Firearms & Survivalism
Firearms & survivalism: The two
often seem to go together, and rarely is the latter ever spoken of without
reference to the first. But I often wonder about the necessity (and
practicality) of firearms being involved in the process of survival and
survivalism at all. Are they necessary, or merely convenient
tools? Are they tools, or more of a psychological crutch - "I have my
guns..."being the mantra used to ward off the fears of having to cope
with a difficult situation?
A good firearm in well-trained hands
is, indeed, a valuable tool. But in the hands of the untrained and inexperienced
user, it may become more of a threat to survival than anything else. Knowing how
to point the barrel and pull (squeeze) the trigger does not guarantee survival
in any situation, and the sole reliance upon this method will no doubt result in
a predictable reduction of the population by no less than one individual.
Firearms Safety:
Though relatively simple to operate,
in theory, the actual practice of using these tools is an art and science in
itself. The well trained operator must learn a plethora of skills before
considering a firearm as a useful tool for survival. He must understand the
aspects of safe usage, above all else. Unfortunately, the great majority of
firearms owners fall short in this area.
A firearm (and the ammunition it
uses) is completely indiscriminate. It doesn't care who or what it fires upon,
nor does it concern itself with the damage it inflicts. When the hammer falls
upon a viable round, it does so without any value judgments and an unstoppable
chemical reaction takes place. Expanding gases propel the bullet down the barrel
completely unaware of and unconcerned with the direction in which it is pointed
or the intent of the person who initiated the sequence. If the intended target
is missed, it does not stop to consider the error of it's ways but continues
upon its directed path until spent, or until it encounters one or more immovable
objects. Neither does the round consider whether or not it is appropriately
configured or charged for the firearm in which it is being used. If the primer
is struck, the reaction takes place. Whether or not the barrel is clear, or the
cylinder or breech strong enough to withstand the reaction, or the bullet the
proper size for the barrel, simply does not matter to the round itself. It will
definitely matter, to the person pulling the trigger, if the answer to any of
these considerations is "no."
Safe handling, loading, carrying and
storage of these tools should be lessons learned prior to ever picking up a
firearm. But I'd be willing to bet that every one of us who use and enjoy
firearms and firearm activities has, at some point in time, picked up, studied,
and even "played" with a firearm before we knew how to safely handle
one. Come on - be honest. Remember that time when ...?
Firearms Maintenance:
Firearms are easy to misuse, and
even easier to abuse. They can be deceptively complex instruments, depending
upon the model and design. They must be meticulously cared for in order to
ensure proper operation. They should be cleaned and oiled after every use - and
often between uses. This, too, is an acquired skill which cannot be learned
without proper instruction and a good deal of practice. Many firearms require
partial disassembly for cleaning, and if taken apart and put back together
incorrectly, they may operate just sufficiently to initiate disaster. The
operator must know exactly how to care for his firearm. Picking up a strange (or
even a familiar) firearm and assuming that it is in perfect operating condition
is a fine way to lose life and/or appendages/miscellaneous organs.
Firearms Carrying:
Having learned the fundamentals of
safe handling, loading, storing and cleaning, the firearms enthusiast must know
how to safely and efficiently carry his tool. The average medium sized pistol
will weigh approximately 1-4 pounds, fully loaded. Additional ammunition,
magazines, clips, or speed loaders increase the load. While they are relatively
easy to carry in any number of configurations, they are not the most comfortable
accessories and often manage to intrude upon your normal habits of movement at
precisely the wrong time and in precisely the most obnoxious manner. It takes a
good deal of practice to comfortably "wear" a sidearm.
Modern rifles will weigh in around
6-12 pounds, on average, and can be quite unwieldy. Try carrying a 40"
(1" O.D.) steel pipe around for a day and see how often it gets in the way.
Put a cap on one end and leave the other end open. At the end of the day, take
off the capped end and peer through the pipe (barrel) to see what you've
collected. It's a lot easier to carry a steel pipe than a rifle. Carrying a rifle
in the bush is a skilled and dangerous task, and maneuvering over/around
obstacles incorrectly can be deadly. Rifle ammunition, with a few exceptions, is
larger and heavier than pistol ammunition - a consideration your back will
certainly reflect at the end of each day.
Carrying firearms must include the
decision to carry them loaded or unloaded. Is there a round in the chamber or
not? What manner of safeties does the firearm incorporate? Are they engaged? How
do you engage or disengage the safety? How do you change magazines or reload?
How many shots have you fired and how many rounds do you have left? How do you
know and do all of this in the dark when there is no moon and you can't strike a
light?
Firearms Usage:
Firearms effectiveness is dependent
upon the condition of the firearm, the reliability and range of the firearm AND
the rounds used, the type of round used, weather conditions and lighting,
terrain features and distance to the target, and most importantly - the ability
of the operator to use the tool.
The effective operator needs to know
what his tool can do, how to stand, how to grip the firearm, target acquisition
and sight picture, ranging, windage and elevation. He needs to know how to
squeeze the trigger, cycle a round and where the spent cartridges will go. He
needs to learn breath control and how to develop a steady hand and keen eye. He
needs to learn how to follow through with the shot, how to lead a moving target
and how to track down and finish off wounded prey. He needs to learn shot
placement from multiple angles to ensure a clean kill (without waste) on every
variety of creature he intends to fire upon, and he needs to know what immediate
action to take when Mr. Murphy's laws override every consideration he has made.
