Amen and amen.

Here at the Grassy Knoll Shooting Institute, "bugging out" involves opening a vault or two.

Of course, there's the tactical idea that says that when you dig in you sacrifice initiative. Maybe so, but I'm too old, fat and tired to run these days. This place will get overrun but, by thunder, it'll cost 'em.

I suspect this mirrors the thinking of most of us who don't live in cities.

"They" better come being able to shoot small and shoot far. Because I can.

Long guns would be my Ruger 10-22 Takedown (with it's suppressor of course) and my Savage .308. Pistols would be my Glock 19 and my 10.5" AR15.

I'm taking all the .22LR, 9mm, 5.56 and .308 ammo too, as long as I can drive my truck. I'm too old and fat to carry that much.

According to the parts diagrams I can find. A Smith and Wesson Revolver has 59 parts, a Glock has 33 parts. That's much fewer parts to cause problems.

Revolvers still need maintenance and cleaning. While they are very reliable, when a revolver does jam there is no way to get it back in a fight quickly. Dirt and mud will jam up a revolver fast. And not to mention slow reloads.

Stories from the 60's about M16's,, Come on, our fighting forces have been using the M16 for over 60 years now, the modern M4 is still an M16 at heart, I can take a brand new M4 upper and drop it on a 1965 M16 lower and it will run just fine. The US military has tested many other rifles and hasn't found a more reliable replacement.

I would take the AR .300 BO pistol, my RPP Model 94 30-30, Ruger 22/45 Lite and the Tanfoglio TZ-75. Hard choices against the others in the safe but that's why I live out in the country. Likely going to be bugging in if anything. However, the BO pistol because it's the easiest to manuever around obstacles and the ammo is small and light. The Ranger Point 30-30 because it is a deadly accurate rifle that has been gone through extensively and is as smooth as they get. The 22/45 lite for small game and the TZ-75 9mm for it's capacity at 17-19 rounds per mag and it, too is deadly accurate.

Long Guns:

Marlin .357 lever
AR 15 .223

Handguns:
Ruger 22/45
Glock 9mm

Owner of land where people would “big out”. I wouldn’t mind a good 1911, pre-war shotguns and rifles of any manufacturer are also a fave of mine. The backhoe will manage everything else.

Largely depends on what your bug out scenario could be. If you can not drive, or walking will be a potential issue, consolidation and weight has to be a consideration. Last thing you want to do is tote around 4 rifles/pistols with enough ammo for each. I'd probably go with a .22 rifle and a .22 pistol with 500 rds. You're better off carrying a book on edible plants and a calorie dense food (think peanut butter), as well as a couple water filters, good knife, fire starter, paracord and small med kit. Carrying 30 lbs of weight just in guns and ammo isnt going to be feasible for most people if you have to walk long distances. The biggest things to consider would be avoiding injury and the ability to evade. If you cant evade, talking your way out of a situation would be a lot better than shooting your way out of a situation. In a bug out scenario, even a small cut that gets infected or sprained ankle could be a difference maker.

If you're staying put, different story. Have all your mags loaded, every member of your family ready to defend the fort and pray for peace.

I would think the winner (if you can call it that) of this scenario would be the guy that can remain low key and hide well without ever having to fire a shot, if at all possible.

I'm with you 68A, make sure to pack a Cajun recipe book too. I don't think we'll be eating mule deer and elk much, more likely raccoons, possum, water snakes, grackles, turtles, etc. Snare wire would be a key item. A good fishing pole would be hard to beat too, and a net. I guess it all depends on where you are though and what the specific scenario is. Short term but violent scenario vs EOTWAWKI etc.

Shocked at the underrepresentation of the 5.56 AR15. Mags, ammo, parts everywhere.

Spot on


Stay light, stay mobile, stay alive.


Your not trying to engage an enemy. You're trying to evade detection and, failing that, defend yourself and keep moving.

Really, a gun and ammo are important but other items in the bag are equally important. I envision half of these folks carrying around two pistols, an AR and a shotgun and nothing else save for a knife and a couple extra mags. Can't live on bullets or drink gunpowder.

.22’s and a 12 gauge. ALL of my .22 LR, and there is a lot. At least 10k rounds of just cci quiet. Maybe a couple hundred rounds of 12 gauge, all my 209 primers and all the powder i can carry.

You can reload a 12 gauge with a wooden dowel, something to punch out the primer, and almost any kind of projectile if you have to.

If I have to go on foot we are only taking .22’s. Realistically I am gonna be carrying most of our stuff, all that .22 lr is gonna be heavy by itself. But my family could survive for generation on all that ammo.

Better yet I will probably just stay home, because I forgot we just closed on our first home on some land today! And kill anybody that tries to take what we have.

Build pipe bombs, whatever it takes. Nobody is taking our home without a fight.

