyes to fall upon. It’s the shocking realization that the seemingly infinite supply of chickens, pigs, and cows that are butchered for us has begun to run dry!

To deal with this issue, we are going to present four no cook meals that will help you create dinners at home that will feed your family without worrying so much about what’s available, or unavailable, in the meat case.

1. Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches

Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

As preppers we get beans. There are a bunch of ways to use beans and this a great example of how you can pack a sandwich with great nutrition and protein.

Serving: Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

Can of White Beans
Olive Oil
1 Avocado
8 Slices of Whole Grain Bread
8 Slices of Salted Pork (Prosciutto, Ham, Virginia Ham)

Instructions:

Begin by draining your beans in a colander then smashing them up in a bowl add a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper. This little mix is delicious. If you add some minced rosemary, you can even turn this into a delicious dip.
Pit your avocado and cut it in half and then quarters lengthwise. Leave the skin on.
Lay the bread out on a clean work surface for assembling the sandwiches.
Spread your mashed bean mix onto one side of the bread.
Peel your avocados and slice 1 quarter for each sandwich. Spread slices over the bean spread.
Add a few slices of your pork to over the top of the avocado.
You can finish this sandwich with some lettuces, fresh sprouts, or just eat it as is.

2. Delicious Crab Salad

Canned crab is a protein option that will likely be around through much of this meat crisis. It does have to be kept in refrigeration, but it’s delicious and this chipotle mayo salad is great in the spring and summer.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Crab Meat
1 Bunch of Asparagus
Chipotle Mayo
1 Bunch of Green Onions
1 Bunch of Cilantro

Instructions:

Drain your crab in a colander and set it in the sink.
Slice your asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Throw them into a bowl.
Thinly slice your onions and your cilantro and throw that into the bowl, as well.
Gently toss in the crab meat.
Squirt on enough Chipotle mayo to coat everything and toss gently not to break up the crab meat.
Chill in the fridge and serve.

3. Simple Greek Salad

Simple Greek Salad | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

The combination of simple summer ingredients makes for an incredible quick salad that you could add other proteins, too, if you wanted. These could be canned meats.

Ingredients:

2 Large Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Red Onion
¼ Cup of Feta Cheese
A Few Sprigs of Fresh Mint
½ Cup of Kalamata Olives
Balsamic Dressing

Instructions:

I like to cut the tomatoes in large chunks and have them kind of be the main course in this salad. Peel and slice your cucumber in half. Remove the seeds and either dice or slice in half-moons.
Peel and slice your red onion in half. Julienne your, or thinly slice, your half onion.
Add all these ingredients to a bowl. Finely slice your mint.
Add your olives, crumbled feta, and mint to the bowl and add enough dressing to coat everything.
Stir it up and allow this to chill for at least an hour for the flavors to really blend.

4. Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps

Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

Using some similar ingredients and adding a protein like tuna, you can create some delicious lettuce wraps. The key to a good lettuce wrap is to have most of the items around the same size. So, consider that when you are preparing this dish.

Ingredients:

Iceberg or Butter Lettuce
Canned Artichokes
Canned roasted Red peppers
Fresh Cucumber
Feta Cheese
Minced Olives ¼ Cup
2 Cans of Tuna
Green Onions
Basil

Instructions:

Start by peeling all the full leaves from your lettuce. Set them on a plate either cover them with a wet paper towel or put them back into the fridge.
Dice the peppers, artichokes, and cucumbers into cubes. Go no larger than ½ an inch.
Thinly slice your green onions and basil and add them to a bowl with your diced vegetables. Add your loves to this bowl and mix them thoroughly.
Crumble your feta cheese over the mixture.
Drain your tuna thoroughly and then add that to the bowl, as well.
Gently toss this mixture. Try not to break up the tuna and the cheese too much but incorporate it thoroughly.
If you want, you can add some olive oil to the mix or a few glugs of balsamic vinegar. It’s also delicious just how it is.
Scoop a few tablespoons into a lettuce leaf, wrap it up and eat up!

These no cook meals should help lessen the stress you feel when thinking of what to feed your family. If you don’t have the specific ingredients, use your creativity, and use what you have. You might discover a new recipe while you’re at it!

What’s your favorite no cook meal recipe? Please share it with us in the comments section!

Up Next:

This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

preparedness

Billionaire Whistle Blower: Wuhan Coronavirus Death Toll Is Over 50,000

Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000.

A Chinese billionaire and whistleblower who lives in U.S. exile says Wuhan crematoriums have burned 50,000 coronavirus victims. | Credit: Chinatopix via AP

The official coronavirus death toll in China is a little over 800. But an exiled Chinese businessman says crematoriums are leaking the real figure.
A billionaire whistleblower alleges Wuhan has crematoriums working 24/7. He claims they’ve cremated some 50,000 coronavirus victims.
Guo Wengui is a Chinese billionaire living in exile in the United States.

The official coronavirus death toll is some 800 people in China. The current official death toll worldwide, outside of China, is 774. But a Chinese billionaire with a history of blowing the whistle on his former government says the real figure is much higher.

Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000. Wengui made the bombshell allegations in an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Whistleblower: 1.5 Million Coronavirus Cases In China, 50,000 Coronavirus Deaths In Wuhan

He also claims to have inside information that there are 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in China. Wengui is emphatic that these are not merely quarantined or “under observation” but confirmed cases of coronavirus infection:

China has struggled to contain the coronavirus. But it has also struggled to contain public outcry against censorship and tight control of information. Dr. Li Wenliang, who sounded the alarm about the disease, succumbed to an infection and died this week. The Chinese government arrested him for blowing the whistle.

Then officials tried to suppress news of his death. Afterwards, millions of Chinese citizens saw the hashtag #IWantFreedomOfSpeech on Mandarin language social media. But the Chinese government censored that too.

Are Wengui’s Crematorium Claims Credible?

Watch VICE’s 2017 profile on Guo Wengui. At the time, he published bombshell documents alleging corruption in the Chinese government. He got the attention of the media and reportedly the U.S. State Department.

(more…)