[kev]

While tilling the garden today I was thinking about how much money preppers / survivalist put into cool items such as their firearms.

Some people go all out on their AR-15, shotguns, AK-47,,,, their manly gear. They have the very best rifle money can buy, the very best optics, the very best stock, the very best magazines, the best ammunition,,,, etc.

When you go to a gun range the rifle attracts attention, when you show it off to your buddies they all look at that rifle with envy.

What about your garden tools? Do you have the best tiller money can buy? Do you have the best hoe and rake money can buy?

Do you have the best chickens money can buy?

Do you have the best seeds money can buy?

Shouldn't feeding your family be just as important as protecting your family?

 

[WestTennWoodsman]

Sadly kev "prepping" is some sort of modern hobby that is much like every other aspect of modern culture. The mentality of our society to have more flash,more gadgetry,more show,outdo your neighbor,etc spills over into this hobby as well.

The focus should be as you said, focusing your efforts and attention on self sufficiency, long term survivability, gaining knowledge, quality items that assist in that lifestyle,etc. Most people who can disassemble and build rifles and tinker with 47 different knives and are all into that kinda stuff couldn't grow a tomato or start a seed to save their lives.

It's kinda sad honestly.

 

[LostViking]

I have been saying this very thing for years.

Folks have 7 ARs, but can't grow a tomato.

I throw up a bread baking thread every now and then. But it always gets trampled by the cool stuff. First aid, edible wild foods, gardening, all boring, but very necessary.

Then again my survival rifle is a .22 mag levergun.

The big $$$ is in the cool stuff. If it says Tactical or Zombie you can double the price and someone will pay it.

I have been heading in the Old School Cool direction for a few years now. Time tested, simple, and multifunctional is where I try and steer people. Cast Iron, Kerosene Lamps, Candles, Wood,

More and more, I live this life. It isn't just a buch of junk I have stored in the basement

My main goals are stuff that lasts. It has to serve more than one purpose, and it has to function off grid.


Edit,

WestTennWoodsman,

I got a chuckle we both had he tomato thought.

 

[13ella]

Nothing wrong with enjoying the finer things in life while prepping at the same time. I know some people prep to the exclusion of having a life, and that's okay if that's what they want to do, but from my perspective, well-rounded folks manage some kind of balance.

 

[WestTennWoodsman]

Lost Viking I guess it's because that's about the easiest thing to grow from a plant available at Walmart but most people into the "prep fad" probably couldn't even keep it alive. Lol

 

[LostViking]

I think growing, canning, baking, and other boring skills, are going to help folks way more than the Gizmos.

I have even walked away from my generator. Because I think it loudly says, hey I have stuff, come take it.

We have a large population of Amish in our area. You can learn a lot by studying them.

 

[Helion]

Skill set > tool set

you get a lot of cross demographic bleed over when it comes to prepping and survival.

From your far righ sovereign citizen types to you far left Eco wack type. Everything in between.

It's the natural progression of things. You're going to have gun heavy enthusiasts who are waiting for blue helmeted zombies and your going to have hippy heavy types defending the commune against climate change and racists....with pitch forks.

Survival is about balance. The super gunny may have the upper hand when it comes to self defense and hunting, but will tire from eating sparrows and drinking snow. The earthy type may not have the best tools to defend themselves and hunt, but have the skillset to grow and preserve a variety of edibles.

Got to be in between

Being a Jack of all trades and a master of none may actually prove beneficial.

 

[Nomad 2nd]

Less tillers and tractors, more dump trailer rental for loads of mulch, $1k+ in fruit trees, fertilizers, building raised beds, etc


Bigger initial outlay, long term both easier and low tec.

 

[Lt. Drake]

I like my Springfield XD45.

I also like my radish bed and my walnut trees.

You can't eat bullets. How many people are going to find that out real quick? The scary thing is that the people who only have an AR15 and a Glock for preps are either going to starve to death, or start using their tacticool equipment to "get" supplies. :xeye:

 

[TRyan]

Personally, whenever I buy something (prep related or not) I'll usually go for the mid-grade brand. For most things it's usually the best option for the money. When it comes to something I'm new to (gardening for one) I do tons of research first before buying. Even then I'll usually start off with cheaper items until I have the time to use them and see what works and what doesnt. I don't mind spending the extra money if I know something is worth it and I'll get my money's worth out of it. But I can't be that way with everything I purchase or I couldn't afford anything.

I'm also very frugal and try to re-use items or pick them up for free.

 

[AquaHull]

I have been saying this very thing for years.

Folks have 7 ARs, but can't grow a tomato.

I throw up a bread baking thread every now and then. But it always gets trampled by the cool stuff. First aid, edible wild foods, gardening, all boring, but very necessary.

