Should Survivalists Stock Up on Guns?

It’s a hot summer’s day and you’re enjoying an afternoon beer when bang! A nuclear explosion obliterates modern society as we know it. When all modern luxuries are stripped away, your knowledge and resources will determine your odds of survival. Guns prove to be one of the most versatile pieces of equipment. The U.S. is full of avid gun collectors. For every 100 Americans there are 90 registered guns. With violent crimes on the rise, many have questioned the usefulness of guns. So should a survivalist stock up an arsenal, or are other resources more important?

Guns in a Survival Situation

First, it’s important to understand the potential uses of a firearm. In any survival situation, your ability to obtain food is pivotal. Understand that obtaining food quickly is essential because the less time you spend collecting nourishment, the more time you’ll have to overcome another obstacle. A gun, especially a hunting rifle, will enable you to hunt for a wide variety of food. Hunting provides a strong alternative to scavenging, which requires a gross amount of time without the guarantee of success. Hunting, in a survival scenario, will likely also provide food throughout all four seasons. Foraging and growing crops would not work in all seasons and may not satisfy your needs for a short-term survival scenario.

Guns would also provide a great defense against potential threats. In the wilderness, large predators could pose a serious threat, but your fellow man may also be an imminent threat. In an apocalyptic situation, people would compete with each other for resources and there’d be no government to prevent crime. A firearm would protect you and your valuable resources from bandits and belligerent gangs.

So Why Shouldn’t You Stock Up On Guns?

While guns do equip you with some security, a survivalist may not want to focus on building up an arsenal. Consider the gun. It requires highly specialized ammo, which only a gun of the same make can fire. You cannot remake the ammo from natural products, so once the ammo is gone, a gun is useless. A gun is also very heavy. When scavenging and foraging in a survival situation, weight decreases your productivity and can make you more vulnerable to the elements. It’s also important to consider the effects of owning an arsenal in a survival situation. If anyone knows you have weapons, you’ll be considered a threat and you’ll be targeted. Other weapons may be better alternatives to the gun in a survival situation. The classic bow and arrow, for example, is a lightweight weapon. It fulfills the same basic functions of the gun including hunting and self-defense, but repairing the weapon would be easier than repairing a gun. Making ammo for it would be simple with minimal material.

Consider that having a weapon may not even improve your chances for living through a survival scenario. The necessities of life are food, water, and shelter. It may be more adventitious for a survivalist to collect imperishable food and pure, clean water. Tents, tools, medicines, and other basic survival materials will help you overcome the life-threatening elements. Rope, flint, blankets, strong boots, and knives will prove as beneficial as anything will. Having seeds to plant for a self-sustaining garden would help a long-term survival scenario. Also, remember that domesticated animals have been helping men survive for thousands of years. A well-trained dog and some cattle could go a long way toward helping you survive a long-term survival situation.

Resources
Discovery.com
GunLaws.com

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This article was written by Kenneth Patterson, a freelancer who concentrates on survivalism, emergency planning and other like subjects; if you’re looking to practice your shooting visit Shooting.org.