IOfficial Reprint of Survival Guns by Mel Tappan This classic bookbythe lateMel Tappan, one of the foremost authorities on firearms and survival, has been reproduced exactly as it was originally printed. It provides the ageless advice and rules of survival that are as relevant today asthey were in 1976.However, the prices of firearms and other items are classically outdated. Some of the references to people or businesses are also outdateddue to the twoinevitables oflife, death and change. Desert Publications EI Dorado, AR 71731-1751 ~Survival Guns by Mel Tappan 1992 by Desert Publications P.O. Box 1751 EI Dorado, AR 71731-1751 501-862-2077 Reprinted through the courtesy of Nancy Tappan Janus Press, Inc. Rouge River, OR 97537-1050 ISBN 0-87947-456-4 10987654321 Desert Publication is a division of The DELTA GROUP, Ltd. Direct all inquires& orders to the above address. All rights reserved.Except for use in reviews, no portion of this book maybereproducedbyanymeansknownorunknownwithoutthe expressed written permission of the publisher. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for the use or misuse of the information contained in this book. Survival Guns A guide to the selection,modification and use of firearms and related devices fordefense, foodgathering,predator and pest control,under conditions of long term survival. Mel Tappan the aOOr1SpRess 10 Copyright 1987byNancyM. Tappan Publishedby TheJanusPress Box1050 RogueRiver,OR97537 Allrights reserved. Nopart of this book may be reproduced in any formwithout permissioninwriting fromthepublisher, except by a reviewer whomayquote brief passagesina review,to be printedina magazine or newspaper. Allphotographs byMel& Nancy Tappan. unless otherwise cred ited. Designed by lohnPapp Library of CongressCatalog CardNumber: 75-17327 ISBN0-916172-00-7 PrintedintheUnitedStates of America ToNancy,MotherandDad- whomakesuroivala brightprospect Table of Contents Introductionxi I.Guns asTools for Survival How defense gunsdiffer fromworking gunsandwhyyou may need bothHow home defense weapons differ from survivalguns. 2.Handguns15 Defensiveand workinghandgunsRevolversandautopistols:theirrespectivecharacteristicsStopping powerCalibersIndividual reviews of popular handguns.Pocket pistols and hideout gunsChoosing what is best for you. 3.Rifles77 Types of actions.Review of suitable calibersRecoil Reviews of working rifles.Reviews of battle rifles.The role of automatic weaponsSighting-in tables. 4.Shotguns133 Gauges and bores.Shot sizesChokes and patterns ShotgunselectionRecoilVariablechokesBarrel lengths. 5.Rimfires171 Evaluating rimfires for survival useAmmunitionReviews of rimfire rifles andhandguns. 6.SpecialPurpose Wea pons209 Air gunsCombination gunsRifles in pistol calibers AutoMagDerringersNon-lethalweaponsBlack powder guns.Archery.Primitive weapons. 7.Ammunition265 Selecting and storing ammunitionReviewoffactorycartridgesAuthor'spethand loadsSomecommentson loading your own. 8.Modifications and Maintenance285 Handgun,rifleandshotgunmodificationsforsurvival guns.Gunsmithingandrepairs.Propercareand cleaning. 9.Accessories and Accouterments329 HolstersAmmunitioncarriersSecondSixCartridgeconvertersandsub-caliber devicesPracticeand training devicesMiscellaneousGun vaults. 10.PracticalShooting and Tactics363 Learningtoshoot:stepbystepinstructionsMental conditioningTacticsforwomenTacticsofpractical shooting and retreat defense. II. Choosing Your Own SurvivalBattery413 Cautionary commentsAnalyses of actualbatteriesThe personalbatteriesofBradAngier.BurtMillerandJeff CooperChoosing your gunsKeeping your guns. Accessto Information andSources441 Appendix ThePlaceof Automatic Weaponsin SurvivalPlanning 455 Acknowledgments Although I am solely responsible for any errors or omissions, I amgratefultomanyothersfortheircontributionstothisvolume.Inparticular, I am indebted to Jeff Cooper,Burt Miller and BradAngierwhograciouslylistedtheitemswhichtheywould eachincludeintheirpersonalsurvivalbatteries.Ialsowishto express my sincere thanks to Arnold II Al" Capone,master gunsmith and proprietor of King'sGunWorksforhismanyuseful commentsonmodifications,generalgunsmithingandthehidden weaknesses in some modem gun designs.Mr.Capone and hisknowledgeablestaff,includinghissonBillCaponeand his associateBillWard,havealsobeenveryhelpfulinproviding manyhard-to-finditemsforexaminationandillustration.My appreciationformanycourtesiesgoestoMr.JerryKnightof Kerr'sSportShop,BeverlyHills,aswell. I cannot possibly listall of the manufacturers and suppliers of guns and accessories who have contributed sample products for testing,butIamextremelygratefultothemall.Withouttheir help,thisbookcouldnothavebeennearlysocomprehensive. Morethananyoneelse,however,mywifeNancyisresponsible forthe existence of this book.Not only did she perform the usual,lovingfunctionsofawriter'swife,suchasproviding gentledailyencouragementandinsulationfromthehundred homely distractions which any writer worth his salt seizes upon tokeepfromwriting,shealsoservedefficientlyastypist, photographer,messenger,proofreader,editor,criticandbest friend.Shehasevensteadfastlyrefusedtoquestionmysanity during the months when guns covered every horizontal surface inthe house,and shehasprobably signedforenough firearms and ammunitiontokeep her ontheATFDand FBIsurveillance listforthe next hundred years.I cannot imagine amore perfect collaborator.Isaluteher withmywholeheart. MelTappan LosAngeles,California "Makepreparationinadvance...you neverhavetrouhleif youarepreparedfor it." TIIEODOREROOSE\'ELT

