Discussions
Reply to: Why you should store salt in your pantry supplies Posted June 13, 2021
Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted January 2, 2021

All of that is true, as far as it goes. However, does a grid-tie solar system feed your own house during a power failure? What about at night? You’d need to set up batteries and inverters, which gets you right back to the cos/benefit analysis.  A 500 gallon propane tank isn’t cheap either. We have natural gas so the tank would just be installed and sit there unused unless there was an earthquake. So same issue.  It’s probably cheaper to buy a small diesel genset in the $2500 range, and just stockpile 100 gallons of diesel. I have a 2500 watt propane generator, but it’s in my camper. Because I live in a dense city, I can’t keep it at home, so there’s no guarantee that I can get it to my house.  Sigh. I’ll probably just resign myself to gorging on my perishables for a few days and then switch to dry goods. 

Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted December 31, 2020
Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted December 29, 2020
Reply to: (Official discussion) Best off-grid space heater Posted December 11, 2020
Reply to: (Official discussion) Best off-grid space heater Posted December 10, 2020
Reply to: (Official discussion) Best off-grid space heater Posted December 9, 2020
Reply to: [Official discussion] Best first gun for preppers Posted September 22, 2020
Reply to: What three firearms would you have for prepping? Posted September 20, 2020

Hard to say without knowing what the specifics are, because base assumptions matter. Here are my assumptions: it’s a basic kit that’s designed to take advantage of regular available ammunition, and be accessible to the maximum number of people in your group.  The rules of engagement are going to be roughly what they are now. You can’t shoot anyone who isn’t an imminent threat to you. Using the 80/20 rule we are prepping for a temporary or non-complete collapse. Shooting someone at 500 yards is likely to be murder. You are trying to break action with an attacker, not definitively subdue a perpetrator or enemy combatant. Crimes of opportunity are the major threat. This is for an urban or suburban environment. Most people live there. Rural dwellers already have more guns.  Since you’re asking, you aren’t a gun person. If you were, you wouldn’t need this list (or if OP was just asking so the advice would be out there, then this is a generic “you”). 1. .357 revolver with a 4″ barrel. As long as it’s from a reputable brand (including the major budget brands) any are fine. A .357 shoots .38 Special, which increases available ammo selection. 38 is soft shooting for novices, and .357 will stop anything short of a Bear (not sure why that autocorrected to capital “B,” but I like it!). Simple manual of arms (fancy way of saying the operation of the weapon) that anyone understands. Given the rules of engagemet, six rounds is enough (80/20 rule). Can be concealed on your person if you need to bring a firearm with you. The one to get for maximum flexibility of response. 2. 5.56 NATO-chambered semi-auto rifle. This means AR-15, Mini-14, SU-16, or other. Major brand, and it will be fine. Best combination of effectiveness, capacity, availability and usability.  If you were sure you would only be in your house, and you were confident you weren’t leaving, this would be the one to get. But in the most likely scenarios, you can’t walk around with a rifle strapped to your back. It’s easier to shoot accurately than a handgun and any available carbine will be handy enough indoors. Not being enough to hunt medium and large game, but that doesn’t matter. You’re in the city.  3. Break-action 12-gauge shotgun. Either over/under or side by side. Not good for bugging out, but 12 gauge is the definitive stopping round at close range. A SxS has nearly the simplest manual of arms you can get (only a single shot is simpler), it’s tremendously reliable. Short versions are available (called “coach guns”) but because the action is so short (the mechanism that feeds the rounds into the chambers), even longer guns aren’t too unwieldy. The one to get for the balance of simplicity with effectiveness.  Honorable mentions. You could swap these out for their analog above. Any striker-fired 9mm. Frim High Point to FN and anything in between.  Not as intuitive or versatile as the revolver but close.  .22 semi-auto rifle. Any major brand. Easiest to shoot accurately for literally anyone. Cheapest, cheapest ammo, smallest lightest ammo. Not super effective but nobody wants to get shot with one. Pump-action 12-gauge shotgun. Most people’s choice over a break action. Has better capacity but can malfunction if someone is unfamiliar with it. 

Reply to: [Official discussion] Best first gun for preppers Posted September 19, 2020

Another advantage of a .357 revolver specifically is that it shoots .38 Special. This means that a revolver goes from soft-shooting introduction gun to fire breathing man-stopper with a change of ammunition. 357/38 is usually pretty easy to find.  If the current situation deteriorates, then the best first gun is just about anything you can find in 9mm, .22, .223 or 357. However, if this too passes, then there’s more opportunity to look at options.  Something else to consider is that ammo capacity may be overrated as a concern. If we take the 80/20 rule emphasized here seriously, what are the chances that a defensive situation can’t be handled in 6 shots?  Im actually a semi-auto kinda guy, but have a revolver specifically as a prep gun. Between 38s and the ability for a novice to check, clear, load and fire it with minimal instruction, I don’t think there’s a better centerfire handgun in this context. 

