Preppers

[ricoman]

Any preppers on the forum?

Share your motivation and a few tips.

[czuch]

Hit the woods.
They'll want you to hunker down and stay. Easier to control and gather up.
E.M.P? Financial melt down? General chaos? Red Dawn?

[Jess from VA]

I may not be able to out-eat most preppers, but I'm pretty certain I can out-shoot them (in quality and quantity).

6-8wks food, lots of water, generator, first aid, vest, mask, fields of fire built into the landscape.    

[Chattanooga Mark]

I admit I don't really get the prepper thing. I can't imagine having to shoot my neighbors to protect myself I guess. What do they do if they have to leave their house due to radioactive fallout or something. They have rooms and garages full of their supplies. Wouldn't most items that don't fit in a backpack be either left behind, given away or stolen anyway?

I guess some people are having underground bunkers built. I guess I don't get that either. If the 'bad guys' want in your bunker, they'll get in.

We typically have a couple weeks worth of food in the house anyway. I suppose most people do if they look around. It might not be exactly what you'd choose to eat but there's certainly enough food around between the fridge, freezer and the pantry.

Mark

[PAVALKER]

You can't prep for everything.....  As someone stated, some food, water, cash (or suitable alternatives) and fire, firearms and ammo....  I think ammo/guns will be the suitable alternative to cash, so stock up ...  


And if you can't negotiate a trade with spare ammo..... use the ammo to take what you need.

[Jess from VA]

I can't imagine having to shoot my neighbors to protect myself.

If masses of people do not have any food/water/X, for a week (or less) they will do anything they have to to get it.... some may be your neighbors.  Share what your conscience requires, but I'll not be invaded, assaulted, robbed or killed without a fight.   

In my urban environment, I would be more concerned about roaming mobs than my immediate neighbors.
You may not be able to defeat a dedicated mob, but you can make a sizable dent, and they would likely me moving along to an easier target of opportunity, like your neighbors. 

[registbass]

Because of the flood in 2008 in Indiana I realised the importance of having Extra Resources at my disposal . Any kind of disaster could happen at any time.Look at the people who were hit by tornadoes in southern In. My family was displaced for 12 days , by the flood, before I could get our house back in shape to bring the kids back home . Lots of people prep , I think everybody should plan . Ammo is only gonna go up in $ and some states are already planning to tax the crap out of it .Hungry people will do excessive things to get food, but that would be in  a long term scenario . I have to say that in the face of disaster most communities pull together and help each other out as I saw in "08" ! I personally keep a years worth of stock and rotate it throughout the year.food water and batteries. Each to their own !

[Chattanooga Mark]

I'll try to clarify my earlier post. We have and have always had an emergency supply of the basics like food, water, blankets, first aide, batteries etc. Bible, guns and ammo, oh yea, that's covered too. What I meant by preppers are the ones starting to show up on TV shows. They fill their garage and/or other rooms with months or years worth of some supplies. Similar to the coupon crazies that have a virtual grocery store in their house.

One point I failed to accurately express is that in many situations (earthquake, flood, tornado, fires, nuclear fallout, massive power grid outages etc), you'll likely have to leave you home thereby leaving most of that preparedness behind as well.

We've always tended to keep our emergency supplies fairly mobile. I certainly believe evryone should have a SHTF bag(s).

Mark

[macdoesit]

Would not the "# 1" rule of a prepper be (( Don't broadcast what you have))

[NCGhostrider]

I still want an old missile silo!!   

I remember Y2K, a lot of people I know stashed cash, gold, food, guns, you name it.  I remember calling some of them shortly after 12 midnight from the East coast, and having a good laugh at them.

Some of us in information tech made a lot of money upgrading outdated corporate software in the end of the ninetys.

As for 2012, I am not too excited.  If I had gobs of money to spend, I would like to have an underground shelter for storms etc.   As it is, if we have a major economic upset, I will be mobile in an unannounced location with wild game, shallow water in a well, and my loin cloth!  LOL

Watch for a fat man with white legs, and a bad attitude wandering thru the woods playing survivorman!   

Craig

NcGhostrider
99 I/S

[fudgie]

I been stocking up on ammo. Usually buy a box every week. As far as food we usually have enough for 2 weeks at a time anyway.