Then again my survival rifle is a .22 mag levergun.

The big $$$ is in the cool stuff. If it says Tactical or Zombie you can double the price and someone will pay it.

I have been heading in the Old School Cool direction for a few years now. Time tested, simple, and multifunctional is where I try and steer people. Cast Iron, Kerosene Lamps, Candles, Wood,

More and more, I live this life. It isn't just a buch of junk I have stored in the basement

My main goals are stuff that lasts. It has to serve more than one purpose, and it has to function off grid.


Edit,

WestTennWoodsman,

I got a chuckle we both had he tomato thought.

I've been having a hard time with growing a tomato lately.

I have experience in the past doing so though.

 

[JohnAmmo]

If it's useful it has a place in prepping. If the tacticool trend gives us something useful (ar-15, mega bright flashlights) we should use it.

I do get your point. Why have 16 guns with 1000 rounds per gun and one can of SPAM and call yourself a prepper?

 

[Rusty-Gunn]

I don't have the best of anything. Just what I trust my life to. With confidence.

 

[Goblin X]

a few items i have are new, most were horsetraded for, (usually never used, then the next gotta have thing came out) repaired from a broken one ( got my ACOG that way, won a damaged one in a drawing Trijicon fixed it for free) Lot of my gear comes from consignment stores, surplus. I did buy a Bipod new, and 1 knife, but that was for the cause, like i said, I horsetrade and swap off work.

I have already prepped my soil for planting, had to add extra this year, floods last october pretty much leached it, got it all turned and loaded, for the sets i have inside,
should be a bumper crop of peppers, maters, squash and beans this year, and corn, I swap peppers for. guy down the way got about 40 acres in corn in the spring /summer, as well as cornfield beans.

Im almost set to the point, of getting away from repairs on other peoples problems, and just take care of us. spend more time hunting and growing this year, and less time working.


getting back into working steel.........

 

[Eagle Scout Survivor]

I came to the same conclusion that I did not need to add another gun to the many I already have. I actually sold a few and spent a good chunk of money on LTS food and currently setting up a small solar power system. Not nearly as much fun as a gun but still important items.

Also have plans in the work to plant more fruit trees and bushes when it warms up.

 

[Viper6Niner]

Being able to grow food and having a nice rifle are not mutually exclusive.

 

[John_Auberry]

Some people go all out on their AR-15, shotguns, AK-47,,,, their manly gear. They have the very best rifle money can buy, the very best optics, the very best stock, the very best magazines, the best ammunition,,,, etc.
When you go to a gun range the rifle attracts attention, when you show it off to your buddies they all look at that rifle with envy.yes

What about your garden tools? Do you have the best tiller money can buy? Do you have the best hoe and rake money can buy?
yes
Do you have the best chickens money can buy?
yes

Do you have the best seeds money can buy?yes


Shouldn't feeding your family be just as important as protecting your family?
yes
Tacticool has no place in prepping - YouTube

filler words.........................

 

[thegoat]

Its all a matter of perspective.

If someone only has $3,000 for prep, buying a $1500 rifle and spending another $500 on a scope leaves little for the rest of their prep needs.

But if they have $30,000 for prep, buying a $1500 gun and $500 for optic makes a lot of sense.

Knowledge and experience are much better then any tool, but what good is knowledge without having the tools to use it?

Moderation and balance are the key:
1 - Make a list of needs
2 - Define your budget and goals
3 - Buy the best you can buy while staying with #1 and #2
4 - Learn, Train, and Use frequently everything in #3
5 - Constantly refine #1 while expounding upon #2 through #4

That goes for guns, tools, seeds, etc - everything that is in your prep.

 

[lexicon5]

The thing is....I never see these people outside of the range. I dont use the latest buzzwords like Tacticool or Operator or similar. It's just a word made up by some nimrod yuppie....that sounds cool to say. I have no idea if these 'tacticool operators' have $100,000 worth of preps or $10 worth. Who cares? Does the thing shoot? If the answer is yes then it has a place in "prepping". Can the 'operator' shoot? If no, then it doesn't matter if they have a H&K or a Del-Ton or a Montgomery Ward...does it?
If they CAN shoot, then it doesn't matter if they have a Del-Ton or an H&K....does it? Doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

If people spent less time worrying about what other people are doing or what other people think of them and more time learning to aim and shoot and grow and can and store....we'd that much further along.

Now off to buy the best ACOG I can find....where'd I put that AMEX Platinum?

 

[charliemeyer007]

That rototiller needs a cammo paint job!

Skills and knowledge are the lightest things to pack on your back, plus they can't be taken away.

I don't have anything that is the best money can buy but I have a lot of 2 or more good items for redundancy. The ability to keep your stuff in good repair is a real plus.