In any disaster scenario, safety must be a top priority. Criminals will take advantage of the lack of enforcement, which means looters will ransack shops and neighborhoods. Not to mention the unprepared ordinary people who might want to grab your supplies. So whether you like weapons or not, they will be an absolute necessity .
In addition to self-defense, weapons can be used for hunting , which could be crucial in some cases. In fact, if you don't have weapons as part of your preparation (or aren't trained in the use of your weapons), your chances of dying in a serious disaster will be higher.
This article will serve as a definitive list of survival weapons you should consider getting for your arsenal, including both firearms and non-projectile weapons . Without further ado, let's dive into the heart of the matter.
Here is a list of the main firearms you should consider having in your survival arsenal:
There's an old saying that no gun collection is truly complete without a .22 rifle, and it's absolutely true. Of all the firearms on this list, the .22 is the most often underrated.
The 22 long rifle is a popular weapon for hunting and sport shooting due to its accuracy, low recoil, and affordable ammunition availability. It's a light gun, easy to handle and suitable for both beginners and experienced shooters.
The 22 caliber long rifle is often used for target practice due to its range and accuracy, but it can also be used for hunting small animals such as squirrels and rabbits.
There are many different models of 22 long rifles available on the market today. Whether you're an avid hunter or sport shooter, there's a model to suit your needs.
If you are looking to buy a 22 long rifle, you can find more models here on this website. We carry a large selection of 22 long rifle shotguns from reputable manufacturers such as Ruger, Savage, and Marlin.
Ultimately, deciding which 22 long rifle is best for you comes down to personal preference and how you intend to use it. With so many models available, it's important to do thorough research before making a purchase to ensure you choose the gun that best suits your needs and budget.
A 12 or 20 gauge shotgun will undoubtedly be one of the most effective self-defense weapons you can own.
Another valid reason to own a shotgun is the versatility of ammunition. While buckshot can be used effectively for defense at relatively close range, buckshot is effective for hunting birds and small game, while bullets can be used for hunting large game at reasonable ranges.
Shotguns in this category are for example the Mossberg 500, the Remington 870 and the Winchester SXP.
While a handgun should never be considered a primary weapon (use a rifle or shotgun for that), it is definitely a very valuable backup weapon and something you can have on you at all times. (and having concealed).
The best type of handgun to use will be a mid-sized 9mm pistol that has a large magazine capacity while being fairly easy to conceal. Pistols in this category include the CZ P10C, Glock 19, Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 Compact, and Walther PPQ.
If you go for a simpler operating revolver, be sure to get a model chambered for the .357 Magnum, as you can also shoot the .38 Specials to increase its versatility. Examples of full-size .357 revolvers that would be good options include the Ruger GP100, Smith & Wesson 686, and Taurus Model 66.
A semi-automatic defensive shotgun chambered in an intermediate caliber such as 5.56 will be a great option for defending yourself and your home against multiple attackers. It can also be used for hunting medium-sized game, such as deer or wild hog.
Examples of rifles in this category include the AR-15, AK-47 and Ruger Mini-14.
Last but not least, a long range rifle chambered in a larger caliber like the .308 or .30-06 or something similar will be an effective firearm for big game hunting and long range anti-personnel use. .
You can choose semi-automatic rifles like the AR-10 or Springfield M1A, or bolt-action rifles like the Mossberg Patriot, Remington Model 700, Ruger American, Ruger Model 77 Hawkeye, and Winchester Model 70.
Here are the main edged weapons you will need in a survival situation:
You should have an ax so you can chop firewood in the winter.
It is also useful for breaking ice, clothing field animals, and cutting branches and foliage so that shelter can be built.
Even as a combat weapon, the ax is a particularly lethal tool.
This is perhaps the most basic and important (although also obvious) survival weapon to have.
But rather than just having a flimsy Swiss army knife, you need to have a folding tactical knife that you can keep clipped inside your pocket, as well as a larger fixed blade tactical knife like the KA-BAR.
A knife can be a more effective defensive weapon than a very close range firearm, and it fulfills a litany of other uses as well.
The Kubotan is a self-defense keychain that has been around since the 1960s. It is usually about 12cm long, making it about the size of a pen.
Kubotans can either have a sharp edge for punching holes, much like a tactical pen, or be used as blunt weapons.
The best part about Kubotans is that they can be easily concealed on you.
The machete is considered more of a functional tool than a weapon, but the truth is that it fulfills both roles very well.
In fact, the machete can be even more effective than a knife for defense because it can help keep an opponent at bay (not to mention it can do a lot more damage).
Another weapon that can be very effective in keeping an opponent at bay is the spear.
Just attach a knife to the end of a pole with para-rope or vine to make a good defensive spear, but there are other spears you can craft, including a pointed spear (simply by sharpening the end of a pole and hardening it with a fire).
The spiked spear, in addition to being an effective defense weapon, can also be used for effective fishing.
The tactical pen is arguably one of the most overlooked defensive tools these days. A tactical pen is simply an ordinary pen encased in a tough metal casing and the pointed end of which will allow you to punch holes in an opponent.
One of the best things about a tactical pen is its innocent look and the fact that it doesn't draw attention to itself as a weapon (unlike a knife).
And while you can technically use any pen as a weapon if you wish, there's no doubt that a true tactical pen is far better suited to the task.
