Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
have prevented robberies, rapes, and murders from assailants. People argue both sides of the
story, and there is some truth to both sides. Of course, thwarted tragedies do not normally be-
come a statistic, whereas tragic incidents do. You must exercise wisdom and caution in this re-
gard, since there is no “taking back” a bullet once it is fired. Many a child has innocently killed
himself, or a friend, while playing with a real gun, and readily available weapons have been the
single most common element in domestic arguments that turned lethal. Safety is critical, so I
have devoted a section to safety later in this chapter.
If you can't see yourself ever using a weapon, even in a self-defense situation, but you have
the financial reserves to invest in some of the resources recommended in this chapter, then per-
haps someone you know will be able to put them to good use in times of crisis, providing much
needed protection for yourself, your loved ones, and any others you have taken under your
wing who may not be so fortunate as to have planned ahead for troubled times.
Firearm Selection
When considering which model(s) and type(s) of guns to purchase there are several basic
things to consider:
1. Is the firearm primarily a “working” gun, such as for ranch use, hunting game, and/or outdoor sur-
vival? Or is it primarily for use as a “defensive” weapon for personal protection? Though many
weapons may work adequately in both of these categories, most weapons are optimized more for
one category than the other.
2. Almost any gun in the hands of a trained and practiced expert will be more useful/lethal than the
most sophisticated gun in the hands of an “armchair warrior.”
3. Guns and their ammunition are sized and optimized for a wide variety of tasks and targets. The
samegunthatwillstopagrizzlybearinitstrackswouldblowarabbittosmithereens,maycoston
the order of $1 to $5 a shot, packs quite a wallop (“kick”) against your shoulder, is quite expens-
ive, and the gun will weigh a lot, but it does the job when smaller-gauge weapons simply won't
do. However, a simple .22 caliber rimfire with .22 long-rifle (LR) cartridges and a scope will do a
terrific job of taking down small game, deterring marauders, and can take down a deer with well-
aimed “head shots.” Since you can buy .22 caliber rounds for roughly $.04 each in quantities of
1,000, you could shoot hundreds of rounds during target practice at a cost that won't break the
bank.
4. Whenever possible, especially if you may not use your gun for significant periods of time, spend a
little extra money for a stainless steel barrel and slide versus traditional carbon steels, which will
rust if not properly cared for.
5. Each of my expert shooter friends has a different opinion, and a different set of favorite guns, but
the very first “top-of-the-list” gun on more than one of these lists is a 10/22 Ruger rifle with a
scope (
fig. 10-1
)
. With a 10-round capacity .22 caliber magazine, it offers highly accurate semi-
automatic rapid-fireaction.Excellent fortargetpracticeandsmallgame,itcanbeeffectivelyused
for self-defense when a larger-caliber weapon is not available. They say that at a distance of 50
