SHTF Firearms, How Many Are Enough?

SHTF Firearms, How Many Are Enough?

How many firearms are enough when SHTF? That answer is going to depend on a few things. This article assumes that you are hunkering down in place or at your bug out location.

When dealing with firearms, I never assume people know the correct way to handle one or that they have been trained properly how to use one. We will start with the four basic rules of gun safety.

1. All guns are always loaded.

2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

Following these rules to the T will keep you and everyone around you safe while handling a firearm. Now when it comes to training, you need to start at the very beginning. You must have a strong foundation to build from. I highly recommend attending a nearby Project Appleseed event training. Even if you have been shooting for a while, if you’ve never attended a formal training, I recommend you go, too. They do a fantastic job building a strong foundation. From here, you can continue developing your skills as far as your time and wallet will allow.

How many firearms are enough? That comes down to you. I cannot answer that question for you. I can, however, make some recommendations for the minimums I would keep on hand. Per person trained how to shoot, I would like to see at least one long gun (rifle or shotgun) and one hand gun. The long gun is to eliminate a threat from a distance. The handgun is the backup if you failed to stop the threat with the long gun or if you are taken by surprise at close range. In a perfect world you would also have a backup to each of these along with some spare parts on hand to repair them. This is where keeping multiples of the same firearm on hand comes in handy. If you have three of the same shotguns on hand and one of them breaks, you now have spare parts for the other two. The same would be true for handguns.

The calibers to keep on hand are also up to you. I recommend staying with the most common calibers and military calibers as they are usually the easiest to find. .22lr, 9mm, 40 cal., .223/556, and 308 are a few of my favorites. For the defense shotgun I would recommend 00 buck. All of these would also be the calibers that you would most likely “acquire” post SHTF.

The thought of purchasing multiple firearms can be a bit overwhelming and costly. It doesn’t have to be. There are many low cost quality firearms on the market today. If you watch for sales, it is possible to arm yourself and everyone else at your bug out/in location for under $500 per person. We made a few recommendations in 5 SHTF Firearms for Preppers.

So, how many SHTF firearms are enough? That is a question only you can answer. I know that here at the Ranch, we have followed the advice we have given you and then some. Mostly because we really enjoy hunting and shooting. If these are two of your hobbies then odds are you already have the bases covered.

Look for an upcoming article covering some of the Ranch’s personal budget SHTF firearms. Check out how inexpensively you can get outfitted.