[The Anvil]

I admit I don't really get the prepper thing. I can't imagine having to shoot my neighbors to protect myself I guess.

Hell, I can imagine shooting some of mine for a lot less! 

Seriously though, I try to be prepared for a couple weeks of no service. I keep lots of water and canned goods on hand, got a genny (small one) and usually keep a couple thousand rounds of ammo on hand just because I like to buy in bulk (though I have a 420 round can of XM855 as my JIC ammo that I don't crack into) along with about 50 rounds of buck and slugs and a couple hundred rounds of .40 cal. But really, I'm not preparing for a long holdout or WWIII. If I ever feel the need to get THAT paranoid or if the world goes all "The Road" (Cormack McCarthy reference) then I'll probably just check out.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I been stocking up on ammo. Usually buy a box every week. As far as food we usually have enough for 2 weeks at a time anyway.

Same here.

[RP#62]

I lived in Miami in the 80's during the liberty city riots.  We were two blocks from the curfew zone.  This wasn't the apocalypse by any means, but it was wide spread mayhem.  The first thing that happened is that the police closed all gun shops, so what ever you had is all you were going to get.  A friend of mine who lived well inside the curfew zone called the police because there were roving bands of miscreants up and down the street in front of his house.  The police told him and I quote "We're at capacity, you're on your own".  They did tell him that if someone came in his yard and that he felt that his or his family's lives were threatened, to go ahead and shoot the intruders and they'd help with the paperwork later.  That's what happens when society starts to break down.  This was on a fairly limited basis, I couldn't imagine something like that statewide or countrywide.
-RP

[The Anvil]

I lived in Miami in the 80's during the liberty city riots.  We were two blocks from the curfew zone.  This wasn't the apocalypse by any means, but it was wide spread mayhem.  The first thing that happened is that the police closed all gun shops, so what ever you had is all you were going to get.  A friend of mine who lived well inside the curfew zone called the police because there were roving bands of miscreants up and down the street in front of his house.  The police told him and I quote "We're at capacity, you're on your own".  They did tell him that if someone came in his yard and that he felt that his or his family's lives were threatened, to go ahead and shoot the intruders and they'd help with the paperwork later.  That's what happens when society starts to break down.  This was on a fairly limited basis, I couldn't imagine something like that statewide or countrywide.
-RP

Katrina. Not country-wide but pretty close to state-wide.

[Chattanooga Mark]

I lived through the Los Angeles riots after the first Rodney King trial. It was pretty wild seeing people destroy their neighborhoods on the local news. I even had to call on a customer in Compton. I was stopped by the cops, yelled at for being a white guy in Compton and told DO NOT STOP FOR ANY REASON. If they shoot your tires off, drive on the rims to escape. I was fine though, no problems.

Mark

[Serk]

Katrina. Not country-wide but pretty close to state-wide.

In the run up to 12/31/1999 I had a ultra left wing liberal anti-gun co-worker who was terrified of Y2K and stockpiling foods/water/supplies in anticipation of things going bad. (I was in IT at the time too no less).

He asked me how my stockpiling was going. I told him I wasn't. First of all because I didn't think anything major would happen because of Y2K, but even if it did, I wasn't worried. Me and my family would eat. I had guns, I had plenty of ammo. We might be eating YOUR food, but we'd eat.

He seemed shocked... "People wouldn't shoot each other just for food!" (He was serious...)

I told him then my philosophy that every family should have at least one gun and ammo for it just in case...

.....years pass.....

Katrina happens. We had TVs showing all the major news channels in our work area (We supported client servers around the country, so we needed to stay current on any breaking news that might effect numerous client data centers.). We're watching mankind devolve to it's lowest form (And it's highest too, I might add!) in the aftermath of Katrina... We sheepishly turns to me and asks "So.... If I'm gonna get just one gun to protect my family in a case like that, what do you recommend?"

Was kinda funny, and sad, seeing the innocence leave him and the hard reality that in a bad situation, civilization is often the first casualty.

