The Basic Arsenal

 As anyone paying a bit of attention knows, guns and shooting are my hobby (even if I don't get to partake  in my hobby nearly as much as I would like). I tend to spend more time than is healthy reading about guns and shooting, watching YouTube videos on the subject, tweaking my wish list, etc. 

I recently came across a YouTube video by the 3 of 7 Project discussing the five basic firearms that any prepper should own.  He went through his suggestions in some detail including some recommended brands and models. Briefly, his list was as follows:

1) Semi-Automatic .22LR Rifle - His specific recommendation was the Ruger 10/22. 

2) Semi-Automatic, Polymer Framed, 9mm Handgun - He recommended the Glock 19X.

3) Pump Action, 12 gauge Shotgun - I believe the Mossberg 500/590 series was his main preference, but  the Remington 870 was also mentioned.

4) Bolt action rifle in .308 Winchester - The Remington 700 was the specific choice here. 

5) Semi-Automatic, AR-15 Rifle in 5.56mm/.223 Remington

His argument was that those 5 guns could handle the majority of any person's needs from target practice, to home defense, to varmint hunting, wing shooting/bird hunting, big game hunting, concealed carry, etc. His explanation was well reasoned, and I have no particular quibbles with his reasoning or his recommendations. I would be quite content in my ability to handle 99% of shooting tasks with those 5 firearms. 

Being the opinionated gun nut that I am, I would be remiss if I didn't make a list of my own with variations on that theme. 

1) A Bolt Action .22 LR Rifle. There is nothing wrong with a semi-auto .22 or the Ruger 10/22 in particular. I have one, and I enjoy shooting it. It is very accurate and reliable. That said, I feel that the bolt action is more accurate and reliable than even the very best semi-autos money can buy, and there is really no discernable advantage to a semi-auto action on a .22 rifle (except as a cheap bullet hose). 

I have shot various bolt action .22s including the Savage Mk II series, CZ 452, Ruger American Rimfire Precision and others. I got my shooting merit bag in Boy Scouts with a single shot .22 bolt action (probably a Winchester though I have no clear memory of such or anyway to verify it). Since I already have a 10/22, I would most likely lean towards the Ruger American Rimfire series due to the common magazine. If extreme accuracy and excellent triggers are more your speed, the CZ 452 is highly desirable. Also, you can't go too far down the rimfire rabbit hole without someone singing the praises of Anschutz rifles. Whichever route you go, get one with a threaded barrel and you are good to go for quiet plinking, teaching shooting fundamentals, varmint hunting and pest control. 

2) Duty Sized, Polymer Framed Handgun, chambered in .40S&W. Before we get to your obvious question about why I would suggest the .40 S&W chambering over the 9mm, let's talk about what I mean by duty sized. By duty sized, I mean a gun with a frame that you can get a full firing grip with all four fingers of your strong hand and at least 4 inches of barrel. Since Glocks are pretty ubiquitous in the industry and pretty much everyone else builds something to compete with the Glocks, I will use Glock models as a reference point.  In the .40S&W chambering, the two models I consider to be duty sized are the Glock 22 (4.6 inch barrel, full sized, 15 round magazine frames) and Glock 23 (4 inch barrel, "compact" sized, 13 round frames). An argument could be made that the Glock 35 (5.3 inch barrel, full sized, 15 round frame) is also a duty gun. I personally think it crosses over into hunting and gamer gun territory, but you do you. 

So, why .40S&W instead of 9mm? In a word: versatility. With a barrel swap, a .40 can be converted to shoot .357Sig. Another barrel swap and different magazines (and maybe a slide and recoil spring depending...) allows you to shoot 9mm. In a prepper/WROL situation, do you want the ability to feed your self defense handgun from one food source or three? Modern polymer guns such as the Glock or the M&P use the exact same frame for the 9mm/.357Sig/.40S&W calibers. The .40 and .357 even share the exact same mags. So, swapping calibers within the same frame size is quick and easy. 

Given the market share of Glocks in the US (over 50% between civilian and law enforcement last time I saw any stats) and the fact that I shoot them as good or better than everything except a Stacatto C2, I would stick with Glock as the brand for my self defense/concealed carry/combat handgun selection. I would probably lean towards the Glock 23 as it is easier to conceal than the G22 and no less effective.

3) 12 Gauge pump action shotgun. As a poor who cannot afford a Beretta 1301 Tactical Shotgun, I HAVE to agree with 3 of 7 on this one. I would be perfectly happy with a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500/590, but I really WANT the Beretta. The tang mounted safety of the Mossberg is a nice feature especially for lefties UNLESS you get one with a pistol grip. Then, you will have to get used to shifting your grip to operate the safety. The Remington uses a more traditional trigger guard mounted safety which is great for right handed shooters but not favorable for lefties. I think the Remington enjoys slightly better aftermarket support than the Mossy does. So, the Remington 870 is my choice unless I win the lottery and can get the Beretta. Did I mention I want the Beretta?

4) Bolt Action Rifle in .308. Again, no argument here. I like the Remington 700 AAC-SD Tactical with the threaded barrel. Unless I can find a deal on an older Sendero with a fluted barrel or a 5R barreled version. Arguments could be made for other calibers, but I agree with the choice of .308. America is a .30cal nation and will be for the foreseeable future. The American military has been using .30cal bullets for almost 130 years at this point, and American hunters have been taking game with it just as long. I would not suggest anything smaller than 6.5mm; and, frankly, anything bigger than 7.62mm/.308 is an answer in search of a question in my opinion. 

5) This last section is where I might have a divergent opinion from that of 3 of 7. That's not to say he's wrong because the 5.56mm/.223 Remington AR-15 IS an excellent choice for an intermediate range/caliber rifle. It can do a lot of things really well within its limitations. I would not reject one or hesitate to use one. However, I think compelling arguments can be made for using a pistol caliber carbine or a lever action in this role as well. An equally good argument can be made for an AR in .300 Blackout or a Galil or Tavor or something similar.  Or just skipping this section altogether. It's not like you can't defend a home with a pistol or a shotgun. 

It's an interesting thought exercise (for me at least). I'd really love to find an excuse to put a revolver on the list, but I think it's place is in the "next 5" after the first five are taken care of. What would you pick for your basic five?