Well, this week is all about Propane, Guns, Ammo and much much more! Still haven't downloaded your "100 Essentials" list? Get it here: http://www.amp-3.net/resources/ Let's get started!
This week we will be covering a lot of items but this is in no way complete. You should look at my list and then add any additional items you might feel necessary.
Item #6 Propane: Energy for our Past, Present and Future. Why Propane you might ask? Well, it is a really clean fuel. Using propane reduces the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and air pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. Plus, it is American made which mean Jobs! As of 2012, more then 145,000 jobs have been produced just from Propane. Propane is also abundant and affordable. Remember: propane comes in a variety of sized containers. Small containers are great for cook stoves, lanterns, Buddy Heaters and much more.
On to item #7 (Guns, Ammo, Pepper Spray, Bear Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bat and Slingshots) Wow! This is a very long list so it's going to take sometime to inform you on all of these so I am enlisting some help!
Really excited to let all of you know that this week I have invited a guest writer to help me out with my blog. He is an expert in the field of firearms, so I asked him to help me with item #7 on our list which is a really complex issue. You may have different opions but here is his:
One of the more common discussions for the or self reliant community is the loaded (no pun intended) question of "if you could only have one gun during a SHTF or WROL which would it be". Well you might as well be talking about religion or politics. It means that much to people. It is the age old question Ford or Chevy and more important 9mm or .45 cal. All too often the discussion comes down to the hardware and I would suggest that it is more important to be concerned with the software, that is for another article.
No matter what gear you have and (this is true with anything not just guns) if you are not capable of using it to its full potential you are wasting the potential of the item. Let's establish a couple truths for this concept.
The gun should have the ability to be used on a number of fronts, personal protection as well as harvesting food. Since the scenario is WROL we are not concerned with a gun that needs to be concealed. Also a handgun is by most, considered a defensive weapon not an offensive weapon. The old saying is you fight with a handgun to get to your shoulder weapon. Let's go a little further say that you are on the move and not defending a static location. Weight and durability needs to come into consideration as does weapon maintenance (parts, lubrication, reliability).
Lets look at what we want the weapon to do. First and foremost it must be capable of protecting your life. In order to do that it must be reliable every time you press the trigger. The number one reason for a gun malfunction is the shooters error in loading the weapon. That is a software issue (training). The second most common reliability issue is a bad magazine. Springs weaken and cause malfunctions. For this article we are talking gear so let's eliminate that the best we can. This gun has a feeding tube not a traditional exterior magazine. Next, the weapon must have the ability to deliver enough kinetic energy to stop the threat that you are protecting yourself from.
The other aspect you want in a survival weapon is the ability to harvest food. Squirrel, bird, opossum and even larger mammals such as deer, moose or bear.
Most of you gun enthusiast probably know the gun that is being described. Yes the great Remington 870 Shotgun. The "manual" pump of the gun makes it very reliable. It is easy for a novice to use and train with. One can use #8 birdshot and fulfill the bill for small game and birds. Load up with the rifled one ounce slug and the gun will take any animal in North America on four or two legs. With minimal training this gun with open sights will give you the accuracy to accomplish all of your survival needs.
The pump shotgun is not as sexy as the M-4, AR-15 and .338 sniper rifle. However, it is very versatile and in the right hands you can accomplish most survival tasks with the gun. The ammo can be reloaded easily and if you are not a reloader, shotgun ammo is comparatively inexpensive to other rifle ammo. Having 100, one ounce rifled slugs on hand and 250 rds of birdshot will give you a start in learning the capabilities of this gun that has been around for decades.
Always remember " Be careful of the man that owns one gun as he probably knows how to use it. -Anonymous
Let me just take a moment and talk about Bear Spray. A very good friend of ours recommended this to keep in our car. Why you might ask? Great question! Bear Spray can be stored in your car door and used against an intruder. Bear spray is NOT just for Bears!
- Maximum stopping power - maximum strength allowed by the EPA/Health Canada - guaranteed via in-house lab
- Greater protection - allows for greatest distance between you & bear with industry max 35-foot range
- Proven - field tested and proven effective with a 3-year shelf life from date of manufacture
- Immediate accessibility via hip holster and glow-in-the-dark safety
- Maximum coverage thanks to heavy fog delivery
The other mentioned items for #7 are items that are very easy to acquire. Well, that's it for this week, we hope that you will continue to follow along each and every week. Invite your friends to join along!!!