Introduction Why,inthisageoftheurban,industrial,interdependent society,would anyone writeabook on ,guns forsurvivaluse or,perhaps more tothep'Jint,why would anyone want to read it? Forthosewhoareinterestedincampingorbackpacking therearealreadydozensofexcellentbooksavailable,someof whichsuggest including asmall,lightweight firearmin your kit incaseyoubecomelostandhavetoliveoffthelandforafew days.Thereareevenascanthandfulof bookswhichsharethe premise that a defensive firearm inthe home is a good idea even in urban areas,since itispatently impossible forthe police to be everywhere at once; and even ifthose books were not at hand to guide the prudent householder, it doesn't take much specialized knowledgetochooseahomedefensegunforcitydwellings, since almost any reliable12guage repeating shotgunwilleffectivelyservetodiscourageintrudersuntilhelparrives,without endangeringtheneighbors'healthorproperty. Butthisisnotabookaboutshort-termemergenciesnorthe guns which might be used to cope with them,although much of theinformationinitcouldproveusefulundersuchcircumstances.EventhoughSunJivalGunsisarelativelysimpletitle and most people know, at least in a general way,what itmeans, xi I Iintendittoconveyaveryspecificmeaninginthecontextof thisbookandperhapsthatrequiressome comment. Theuseoftheword"Guns"mayseematriflelaxtostrict lexicographers and artillery officers; but since I intend to discuss abroadrangeofshootingimplements,someofwhicharenot firearms - such as air rifles,crossbows and even slingshots have chosen "guns" as the most inclusive generic term available toindicateanysortofdevicefromwhichaprojectileis discharged. "Survival"isasomewhatmoreelusiveterm,however.Despite its limited literal meaning of "continuing to live" and some of itsmore dramatic connotations which lead to visions of plane crashes intheAmazonjungle,thereis,I think,amoreperceptivewayinwhichtounderstandit.Adriftatsea,lostinthe wilderness,livingintheaftermathofadisaster- allofthe usual images which the word "survival" evokes have one thing in common:the attempt to stay alive in situations where outside helpis,eventemporarily,unavailable. If it seems curious that ahuman experience so fundamental as merelystayingalivewithoutthesupportofothersrequiresa termsodramaticas"survival"todescribeit,considerthefact that almost 90%of the American people live in cities.Their food andclothingcomefromthelaborofothers,variousformsof energyareprocessedanddeliveredtotheirhomesbyothers; thesheltertheyliveinwasprobablybuiltbyothers,it isprotectedfromfirebyothersandfromintrusion- moreorless successfully- byothers.Becausethiscommoninterdependence, which isthe quoin of a complex civilization,so completely pervades urban life,we tend to lose sight of how vulnerable we are- howunableweare,throughourowndirectefforts,to providethecorenecessitieswhichwerequiretosupportour own lives. Withoutreallybeingawareofit,mostofushavesubcontractedalmostallofour lifesupport activitiestootherpeople, corporations,governmentalbodiesandmachines.Notonly doesthiscircumstancecontributetothesenseoffrustration whichissymptomaticofmodernman,itislife-threatening should there be an interruption of these vitalservices.We need xii onlyprojectourselvesinto anaturaldisaster,ashipwreckor a riottorealize just how dependent we have become on the uninterruptedfunctioningofthesocialordermerelytostayalive. Whatwouldyoudoif,forexample,aweekfromnext Wednesday therewas no gasoline atthe pumps,no foodin the supermarkets, no electric power or city water, the banks were all closed and asurlymobhad formedin thecenter of town,looting and burning out of frustration and fear?Could you and your familysurviveevenforafewweekswhereyouarewithout additional foodor water and,perhaps, with littleor no police or fireprotection? Probably not; but one might well ask why any rational person livinginthegreatestcountryintheworldduringthewaning years of the 20th century would be concerned about the risksof continuingtorelyuponothersforhissurvival.Outsidethe realm of speculative fantasy,what could possibly - seriouslydisrupt this delicate, symbiotic social ecology which sustains us? There areanumber ofconspicuouspossibilities. It isbecoming increasinglylessfashionableandmore injudicioustodismiss completely the concerns of that smugly disparaged group whichusedtobe calledthe"bomb shelter crowd." InanerawhentheUnitedStatescanfightinterminablewars with the intent of not winning them, purely for reasons of politicalexpediency,wheneverysovereignnationlargeenoughto haveitsownmapcolorinRandMcNallyhasthermonuclear potential,when the detailed plans for aworking atom bomb are published in a $4.00 paperback for the use of any terrorist organization or isolated sociopath who can lay