Another SHTF thread

[rem2429]

a 10/22, cut back barrel to about 10 in to make it handier, or with carbon fiber aftermarket barrel.
A TC contender with a couple of barrels might be interesting also.

 

[GunTech]

Thanks for all the comments. As noted, it was mostly curiosity since I have already armed my protagonist. This work will probably disappoint gun-bunnies as the coverage of weapons is rather cursory. Most readers don't care about make and model.

The person in question has been holed up in a relatively well supplied cabin all winter, and has finally emerged with the hope of getting some fresh meat. The character is not a survivalist, weapons expert, combat vet or other type often found in post-collapse scenarios.

Unfortunately, upon returning to his supposedly hidden cabin, he finds it occupied with a number of heavily armed biker types, and in no position to contest the occupation, has to move on, leaving behind most of his gear and several firearms.

I did some random selections using dice and a gun buyers guide. He ended up equipped with a 22 revolver and a 22 hornet single shot with scope (type unspecified). I decided that worked well, as the hornet makes a good small game killer and can take larger critters with a well placed shot, but 50 rounds will still fit in a pocket. The 22 revolver is mentioned only as a 'Smith & Wesson'.

 

[jakemccoy]

rem2429, why is there a scope on that? I'm not being an ass. I seriously want to learn.

 

[Diggers]

Uhh...not to be un-fun....but with 90% of the population gone I don't think there is going to be much shortage of guns or ammo. You could probably just pick both up off the street where it was dropped.

I would start a collection.

Then I'd go to the military base and start a second collection.

 

[Slugless]

I did some random selections using dice and a gun buyers guide.

Tod, that's great.

I don't remember the author's name, not really important here. She lived through the Siege of Sarajevo and later wrote a novel about it. The novel timeframe was a year w/her characters doing "normal" daily things like crossing Sniper Alley.

As you've noticed in other threads, the chances of being hit/killed in in modern warfare is essentially random. She knew that from experience. Every so often in the novel timeframe she rolled dice to determine if any of her characters got killed. It didn't matter where they were in plot development, story line, etc. - that was it, game over, another victim of sniper alley or harassing artillery fire. No red shirts in her book.

I was going to buy the book but forgot her name...

-Douglas

 

[Browning]

It would probably be something this...

A Springfield M1A (or something similar in .308 like a FAL/H&K 91) just because I could use it for a variety of purposes like fairly long distance shooting, hunting or putting down a volume of fire to cover my tracks and put a couple holes in a few of them (or at least make them put their heads down for a second and take cover) as I ran like hell or rode off into the sunset in my flat black super charged Mad Max special muscle car complete with barbed wire on the sides and nitrous oxide.



Maybe something suppressed might be a good idea.

I'm not posting this because it's the best suppressed weapon out there, but I've heard that alot of guys were introduced to suppressors because of the MAC-10 and that supposedly that it's one of the most common full auto weapons out there.

 

[Ed Ames]

Most readers don't care about make and model.

Hmmm.... I was pounded with, "don't say gin, say Hendricks; don't say 'pipe', say 'elaborately carved meerschaum churchwarden'." The pounders gave two reasons. 1) Added texture and realism. 2) Those who recognize the items you name will feel a deeper connection to both the book (because they are an insider) and the character (perceived affinity of interests). The latter is a variation of the The Simpson's advice: if you include enough [varied] inside jokes/uncommon references you just about guarantee that everyone in your audience will get at least some of them and respond positively.

Where you need to be careful, IMO, is at the limits of your knowledge. The general public won't care one way or the other but the sensitized crowd will instantly spot you and hate you.

did some random selections using dice and a gun buyers guide. He ended up equipped with a 22 revolver and a 22 hornet single shot with scope (type unspecified). I decided that worked well, as the hornet makes a good small game killer and can take larger critters with a well placed shot, but 50 rounds will still fit in a pocket.

LOL ... gotta laugh that your dice chose two guns I wouldn't feel too bad about choosing for such a scenario. Hornet wouldn't actually be on my list but it's close enough.

 

[fiddleharp]

I'd start out with the weapons I already own. Then my arsenal would grow as I scrounged stuff from deserted military bases, gun stores, etc. Add to that, vehicles and other useful things I find along the way, and I'll be the baddest SOB around!

 

[Diggers]

Ok, after pushing the decimal point to the left one spot and seeing that the population for the entire US will be less than 30 million.....

which sounds pretty nice BTY

I think a .22 would be the best choice (IF I only had one) for an all around every day gun.....if you had the equipment to reload maybe a .32 seeing that it uses very little powder. Bunnies beware!!!
My perspective is that a gun would be needed for hunting much much more than for self defense.

I would be really interested in hearing how quickly things would change from people who study such things. ---i.e. how long would we be able to drive before the gas is gone and cars break down, that kind of thing.

Ability to get around changes a lot. I live in san diego where 10% of the population is about 300,000 people which seems like alot. However with out cars thats 300,000 people spread out over an area that would take around 4 days to walk across. Could be that I wouldn't see other people all that often.

 

[wideym]

I wouldn't rely on finding weapons and ammo around every corner. In a national emergency the police are likely to conficate weapons from people openly carrying them. National Guard armories are likely to be empty since troops will be deployed and every guard armory I've seen doesn't have ammo on hand. Once food is unavailable in stores, rioting, looting, and arson will become the activity of the day. So don't rely on finding an un-looted or un-burned gun store. Also police departments won't have much ammo on hand either, expecially if they get into large firefights with looters and rioters.

 

[Nugilum]

GunTech,

Is the virus susceptible to humans only or does it effect just mammals? Does it get everyone who's warm blooded?

What wild animal is going to be dominant after "the incident" (minus the deranged person)?

That would govern my choice of weapon.