[hubcapsc]

Katrina happens. We had TVs showing all the major news channels in our work area (We supported client servers around the country, so we needed to stay current on any breaking news that might effect numerous client data centers.). We're watching mankind devolve to it's lowest form (And it's highest too, I might add!) in the aftermath of Katrina... We sheepishly turns to me and asks "So.... If I'm gonna get just one gun to protect my family in a case like that, what do you recommend?"

Even then... don't forget that the New Orleans Police Superintendent ordered all
civilian guns confiscated...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_government_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina#Confiscation_of_firearms

-Mike

[The Anvil]

Katrina happens. We had TVs showing all the major news channels in our work area (We supported client servers around the country, so we needed to stay current on any breaking news that might effect numerous client data centers.). We're watching mankind devolve to it's lowest form (And it's highest too, I might add!) in the aftermath of Katrina... We sheepishly turns to me and asks "So.... If I'm gonna get just one gun to protect my family in a case like that, what do you recommend?"

Even then... don't forget that the New Orleans Police Superintendent ordered all
civilian guns confiscated...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_government_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina#Confiscation_of_firearms

-Mike

That only worked because people gave them up. Do NOT give up your guns if you're in legal possession of them.

[fudgie]

Ind Gov signed into law a yr ago that we Hoosiers cannot give up our guns in the event of a disaster or martial law. 

[MP]

Katrina happens. We had TVs showing all the major news channels in our work area (We supported client servers around the country, so we needed to stay current on any breaking news that might effect numerous client data centers.). We're watching mankind devolve to it's lowest form (And it's highest too, I might add!) in the aftermath of Katrina... We sheepishly turns to me and asks "So.... If I'm gonna get just one gun to protect my family in a case like that, what do you recommend?"

Even then... don't forget that the New Orleans Police Superintendent ordered all
civilian guns confiscated...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_government_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina#Confiscation_of_firearms

-Mike

That only worked because people gave them up. Do NOT give up your guns if you're in legal possession of them.

Easy to say.  A little hard to do when either the Nat'l Guard, armed with auto rifles, or the cops, with pistols pointed at you, TELL you to give it up.  You are telling me you would refuse, with a gun stuck up your nose?

This is the MAIN reason so many are against gun or people registration for guns.  Real easy to print out the list of guns and people, and drive around, collecting them.

MP

[fudgie]

Thats why over half my guns are not registered. 

[PAVALKER]

Thats why over half my guns are not registered. 

And hopefully not co-located in the same safe/location as the registered ones.....     

[The Anvil]

Katrina happens. We had TVs showing all the major news channels in our work area (We supported client servers around the country, so we needed to stay current on any breaking news that might effect numerous client data centers.). We're watching mankind devolve to it's lowest form (And it's highest too, I might add!) in the aftermath of Katrina... We sheepishly turns to me and asks "So.... If I'm gonna get just one gun to protect my family in a case like that, what do you recommend?"

Even then... don't forget that the New Orleans Police Superintendent ordered all
civilian guns confiscated...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_government_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina#Confiscation_of_firearms

-Mike

That only worked because people gave them up. Do NOT give up your guns if you're in legal possession of them.

Easy to say.  A little hard to do when either the Nat'l Guard, armed with auto rifles, or the cops, with pistols pointed at you, TELL you to give it up.  You are telling me you would refuse, with a gun stuck up your nose?

Yes I would refuse. At that point you have little else to lose. I can tell you that you stand a better chance against a national guardsman than you do a looter. At least die with your dignity.

[fubar606]

think you need a food and water stash some where , and you need to be heavily armed and on the move able to get to our stash. history has proved anything fortified and stationary can be over run

[Jeff K]

Easy to say.  A little hard to do when either the Nat'l Guard, armed with auto rifles, or the cops, with pistols pointed at you, TELL you to give it up.  You are telling me you would refuse, with a gun stuck up your nose?

This is the MAIN reason so many are against gun or people registration for guns.  Real easy to print out the list of guns and people, and drive around, collecting them.

MP

Someone explain this to me. I have never lived any place that required me to register a gun. I have only bought 2 of my guns from gun shops that filled out any paperwork. I wouldn't be able to remember who I bought the rest of them from, they have know Idea who or where I am. So how is this "list" going to materialize?

