Being prepared=Glocks?

[PlayboyPenguin]

Even though I am a pretty optimistic person, I get a certain amount of satisfaction being prepared for horrible events that I do not believe will ever happen. I am a big believer in being prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. That way if bad things happen you are ready and if good things happen you are pleasantly surprised.

Because of this I put quite a bit of thought in how a person can best be prepared to defend themselves in bad times. It is almost like a fun game...a game that may someday save your life.

I have been thinking two things as of late. One, that a person is best served if they are capable of making use of as many calibers as they can in case they have to make due with whatever ammo comes along. Two, when it comes to being prepared it does not matter if a gun is pretty or not.

Everyone knows I love good looking guns. I have a very nice collection of stainless beauties, but as of late I have been starting to realize that beauty is not needed in defense. I still like my good looking guns and think they are still great self defense guns. I would never diss the 1911, Kahr pistols, or Sig P229 as far a personal defense is concerned. I just think that in a really bad situation I might actually prefer to have something like a Glock. Something lighter, durable, reliable, and high capacity. Also something that is made even more valuable by being able to accept multiple calibers with a barrel change. To this end I have decided to round out my collection by putting together a little "Glock shelf" inside my gun safe. It will be sort of a collection inside a collection. It will be my SHTF collection for lack of a better term.

Here is what I am thinking as far as the collection goes. Glock 29 and Glock 20 for the times we need big power. That way we have one for me and one for my partner that can shoot my 10mm stuff. A Glock 22 and Glock 23 with .357sig conversion barrels for each so that we would both have a gun capable of utilizing both .40S&W and .357sig ammo. A Glock 21 and Glock 30 to make use of the common .45acp ammo we might be able to find. Then a Glock 26 and Glock 19 so we have a couple of gun pistols to make use of the 9mm ammo we might come across. I already have the Glock 26, Glock 29 and have the Glock 23 on lay-a-way. The rest I would have to pick up.

With these guns I feel I would be about as prepared as I could be without going into "gun looney" territory.

This also gives me a goal to achieve over the next several months as far as gun purchases go.

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[JUSTIficatioN]

personally I like the looks of a glock, sleek and blocky like an older BMW

 

[SavageGerbil]

Well worth it, I'd say, and with your fine tastes it'll feel like getting toys at a discount
Low maint, as close to weather-proof as a gun can get, very hard to beat for a no-nonsense tool.

Another nice addition to SHTF stash would be a bullet mold and (insert favorite revolver cartridge) Lee Classic loader, they may be low capacity and less hardy than a Glock but you don't have to worry about them jamming or smashing on a feed ramp, if you were out of luck for any other gun-food any garbage lead could be fashioned into a potential life-saver. As long as you've got primers you're good, black powder may be rubbish compared to modern propellants but its easily made if you can find nothing else.

My addition could be rubbish, it IS 3 in the morning
Food for thought, none the less

** edit ** I've got to agree, I've always liked the look of Glocks

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

You plan to carry all that and not get confused? I'd stick with a glock 9mm and a rifle. The same for both of you.

Did not say carry, I said have available...but if I did have to take off with them carrying a few Glocks is not that big a deal.

 

[orygun]

With these guns I feel I would be about as prepared as I could be without going into "gun looney" territory.

Too late!

Can't wait to see what comes up for sale soon, though.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Don't forget about the .22 conversion kits for the compacts and full sized guns. Just about everyone I know owns at least one box of .22 shells. Ammo that you don't need or have a gun for is good trading stock.

 

[M.Link]

Sounds like somebody has some money to spend. The more options, the better!

 

[unionguy]

At least take a look at the M&P series by S&W...I think its a much improved version of the Glock, much better ergos. Mine have all been uber-reliable with no failures after thousands of rounds. Google "M&P pistol forum" for tons of info.

But, yes, get a polymer pistol!

 

[Outrider]

Glock makes some good pistols but you've let the "what if" possibilities overwhelm you. Just stop and think for a minute or two about what potential disasters or problems you think you're going to be addressing.

Anything that requires you to leave is something that is going to require that you travel relatively lightly. That makes the idea of many different firearms and ammo for all basically impractical.

Anything that requires you to stay put and repel borders is something that requires a lot of ammo and makes it unlikely that you're going to be wandering outside, scrounging ammo. If you're in a situation that calls for a lot of ammo, logistically speaking it's a lot easier to acquire ammo to feed two or three calibers than to acquire six to eight different handgun calibers.

And on top of all that, if things were really bad, you would need decent long guns. Rifles are superior to handguns.

When I think about how much money gets tied up in one pistol (i.e. gun, holster, mags, ammo, etc.) it really makes me want to focus on essentials, not expand the collection. Acquiring stuff is fun but it's not necessarily progress.

