In a SHTF situation .........

[DerBiermeister]

and one where you will be defending the homestead --- at what approximate distance do you envision engaging the "enemy"? And once you have answered that -- what will your primary weapon be and how will it be customized?

I think for us, it will be around 200 yards. We are heavily wooded on two sides, and the terrain is pretty rough, so I don't see anyone come at us from there. Open roads or via other properties I can envision attacks coming anywhere from 100 yards to 200 yards.

My primary defense weapon will be my SR-556. I have it outfitted with a Red Dot and X3 magnifier and 700 lumen light.

[Ricekila]

Start as far away as possible and pick them off one at a time --

[Sparkyprep]

At about 300 yards, you have peaked my interest, and a .308 bolt action with a scope is watching you for anything stupid. At 200 yards, that .308 is firing. If you get into 100 yard range, the S&W M&P .556 with a red dot and 700 lumen light is emptying the magazine in your direction. Closer than that, we have pistols, arrows, and shot guns with various ammos (including a few "exotics") waiting for you. There are a lot of other countermeasures available to us, but for opsec reasons, I will not list them here.

[Inor]

The back of our rental house butts up against a ravine that is about a half mile wide and several miles long. If bad guys are coming for us, that is direction they will have to come from. If they come from any other direction, the land is completely flat with no cover and we will see them from at least a mile away.

I have an FNAR semi-auto in 7.62x51 with a bipod and 50mm Nikon scope that should work pretty well in that terrain. Plus our back yard is surrounded by a brick and concrete wall that should offer at least a modicum of safe cover to fire from. If they get within 100 yards, then we will break out the 5.56 ARs. (No sense burning up the more expensive ammo if they are that close.)

We have the added benefit of having a couple neighbors that I know are hard-core gun nuts, and I suspect are also preppers. For example, one of the neighbors mentioned he put motion sensors down in the ravine. So if my suspicions are confirmed, I expect any kind of attack would end up being more of a neighborhood drinking game than a battle.

[DerBiermeister]

I have an FNAR semi-auto in 7.62x51 with a bipod and 50mm Nikon scope that should work pretty well in that terrain.

Nice gun -- I've been thinking for awhile that is my next rifle buy.

[hawgrider]

No ground to defend in the burbs to many needy sheep I'm bugging out.

[Inor]

Nice gun -- I've been thinking for awhile that is my next rifle buy.

It is my absolute favorite rifle to shoot and my absolute least favorite rifle to clean. It is a serious PITA because you have to take the bolt carrier apart while it is inside the gun. It is an all day task to clean that gun. But it is a tack driver.

[DerBiermeister]

It is a serious PITA because you have to take the bolt carrier apart while it is inside the gun. It is an all day task to clean that gun.

Good Lord that can't be easy .... but since it is a gas-piston, maybe you don't have to clean the bolt carrier very often and maybe just add a bit of lube?

[Inor]

Good Lord that can't be easy .... but since it is a gas-piston, maybe you don't have to clean the bolt carrier very often and maybe just add a bit of lube?

Probably, I do not have to, but I take it down every time we shoot it.

Here is the video that I keep bookmarked on how to do it. Even though I have done it many many times, I have to watch this every time I clean it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLuznnkmy2k

[DerBiermeister]

Probably, I do not have to, but I take it down every time we shoot it.

Here is the video that I keep bookmarked on how to do it. Even though I have done it many many times, I have to watch this every time I clean it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLuznnkmy2k

Holy cow -- must have been some masochists whoever designed it.

[Dwight55]

I would hope some of the bravado shared here today is in reality just macho chest thumping.

To say one would start shooting at somewhere out there beyond the distance where a person can be determined as friend or foe, . . . is not only foolish, . . . but just plain stupid.

Take the time to find out the intentions of the people in a SHTF situation instead of just arbitrarily shooting anything that moves in your direction.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Sparkyprep]

I would hope some of the bravado shared here today is in reality just macho chest thumping.

To say one would start shooting at somewhere out there beyond the distance where a person can be determined as friend or foe, . . . is not only foolish, . . . but just plain stupid.

Take the time to find out the intentions of the people in a SHTF situation instead of just arbitrarily shooting anything that moves in your direction.

May God bless,
Dwight

In a land without rule of law, are there any friendly strangers?

[inceptor]

That looks like a royal pain in the butt.

[DerBiermeister]

I would hope some of the bravado shared here today is in reality just macho chest thumping.

To say one would start shooting at somewhere out there beyond the distance where a person can be determined as friend or foe, . . . is not only foolish, . . . but just plain stupid.

Take the time to find out the intentions of the people in a SHTF situation instead of just arbitrarily shooting anything that moves in your direction.



That's a good side topic to discuss -- how you go about doing that without risking your life more so than necessary.

