Two is One, One is None, thoughts on Firearms Backups

Everyone here knows the above fits me pretty well.
That being said, a proper journeyman has many tools for the many different jobs he may be called upon to perform. BUT there are always several go to tools that he uses everyday because they serve in multiple ways.
That's what we are talking about here. How many of you DIYers only have one tape measure or one saw?
My two "main" AR's are set up pretty much the same control/trigger wise but one is an M4 and one is a 20" fixed stock. Sassenach will not give up her AK so I built another one as a backup. I built two M4's chambered in 7.62x39 as well for when she comes to her senses.. The AR-10 is not my 1st choice as a 7.62 weapon; but like another said earlier, they are lighter than my FAL's and G3's and they are the same control wise as the AR so I built a few. Shotguns are modified 870's, two for each of us. Mine in 12 and hers in 20. While the 870 is by the bed, given time I still prefer my HK Super 90.
On pistols we do not match. I use a 1911 or BHP and she uses a M&P. I don't see this as a real problem because honestly if we are ever caught in a true firefight and are to the point where we need to think about passing pistol mags to each other I figure we're pretty well fracked already...
Biggest thing to me is to have a good backup then go from there.Standardization of calibres is very important. Even if all I wanted was a pistol in .45ACP I would still have 3-4 boxes of 9mm around just in case. PSHTF you never know what you may pick up.Can't go wrong keeping 9,.45, 5.56 7.62-commie and NATO around even if you don't have a weapon chambered for it-yet.
Spare parts are cheap-stack 'em deep as you can. Same for cleaning supplies.

My

 

That's why I got a 380 carbine.
My 380 ammo life cycle is closed loop.
I buy new ammo, shoot new ammo or reloads, pick up all the 380 brass I finds at the range, a lot of people leave their 380 brass at the range and I take that too, friends give me their 380 brass, reload them all. Now I have a mountain of 380.
I'm pretty sure it's my most prolific center fire round.

 

Has anyone actually had a weapon stop working? I bet many here have guns older than they are. But you can always just pick up another gun. One thing I will give my pump shotgun is that it always works.

 

Yes. Built from a kit AK47, mag catch needed "adjusting" , stopped after about 20 mags full sent down range.. AR15 with mags that did not fit correctly, discovered the hard way. (One of them eats any mag I have, the other is selective.) MN warmed up so far that even a 2x4 wouldn't operate the bolt, over an hour to cool off enough to operate. Never a problem with shotties, but I don't have a gas or inertia gun.

 

I had a 22lr lever gun that would only cycle shorts properly and liked to break firing pins.
I bluged the barrel on a 1911 trying to make a 230gr fmj super sonic but I was able to get it apart, it was a little tight.
And my dad had a 22lr revolver that lost the rod that holds the cylinder in place, so that one didn't work for a long time.
I have also seen a new S&W 22lr pistol that was brand new wouldn't fire and another brand new S&W 45 pistol break firing it's first round in such a way that the round didn't fire and jamed the gun so the live round couldn't be ejected.
If you like S&W just stick with revolvers.
Biggest risk I think to making a gun non functional is losing a part while cleaning.

 

How many of them have seen rough use and drug through the mud or carried frequently in the rain? They can sit in a rack or safe almost forever and function just fine, but I woud expect hard use during SHTF. It's a good thing virtually all firearm actions are based on combat rifles - even that boltie or flint lock.

Also, I don't think that guns or ammo will just be laying around except if you are on the winning side of a firefight. Outside of that they will be very valuable and treated like gold and whatever power structure is in place will be keen on monopolizing that resource.

 

A gun is the difference between having a weapon and just having ammunition.

 

THAT is an idea I'd give some very hard serious thought about - if they aren't self armed there's the problem of them being not only inept but outrite dangerous with a weapon >>>> then comes the whole issue of possibly arming a future "enemy" ...

unless you have enough supplies to keep all these people being armed fat & sassy happy - there'll come a time to stop supplying them or not even starting >>> making you one locally well known target to raid ...

there'll be an initial period - within the first month or so - you'll need mutual aid from your neighbors to blockade and secure the area from arsonist looters/rioters >>> LENDING a shotgun/rifle or two for revolving security duty on a blockade - piecing out a handful of 00Buck shells to the self armed with only birdshot - other LIMITED self defense aids that enhance your mutual defense ...

people get VERY desperate - people that you think you know very well >>> will save themselves and their VERY close first ....

 

Yup, giving neighbors that I don't know VERY VERY well, anything at all seems to me to be asking for trouble

 

I have at least 9 neighbors that either hunt and also the rest are shooters,We good !

 

I spend a little time at the range, and have come to really appreciate both semi-auto and manually cycled actions. Lever, bolt, rolling block actions in rifles and revolvers and TC Contender pistols give me the ability to load more economical and gentler reduced loads, as well as greatly altered bullet weights. From 90-170 grain bullets shoot just fine in a lever action .30-30, and single greased 00 buckshot tapped down the neck of an un-sized case makes a quiet squirrel rifle load.

For handguns I love the ability to shoot .45 ACP in 1911 and moon-clipped revolvers. It's fun to fiddle with obsolete calibers, but for my working guns there's a lot of duplication, and interchangeability in bullets and powder between rifles and pistols.

 

Oh good Lord yes.
Anyone that uses their firearms regularly will sooner or later experience a failure of some sort. Extractors ect will fail after enough use.Springs will weaken. This comes back to spare parts. I promise you if you use that pump enough it will have a failure of some sort.
I often get the "This gun was bought by my Great Grandaddy. It ain't never failed, but the other day..."
EVERYTHING made by man will fail at some time. Either from abuse or by use-but it will fail.

 

Yup.
I have no intention of arming anyone outside of my team-their backups and ours are for team use. I've never been a fan of the bartering weapons/ammo-just too dangerous IMHO. Once they know you have it, they will try to and come take it. Come the initial kill off of the truly stupid/timid ones it won't take long for our primitive roots to reassert itself and that formerly "cool neighbor" will have no qualms taking what they think they need by force-and you gave them the force a couple months back...

 

I have several work shotties, pumps with x-tended mag tubes. Am looking at a Mossberg 930 Home Defense. Semi-auto, 8 shots w/1 in chamber. Actually if I could find a similarly-configured 20ga I would trade off my 12 gauges..
Agree with the stance that a couple replacements are a good idea and I especially agree with the AR- route. AKs are good too but they dont have the possible options and owner-serviceability. Likewise with most of the 7.62X51/.308s, which are heavier to lug around with their ammo... Same with 12ga shells.
I share the concern with loaning guns to neighbors.. have learned too often in my life that NO one, not even necessarily kin, are to be trusted. Tough problem...

 

An AK is just above a rock in simple. As far as arming neighbors, I don't. Won't trade or barter ammo because it can and has been used against its former owner.

 

Same here,Have ''Family'' members whom want to ''Borrow'' money or other things,I simply tell them I need this and this for colloidal,

I'm happy to say that since I go by and stand by my policy to date I don't have a nickel owed to me.

Probably behind my back I'm known as an A-hole hard azz, 0 f'ks given...hahaha!

 

The RPG7 is pretty simple too.
All you have to know is how to pull the safeties, the warhead arming ranges, how to load it and how to use the sites.

 

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