[WamegoRob]

You pretty much answered your own question... you don't get on "the list" buying from a private party.

[Steven W.]

Dear Government,
           I do not have any guns.  I do not have any bullets.  All of those dead animal heads on my walls were purchased at flea markets.  I only have concealed weapons permits because some day I "might" decide to get a gun.  My neighbor has guns, go take his!

[Gangman036]

You can say that you should have, could have or would have..............
You'll never see it coming if it ever happens.

[MP]

Easy to say.  A little hard to do when either the Nat'l Guard, armed with auto rifles, or the cops, with pistols pointed at you, TELL you to give it up.  You are telling me you would refuse, with a gun stuck up your nose?

This is the MAIN reason so many are against gun or people registration for guns.  Real easy to print out the list of guns and people, and drive around, collecting them.

MP

Some states/local jurisdictions require gun registration.  See fudgies post.

There have been attempts in the past to pass federal laws that would require ALL guns to be registered.  The NRA has prevented that on a national level.  The above situation is why there should NEVER be such a list.

None of mine are registered here in ND.  No requirement to do so.   Nor would I need a license to have a gun, except I do for concealed carry.

MP


Someone explain this to me. I have never lived any place that required me to register a gun. I have only bought 2 of my guns from gun shops that filled out any paperwork. I wouldn't be able to remember who I bought the rest of them from, they have know Idea who or where I am. So how is this "list" going to materialize?

[Chattanooga Mark]

Just a note on buying or selling guns from a private party. I would NEVER sell a gun I originally purchased without going through an FFL holder. Why? Because if that weapon were ever to be used in a crime and recovered by the police, who do you think they'll track down? Yes, that's right, the last known owner on record. Everytime I purchased a weapon from a gun dealer, the weapon, serial nunber and my information went on a form controlled by that county, city or state. As far as I'm concerned, my information went into some database somewhere. To protect myself, when I sold a weapon 2 years ago, I went through an FFL holder. That way I have proof of NOT being the owner of that weapon from that time forward.

Folks, please, protect yourself if you ever sell a weapon. If you're buying and the seller doesn't want, request or demand a 'legal' transfer of that weapon, be VERY careful.

Obviously this can't and doesn't apply to weapons handed down from family members if they were never involved in a 'database' in the first place. I doubt my grandfather, who passed away over 40 years ago, ever had his shotgun registered anywhere.

My brother had his house broken into. All his guns were stolen except the one he had with him. Fortunately for him he had a list of them and gave that information to the police. Now when the cops recover those weapons from the burgler who stole them, my brother is no longer responsible or associated with those weapon. Some were haded down from my dad and were likely never registered anywhere in the first place.

All the best,

Mark

[texaninsouthfl]

Dear Government,
           I do not have any guns.  I do not have any bullets.  All of those dead animal heads on my walls were purchased at flea markets.  I only have concealed weapons permits because some day I "might" decide to get a gun.  My neighbor has guns, go take his!

... Yes ... "I have NO extra food or supplies of any sort... in fact my kids and I are pretty hungry and scared...  but I am pretty sure the guy across the street has not only weapons but lots of extra food and other supplies, you should go talk to him." 

[texaninsouthfl]

I lived in Miami in the 80's during the liberty city riots.  We were two blocks from the curfew zone.  This wasn't the apocalypse by any means, but it was wide spread mayhem.  The first thing that happened is that the police closed all gun shops, so what ever you had is all you were going to get.  A friend of mine who lived well inside the curfew zone called the police because there were roving bands of miscreants up and down the street in front of his house.  The police told him and I quote "We're at capacity, you're on your own".  They did tell him that if someone came in his yard and that he felt that his or his family's lives were threatened, to go ahead and shoot the intruders and they'd help with the paperwork later.  That's what happens when society starts to break down.  This was on a fairly limited basis, I couldn't imagine something like that statewide or countrywide.
-RP

Hell, if that had been in New Orleans, the cops would have said, "Oh, you have weapons to defend yourself and family? Hold on, we'll be right there... to confiscate your weapons!"