hands on some fissionablematerial - then,perhaps,we ought to reconsider whether the bomb worriersarethe irrationalpsychoticswhichthepress soconsistentlyassuresustheyare. Legitimate astheir concernsmay be,thosewho are seriously concerned about thelikelihoodof thennonuclear war are by no meansthelargestormostzealoussegment ofour societywho recognizetheneedtoprepareforself-sufficiency.Afarlarger and more politically heterogeneous group iscomprised of modernhomesteaders- growingthousandsofpeopleofallages whofeelthatintenseurbanizationhastakenawaymorefrom xiii thequalityof lifethan ithasgiveninreturn.Thesepeopleare leavingschool,quittinghigh-pressure - oftenmeaningless jobsortakingearlyretirementinordertosecureasecluded piece of land and enjoy the peaceful satisfaction of living directly fromtheirownefforts.TheirpointofviewmightbesummarizedinastatementbythelateArnoldToynbee:"Whatmankind needs is arestoration of the quality of lifethat the industrializedcountrieshaveforfeited."Whileitistruethatagreat many of these people are completely alienated by"the system" andareoftendenouncedas"drop-outs"whocan'tcopewith reality,I submit that the kind of hard,natural style of lifewhich theyhavechosenasanalternativeistheverymatrixwhich produced the men who made this country great.Perhaps living where you please, asyou please,joined closely with the natural order of thingshas more to do with reality than our urbanpreoccupationwithschoolbonds,busing,freewayconstruction, smog control and efficient garbage disposal.My only significant pointof disagreementwiththesemodern-dayhomesteadersis thattheir visionand,consequently,theirplans often do not go farenough.Simplymovingoutofthecities,simplifyingone's needsandbeginningtoproduceone'sown"necessaries,"desirable as that can be, may not be sufficient to ensure safety from widespreadsocialdisorder,ifthe"system"collapses.Isolated farmsmakeprimetargetsforlootersfleeingfromstrife-ridden cities. Yetanother group ardentlyconcerned withpreparing tolive self-sufficientlyincludesthosewho believethatweareonthe verge of amajor economic crisis in this country.If the hundreds of thousands of Americans who entertain thispoint of view are notnowthelargestsingleclassificationofself-sufficiencyadherents,theysoonwillbe,sincetheprobabilityofatotaleconomiccollapseisdailybecominglesshypotheticalandmore apparent.Infact,ifwecontinuetofinancethegrowthof governmentthroughinflation- bydeficitspending andthecreationoffiatmoney - suchacollapseiscertain.Theonly questions which require speculation concern timing, degree of severityandsocialconsequences. Thepossibilityof New YorkCity'Simpending bankruptcyis xiv in the headlines asI write this chapter and it takes little imaginationtoprojectwhatwouldhappen insuchacityiftherewere suddenlynomoneytopayfiremen,police,powerandwater employees.If you believe that New Yorkisthe only major U.S. citywhich may faceinsolvency during thecoming months or if you believethat theFederal Government itself isnotsubject to thesamekindofeconomicproblemsforessentiallythesame reasons,youaremisinformed. SinceI do not intend thisbook tobecome aforumforlecturingoneconomics,Isuggestthatifyouareunmovedbythe conclusionsIhavejuststated,orif youfindthemshocking, outrageous or interesting, you would be well rewarded by reading Harry Browne's two books, HowYouCanProfit fromthe ComingDevaluationandYouCanProfitfroma MonetaryCrisis.Even moresuccinctanddramaticarethefirst66pagesofAlvin Toffler'snewbook,TheEco-SpasmReport.Althoughhisproposed solutions seem morehorriblethan theproblem, Toffler's analysisof our current economic plight and itsprobable consequencesisbrilliant;andhisscenarioontheEco-Spasmshould causeanyonewithavestigeofsensetoformulateimmediate plans forthe survival of himself and those he cares for.It should suffice,forourpurposeshere,torecognizethatifourmoney becomesworthless,therewillbeno continuationof thosevital products and servicesupon which we relyto stay alive;specifically,nofoodwillcomeintothecitiesif thereisnomeansof paying forit,and"socialdisorder"isamildwayofdeSCribing theholocaust that isalmostcertaintofollowthethreat of mass starvation. Whileweareonthesubjectofpossiblefoodshortages,itis worth notingthat an increasingnumber of very crediblescientists are predicting world famines,based on factorshaving nothing todowith economiccrises.The July,1975 issueof National Geographiccontainstwo chillingfeaturearticlesthatprovide an excellentsummaryoftheevidence.PaulEhrlich,theeminent Stanfordbiologist,isquotedonpage29assaying,liTherace betweenpopulationgrowthandfoodproductionhasalready been lost .... B e f o ~ e1985theworldwillundergo vast famines - hundredsofmillionsofpeoplearegoingtostarvetodeath xv .. unless plague, thermonuclear war, or some other agent kills them first." Even some of thosewho dismiss allof the previous concerns thatIhavelistedarebeginningtotakeseriouslyaphenomenonwhichisrelativelynewinthiscountry,althoughithas topplednumerousgovernmentsabroad:terrorism.The July21 issue of U. S.News andWorldReportcontains a worthwhile article entitled,"ThreatforBicentennialYear- TerroristsGetting