Why You Shouldn’t Use A Gun When The Grid’s Down

Prooficiency takes time and practice with a bow, and you always risk losing the animal. Tracking an animals blood trail thru the local neighborhood or woods will draw far more attention than a quick shot that instantly goes away. Your better off with a quality high power air rifle/ pellet gun for small game. Also stock up on sub sonic rounds for a center fire or shorts for a 22 cal. Yes people will hear a shot, know that and plan for it. A shot echos and reverberates, other than a general direction it's not an easy thing to pin point. All you've given away is that there is a person who is armed in the vicinity, your not going to be the only human around, people will still be all over the place. Best to be quick, collect the game and either get out of there or get it hid. Sadly in this scenario there will be a ton of wasted animals. Folks are gonna shoot all manner of large bodied critters without the slightest knowledge of processing and preserving them. Modern air rifles are more than capable of killing a dog sized animal at close ranges.
 

I don't advocate breaking the law on firearms, but if it came do an outright survival situation a few of these around would be handy. And if it came to a flat out survival situation I would think that some one modifying one of these into a suppressor would be the least of anyone's worries.

SOLVENT TRAP KITS - PREPPER'S DISCOUNT

A Ruger 10/22 with one of these would be hard to beat. Could carry lots of ammo and be quiet.
 

I've been practicing and teaching people primitive skills for decades. you are right about the noise factor and causing attention. Bows are great to get acquainted with. I also make and use atlatls, fustibals, slingshots and one of my favorites the slingbow. various primitive traps can also be used as noise making perimeter devices as well as putting meat over the coals. I rely on fish a lot in some of my week long primitive forays, as well as wood grubs and pine roots. I put myself in rough situations with minimal gear to train myself to get used to the hardships. I have made many well working primitive bows and arrows using natural cordage for the string. I like making arrow points out of glass or metal, even in the deepest woods you can find useful trash.
 

I agree! traps are a good thing to know. you need to set lots of them. for ease and well working primitive traps I like the promontory peg, you can make lots of sets in no time. I really enjoy making spring snares though, something about making mechanical devices out of natural material.
 

I seriously do this on a regular basis. yes it can be hard as heck, make shelter, purify water, find food, and all that goes with it. I've found that the hardest thing is your own thoughts after so long. Last year I did a two week primitive solo here in the rockies. After you get your basics secured, your mind starts to wander after a few days. After a week I started really missing my sons, almost to tears. I lived mainly off of trout, pine needle tea, grubs, and only caught 1 snowshoe hare in a trap set. I couldn't stop thinking about how easy people have it in this tech advanced society. I put myself through this as a way to test myself and get acquainted with primitive life like our ancestors did. Ha no I'm not a sadist. I will admit the first thing i did when I hit the flat land was get a hamburger!
 

Just picked up Ted Koppel's new book, "Lights Out", haven't read it yet, but he says our electrical grid WILL get hacked and shut down at some time.

I was well aware of a Solar Flare, Electromagnetic pulse type of shutdown, but Kopple was saying that hackers could shut us down for months.

With the Billions that the newest terrorist threat has at their disposal, some serious hackers could be hired.

I hate to go overboard preparing for a shut down, but solar panels are suddenly quite efficient, and very affordable, I keep putting it off, but I need to check into a basic setup. Just being able to run a water pump, and a few basic appliances could make a huge difference.
 

clean water to drink will be the single most important item --seeds to grew food crops will also be very important , raising chickens and pigs ( both will eat just about anything and reproduce rapidly ) will be a good steady source of meat.... hunting and trotlining for fish will be add to's for food sources --guns will be for self defense since their range is better and ammo will be hard to come by -- bows will be good hunting tools --medical supplies will be priceless as will fish hooks and line
 

Last edited:
I'll be relaxing on my floating condo-

When I see a lobster walk under the boat I'll jump in and grab dinner.

I don't plan on competing with dirt dwellers and the hoards exiting the cities.
 

Interesting read and horrible to think about.

In the 1930's, my grandfather was a gentleman farmer and planted his front 10 acres annually with beans and allowed people from town to pick their own. They were thankful for the free food and he never had a problem with anyone raiding outside of that field. My guess today is people are less polite.

Here is what I do know about shots. It takes more than one to get an idea of direction from a distance. If there is wind, rain or hills it is almost impossible for somebody to know where the sound came from, if they even hear it. In a forest, you are almost invisible unless you move, at more than 50 yards or are wearing blaze orange.

A bow in the right hands is an effective weapon. A 22 long or mag is probably a good thing to have along with a box of hollow point shells - are easy to carry and will last. In the end, you will use what you have on hand.

Knowing how to snare is almost a lost art and good to know.

The worst scenario for northern regions is a problem occurring in late fall and people would have an upcoming winter to contend with.

The main reason not to hunt with a rifle might be the remaining authorities and restrictions. Looters and armed men might be shot on sight in a bad world. They also might try to stop you from hunting and fishing. Amo would be a good trade item, likely better than gold and silver.

Lets hope we never have to test our theories and if something bad happens that it will be of limited duration. I for sure would not want to be in a city apartment or condo.
 

gold and silver bah ..in a post cash world ...lead , iron , and copper would be valuable since you can make tools and bullets from them
 

gold and silver bah ..in a post cash world ...lead , iron , and copper would be valuable since you can make tools and bullets from them
Large supply of toilet paper would be something nice to have.....
 

I have read that .22 ammo will be used like money after a grid failure. I don't think the game would last long ether. Any way you look at it, it's gonna be tuff....
 

Folks,

One of the advantages of living in the North country if the grid went down which happened in 1996 no power for like 10 days.

The temps were hovering around zero.....so we loaded up the contents of our freezer in coolers and bunked in with a friend who was on an emergency circuits and lost minimal power.....we stuffed ourselves on roast beef, chicken, turkey, etc...and had a great time.

Most urban types don't have the skill sets to make themselves food from scratch let alone catch or forage for their own food....in a worst case scenario most of them would starve in short order.

We also have enough canned and non perishable food to keep us going for several months in a pinch.

Let's hope in never comes down to it....but in today's world anything is possible.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

for long term --not off grid but ---no more grid living... certain things will change ...like having a steady supply of piped in water from local supply sources ...clean safe drinking water is a MUST HAVE .. next is he fact that canned /stored food supplies will run out --one must be able to plant crops to raise as food and raise livestock --pigs and chickens (both eat about anything and are fast reproducers) also trotlining for fish and using snares for small game and bow hunting for large game will be vital add to's for your regular food sources ...life will be a non stop workathon between farming , feeding and tending animals and hunting / gathering ..not much if any fun time
 

Ivan,

When I was a kid I spent a lot of time in summer working on my uncle's farm....basically work, eat and sleep not much as you say down time to enjoy things.

Regard + HH

Bill
 

my endgame plan is grab my dried meats, sunscreen and beer and head to T_H's

oh and my lifetime supply of tabasco
 

In some parts of the country people will have an easier go of it. In the desert where water is scarce, also people are scarce so availability of resources is greater than in urban neighborhoods. Also people living in rural areas are much better off, as far as resources go. People living along the beaches should also have an availability of food sources. People who live in the mountainous regions of the country should also be able to find some food sources and also water is always available there. Only people who live in the cities will have a hard time getting to food and water easily. There are creeks which run through most large cities but the quality of the water is atrocious, plus whoever gets there first will probably stand guard over it. When the sewers don't run and the sewage backs up is when major diseases will overtake most city dwellers. Good luck. rockhound
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top