I’m too fat to run anyway.

stay home....stay quiet....lock down and protect....not sure spouse could handle a true bugout survival and on constant evading manuvers. well fortified with 'prepping' and night hunting/fishing/trapping

Hm. In a "must bug out" scenario, weight becomes important, so:

Rifles: M4 in 5.56mm & Ruger 10/22

Pistols: Sig P227 45acp & Ruger 22/45

For the sake of the OP's question, I'm assuming that fire, flood, etc is making it physically impossible to stay home and defend the castle.

Stay where I am at and fight till I caint. Don't care to live in a world like that anyways.

Interesting. I also love my .45's but just picked up a 9mm after my wife got same one and incredibly lighter. Sent buddy that was Delta Operator and asked him on the calibers and he told me he runs both which didn't help me out much.......figure .45 for home and 9mm for away for me....

AR and 9mm pistol. Take 2 guns and use the saved weight for more 5.56/9mm ammo

We keep a well supplied bug out bag in vehicle all the time and only weapon is a 9mm and that is for defense to get us back home the rest is survival equipment. Son is at Univ of Arkansas and he has a bug out back pack with survival gear and maps to attempt to get back here, north of DFW, to our place. He knows to avoid people, get hoofing immediately and nobody is his friend. He has 9mm and can use it. If from what you read and hear, and been said on here, most people will be in shock for a few days and of course expecting the government agencies to swoop in and make it all good.....then the fear and panic start setting in as their small food supply dwindles and still no help in sight and likely no water.....then after a week or so the situation starts to really sink in and chaos begins.....we are rural and have food and water purification abilities and protein is abundant. One years supply of medications and stash of medical supplies, bandages, sutures, quick clot, antibiotics of various nature and wife knows all of them from dealing with animals. We also keep good hiking boots with us at all times. If away know the railroad networks, straighter lines and less people than roads if the roads become too dangerous to travel. Everything we have runs on AA or AAA and LED and headlamps chargeable by USB and have solar and hand cranked radio/generator that is also solar.

Was listening to a small piece of Joe Rogan going over EMP scenario and it was obvious how clueless many people are. Some said well I'll just go to the country not understanding their vehicle may not run and can only get as far as the gasoline and couple that with the rural people will not be welcoming. Our sole object is to get home and from here we live and defend. We have horse and bicycle transportation if needed. I fear for my daughter in Austin and know that there is nothing I can do to help her but daughter in Denton, marrying SWAT cop, will know to try and get here and thank god has a guy that can defend her.

We've prepared as good as we can at the moment, there are some items we would like to add but not unlimited supply of money. Wife has become very adept at sourdough starter and baking in dutch oven which is very important.

I hope I'm prepared for no reason but I would rather be prepared and not need it than vice versa.

As far as home guns, we streamline to 9mm 45 308 223 22lr and mag and 12 gauge. It's a very dangerous world when peoples families are starving and will do things they would never do otherwise....we don't advertise our preparedness and neither does son at U of A.....interestingly some of his buddies there have talked about EMP's and he was surprised by them being aware, not prepared but aware, and one said I'll go with you and son laughed it off but told his mom he knows he's on his own and his supplies are his....

I have been told over the years that I'm a bit nuts for thinking and preparing for bug out scenarios. Reading all these makes me feel better. If I am crazy, then I aint alone nor the craziest.
hahaaha.

funny you say this...I met USMC buddy in Uvalde for a hunt with guys from Delta.....I racked upstairs room with a guy, real quiet and didn't drink, and told him one morning when getting up "you know, I'm glad I met Moe (Delta guy) because I just thought I was messed up", didn't use word messed, "but now I feel a lot better about myself"....boy he laughed and couldn't wait to tell everybody.....this guy was a nut, funny as hell but boy he is a handful.......no telling how many times he repeated me to everybody there and they all knew it which made it even better......

Wife just got in car headed to North Dallas suburbs for Dr. and has bag, waterproof hiking boots with wool socks and 9mm all packed and ready.........it's tough but I know if something happens it's on her to get here but probably very good chance early and not that far......

We live in a rural area in the Coastal Bend, so "bugging out" is just having to reason with hurricane season. As much as I love my 10/22, if only two long guns then it's a 12ga and a .308. 9mm and 22 for hand guns. What we are really grabbing is our food/Berkey pack, power station/panels, 12v fridge, files, cash, silver and gold.

It used to be a normal thing. Think back to the 80’s, everybody tried to keep the minimum to at least get through a natural disaster. It might be 2024 but a big tornado comes through doesn’t care how technologically advanced we are, you’re still screwed. Hurricanes, even worse. Earthquake, etc. You should have the minimum to stay fed and hydrated for a couple of weeks, and fight off looters and other desperate people.