Ready."Itpointsouttheaffinityofthesehard-coreradical groups for dates with historical significance - such as 1776-1976 - andoutlinessomeofthepreparationswhichtheWeather Underground,theS.L.A.andotherviolenceproneorganizationsaremakinginhonorofthe200thbirthdayofthisgreat nation:weaponsstealing,practicebombings,practicekidnappingsand other formsofextortion. If youbelievethatthesepeopleare"justabunchofmisguided kids" playing at being revolutionaries, I suggest that you readthemanifestooftheWeatherUnderground,PrairieFire, andsomeofthe"guides"toterrorismsuchasTheAnarchist Cookbook.These egotistical little murderers intend to destroy our countrybymeansofoutrageous,wantonactsofwidespread violence,and theymean to do itin 1976.Therehave been suggestionsthattheymayattempttoholdentirecitiesashostage under the threat of nuclear explosions,andthereislittledoubt thattheypossessthetechnologytomakethosethreats plausible. Whether the terroristssucceed in their nefariousplans or not itseemsprudenttobeprepared- asindividuals- fortheir attempts. Bynow,Iexpectthatanumberofreaderswhowerenot alreadyfamiliarwithsomeofthemoreominousviewpoints whichIhavechronicledarepreparedtoconcludethatIam unpatriotic, an unrealistic sensationalist or a harbinger of doom. There isnot enough space in this book to persuade the pervicacious to a revised opinion, ifthat were my intent, but even those whowouldacknowledgethepossibilitythatoneormoreof thesepotential catastrophesmight befalluscouldraiseatleast two legitimatequestions: xvi Q. Can't we dosomethingtopreventthese calamitiesfromhappening,instead of merely preparing ourselvestolive throughthem? A.Frankly,I doubtthatthereisa workableanswerthatcouldbe understoodandagreeduponbyenoughpeopletobeimplemented.Tocitebutoneexample,I havebeenprofessionallyinvolvedineconomicsfor20years,butneitherI nora roomfulof economistscouldputfortha workingplantocorrectenoughof whatiswrongwithour economy,atthispoint,muchlesscause ittobeadopted,assumingthatwecouldallagreeina general wayaboutwhatneedsfixing- andeventhatisaremote possibility . Q. Isn'titcowardly,ora "cop-out"nottotrytomakethesystem work,evenif youdon'tknowwhattodo?Makingpreparations fora majordisasterseemsunpatriotic. A. Itdependsonwhatyoumeanby"tryingtomakethesystem work."I thinkitisfoolishtoexpend allof your energytryingto bailoutanobviouslysinkingshipbeforeyouhavetakenthe precautionofputtingonyourlife-jacket- regardlessofhow muchyoulovethe ship.If youwant totrytoreformthe government andmake itresponsivetothewill of thepeople,I sincerely hopethatyousucceed,butIalsohopethatyouwillfirstbe prudentenoughtomakesomepreparationsforyourpersonal safety,incaseyoudon'tsucceed.Thenyoucanworkforwhatever cause youbelieve inwith fullenergy and no apprehensions. I have written at length about the attitudes of various groups ofpeoplewhoareconcernedwithmakingsurvivalpreparations,because agreat many individualswho have such private concernsthemselvesareafraidtovoicethem;and,consequently,they feel alone and apprehensive - perhaps they even think that they may be alittle crazy for entertaining such apparently unpopular thoughts.Iwould liketo reassure such people thattheyarenotaloneintheiranxieties.Subscriptionstothe MotherEarthNewsandtheInflationSurvivalLetterwillquickly confirmthattheirconditionisnotuncommon. People who take reasonable precautions to protect themselves againstpotentialdangersinsteadofmerelyhopingthat,ultixvii mately,the government willnot allow anything terribleto happenarenotnecessarilymentalcases,regardlessofhowmany "group-think"expertsdismisstheirconcernsandofferGreek and Latin names forwhat ailsthem.I might add in passing that the overwhelming majority of my personal survival consultation clientsarepsychiatrists,psychologistsandphysicians. If you are still reading at this point, I shall assume that you are more or less seriously entertaining one or more of the concerns I have outlined, even though nothing more may be involved than thekindoflogicwhichcausesustobuyfireinsurancedespite thefactthatwedon'treallyexpectourhomestobum.The awarenessofcontingentdangershouldbeenoughtomake earnestsurvivalpreparationsworthwhile. Let us assume that,forwhatever reason, you have decided to beginmakingreasonableandprudentarrangementssothatif youchooseto,orifcircumstancesmakeitnecessary,youcan liveself-sufficiently,relyingcompletelyforyoursurvivalupon yourself,whateverinnerstrengthyouareintouchwith,your naturalenvironmentandyourskills.Yourfirstconsideration willprobablybefindingasafeplace - apersonalhaven. Obviously,thelocationyouchooseshouldaffordanenvironment which is not hostile to life;the climate should provide a reasonably long growing season and not be excessively demandingon youphysically.Lookforan areawith sparsepopulation anddeterminethatyouwillbefarenoughawayfrommajor metropolitan centers so that you will be less likely to be intruded uponifcivildisordersshouldoccur.Conspicuousfarmsin well-known foodproducing areas should be avoided since they wouldbetargetareasforlootersduring acrisis,butmake certainthat your safeplacehasabundant water,plant and animal food,fuelandrawmaterialsforconstructingshelter. Dependinguponhowseriouslyyouareconcernedandhow