Affordable Survival Gun Arsenal

It's the worst case scenario and all hell has broken loose. Whether it is due to civil unrest or natural disasters, people are becoming violent and looting everywhere you look. Law and order has failed and it is up to you to protect and provide for yourself and loved ones. In this type of situation, guns will be your best bet to keep yourself from harm, but which ones should you get?

If you are like me, you do not want to break the bank in order to prepare for a situation that may never occur in your lifetime. Still, you would like to be ready in case such an event were to occur. In a catastrophic event, guns will serve two main purposes; hunting and protection. Guns for each of these purposes will be essential as well as those guns that can serve both purposes. The type of ammunition will also be very important and you should choose types that are widely available and will be affordable to practice with. Here is a list of  invaluable guns for the survivalist.

12 Gauge Shotgun - I could go on an on about the reasons why this gun is so important for any survivalist's arsenal. It meets all the criteria that one should look for when purchasing a survival gun. 12 gauge is a very common type of ammunition and will be easy to stock up on as well as easier to find compared to other types of ammo. It is also very affordable and will not cost an obscene amount of money in order to have a formidable stockpile. There are so many types of this ammo available, from bird and buckshot to slugs, that you can pick and choose different types to meet different needs.  A 12 gauge shotgun can serve a dual purpose as a defense as well as a hunting gun. Both slugs and buckshot have tremendous stopping power for both two and four legged predators, while smaller shot varieties will be great for hunting small game. I personally prefer the shorter barrel varieties with extended magazine tubes to make the guns more tactically sound. You would not need to worry about the legality of hunting with this type of gun if law and order had disappeared and therefore the more shots the better when hunting.

9mm Semi Auto Handgun - This made the list over all of the other semi auto pistols mostly due to the commonness as well as the affordability of ammunition. 9mm ammuntion is cheap and easy to come by, making it great for stockpiling and practicing with. Many of these guns come with 15-17 round magazine capacities giving you plenty of shots should you need them. Their frames are also not very bulky, which makes them a great choice for a carry gun. The power of this round should be enough to stop just about every danger you could encounter during harsh times with only a few exceptions such as bears. Not that it couldn't kill one with a perfectly placed shot, I just wouldn't want to trust it with my life on the line. Still, the 9mm would make a great addition to any survivalists arsenal.

.22 Semi Auto Rifle - These are great, very affordable guns that would serve you well during times of unrest. When scoped, they can also offer more range than the other guns mentioned on this list. This will allow you to hunt small game from a greater distance. There are also 20 plus round magazines available for these guns which can make them great backup to larger caliber defense guns in your arsenal. .22 ammunition is also extremely abundant and can be bought in large quantities for a cheap price. This is a must have for any survivalist.

.44 DA Revolver - This is the only gun on this list that is usually expensive, although I feel that the investment would be worth it. These guns are great for when you need a ton of stopping power in the palm of your hand. They offer that knock down power that can mean life or death in a hostile situation and are much less cumbersome than a shotgun. The reason I chose .44, is that it is more common of a caliber than others when it comes to double action revolvers. Reliability is also a huge factor during bad times and a revolver is just about as reliable as you can get. If a new one seems too expensive for your budget, then make sure to check out local gun stores as well as online to find a deal on a used one.

These four guns would be a great way to start your survival gun arsenal. They make a great base in which you can build off of. Down the road, purchasing a large caliber, scoped hunting rifle and an AK-47 or AR-15 would be beneficial, but I would not invest money in those until I had the guns that are the most practical for day to day use. Remember, no matter how many guns you own, they will not save you unless you practice with them and become comfortable with using them.