Firearm Question For The Preppers/Survivalists

Different Calibers VS Same Caliber

  • All The Same Caliber Firearms

    Votes: 5 38.5%
  • Different Caliber Firearms

    Votes: 8 61.5%

  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .
This is honestly a question I've thought about for a while now. In your opinion, weighing in survival, effectiveness, cost, long guns vs handguns,etc. Is it better to have firearms of different calibers or have several of them all in the same caliber?
 
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jenkinsnb

Ten Pointer
Personally speaking, I would go with all the same caliber. 30,000 bullets between three guns sounds better than 3,000 bullets for 10 different guns. I would go with popular cartidges (.22, 9mm, .40, .45acp, etc.) in a "survival" situation, I doubt you'd be shooting at 1000 yards, so pistol calibered carbines and such make more sense to me.
 
My thoughts exactly. In an end game situation, I'd rather have 10 Ruger 10/22's with a thousand rounds each, vs 10 different guns with a hundred rounds each.

Personally speaking, I would go with all the same caliber. 30,000 bullets between three guns sounds better than 3,000 bullets for 10 different guns. I would go with popular cartidges (.22, 9mm, .40, .45acp, etc.) in a "survival" situation, I doubt you'd be shooting at 1000 yards, so pistol calibered carbines and such make more sense to me.
 

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
I have 2 .40 cal glocks but also have a 9mm conversion barrel that will fit the sub compact as well as the compact. Same goes with the magazines. So that's one way I like to look at having the same caliber, but still the ability to shoot a different, much more common caliber.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
12 gauge shotgun with multiple barrels would be my choice. Rifled and scoped barrel with modern slugs will reach similar distances as the shorter range rifle calibers and the choice of ammo for other uses is pretty broad.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I dont think I would want all the same. I would want a pistol, rifle, shotgun, and a .22 lr.

The pistol would probably be a 9mm due to being a NATO round. The Rifle a 308 or 30-06, 22 for hunting, and a 12 gauge just because.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
If I had to have just one gun it would be a 12 gauge.

But to answer the question, I would want a rifle (308 or 30-06) a pistol (9mm) and a 12 gauge.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I dont think I would want all the same. I would want a pistol, rifle, shotgun, and a .22 lr.

The pistol would probably be a 9mm due to being a NATO round. The Rifle a 308 or 30-06, 22 for hunting, and a 12 gauge just because.

I would either add an AR15 or AK47 to the mix. I may would swap the big rifle out for one of the battle rifles. Not sure which.
 

Firefly

Old Mossy Horns
For close in protection a .12 ga., for getting on out there a 30-06, .308, 7.62 x 54 or a British .303...
 

apexhunter

Ten Pointer
Unless there is a scenario like the movie Red Dawn (except it'd probably be some extremist group like ISIS instead of Russian and Cuban troops) I would also vote for multiple guns. My choice would be a shotgun (12 gauge) a rifle (.308 Win) and a high capacity pistol (like an XDM) to cover defensive and survival situations.
 

seminolewind

Guest
yes, yes, and yes......... start with one gun - then you can take everyone else's gun when they are asleep? JK

Although - on a serious note, a ton of rounds will eventually run out and you will want to find more? You may find some to fit your gun but if you had several guns then more options post oshama apocalypse?
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
In that scenario, I think it would be smart to have any firearms currently used by the military. 9mm, 45ACP, 5.56, .308, 30-06 etc. and then 22LR would be a must have IMO.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
I hate to say it but I think many here need one gun and about 20 rounds. I have been in "end of society" discussions before with friends and acquaintances. They'll be in their 50s and 50-100 lbs overweight. They'll talk about buying a bunch of guns with 50k rounds of ammo for a "end of society" scenario. I even know one guy from another forum that has photos of himself with two guns strapped to his hip. He's dressed up like a cowboy from a western. He is also in his 60s and walks with a cane. Most of these guys, myself included, may last about 20 rounds at most if it comes down to a gunfight because we're all old and fat making us easy targets.
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
I hate to say it but I think many here need one gun and about 20 rounds. I have been in "end of society" discussions before with friends and acquaintances. They'll be in their 50s and 50-100 lbs overweight. They'll talk about buying a bunch of guns with 50k rounds of ammo for a "end of society" scenario. I even know one guy from another forum that has photos of himself with two guns strapped to his hip. He's dressed up like a cowboy from a western. He is also in his 60s and walks with a cane. Most of these guys, myself included, may last about 20 rounds at most if it comes down to a gunfight because we're all old and fat making us easy targets.

Very true^^^^ and most people with a stash of ammo and firearms don't have a structure capable of defending the possession of said weapons, nor the ability to mobilize enough weaponry to make a difference.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Civilians don't stand a chance. 1rd or 100K rounds.

Let's talk reality.

While anyone laying their life on the line for our country has all the respect in the world from me, I know just as many that went into the military as a last resort as did because of their patriotism. While I respect that greatly over just burdening society, there are many that wouldn't surprise me if they followed whatever orders are given to them by their superior officers (thinking govt turning on us scenario in particular).


That said, two or three armed forces or people capable of obtaining military weaponry scare me much more than any prepper with 100k of 5.56 etc.


Your 5.56 will be of no use when the RPG takes your house out.


Just so many more weapons out there that we don't have access to than what we do, that could make any ammo stash we have a nice snap crackle and pop when the time comes.