safeyouwanttobe,youmaywanttobuildandstockhidden storagefacilitiesforfoodandsupplies,and,possibly,adwelling,assoonasyoucanafteryouacquiretheproperty.Atthe least,youshouldconsiderbuyingamobileshelterwhichyou canset up at your retreat onshort notice.Some areevenplanningtoforegoafixedretreatsiteinfavorofkeepingavan, xviii camper,mobilehomeor boatstockedandreadyat alltimes. Onceyouhavedeterminedyourretreatplan,selectingtools should be your next consideration. If you do not acquire them in advance, you will have to make them fromwhatever is at hand, since there are many things which you cannot do without them, andtheskillandenergyrequiredtofabricateeverythingyou might need would be enormous. You cannot, for example, make firewith your barehands.If youhavetheknowledge,you can findrocksinmost areaswhichcanbestrucktogethertomake sparks, or you can fashion afiredrill,but it ismuch easier if you havematches,abutanelighteroraburningglass.Although neitherisaperfectreplacementfortheother,therighttools compensatetosomedegreeforlackof skill,andskillmaypartiallysubstituteforthelackoftools;andwhileitisobviously bettertohaveplentyofboth,toolscanbeacquiredmore quickly,ingreaterabundanceandwithlesseffortthanskill. Further,havingtherighttoolsoftenhelpsyoutodevelopcertain skills better than improvising does.If you want to become a marksman,forexample,itiseasier tolearnwithafinelytuned targetpistolthanazip-gun. Twocharacteristicsdistinguishhumankindfromtherestof theanimals:self-awarenessandtheabilitytoaccumulatetools inanticipationofcircumstanceswhichhavenotyetoccurred. Theformerisatthecoreofallthatisworthwhileinhuman experience,and the latter allowsus tostay alive long enough to seeksomemeaningfromtheconditioninwhichwefindourselves.Even though some other creatures,such as the apes,are toolmakers and users to a degree,they only respond to immediateproblems.When bananas arehung outoftheirgrasp,they canfittwo stickstogether inorder toreachthem,but only man acquires tools in preparation forsolving problems which are not yetinevidence,butwhichareconceivedofonlyasfuture possibilities. Recognizingtheimportanceofpropertoolsinsurvivalplanning and being deeply concerned about the ripening probability ofatotalsocio-economiccollapse,Ibegan,morethanayear ago,towriteabookcalledToolsforSurvivalandSelf-Sufficient Living.Asmyresearchprogressed,I becameawarethat,ofall xix the tools necessary for self-sufficiency, guns are the most importantandleastunderstoodinthatcontextbythemajorityof thosewho aremakingserioussurvivalpreparations.Thisconclusionisalsosupportedbymyexperienceasasurvivalconsultant.Fully90%ofthepeoplewhocometomeforprofessionalhelpwiththeirplanning requireextensivecounseling in theareaoffirearmsandrelateddevices.Andnotallofthese peoplearenovices.Severalarelawenforcementofficersand many - perhaps amajority of them - use guns forrecreation, afewown gunsforhomedefense,andsome areeven lifelong firearmsenthusiasts.All of them realize,however, that the considerations involved in selecting and using guns as tools for long term self-sufficiency arequite different fromthosewhich relate totargetshooting,defendinganurbandwelling,lawenforcementoperationsor even casualhunting.Quiteafewcompetitivetarget shooters have never even fireda shotgun,and many championskeetshotswhohavetheirgunsservicedregularly beforeeachtournamentareamazedtodiscoverthereliability factoroftheirpetsmokepolesawayfromthelovinghandsof theirfavoritegunsmiths.AndI know ofmorethanonehighly rankedpistolmarksmanunableeventoqualifyforastarting position in a practical combat match.So it matters littlewhether youareagunbufforabeginner;thereismuchspecialized infonnation toconsider in selecting,modifying and using guns as practical tools for a practical - and possibly necessary - way of life. Icanthinkof nobetterwaytoclosetheseopeningremarks than by quoting a particle of wisdom from Theodore Roosevelt: "Makepreparationsinadvance... youneverhavetroubleif you are prepared for it." xx 1Guns as Tools for Survival Iamaskedonequestionsooftenthatithasvirtually etchedagrooveinmybrain:"Whatisthebestsurvival gun?"And alwaysIhavetoanswerthat question witha question:"What do you want tosurvive and howdo you expect aguntohelpyou?" Agunissimplyatooland,likemostothertools,the morespecializeditis,themoreefficientlyitdoesitsjob. You wouldn't expect to saw a board with ascrewdriver or to drive ascrew with asaw, nor would you find it particularlyeasytodrivedifferentsizesofscrewswithone screwdriver or tocut logs and dowels with the same saw. Similarly,youshouldnotexpectonegun,orevenone exampleofeachtypeofguntodoeverythingthatthese toolsarecapableofdoingforyou.Somegunsdoone thingwellandothers,another;so your choicesare:1)to own several,2)to restrict your options or 3)totrytodo a varietyofthingspoorly. 