Perhaps most important, he needs to
know when NOT to take the shot. Professional snipers and experienced hunters
have developed a patience and self control which ensures and demands that each
round impact the correct target, at the precise point, resulting in a
predetermined effect. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said to be true for the
average shooter. Firearms are often thought to be tools of convenience - used
hastily and without sufficient consideration. A goal (target) is sought and
narrowly focused upon, and the firearm is engaged. Concentration on the target,
however, must not exclude perception and awareness of the surrounding area. What
will happen if the round misses the target or penetrates through and beyond the
target? Is there anything in the foreground which might deflect or absorb the
round before it reaches the target? Is there anything moving into the site
picture from either side? The consequences of an unintentional target meeting an
errant round can be devastating.
Firearms Abuse:
A firearm is not and should not be a
tool for persuasion. Yet, this is exactly the opposite mindset of many a
so-called survivalist. They believe that owning and displaying a firearm in a
hostile situation will "persuade" an attacker to change their mind.
They do not understand that they cannot remain ever vigilant against a
determined antagonist and that "persuading" the antagonist to pick a
better time is little better than simply handing them everything they own. The
antagonist will pick a better time, when all
odds are in his favor, and will have been
forewarned of your abilities and hesitance to use the firearm correctly. In a
survival situation, if you are going to use a firearm, you must be prepared to
use it correctly, efficiently, and immediately. You must be prepared to fire
upon another human being, and you must be prepared to kill or incapacitate that
human being. Prepared, determined, and capable.
Most folks I know are simply not
capable of taking this action. I am not entirely certain as to whether I
consider this a good thing or a bad thing, but in any case, it is irrelevant to
the discussion. The fact is, if you are not prepared to use the firearm in the
manner it is intended, then you would probably be better off without it. Playing
"Rambo" in the fields on weekends, dressed up in camouflage, drilling
in military fashion and shooting at paper targets may be a fun and reassuring
hobby - but it is not the same thing as pointing a loaded weapon at a living,
breathing, and desperate human being. Nor is it anywhere near the same thing as
pulling the trigger on said human being and then living with the results of your
actions. Many people who own guns would not even contemplate using them on a
simple woodland animal. Think how much harder it will be to point it at a
thinking human being. If trained professional soldiers and police experience a
difficult time firing upon criminals and enemy soldiers, think of how much
harder it will be for the untrained civilian.
Conclusions:
Even with the proper training and
mindset, firearms are, at best, difficult tools to use and maintain. In an
extended survival situation lasting several years or more, it is unlikely that
anyone will be able to maintain sufficient stores of ammunition - and therefore
the additional burden of having to learn to produce & re-use the components
of cartridges must be shouldered. Failing that, it will become necessary to
learn more primitive skills for obtaining food and providing protection. If you
are already involved in a survival situation, that is a most unfortunate time to
have to learn new skills.
The psychological aspects of owning
a firearm for protection, while great, are outweighed by the lack of training
and intent or ability to use the weapon properly and efficiently when needed. In
this case, the weapon will probably be taken away from the owner and used
against them. I see no bonus in this action.
I am fully aware that, in today's
society - the "civilized" world - simply pointing a firearm at a
criminal does, in fact, often persuade them to seek an easier mark. In a
desperate survival situation, however, whether in civilized society or not, you
must be prepared to use the weapon without hesitation in order for it to be of
any use to you at all.
Alternatives to Firearms:
Firearms are noisy tools. Noise can
attract unwanted (human) predators. It would seem preferable for the hesitant
firearm owner to put aside this tool and cultivate other methods of hunting and
gathering. In a hostile survival situation, noise and light discipline are
essential tools and should be practiced frequently. Moving quietly and
unobtrusively across the countryside is not an unattainable skill. Learning to
fish and forage for plants will not offend most people's sensibilities.
Stockpiling goods in caches is appropriate for others. Learning to cover your
trail and escape or evade an antagonist will be ultimately more beneficial to
the timid survivalist than confrontation without commitment.
Survival requires the will to
survive. If your will to survive does not include the ability to forcefully
defend yourself and your family to the possible extreme of taking another human
life, then you had better concentrate on the non-violent methods of escape and
evasion. This does not mean that you shouldn't own a firearm. If nothing else,
the firearm and ammunition might be used for barter and trade. Or signaling. Or
as a diversion, while the remainder of your party skedaddles the other way. Or
to keep the heads of attackers down while waiting for the cavalry to arrive. But
if you don't intend to use it with deadly force, a firearm should probably be
low or even last on your list of supplies. In fact, I wouldn't even waste time
training with it (aside from safe handling) until all OTHER training has been
satisfactorily concluded.
One final alternative is to
associate with a group of survivalists who combine both mindsets, in complete
acceptance with each other's philosophies, and who divide responsibilities for
defense and continuity to the appropriate groupings. Of course, this is like the
lamb lying down with the lion - but better a friendly and well fed lion kept in
your midst, than a hungry pride of lions circling the lambs.
Choosing lions and associating with
lambs will be the subject of another, future, editorial.
Just my two cents worth...
meg.
May 1996
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