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Reply to: Why you should store salt in your pantry supplies Posted June 13, 2021
Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted January 2, 2021

All of that is true, as far as it goes. However, does a grid-tie solar system feed your own house during a power failure? What about at night? You’d need to set up batteries and inverters, which gets you right back to the cos/benefit analysis.  A 500 gallon propane tank isn’t cheap either. We have natural gas so the tank would just be installed and sit there unused unless there was an earthquake. So same issue.  It’s probably cheaper to buy a small diesel genset in the $2500 range, and just stockpile 100 gallons of diesel. I have a 2500 watt propane generator, but it’s in my camper. Because I live in a dense city, I can’t keep it at home, so there’s no guarantee that I can get it to my house.  Sigh. I’ll probably just resign myself to gorging on my perishables for a few days and then switch to dry goods. 

Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted December 31, 2020
Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted December 29, 2020
Reply to: (Official discussion) Best off-grid space heater Posted December 11, 2020
Reply to: (Official discussion) Best off-grid space heater Posted December 10, 2020
Reply to: (Official discussion) Best off-grid space heater Posted December 9, 2020
Reply to: [Official discussion] Best first gun for preppers Posted September 22, 2020
Reply to: What three firearms would you have for prepping? Posted September 20, 2020

Hard to say without knowing what the specifics are, because base assumptions matter. Here are my assumptions: it’s a basic kit that’s designed to take advantage of regular available ammunition, and be accessible to the maximum number of people in your group.  The rules of engagement are going to be roughly what they are now. You can’t shoot anyone who isn’t an imminent threat to you. Using the 80/20 rule we are prepping for a temporary or non-complete collapse. Shooting someone at 500 yards is likely to be murder. You are trying to break action with an attacker, not definitively subdue a perpetrator or enemy combatant. Crimes of opportunity are the major threat. This is for an urban or suburban environment. Most people live there. Rural dwellers already have more guns.  Since you’re asking, you aren’t a gun person. If you were, you wouldn’t need this list (or if OP was just asking so the advice would be out there, then this is a generic “you”). 1. .357 revolver with a 4″ barrel. As long as it’s from a reputable brand (including the major budget brands) any are fine. A .357 shoots .38 Special, which increases available ammo selection. 38 is soft shooting for novices, and .357 will stop anything short of a Bear (not sure why that autocorrected to capital “B,” but I like it!). Simple manual of arms (fancy way of saying the operation of the weapon) that anyone understands. Given the rules of engagemet, six rounds is enough (80/20 rule). Can be concealed on your person if you need to bring a firearm with you. The one to get for maximum flexibility of response. 2. 5.56 NATO-chambered semi-auto rifle. This means AR-15, Mini-14, SU-16, or other. Major brand, and it will be fine. Best combination of effectiveness, capacity, availability and usability.  If you were sure you would only be in your house, and you were confident you weren’t leaving, this would be the one to get. But in the most likely scenarios, you can’t walk around with a rifle strapped to your back. It’s easier to shoot accurately than a handgun and any available carbine will be handy enough indoors. Not being enough to hunt medium and large game, but that doesn’t matter. You’re in the city.  3. Break-action 12-gauge shotgun. Either over/under or side by side. Not good for bugging out, but 12 gauge is the definitive stopping round at close range. A SxS has nearly the simplest manual of arms you can get (only a single shot is simpler), it’s tremendously reliable. Short versions are available (called “coach guns”) but because the action is so short (the mechanism that feeds the rounds into the chambers), even longer guns aren’t too unwieldy. The one to get for the balance of simplicity with effectiveness.  Honorable mentions. You could swap these out for their analog above. Any striker-fired 9mm. Frim High Point to FN and anything in between.  Not as intuitive or versatile as the revolver but close.  .22 semi-auto rifle. Any major brand. Easiest to shoot accurately for literally anyone. Cheapest, cheapest ammo, smallest lightest ammo. Not super effective but nobody wants to get shot with one. Pump-action 12-gauge shotgun. Most people’s choice over a break action. Has better capacity but can malfunction if someone is unfamiliar with it. 

Reply to: [Official discussion] Best first gun for preppers Posted September 19, 2020

Another advantage of a .357 revolver specifically is that it shoots .38 Special. This means that a revolver goes from soft-shooting introduction gun to fire breathing man-stopper with a change of ammunition. 357/38 is usually pretty easy to find.  If the current situation deteriorates, then the best first gun is just about anything you can find in 9mm, .22, .223 or 357. However, if this too passes, then there’s more opportunity to look at options.  Something else to consider is that ammo capacity may be overrated as a concern. If we take the 80/20 rule emphasized here seriously, what are the chances that a defensive situation can’t be handled in 6 shots?  Im actually a semi-auto kinda guy, but have a revolver specifically as a prep gun. Between 38s and the ability for a novice to check, clear, load and fire it with minimal instruction, I don’t think there’s a better centerfire handgun in this context.