If also venture to say that if society fails to a point that we can use that many rounds without fear of being arrested or having organized LEOs storm the house.....other weapons (wmd)of much greater force will have probably wiped us out.
 
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buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
Very true^^^^ and most people with a stash of ammo and firearms don't have a structure capable of defending the possession of said weapons, nor the ability to mobilize enough weaponry to make a difference.

Not to mention a reliable source of water.....couple of weeks with no food may be tolerable , all the guns an ammo you can or will ever need..... great.....but without a reliable , safe water source....3 to 4 days max , you're done....
 

buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
Civilians don't stand a chance. 1rd or 100K rounds.

Let's talk reality.

While anyone laying their life on the line for our country has all the respect in the world from me, I know just as many that went into the military as a last resort as did because of their patriotism. While I respect that greatly over just burdening society, there are many that wouldn't surprise me if they followed whatever orders are given to them by their superior officers (thinking govt turning on us scenario in particular).


That said, two or three armed forces or people capable of obtaining military weaponry scare me much more than any prepper with 100k of 5.56 etc.


Your 5.56 will be of no use when the RPG takes your house out.


Just so many more weapons out there that we don't have access to than what we do, that could make any ammo stash we have a nice snap crackle and pop when the time comes.


If also venture to say that if society fails to a point that we can use that many rounds without fear of being arrested or having organized LEOs storm the house.....other weapons (wmd)of much greater force will have probably wiped us out.

Gonna beg to differ Justin...folks serving now , especially now , know just how UN-lawful an order to fire on the citizens would be....they would almost to a man refuse to obey that order....
 
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Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Not all Tony, for sure, but it wouldn't tAke but a few of the wrong ones to cause a big issue.




I will say though, maybe I am naive, but I think we are a lot further from any sort of SHTF situation than most think.
 

NCDoberman

Ten Pointer
This is honestly a question I've thought about for a while now. In your opinion, weighing in survival, effectiveness, cost, long guns vs handguns,etc. Is it better to have firearms of different calibers or have several of them all in the same caliber?


I stay with the standard NATO calibers. IMO, if you're looking at it from a prepper perspective I would pick a few rounds and stay with them. Have one or two rifle calibers (.308/7.62, 5.56/.223) a pistol caliber(I sold everything I have that isn't 9mm except for one) and a shotgun.

In a TEOTWAWKI scenario it's all about feeding. Yourself and the gun and it's easier to stock up on 4 or 5 calibers than 8-10.
 
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Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
I will say though, maybe I am naive, but I think we are a lot further from any sort of SHTF situation than most think.

I think so too. I think preppers not only see the glass as half full but the glass is dirty and the water is poisoned.
 
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NCDoberman

Ten Pointer
I hate to say it but I think many here need one gun and about 20 rounds. I have been in "end of society" discussions before with friends and acquaintances. They'll be in their 50s and 50-100 lbs overweight. They'll talk about buying a bunch of guns with 50k rounds of ammo for a "end of society" scenario. I even know one guy from another forum that has photos of himself with two guns strapped to his hip. He's dressed up like a cowboy from a western. He is also in his 60s and walks with a cane. Most of these guys, myself included, may last about 20 rounds at most if it comes down to a gunfight because we're all old and fat making us easy targets.


Yes, the most neglected area of prepping in the prepper community is personal health and physical fitness. I've seen what you just described hundreds of times.

All the firepower in the world won't do you a bit of good if you get winded walking up a flight of stairs.
 

NCDoberman

Ten Pointer
I will say though, maybe I am naive, but I think we are a lot further from any sort of SHTF situation than most think.

Completely agree. I'm as mad as anyone about the direction of this country, but at the end of the day we still have it better than 99.9% of the world. Plus, as long as we stay distracted with our shiny toys, celebrity worship and sporting events no one is going to ever do anything anyway.
 

nchunt101

Ten Pointer
I keep a good supply of .223 around. I don't think we are going to have a true SHTF any time soon but I want to be ready for something like Ferguson etc. I am not going to put myself in a position that would allow the unwashed hordes to damage/take my property. I also keep some water/cans around in case of a storm but thats as far as I take my prepping. I also lay in a healthy stock of bourbon.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Gonna beg to differ Justin...folks serving now , especially now , know just how UN-lawful an order to fire on the citizens would be....they would almost to a man refuse to obey that order....
I am nowhere near as optimistic as you. I think the number who would refuse the order might be around 20%.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 

double

Twelve Pointer
You gotta realize if that order is given the CO will have some sort of evidence that these citizens have done wrong be it false or not. Then it will come down to the soldiers doing their jobs or being jailed or killed. I don't care what most say. If it is a kill them or we kill you situation most people will save themselves. Just look at Germany in WWII. Good normal citizens killed millions of people.
 

Firefly

Old Mossy Horns
I'm not nearly as optimistic as buckshooter either. I think we have plenty of troops that will fire on citizen's if given the order..

And a real bad case scenario would be the power grid going down for a length of time, folks will get hungry real quick boiling over into chaos everywhere...
 

buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
Not all Tony, for sure, but it wouldn't tAke but a few of the wrong ones to cause a big issue.




I will say though, maybe I am naive, but I think we are a lot further from any sort of SHTF situation than most think.

Yes sir , lots of really bad stuff has to happen before anything like that scenario can even begin....you liking the Mid-western lifestyle so far....
 
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