1 Inthelightofthosealternatives,I amgoingtorecommendthat youconsideracquiringanumberofdifferent, highlyspecializedarms,perhapsquiteafewmorethan younowthinkarenecessary.Forthemostpart,these recommendationswillnotbeinexpensive,andmanyof themwillbehardtofind;but beforeyoudecidethat you can't affordtodowhat isnecessarytoachieveaversa tile battery,let me urge you tosuspend your decision at least untilyouhaveexaminedmyreasonsfortheseseemingly extravagant suggestions. First,let us try todetermine what you may be up against if youchoose,orareforced,toliveself-sufficiently.Specifictacticalproblems posed by thelocation and designof each individual retreat can only bedealt with in consultation,ofcourse,but,inageneralway,Ithinkwecandevelopsomeguidelineswhichwillbeusefulforalmost anyonewhoisconsidering self-sufficientliving. Whetheryouanticipateacalamityofsomesortor whetheryoumerelywanttoenjoythesatisfactionsofa simple,rurallife,youwillalmostcertainlyhavetodeal withtherealitiesofseclusion.Tothoseofuswhohave spent most of our lives inthe hecticenvironment ofcities bravingrushhourtraffic,overcrowdedrestaurants,and frequentrudeencounterswithourfellowcitydwellers, thethought ofmoving toanisolated spot inthe countrysideseems anunmixed blessing.Butthereareproblems. Depending upon how isolated your retrea t is and whether mass socialdisorders becomeareality,tripstothesupermarketwillfallsomewherebetweeninconvenientand impossible.Youwillhavetoprovideat least asubstantial portionofyourownfood.Again,dependinguponyour location and theprevailingsocialconditions,youmaybe threatened by intruders and the nearest help may be miles away - ifitisthereat all. Thereareother considerations ofcourse,such ascom2 munications,energyandpsychologicalfactors,butthe primary concerns involved in living apart from population centers,assuming that you havemade advance provision forshelter,aresecuring foodand insuring yourpersonal safety.AndasIwritethesewords,mentallyIseetwo hands go up in the back of the room: one wanting to know why guns arenecessaryinproviding foodwhen youcan growcropsandraisedomesticanimals,andtheother, denyingthat personaldefenseisanecessaryfactorin retreatliving,andobjectingtomyimplicationthatdeadly forcemightberequiredifit were. It is true that one can grow a great variety ofplant food, andthewisewillalsostockpileasubstantialsupplyof storablefood,but there areproblemsinvolvedwith relyingentirelyoneitherorbothoftheseplansexclusively over a long period of time.In addition tothe factthat crop failuresarenot unknown,particularlyamongnovicetillers ofthesoil,aproper humandietisdifficulttoachieve withplant foodalone.Althoughnotimpossible,it isnot easy to obtain complete and sufficient protein from plants, nottomentionadequateB-12,themost commondietary deficiencyamong vegetarians.Proteins,in order tobe assimilableatallbythehumandigestivesystem,mustbe balanced.Read Diet fora SmallPlanet,and you vyillrealize just howcomplicatedyoureatingpattern wouldhaveto becomein order tosatisfyonlytheprotein requirement. Then there isthe matter of quantity.Animal protein not onlycontainscompleteprotein,itcontainsitinmuch more concentrated formthan any other food.Even if you could balance your vegetarian diet so tha t all of the necessary amino acids,in the proper proportions, were present inyourstomachatthesametime,thequantitiesoffood you would have to consume in order toget enoughprotein wouldbeenormous,evenassumingagreatlyincreased appetiteresulting fromavigorousoutdoor life. 3 " Essentialfatsareeven moreofaproblem becausethey cannot be stored successfully forany appreciable period of time.Regardless of the preservation technique employed, fatsbecomerancidinnomorethansixmonthstoone year,and since you will die without them,you must have a continuing fresh source of supply. In time,perhaps,you could devise methods forextracting proper oils fromvegetablesandgrains,but largeanimals(mostsmallgameis toolean)offeranimmediateand,formost,asatisfactory solutiontotheproblem. In addition to hunting large and small game forthe pot, there is another important use for firearms in food production:pest and predator control.Ifyouarecompletelydependentforyoursurvivaluponthefoodyouproduce yourself,a rabbit in the garden,a foxin the hen house or a hawk diving on your lambs isnot merely an annoyance, it is alifeor death matter. Discouragingpredatorsandpestsisnottheonlynonhuntinguseforaguninthecountry.Livestockoftenand forno apparent reason - turns mean and unpredictable.And I am not just talking about bulls; cows and even sheepfrequentlyturnferalandkillhumanbeings.Also, packs of starving, feral dogs are not an uncommon sight to farmersin most areas and their attacks can be particularly vicious.Snakescanbekilledwithsticksorrocks,of course, if such weapons happen to be handy; or, if you see the snake soon enough, you can avoid it,but if you spend muchtimeinsnakecountry,aguniscomforting.Few successful working farms are without guns. So farasraising domestic animals insteadof hunting is concerned,there are several factorsto be considered.The amount ofworknecessaryisprobably lesswith hunting, but thedegreeof certainty attendant toraisingyour own animals probably offsets that consideration.Youwill have toprovidefoodfordomestic animals,of course,and that 4 mightposeaproblemundersomeconditions.Mostimportant, however,regardless of the advisability of doing it now,keeping livestockcouldpose athreat to your securityintheeventofsocialdisorder.Farmanimalsmake