[Dwight55]

That's a good side topic to discuss -- how you go about doing that without risking your life more so than necessary.

One word: Backup, . . . and watch the hands.

Even in a "land without laws", . . . we either are men or we are animals. I choose not to step down to their level.

There will be someone watching my back, . . . I will be very well armed, . . . it will be visible, . . . it will not be threatening, . . . but it will be ready.

My backup will be watching any and all others that may be with the one I'm engaged in conversation with. My backup will be designated to take out anyone who poses a direct threat to me or to them. My backup will be for the most part, not observed, . . . but observant, . . . close by, . . . and well armed.

It may be tough times, . . . it may become bloody, . . . and the body count may go way above any thing we can ponder now. But that does not give us the permission to don the neanderthal attitude.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Arklatex]

In my area everybody knows everybody. I will be extremely discriminatory if I don't know them. Prolly pretty racist too. Ain't too many notlikemes around here.

[juskom95]

I would hope some of the bravado shared here today is in reality just macho chest thumping.

To say one would start shooting at somewhere out there beyond the distance where a person can be determined as friend or foe, . . . is not only foolish, . . . but just plain stupid.

Take the time to find out the intentions of the people in a SHTF situation instead of just arbitrarily shooting anything that moves in your direction.

May God bless,
Dwight

Each situation is going to be different.

If I lived back in the hills, in the middle of nowhere, someone approaching my home I do not know is going to be assumed up to no good during 'good' times now. This would not mean 'shoot on sight' but it might mean I walk out with my weapon at the low ready. Now in an urban/suburban environment, that is not as easy.

The reality is, that when you have looters/rioters/those looking to see the world burn, you need to make that judgment call fast. That person at your front door begging for food/water might just be a distraction while their partner steals your fuel, generator or breaks in another entrance.

When the thugs know police are overwhelmed, they act like there are no laws, because those responsible to enforce them are effectively useless.

[merlinfire]

I'm going to be that guy that has to be different and say "it depends on what I see". It would be one thing if all enemies were wearing chinese uniforms with red communist party symbols or something, but after SHTF, simply being armed doesn't make you a bad guy. a smart man will go everywhere armed.

ideally you have a perimeter set up with either a fence or barricades, or at least markers, at pre-measured distances. as they approach that perimeter, certainly by the 200-300 yard range, they need to start showing themselves not hostile in some way. rifle slung, hands where i can see em. yes we'll trade, what have you got? yes we know directions to such and such a place. yeah the jones family, they're up the road a piece. The whole while we've got several men with rifles trained on em, even if they're not seen.

If a group approaches we'll tell them to halt and send one person forward to parley. any group that refuses those terms will be considered hostile. too much risk to allow a group inside the gates.

[merlinfire]

as far as equipment any centerfire rifle with a scope would work well for this. semi auto preferable to bolt. in real life, my brother in law brings his vietnam era HBAR with scope, my other BIL brings his lever action 30-30 with scope, and I'll use my AK with or without scope. we all live within 6 miles of one another, and when SHTF, one way or another 5 households are grouping up together.

[Jerry D Young]

If I can ever afford the Vigilance VR-1 .408 Cheytac, then I would engage up to 1,000 meters. But that would be when I was already well away from the BOL and had identified the target as being a hostile bent on my destruction. As the weapon capability goes down, so does the range. .30-'06 about 800 meters, .308 600 meters.

Those are the extreme ranges. Chances are the engagement ranges would more likely be under 500 meters, hopefully, in all cases, with the engagements taking place at quite a distance from the BOL. There will be early warning measures taken that will allow for ID of anyone approaching from a significant distance. Once intent is determined, appropriate measures will be taken.

Just my opinion.

[Jerry D Young]

If I can ever afford the Vigilance VR-1 .408 Cheytac, then I would engage up to 1,000 meters. But that would be when I was already well away from the BOL and had identified the target as being a hostile bent on my destruction. As the weapon capability goes down, so does the range. .30-'06 about 800 meters, .308 600 meters.

Those are the extreme ranges. Chances are the engagement ranges would more likely be under 500 meters, hopefully, in all cases, with the engagements taking place at quite a distance from the BOL. There will be early warning measures taken that will allow for ID of anyone approaching from a significant distance. Once intent is determined, appropriate measures will be taken.

Just my opinion.

[BucketBack]

I would hope some of the bravado shared here today is in reality just macho chest thumping.

To say one would start shooting at somewhere out there beyond the distance where a person can be determined as friend or foe, . . . is not only foolish, . . . but just plain stupid.

Take the time to find out the intentions of the people in a SHTF situation instead of just arbitrarily shooting anything that moves in your direction.

May God bless,
Dwight

It may even be The Good Guy