Reply #223: I have to disagree, I think a pistol is the MOST important 'civil unrest' defensive weapon

[Endangered Specie]

Law and Order will have to break down REAAAAL bad before you can openly carry a rifle/shotgun around, at least in any area not completely rural. You are going to have to go out some.

A concealed handgun can be presented alot faster than any rifle or shotgun (how long does it take you to get your slung rifle off your back and safety off versus draw a pistol). If you are in a car, which do you think you'd be faster at deploying and using: hand gun or long gun.

Most encounters where you'd need to use the gun in self defense are going to be very close range, harder for the criminal to grab your handgun than a long gun.

A pistol allows you a free hand to do other things with (open doors, hold onto something/someone, lose an arm due to injury, etc...)

Now, a shotgun or rifle makes a great "home base" defense gun far better than any pistol, but even then you'd want that pistol to back you up.

In summary, get your handgun down pat first.

If you needed a gun to hunt, a 22 rifle will do you just fine, small game is the order of the day in a short term survival situation IMO. There is plenty of very quiet 22 ammo so 1000 people don't hear you. Be discreet.



My 2 cents, YMMV.