Hi Rick,
quite frankly it depends on what you're planning on using the firearm
for, you know?
you might try going through the archives and looking at the
survivalist and firearms related threads - there is some glop in
there, but a fair amount of good info as well, and it will give you a
leg up on the discussion...
Arlin
-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), April 19, 1999.
Reprioritized. I gave and sold the two guns I had a few years ago.
But as I thought about it, just what WOULD a person do if confronted in any situation where being nice doesn't work? Throw canned food?
So now have 2 shotguns --- maybe a rifle by fall.
Also noted a recent news item about 3 RABID skunks and 1 dog in NE (?) city. This is no joke, how else would you get rid of such pests.
In the rural area where I live, its not far-fetched at all to need to get rid of rabid or just stray/troublesome beasts (pack sof wild dogs aren't terribly rare now - what if theres no pet food?).
There are many reasons to at least have arms available to use.
-- John Smith (ASecretThisTime@Fed.Pent), April 19, 1999.
The following was just posted on Hyatts site. Go ther for better formatting and pictures. (michaelhyatt.com) (click on "whats new").
The five most common uses for a firearm in a crisis situation are:
defending the home
defending oneself away from home
hunting small game (squirrels and rabbits) and birds (duck, dove, pheasant, etc.)
hunting deer
defending the neighborhood or town (in cooperation with neighbors)
The four weapons listed below, when taken as a group, will perform well in all of these situations. The thing to do is to buy the first item on the list, then the second, etc. If you can buy all four, great! If not, then just stop when you have used up your budget. Obviously the more arms and ammunition you buy, the better. But even if you have just one shotgun with ammunition and you know how to use it, you will have a good chance of eating duck rather than becoming a sitting duck!
Number One: A Shotgun
The shotgun is the most versatile firearm you can own. It can be used to hunt birds, squirrels, rabbits, and deer. It is also a powerful and intimidating self-defense weapon. If you have only $100 to spend, buy a single-shot shotgun, perhaps a New England Arms "Pardner" model, which is available at Wal-Mart for $79. It should work flawlessly forever. With it, pick up one of those black elastic bands that goes around the stock to hold five more shells. If your budget is at least $250, buy a pump-action shotgun. Remington, Mossberg, Winchester, and others offer basic models costing from $200 to $225. Whatever shotgun you choose, I recommend the 20 guage, which delivers plenty of power without the painful "kick" of the 12 guage.
Description
Single-Shot
Pump-Action
Price of gun
$ 80
225
100/200 rounds birdshot
$15
$30
5/25 rounds of deer slugs
$5
$25
Total price
$100
$280
Number Two: A Revolver
The .38 Special caliber police-style revolver is one of the most common, simple, and inexpensive handguns. Most are of very high quality, and will likely last longer than you will. This is your gun of choice if you will NOT be carrying a gun outside the home. Choose one with the standard 4" barrel. Brands to trust are Colt, Ruger, and Taurus, which all make similar models. Keep this gun by your bed at night and close at hand whenever you are at home. If you DO plan to legally carry a gun outside the home, you must choose a COMPACT revolver. The least expensive high-quality compact revolver is the Taurus Model 85 with 2" barrel. It is very popular, and usually available at most any gun shop or pawn shop. The price is normally about $200 whether new or used.
Description
Price
New Taurus or used S&W or Colt
$200
100 rounds of cheap ammo (for practice)
$20
50 rounds of hollow point ammo
$15
Total price
$235
Number Three: A .22 Rifle
The least expensive ammunition you can buy is the .22LR (long rifle) round. It sells for about $10 per 500 rounds. It is also the easiest round to shoot, as there is no recoil or loud blast. The rifles made for this cartridge are also inexpensive. The little cartridge can be very accurate, however, out to ranges of about 100 yards/ meters. There are too many models to list. Just choose one that you like, buy 1000 bullets for it, and practice. If you buy an el-cheapo scope for it for $20, you may find you can successfully hit very small targets. This rifle will be perfect for hunting squirrels and rabbits and for fending off unwelcome dogs. As a self- defense arm, it would only be used if nothing else were available.
Description
Price
New or used rifle
$100
1000 rounds of cheap ammo (for practice)
$20
50 rounds of CCI "stinger" ammo (in case you ever have to use the rifle for self-defense)
$5
50 rounds of CCI "shot shells" ammo (these are like tiny little shotgun shells, for chasing off unwanted cats for dogs))
$5
Total price
$130
Number Four: A High-powered Rifle
An excellent choice is the Enfield rifle. It was made, with periodic upgrades, from the beginning of the century all the way up to the 1960s for use by Great Britain and her allies. There were two calibers made, ".303 British" and ".308 NATO." Both are excellent calibers for North American game hunting and, heaven forbid, long-range tactical shooting. It holds 1012 rounds and reloads by "bolt-action." It is simple to operate, inherently accurate, and very durable. A similar rifle is the Springfield 1903 in 30.06 caliber (pronounced "thirty-ought-six"), which was carried by the famous Sergant York in World War I. Either rifle will perform similarly and cost about the same. They are outdated now for first-line military use, but are still excellent weapons for both hunting and defense.
Description
Price
Used rifle from gun or pawn shop
$80
40 rounds of cheap ammo (for practice)
$20
100 rounds of ammo for hunting and possile neighborhood/area defense
$50
Total price
$150
Once you have bought whatever you are going to buy, please go AT LEAST one time to the gun range for a practice session. The entrance fee will be between $5 and $10. If you tell them you are a total novice, you might even get a free, informal lesson to boot
-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), April 19, 1999.