Ok guys, what's your choice for bugout weapons and why?

Assume vehicle at first with the possiblity of being on foot and hostile terrain. NOLA after the flood for example.

This should be fun and I might just learn something.

Tj

I would never leave any of my gun collection behind!

Yup.

I have never thought about this. I will think it over.

As I'm in southern California right in the middle of a major metropolis, open carry is generaly not a good idea. I was here for the L.A. riots...being seen as armed was dangerous especially as law-enforment were really nervous and jumpy. Everybody who had guns at that time had them with them. As mobs were attacking each other, it got hairy fast. Then later on, the Spanish third worlders went on their looting rage. I'd pack my Colt Delta Elite as it has the power for a one shot kill, the power to disable a car, or penetrate the interior.

I would have SEVERAL bugout weapons. If the SHTF got bad enough that I had to leave I would be leaving prepared.

I would be carrying my DPMS rifle with the fun switch and 10 30 rounders in the case.

I would have my 1911 on the hip with 2 spare mags on my belt. and my G26 would be on my ankle.

I also plan to take an assortment of knives and spare ammo for all weapon systems if I have time to get to it. the weapons in question I could have ready to go in less than a minute.

Fun switch?

AUTO

M4gery, with all the mags I could muster, 1911 with as much ammo as I could carry, and probably my .38 as a pocket gun. Wife would be armed with an SKS, 1911, etc.

Alot of us don't pal. The probablity of "Red Dawn" or even "Social Breakdown" is very low especially if we don't live in major metropolitan areas.

Still the probablity of you having to leave your home is actually pretty high and I don't necessarily mean a terrorist event but something as common as natural events (hurricanes/tornadoes/earthquakes/fire), or a chemical spill. The possiblity of what I refer to as mass exodus with social breakdown is pretty much a reality. NOLA kind of drove that possibility home for many people.

Many people see the handgun as the primary weapon while others see the rifle as the primary. Which you chose often has a lot to do with where you live. Like shooter94 posted open carry where he's at may not be a good idea but an area where hunting and guns more common it may be. Some people prefer a look what I have don't mess with me approach while others a more stealthy approach. Of course, the actual scenario sets this for us and really we have little say in it unless like LPD we are an LEO. Still it's nice to know what our ideal preferance would be.

Tj

22 RF pistol
shotgun 12 g smoothbore barrel and rifle sights barrel
rifle - AR15 w/ removable scope - with as many mags as I could manage .

I think that the above would be what I consider heavily armed, and depending on circumstances I might have to cache one of the long guns , maybe even some on the ammo.

20" DPMS A2
Mossberg 590
Springfield Armory TRP
Glock 19

Jay

M4 AR, broken down and stored in a backpack.
Sig P229 IWB
as many mags for each as I could carry.

Very interesting question.

I guess if I had to bug out - my vehicle would be carrying a pretty good supply of weapons.
10.5" shorty on my lap
a couple 14.5" with short and intermediate range optics
18" SPR
12G
some Glocks, with one on my hip


But if I had to abandon the vehicle and could only take what I could carry (also realizing I would have to take various supplies in addition to weaponry), I would take one 14.5" or 16" M4 and one of my Glocks. (also I would grab some spare bolt carrier groups out of the rifles that would be left behind)
And then anyone traveling with me (family, friends, etc) would be welcome to grab a AR and a Glock from the vehicle.

Another thought that I discussed with various LE and PSD types who ended up deployed in NOLA.

I think it may give someone a advantage (albiet not a major one) if you looked like the "good guys".

To paint with a very broad brush, in NOLA the LE had M4's and the gangsters/professional looters had AK47s.
Another example; in some of the better neighborhoods the homeowners that stayed back were disarmed by LE and the hired security "professionals" were left alone to continue to secure the area.

I don't know how all of this will translate when the next major disaster hits, but I don't think this type of advise would have a negative effect.

This post has been edited by BravoCompanyUSA: November 22nd 2005 5:03 PM

I think I would rather tote spare ammo than spare guns.




Thus serving another good point rendering firearms left behind unusable but not destroyed!


Ar with 10 30 round mags, G-19 with 5 15 rounds mags and 13 33 round mags, Ruger Mark I with 3 9 round mags, a FEW knives, para cord, Then I would have a back pack with a brick of 22, 15 boxes of xm193, and food water and neccessities.


I think the 600 rounds for the ar, 505 rounds for the G-19 and the 528 rounds for the Mark I along with minor provisions like first aid and dried foods and some water wouldbe more than adequate to get me through what i had to get through or to avoid what I had to avoid.

Actually I think that is a major point. I see often in everyday life even. Drive-up to a sobriety check point with a family, dog, and in a convertalbe and watch how fast your local LEOs simply wave you through.

Same thinking in a bugout with social unrest, you not only have to worry about badguys and retention by officials but also being perceived as a badguy by other goodguys. In this regard, those of us already an LEO, active military, or even recent veteran have a distinct advantage. Age and family status also plays a role. A projection of fincial status (I'm not talking looking rich here but not looking like a bum) and even your vehicle age and type also play a role.

You look like a badguy the odds are very high you will be treated like one. Now what is a badguy changes with what is the scenario or by where you live but the truth of what you posted follows through possible scenario to possible scenario.

I travel for a living and when it comes to firearms, it really amazes me how geographic peoples perceptions are. Here for example a guy in camo with a firearm would naturally be assumed to be a goodguy in most scenarios. I couldn't imagine the same thing in LA for example. It follows that not only surviving the immediate threat that is directly involved with the root cause of the bugout needs to be considered but also where we have to travel to reach our bugout location.

This influences or should our weapon or carry/transport selections.

This is of paticular concern for me since my primary bugout location is quite a bit aways and my preferred (shortest least populated)rhoute is through a not gun friendly state. Going through gun friendly states alternate number one (second shortest rhoute) is through 3 major cities (two gun unfriendly cities) and alternate number two (low population, gun friendly, but 1/3 longer) is rural back roads but close net communities.

Tj

My 20" A2 RRA AR, My Ithaca Mod37 slung on my back, and the soon-to-be-mine 1911 on the side. I live out where a rifle is not only suitable but a must. I would arm family and friends whit what else I have. I'm sure my PC-looking Norinco AK Hunter will see use along with my Marlin and M48.

This post has been edited by DirtyHarryCallahan: November 22nd 2005 8:32 PM

So if I take you right the police would like and ok a person underarmed. Or armed in a manner less than them.

Well what a shame if I have the money and predisposition to be well armed - with what I choose.

I mean this still is America right ?

Or do I need to have just a Winchester 94 and leave it at that ?