The tomahawk is simply a hatchet-shaped ax designed primarily for combat.
Today's tomahawks are very sharp and well constructed, and often have a sharp, knife-like end on the opposite side, essentially giving you two weapons in one.
A tomahawk, like a normal hatchet, will also serve you for a number of important utilitarian purposes, like the ability to chop wood or ice.
Here are the main blunt weapons you should consider having in your arsenal:
The baseball bat can deliver a killing blow if you hit the attacker hard enough in the head, and driving a nail into its end would also double its effectiveness (as cliche as that sounds).
A metal bat would be a better choice than a wooden bat.
The belt is an example of an everyday item that can be used as a very effective defensive weapon that also gives you great range.
If you sharpen the loop, it will become even more effective and possibly even deadly as a defensive tool.
You can also use the belt to tie up an attacker after successfully subduing him, giving him more utility than just one.
You can also get a knife belt (a belt with a built-in knife).
Brass brass knuckles are designed to simply increase your efficiency significantly in a fist.
It goes without saying that being hit with brass knuckles is going to hurt a lot more than being hit with bare fists, not to mention that (with a strong enough blow) it can even break or severely damage the jawbone.
Another advantage of brass knuckles is their light and compact size, and you can easily carry them in your pocket.
Like the belt, the cane is another everyday item that can be used defensively, although getting away with it stealthily would probably require pretending to limp (assuming you're not actually limping yourself). ) or to be of an older age.
But even if you don't need to use (or pretend to use) a cane in your daily life, having one nearby wouldn't be a bad idea. Just make sure the cane is a more durable model that can take a lot of abuse.
The club is perhaps the most primitive of all weapons ever devised by man, and if you think about it, you can use almost any hard object as a club-type weapon if need be.
But whether you want to use a primitive mace (like a rock tied tightly to a staff) or more modern options like truncheons, there's no denying that a mace can inflict a lot of physical damage.
The flail is perhaps the most medieval of all the weapons on this list: it's basically a two-handed hilt attached to a chain that's attached to a spiked ball, at least traditionally speaking.
Today, one could build a flail from everyday objects: the simple fact of taking several bags of groceries and placing stones in them before closing them would, for example, count as a flail of fortune.
The Classic Hammer can be a very effective defense weapon and can incapacitate or even kill an attacker with a single hard blow to the head. What else needs to be said?
I'm not talking about Mace brand pepper spray, but real mace. Basically, it's a heavy club that has a metal head with spikes on one end.
You see pimps in movies set in medieval times, but you can still buy them today. They do as much damage as a flail, but are easier to use.
The Monkey's Fist Knot, also known as the Sailor's Fist Knot, was originally devised by sailors as a way to strike an opponent without getting very close.
Basically, the monkey fist knot is a rope or string with the end curled into a ball. The idea is that you can swing the ball in the air before you kick your attacker. Here is a more detailed explanation.
The terms "stun gun" and "taser" are often used interchangeably, when in reality they are two completely different weapons. A stun gun requires direct contact with your attacker to work, whereas a taser works from a distance.
Typically, a stun gun has at least two prongs that can deliver an electric shock to an assailant. The two branches must be connected by an electric current which must not be visible.
A good alternative to a cane is an umbrella. In fact, some umbrellas are designed specifically for self-defense and not to break upon impact with an attacker, while maintaining the look and weight of a normal umbrella (defensive umbrellas are usually made of fiber of glass).
Although not the best offensive weapon, an umbrella can still be an excellent choice for protection from an attacker.
Here are some ranged weapons you should consider putting in your survival arsenal:
Many people often confuse bear spray and pepper spray as the same thing, but they are a little different. Bear spray and pepper spray both contain oleoresin capsaicin as the main ingredient, but bear spray has a much lower concentration (about 10-15% less).
This lower concentration is because it is designed to irritate bears and cause them to stop attacking you rather than harming them.
Bear spray should be used primarily for bears and not for humans because it is not as effective as pepper spray. That being said, it can definitely be used for self-defense against humans if needed.
The bola is a throwing weapon composed of two weights at the ends of a rope.
You then spin the weights overhead before throwing them to stumble and possibly even injure an attacker.
(although it should be noted that bolas were originally used for hunting or catching wild game).
The recurve bow is a long-range weapon that can be used both for self-defense and for hunting. You have the choice between the compound bow and the recurve bow.
Just note that becoming proficient with a bow and arrow will take a lot of practice (probably even more than with a firearm), so be prepared to invest a lot of time into learning and mastering this weapon. . Here's our guide to survival arcs.
An alternative to the bow and arrows is the crossbow. Like the bow and arrows, the crossbow can be used for both hunting and self-defense. A big advantage of the crossbow is that it can be easier to learn and use than the more traditional bow and arrow.
If pepper spray is strong enough to keep bears away from you, it can certainly do the same thing against people. Pepper spray is designed to cause the attacker's eyes to swell and then close.
As well as blinding and temporarily disorienting them, it also causes great pain which they will almost certainly react to, hoping to give you enough time to get away.
Not to mention that pepper spray is very cost effective and usually costs less than twenty dollars a can.
Just be careful not to be downwind when you spray it, or you risk getting some in your own face rather than your attacker's.
The slingshot is hands down one of the most underrated and overlooked weapons on the planet, both for hunting and defense.
You don't have to be a ninja to learn how to use shooting stars.
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