[sugarbee]

Anvil-were you living down here when Katrina hit?  It was NOT a state-wide event.  We live just about 30-40 miles north of New Orleans, and we did lose power, but we did not experience a state wide problem, like you seem to think.  I can imagine that places further up north, like Monroe, and Shreveport, were barely affected at all, except for people temporarily relocating to those areas.  We did not have any roaming bandits threatening our property or lives, etc.  

Not trying to start a war, but I want the facts to be clear.

I lived in Miami in the 80's during the liberty city riots.  We were two blocks from the curfew zone.  This wasn't the apocalypse by any means, but it was wide spread mayhem.  The first thing that happened is that the police closed all gun shops, so what ever you had is all you were going to get.  A friend of mine who lived well inside the curfew zone called the police because there were roving bands of miscreants up and down the street in front of his house.  The police told him and I quote "We're at capacity, you're on your own".  They did tell him that if someone came in his yard and that he felt that his or his family's lives were threatened, to go ahead and shoot the intruders and they'd help with the paperwork later.  That's what happens when society starts to break down.  This was on a fairly limited basis, I couldn't imagine something like that statewide or countrywide.
-RP

Katrina. Not country-wide but pretty close to state-wide.

[Jeff K]

You pretty much answered your own question... you don't get on "the list" buying from a private party.

That was my point.

It amazes me how many people think that you HAVE to register all guns.

Not anyplace I've ever lived.

[fudgie]

Just a note on buying or selling guns from a private party. I would NEVER sell a gun I originally purchased without going through an FFL holder. Why? Because if that weapon were ever to be used in a crime and recovered by the police, who do you think they'll track down? Yes, that's right, the last known owner on record. Everytime I purchased a weapon from a gun dealer, the weapon, serial nunber and my information went on a form controlled by that county, city or state. As far as I'm concerned, my information went into some database somewhere. To protect myself, when I sold a weapon 2 years ago, I went through an FFL holder. That way I have proof of NOT being the owner of that weapon from that time forward.

Folks, please, protect yourself if you ever sell a weapon. If you're buying and the seller doesn't want, request or demand a 'legal' transfer of that weapon, be VERY careful.

Obviously this can't and doesn't apply to weapons handed down from family members if they were never involved in a 'database' in the first place. I doubt my grandfather, who passed away over 40 years ago, ever had his shotgun registered anywhere.

My brother had his house broken into. All his guns were stolen except the one he had with him. Fortunately for him he had a list of them and gave that information to the police. Now when the cops recover those weapons from the burgler who stole them, my brother is no longer responsible or associated with those weapon. Some were haded down from my dad and were likely never registered anywhere in the first place.

All the best,

Mark

Local FFL dealer told me that if you have a bill of sale your in the clear.

[fudgie]

Thats why over half my guns are not registered. 

And hopefully not co-located in the same safe/location as the registered ones.....     

Eh, they are. At least my long guns are. But if they are coming for my guns, they will have a hard time getting them. 

[The Anvil]

Anvil-were you living down here when Katrina hit?  It was NOT a state-wide event.  We live just about 30-40 miles north of New Orleans, and we did lose power, but we did not experience a state wide problem, like you seem to think.  I can imagine that places further up north, like Monroe, and Shreveport, were barely affected at all, except for people temporarily relocating to those areas.  We did not have any roaming bandits threatening our property or lives, etc.  

Not trying to start a war, but I want the facts to be clear.

I lived in Miami in the 80's during the liberty city riots.  We were two blocks from the curfew zone.  This wasn't the apocalypse by any means, but it was wide spread mayhem.  The first thing that happened is that the police closed all gun shops, so what ever you had is all you were going to get.  A friend of mine who lived well inside the curfew zone called the police because there were roving bands of miscreants up and down the street in front of his house.  The police told him and I quote "We're at capacity, you're on your own".  They did tell him that if someone came in his yard and that he felt that his or his family's lives were threatened, to go ahead and shoot the intruders and they'd help with the paperwork later.  That's what happens when society starts to break down.  This was on a fairly limited basis, I couldn't imagine something like that statewide or countrywide.
-RP

Katrina. Not country-wide but pretty close to state-wide.

I guess it depends on how you define "state wide". I don't mean to suggest that the entire state was a free-for-all, but all types of services were disrupted across a large swath of the state as well as in neighboring states.