noise, and a cock crowing may sound like the dinner gong tohungrylootersinthenextvalley.Raisingdomestic animals now,hunting during acrisis,and trapping to acquire breeding stocklater on isonepossiblesolution. Whether the reason that you are considering retreat livingisconcernaboutathermonuclearholocaust,aneconomic collapse,overpopulation andfamine,terrorismby radicalsor simplylivingamoresatisfyinglifeawayfrom the cities,you should givepriority to arranging your personal security.Even now,in both small towns and metropolitan areas,thepolicecannot protect you at the instant whenyouneedprotection.AsLosAngelesPoliceChief EdwardM.Davisputitinhisstrongspeechbeforethe NRAConventionearlierthisyear,"Icantellyouthat today'slawenforcementcannotprotectyou.Whenyou call,dothepoliceimmediatelyappear... ifthelaw enforcementagenciescan'tinsureyourprotectionandthe protection of your familyfromhoodlums, it becomes your responsibility."Obviously,ifyouarelivinginaremote area,andifsocialdisordersdooccur,thiselementassumesevenmoreimportance.Self-sufficientliving,regardless of its motivation,involves protecting oneself and one'sfamilyfromintrudersinsteadofrelyinguponthe state,or someone elsetodoit. Nowsomereaders,especiallysomeofthosewhoare leavingthecitiesonlytopursuesimpler,moreserene lives,mayfeelthattheportionsofthisbookwhichdeal withweaponsforpersonaldefenseareunnecessaryand even distasteful to them - and that iscertainly their prerogative.Idonotwishtosetmyselfagainstanyman's conscience.Iwouldpoint out,however,that nowherein 5 thiscountry isthere aplacesufficiently remoteforone to becertainthatamotorcyclegang,orasimilargroupof simiansportsmenmaynotintrudeandturnasylvan paradiseintohellonearth.Asmoreandmorepeople move to secluded areas, these places become less secluded andlesssecure.Noteveryonewholeavesthecityhasa peaceful intent,forthetroublemakerstendtofollowany significant flowof thepopulation.The dramatically rising violentcrimerateinruralareasandsmalltownsshould confirmthatfarmhousedefenseisafactorwhichanyrationalretreatdwellermust considerseriously. Monthsago,whenIfirstoutlinedthischapter,I plannedtosoftenmyremarksaboutpersonaldefensein ordernottooffendthemanyidealisticpeoplewhoso abhorviolencethattheywouldbeunwillingtoconsider defendingthemselves,eveniftheywereconvincedthat therisksofnotdoingsowereultimate;butsomething happened to change my plans.A gentle family,friendsof mine,whohad been livingfortwoyearson aseven acre homestead,were attacked by agang of motorcycleriders onapeacefulSundayafternooninthespring.The 23year old husband had just returned home from helping to raiseaneighbor's barn,and his 21year old wife - the mother of two year old twins - had just said goodbye to theparentsandchildrenfromnearbyfarmswhohad come to help celebrate the twins' birthday,when the gang appeared. Boththeyoungfatherandhiswifewereimmediately apprehensiveandtheytookshelter withthechildreninsidetheirhouse,barricadingthedoorswithfurniture. They did not own agun on moral grounds;they believed thattherewerebetterwaysofsolvinganyproblem than throughtheuseofforce.Wehaddiscussedthematter manytimesandalthough Iadmiredthemfortheirkindness and the fiercesincerity with which they held to their 6 principles,Idisagreedwiththeirpointofviewandtold themsoonmanyoccasions.It isnolongerpossibleto debatethematterwiththem,ortoanalyzehowtheir non-violentbeliefsmighthavebeenbetteremployedon this occasion.They are dead; and so are their twin daughters.Weonlyknowwhathappenedthatdayfromtwo hunterswhohappenedby,attractedbythescreamsof the victims and the insane merriment of their tormentors. Sincetheywerearmed,thehuntershadlittletrouble capturingtwoofthemurderersanddrivingtheothers away.Butseveral of them escapedandareat largenow. And who can say how many more like them will surface in thefaceof coming hard times? Whetheror not youbelievethatweareapproachinga catastrophic crisis, surely you can see the pervasive effects in our society of fragmentation - the inglorious tendency we have to enlarge our simple differences.As we become increasingly fragmented into special interest groups - racialminorities,women'srightsadvocates,organizedlabor,studentactivists,environmentalists,governmental apologistsandalltherest- thispassionatedevotionto partisancausesdiminishesour toleranceforother points of view;and friction,often leading to violence,increases. Even if no more specific disaster overtakes us first,civilizationis,forthisreason,onashortfuse.Asunresponsive governmentsandunrestrainedimpatienceforchangeon thepartoftheaggrievedminoritieskindlethehostility which is potential in allof us, it is daily less tenable to rely on someone elsetoprotect your lifeand property. Ihaveincludedtheprotectionofproperty,aswellas life, because in a survival situation the two are inextricably associated.Horsethieveswerehunginthedaysofthe Old West,not becausemen weremoreviciousthen than they are now, but because leaving a man without means of transportation on the prairie was tantamount to imposing 7 adeathsentence.Similarly,propertyloss- particularly thetheftofyourfoodandsupplies- undersurvival conditionsmayplaceyour