 

[bikemaniac1]

First off, I am a big believer in Glocks. I don't think there are many other pistols out there that can match them at the same price point. I too have your same "being prepared for the worst and hoping for the best" mentality. I would stick to one maybe two primary SHTF handguns and stock up on ammo. With everything you have you are going to be sitting there staring at your safe trying to decide which out of over a half dozen Glocks to pick from. All the while stuff is going mad outside. Second, do you ever sleep? 2:38am?
And finally third, where is the money tree that you found? I want in on that!

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

At least take a look at the M&P series by S&W...I think its a much improved version of the Glock, much better ergos. Mine have all been uber-reliable with no failures after thousands of rounds. Google "M&P pistol forum" for tons of info.

But, yes, get a polymer pistol!

I absolutely hate them. From their blob like grips and gritty trigger right up to their overly cut slides. It is a shame too, since they use stainless slides.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I think some people are being a bit short sighted when they say to just stock up on ammo. In the case of a true disaster we could be living with the results for many years if not the rest of our lives. There are a few issues with just having a couple guns and a couple types of ammo.

Damage to your gun - Be it though a faulty round exploding or some other actions if you have only a couple guns your defensive ability is immediately significantly decreased. Especially if you have a family where multiple people may need to be armed. Ammo is not any more valuable than mud clods if you haven't the gun to shoot it from.

Trade limted - If ammo becomes very valuable and you have just one type you are limited as to how you can trade. Lets say you have 10,000 rounds of 9mm and it becomes the most desired ammo around. All you own handgun wise is 9mm pistols. Then you find you have no water. The guy down the road is willing to trade you 10 gallons of water and 2,000 rounds of .40S&W for 2,000 rounds of 9mm you find yourself in a bad situation since you cannot use the .40S&W. You now have to decide to trade protection capability for a necessity. If you had a gun that could use it you would be getting the water for free.

Allies - Let's say you band together with other friends and family and find yourself needing to either perform or defend from raids by or against other groups. 1,000 rounds of ammo in 6 guns is way more valuable defensively and offensively than 6,000 rounds of ammo and one gun in such a situation.

I do still stock up on two or three calibers pretty much exclusively...but I feel that doing just that would be too limiting so I also make sure I have the tools to use the ammo, replacements for those tools, and options beyond that plan. There are just so many things to consider. It is a real challenge...luckily it is also fun and allows us excuses to buy new toys.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I don't like the polymer BUT, you've got a point with the GLOCKS, easy to use, can take a beating, common carried pistols and magazines in some LEO departments and they've got interchange bbls so long as it was tailored to the frame. I believe the 19 is the way to go as far as 9mm, A common round, can utilize both the G19 and G17 magazines.

My next bet would be a MAC 10 or Mac 11.. BIG bulky, sturdy magazines, fires common 9mm and .45ACP rounds. But best of all, it can be used as a deadly club as a last resort.. Now I don't think a GLOCK could do as much cranial damage as a Mac 10.

 

[Outrider]

Let's hit your concerns...

Damage to your gun - If you're concerned about that, buy multiples of the same firearm. It's the old "two is one; one is none" thing. Parts can be salvaged from one to fix another. That becomes difficult if every gun you have is different.

Trade limted - Welcome to the barter economy and its limitations. You will get things you cannot use or do not need in the hope you can trade them to someone who can and who will give you more for it.

In a really desperate situation, most people are going to run through whatever they have and be down to the essentials. That means whatever you are trading is really going to be a trade-off. You'll gain one thing but lose another.

You're acting like you're going to be a well-stocked trading post in the aftermath and that will bring its own problems.

Allies - It's impractical to try to have ammo for everyone's choice of calibers. If you are planning on equipping people from your own stash, you want everyone using the same gun and same ammo. -It's not a mistake that NATO countries share standard calibers. It's not a mistake that our military has chosen one rifle and one handgun as its basic issue for its infantrymen.

If you're worried about shortages, "Common guns in common calibers" is your new mantra.

That said, you seem to be going for more of the fun aspect of acquiring and using survival concerns as the excuse/justification. I don't have a problem with someone doing that but you probably could get more bang for the buck with training and practice than ceaselessly acquiring new things and then listing them in the classifieds. -Don't take that the wrong way. I really appreciate seeing some of the things you list for sale. I have no doubt that sooner or later you'll be selling something I want. However, it does seem to be counterproductive to buy a firearm, never fire it, and then sell it at a small loss as a routine.

 

[ORBrit]

I've consolidated calibers and firearms down to the ones I shoot often and shoot well.

I've often considered doubling up on my primary carry handgun - my Glock 19.
If you plan to stash multiple weapons you've then got to have enough ammo to support each of them.
How much ammo can you carry on you?

If you're really talking about SHTF, then you may not even be able to access any of your guns or ammo.
Training seems to be a much better investment - survival training, medical training, unarmed combat training.