by Michael Z. Williamson
daggers@indy.net

Again I extort people to be proud of their heritage as firearms owners. I refuse to be ashamed of owning weapons, and laugh at the ludicrous suggestion that I have an “arsenal.”

Indeed, every house needs at least six guns minimum, by any reasonable definition. Count with me:

1) The best military grade weapon one can afford. This is for your duty as a member of the militia. Unlikely as it is at the moment, it wasn’t many years ago that the threat of invasion was real. It will be again. 200 million rifles scares any invader into reality. I recommend an AR-15, not because it is the best, although my military experience shows it to be excellent (your results may vary), but because it is standard issue in this country. This means easy access to parts and ammo in an emergency. Other excellent choices include the AK variants (very reliable), the FN variants, and the H&K variants. The Israeli Galil is expensive, but worth it. If you are on a budget, a Simonov (SKS) is inexpensive and reliable (about $200 as of this writing), if less than world class in accuracy. You will want a weapon, basic combat load of about 200 rounds, and spare parts and cleaning kit for EVERY adult in your house. Mature teenagers are adults for purposes of this issue. Don’t forget to rotate the ammo every few years, and have at least 5 magazines per weapon plus some spares.

2) A good bolt-action rifle for long-range sniping, if one is sufficiently skilled to use it. Some imports and less-popular but excellent domestic versions start at $300, new. One can buy old Mauser 98K actions with shot-out barrels attached, used (NO PAPERWORK!!!!) for less than $100, and have a good gunsmith add a match-grade barrel and stock for a very reasonable sum. Don’t buy a weapon more accurate than you are, but buy as good as you can shoot and afford. FN, Remington, Winchester, Savage and Mauser and Lee-Enfield based models all rate well for reliability and accuracy. I prefer 7mm Remington Magnum, and others .300 Winchester or .300 Weatherby or .30-06, but I have to defer to military spec again (this IS for military purposes ultimately, of course), and go with 7.62 X51 mm, also called .308 Winchester. It is the standard, and is an accurate round, easy to acquire. You’ll need ammo for this, also. GOOD ammo, rated for target shooting. Keep at least 100 rounds on hand.

3) A .22 rifle. 500 rounds of .22LR is less than $15 just about anywhere. 500 rounds of 5.56 mm military ball will cost $60 to $100. You see the advantage here. This is your training weapon. You will fire 100 rounds or more through this for every round of full-caliber you shoot. It’s good for beginners, great practice, and fun. Start your kids off between 5 and 10 years old with one of these, just like our Swiss brethren and sistern do. It’s also a good weapon for small game, being cheap to shoot. It’s a handy weapon to equip children or the injured with in an emergency, being low in recoil, and better than no weapon. It never hurts to have 500 rounds on hand, plus magazines, if any, and spare parts. I prefer the Ruger 10-22, used. I’m not sure of Ruger’s political position these days. Marlin makes an excellent product, and Remington and Savage do too.

4) At least one pistol or revolver per adult. Depending on climate and varying modes of dress, it may be two or three. I recommend at least 9mm under normal circumstances, and prefer 10mm or .45 ACP. I would NEVER carry smaller than a .380, even if concealment in light clothes was a problem. Smaller than that just may not do the job. For revolvers, Taurus is hard to beat for price, guarantee (forever), and design. Rossi is good for those on a budget. Ruger is an excellent domestic choice, politics permitting. I strongly advise AGAINST buying a Smith & Wesson product for the foreseeable future, due to their political issues. But since Taurus builds their products under license, one can get the same revolver, cheaper and better. For autos, Sig-Sauer is good (minor political concerns I haven’t been able to verify yet), Glock better. Heckler and Koch is for those with plenty of budget, AMT, FEG, and military surplus CZ for those without. Any of the Colt .45 ACP model 1911 clones is a good choice, or the Browning Hi-Power. Beretta is preferred by many, but had many problems in its early US military contracts. Keep at least a box of 50 rounds per weapon on hand, along with tools and spare parts.

5) A pistol in .22 caliber for basic target practice. Again, it’s cheaper than large bore loads. The Ruger pistols are good. There are conversion kits to allow one to shoot .22 from a military .45. This has the advantage of cheap ammo in the same weapon used for carry, although the trigger and recoil will differ.

6) One pump action 12 or 20 gauge shotgun. Shotguns do everything, from hunting game, to trap shooting, to splattering burglars so there’s no conflicting statements to the police. The Remington 870 pump and 11-87 (1100) autoloader are the standard. Mossberg makes a fine product for the budget-conscious. Franchi and Benelli are top of the line pricewise. 00 or 000 buckshot is what you want for intruders or urban combat (100 rounds), but also keep a box each of bird shot, squirrel loads and deer slugs on hand.

Depending on how many adults and teenagers are in a household, 15, 20, even 30 firearms is reasonable, and in fact, desirable. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool.

We should not judge people by their possession in the first place, but even if one is to do so, a person is neither irrational nor dangerous by dint of owning several firearms. Perhaps we should be jealous of those who have the cash to purchase an ideal collection, but never afraid. After all--no law stops the illegal use of a weapon, and the most skilled shooter cannot use more than two weapons at a time.

Build your arsenal, practice for the possibility of crime, tyranny, and invasion, and remember always that is not only your right, but your duty.

Copyright 2000 by Michael Z. Williamson. Permission granted to copy this article in toto for non-profit purposes, provided due credit is given. Please mention you saw it first on KeepAndBearArms.com. Other articles from Mr. Williamson can be found at http://www.KeepAndBearArms.com/Williamson.