So I was perusing the internet the other day, and saw an article on what sort of firearms preppers should be stockpiling for the end of the world. It was a slow day, so I read the story. I was hoping for a gun video, but no such luck. Long story short, this individual had quite a LONG list of multiple firearms. His list included at least one if not more Barrett .50 caliber rifles.
Now I’m a gun enthusiast, and I’m not going to lie; I would LOVE a .50 cal rifle. I have included a video of gun porn for you other gun lovers out there.
Exciting stuff huh?
But even still, I had to chuckle when I read that I needed at least one if not more of these rifles in my prepper inventory. Really? As much as I’d like to own this rifle, I do not understand WHY it is ESSENTIAL to my stockpile. I’m not bugging out to the Ukraine.
The rifle alone is valued at about $6500 new….and that is without a high powered optic. And I need two of these? What exactly will I be facing? If I have tanks and armored personnel carriers rolling up to my property, it’s time to bug out. I’m not going toe to toe with them!
And yet the growing trend among many preppers is to prepare for WROL/TEOTWAWKI situations at the expense of other more pressing and realistic situations and/or events. Why? If most people prepare to ensure their survival, then wouldn’t it make sense that you take precautions with things which can immediately impact you first? Then prepare for other possibilities?
Since the terror attacks of 9/11, less than 20 people have been killed by terrorist activity (within the US.) We have never experienced an EMP, a complete global financial meltdown, a pandemic, or other “Doom’s day event”. But over 45,000 Americans each year are killed in auto accidents. That is about 125 Americans killed every day.
Do you always wear your seatbelt? Do you obey the traffic laws, or do you speed? Do you text and drive? Have a few beers and then drive home?
When you read or think about being prepared, I bet prostate and/or breast exams don’t spring to mind. But maybe they should. Each year, over half a million Americans die because of cancer. In 2013 alone over 1.5 million were diagnosed with this horrible disease. That’s almost 3 Americans a minute, 29,000 a week!
Early detection saves lives!
When was the last time you checked the battery in your smoke alarm [see editor’s note below]? Over 3500 people a year are killed in house fires. Do you have a fire extinguisher? Can you get to it easily? Have you inspected it lately?
Teach your family fire safety. Have an evacuation plan, and a pre-designed rally point. Test your smoke alarm and replace the battery every time you change your clock for day light savings!
Nearly 80% of the world’s population lives by bodies of water. If you don’t live by an ocean, lake, or river, chances are you visit/vacation/drive by one. Around 4000 Americans a year are killed due to accidental drowning. (Almost 11 people a day.) Are your CPR skills up to date? If you are by a large body of water, do you have life jackets for you and your family? Are they USCG approved and fit correctly?
And finally, the number one cause of death in the US is heart disease. Like cancer, it kills over half a million Americans a year. The risk of heart disease will increases as you get older, but the risks also increase if you are a smoker, have diabetes or high blood pressure, and/or have a poor diet.
A little bit of exercise and better eating habits could do more to save your life than stockpiling beans, bullets, and .50 cal rifles!
Could a SHTF event happen? Sure. We barely missed a CME in July 2012. But my point is why prepare for an end of the world event, (which no one alive has ever experienced) while ignoring things that are already killing people every day? Is that really being prepared?
EDITOR’S NOTE
Did you know that you can set up a subscription for smoke alarm batteries and have them send you what you need, however often you need them? That way you don’t have to remember to get them or deal with trying to track down that obnoxious sound in the middle of the night. They’re also cheaper this way.
You can even get paper towels, toilet paper, Keurig cups, or even diapers, dog/cat food, and a few other things on subscription that you know you’ll be using on a regular basis. The cool thing is you actually get a discount for them so a lot of people sign up for things like this, get their first order, and then cancel so they pay less. Then they do it again the next time they need something (if they remember before they have to drive to the store and pay even more).
Just a little life tip from Graywolf
Every would-be prepper should read this. Every person who mocks prepping should read this. Every sensible person who strives to live long and prosper should read this.
Thanks for the reminder!
Very welcome Nathan. And thank you for visiting the site. 🙂
This is oh so true. A well done article to express what many folks need to think about. Sometimes we need to see the things that are right in front of our face!!
can you please make an article explaining what all of these acronyms stand for
I’m not sure it would warrant an entire article, but I can post them here. 🙂
SHTF – Shit hit the fan. Some sort of emergency event. This term is somewhat subjective, as different people might view SHTF differently.
WROL – Without rule of law. – Think the first several days after Hurricane Katrina
TEOTWAWKI – The end of the world as we know it – Song by REM. Only I doubt people will be feeling fine.
CME – Coronal mass ejection. – From wikipedia “a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields rising above the solar corona or being released into space.” Should one hit the Earth, it becomes an EMP.
EMP – Electromagnetic pulse. – From wikipedia “a short burst of electromagnetic energy….generally damaging to electronic equipment, and at higher energy levels a powerful EMP event such as a lightning strike can damage physical objects such as buildings and aircraft structures.” Nuclear explosions also create EMPs. If this happens, think SHTF event. 🙂
Damn fine points. Have had cancer and heart problems. Should have checked sooner. You do not think about such things. Preparation includes taking care of everything.
Wow, what a great article! Thank you! I have always been attracted to firearms and enjoyed my military experience with a variety of weapons systems, including the thrill of shooting an M2 .50 cal, and once even got a chance to fire off a TOW missile, although with just a training warhead (and yes, I hit what I was aiming at). That said, my prepping activities have always been much more practical than having a big collection of firearms. A big arsenel is of no value if you have no water or food put away, or if you have no gasoline stored if the power should go out. There is currently a large CME headed toward Earth, set to arrive tomorrow or Saturday, so that is on my mind, but I am confident that I won’t need a .50 cal to get by if the grid goes down as a result. I appreciate the level head with which you present this information. Thanks for the sanity.