lifeandthatof yourfamilyin jeopardy.If itmakesyousqueamishtothinkof shooting atabandoflooterswho arestealingyourseedcornand wheat,considerthatsomeonewhodeprivesyouofthe meansof existencebyforceiscondemning youtodeath. Canyouthinkofagoodreasonwhyyoushouldprefer your deathtohis? If we can agreethat defense isworth considering,both nowandinanuncertainfuture,letusexaminesomeof the specialproblems which retreat living involves,in contrast tourbanhomeprotection. Home Membersofthehousehold whomightneedtousea weaponmaynotbemotivated to become proficient in itsuse,ortopracticeoften enoughtoretaintheirskill; therefore,thesimplest,not necessarilythe most effective weaponisindicated. Usually,therearenomore than one,two or three intruderstodealwith.Sustained rapidfireisnot calledfor. Timeofattackisusually brief.Shotswouldattract neighborsor police. Retreat Allmembersofaretreat groupcouldreasonablybe expectedtospend thenecessary timeto learn how touse anumberofweaponswell, sothemostefficient,rather thanthesimplestshouldbe chosen. Youwillprobablyencounter bandsoflooters.Sustained rapidfirewillbeaprobable necessity. You may very well be "under siege"foranextendedperiodof time,and there willbe noonetohelpexceptyourselfandyourimmediate group. 8 Rangesareshort,since, normally,youmayonly shootafteranintruderhas entered your home. Aburglarinthehomemay notbearmedormaynotbe armed with afirearm. Anintruderinthehomeis not likelytobeskillfulinthe useoffirearms.Sociopaths donotusuallypossessthe self-disciplinetobecome marksmen,andunless crazedorinneedofadrug fix,theintrudermaynotbe sufficientlydeterminedto stayaftermeetingeventhe threatof resistance. Youshouldbeconcerned thatanyshotsyoufirenot leavethe room they arefired in,becauseofdangersto othersinyourhouseholdor neighbors,particularly ifyou livein an apartment house. Youmayencounterboth shortandlongrangesand youcanexpectyourassailantstomakeuseofbarriers and availablecover. Almostcertainly,yourattackerswillbe armed - perhaps very well armed, if they have robbed a military installation(agoodreasonfornot havingyourretreat nearone). Lootersatyourretreatare likelytobewellorganized andextremelydetermined; and,probably,atleastsome ofthemwillbeskillfulwith weapons- otherwisethey wouldnothavelastedlong enoughtoattackyou! Threatswillnotbeenough. Youmustbepreparedtorepel an attackforcefully. Inaproperlyplannedretreat,the range and penetrationabilityoftheshotsyou fire should only concern your attackers. From these comparisons,itshould be apparent even to anovicethatwhilechoosingagunforurbanhomedefenseisrelativelysimple,theretreatsituationrequires muchmoreextensiveplanninginordertoencompass bothagreatervarietyofsituationsandthelikelihoodof morefrequentattacksbygreaterforcesofattackers.In 9 essence,thehomedefensecriteriasuggesttheneedfor only a single weapon, the primary characteristics of which are,inadditiontoadequatepower,simplicity andsafety totheuser.It needhaveonlyshortrangecapabilityand should have limited penetration potential.Since very little actualshootingcan be expected,itdoesnot needalarge magazine capacity or the abilityto bequicklyreloaded.A short,double-barreledshotgunin12or20gaugewith outside,reboundinghammersshouldsatisfyallofthese requirements.Alittlemoreskillonthepartoftheuser wouldmake ahandier weapon feasible:something like a .44Specialdoubleactionrevolver. Neither of theseweapons,however,would be likelyto enhancethepossibilityof your attaininggracefulold age under crisis conditions at your retreat,ifyouhad nothing else in your battery. The circumstances outlined call for the capabilityofaccurate,rapidandsustainedfireatclose, moderateandlongrange,utterreliabilityunderheavy use,instantavailabilityandoneshotstoppingpower. That isalot to ask of any gun,and in fact,aswe begin to discuss the capabilities and limitations of various types of weapons,itwillbeapparentthatyouneedseveraltobe adequatelyprepared forthe eventualitieswhich might be anticipated. Now,althoughwewillexaminethesubjectatgreater lengthelsewhereinthisbook,itseemsappropriateto make some mention here of stopping power,since that is acentralissueinchoosingdefensiveweapons.Anygun willkillifthebulletisplacedproperly,butindefense shooting,wearenotnecessarilyconcernedwithkilling. Our purpose is to cause a dangerous opponent to cease his attack instantly,before he can do harm, and merely inflictingawoundwhichmayultimatelyprovefataldoesnot sufficeunlessitalsodisablesthe attackeratonce. If itweren'tforthisconsiderationofinstantstopping 10 power, the .22 long rifle hollow point would be the perfect defensecartridge.It ischeap,accurate,haslittlerecoilto disturb the aim and itiscapable of inflicting an extremely dangerouswound,producingconsiderablehemmorhage andahighprobabilityof infection.Infact,however,the .22is inadequate fordefense because it lacksthe ability to stopanopponentreliablywithasinglehitonthetorso. There is a documented case on record of a 50 year old man whoabsorbed18roundsof.22longriflehollowpoints, killedtheshooterandtwootherpeople,thenwalked more than three miles to :;eek m ~ d i c a laid.The factthat he diedseveraldayslaterwascold