Guest Post: The 5 Gun Theory, by TX 2 Guns

The following is an older post written by my buddy TX 2 Guns sharing his thoughts on a basic battery for survivalists and preppers. Originally appearing at his blog The Tactical Hermit, he speaks from experience on what you need and what you don’t. Whether you’re a well seasoned survivalist or just waking up to the totality of the circumstances, its important to stay grounded in realistic needs versus getting wrapped up in the cool-guy industry marketing.


 

There is a lot to be said about having the right tool for the job..for one, it makes your job easier and typically, faster to complete. You have to summarize the task at hand and deduce what tool would do the job the best. A surgeon for instance, needs a scalpel, not a machete, a lumberjack needs a chainsaw not a hedge trimmer. So the same goes for our personal armory. We need to be utilitarian in our approach to our Personal Defense Weapons (PDW), each one is a tool for a specific job. Now, I am not immune to collecting weapons for pure aesthetic or sentimental value, in fact I have several that would meet that criteria, but we are talking about our MODERN weapons that we use for Self-Defense, not the 1939 K-31 Schmidt and Rubin Carbine or your 7.62×25 Romanian Tokarev Pistol, both are very cool guns, but when something goes bump in the night, I do not grab these, I grab my Glock or my AK-47.

There is an old west adage that goes something like “Beware of the man who owns one gun, because he will know how to use it!” There is a lot of logic in that. Sometimes necessity dictated you either got proficient with what you had, or you died. As time marched on and the Industrial Revolution happened, we saw the gradual increase in the weapons a man owned. Typically, he had his pistol, his rifle and a shotgun. Fast forward to today and you have people who own 25 guns and are proficient with none of them because every time they go to shoot, they grab a different gun. The reason for this is these folks have not grasped the concept, guns are tools, not “play pretty’s”.

Enter the “5 Gun” Theory:

  1. Combat Handgun.
  2. Combat Semi-Automatic Assault Type Rifle
  3. Combat Shotgun
  4. Scoped .30 Caliber Semi-Automatic or Bolt Action Rifle
  5. .22 LR Rifle (Semi-Automatic preferred)

You will notice in most of these the word “Combat” is first, that is there to denote these are not hunting weapons, nor target weapons but weapons whose design is for defending yourself against 2 legged predators! However, Part of the 5 gun theory is utilitarian, so in a worst case disaster or survival scenario, you have a .30 Caliber or .22LR Rifle to hunt for meat.

Let’s break down the list:

1. Combat Handgun.

The minimum qualifications for this weapon are: Semi Automatic with High Capacity Magazine, Minimum 9mm Caliber, Modern Combat Sights. Firstly, let me say I have nothing against wheel guns, but for the purposes of self-defense, I think we should grab hold of all the modern technology we can afford and logic dictates if I can have a gun with 17 rounds in it versus 6 rounds and it be lighter and more concealable to boot, I am going to go with the pistol all day long. I am not one of those to argue “stopping power” with calibers, but I have come to the conclusion after my many experiences,  if you are going to carry a pistol around with you, the minimum caliber for my “primary” weapon would be 9mm. Again, technology has grown by leaps and bounds in the development of self-defense ammunition, and there are some awesome rounds out there. Lastly, the gun should have sights that you can see, most of your modern weapons meet that standard. Go back 40 years and you will see what I mean, the sights were rudimentary and not easy on the eye.

2. Combat Semi-Automatic Civilian Defense Rifle

OK, now we are talking Assault “Type” Rifles. As a Civilian Operator, this is your mainstay. This is the weapon that is going to save your butt when the crap starts raining. The typical range for this weapon would be under 400 yards. Examples are: M4, Ak-47, FAL, G3, etc. Once again, the minimum qualifications:

  • Semi-Automatic, magazine fed, 20-30 rounds is standard.
  • Rifle or Intermediate Caliber (no pistol caliber) Examples are 5.56×45, 5.45×39, 7.62×39, .308.
  • Folding Stock
  • Sling

I really do not think any of these need to be explained. The folding stock is simply for ease of transport. There are some stocks out there that offer you the same stability as a fixed stock but fold down easily.

3. Combat Shotgun

Ahh, the old scattergun. What more needs to be said? No arsenal is complete without one. The only caveat I would add on this subject is two things: One, A Shotgun is not a rifle, so don’t load it or outfit like one. Yeah, slugs have their place, but they are a very limited niche. Two, birdshot is for birds, not two legged predators. I load 00 and #4 Buck in all my Home shotty’s.

 

4. Scoped .30 Caliber Bolt Action or Semi-Automatic “DM”  Rifle

The difference between this tool and the #2 rifle is this tool is designed to “Reach out and touch someone” out to say 600-700 yds. The DM is for “Designated Marksman”. There is a choice to be made to go either bolt-action or Semi Auto (an example of Semi-Auto is the FAL, G3, M1A, etc.) The reasoning most DM rifles you see are Semi-Auto is to have the ability to engage multiple targets and lay down a base of fire, it can be argued however, that you do give up some accuracy with a SA Platform over a finely tuned Bolt Action. My personal preference is to have a magazine fed Bolt Action for this type of work, this way you do not give up that much ammo capacity and your rate of fire can be good enough to engage multiple targets..it can be argued however in regards to tactics (depending on the mission and objective) of a Designated Marksman or Guerilla Sniper that it is not the smartest move to be sitting in one place for an extended period of time firing at multiple targets! So this is a tool that serves a big purpose in the Civilian Operator’s arsenal and demands practice to hone the skills of the rifleman.

5.  Semi-Automatic .22LR Rifle

Call me nostalgic, (since this was one of the first serious guns I got when I was a kid)  but out of all the weapons I have listed, this is my favorite becasue of the memories I have with it. Most people would never think of a .22LR for a defense weapon, but go ask the IDF and Mossad and they can tell you the perks of this caliber!!

The up side to having one of these guns is many, here are a few:

  • Ammo is cheap, thus you will shoot more and practice your rifleman skills more. Plus, you can stockpile a ton of ammo for cheap.
  • Report is minimum, especially if you use subsonic ammo, this can have it’s advantages in built up areas.
  • If you choose a Semi-Auto Model, which I highly recommend, you can purchase high-capacity magazines (where they are legal) to give you a decent rate of fire.

This is one of those platforms that is a hybrid weapon..you can defend yourself and in a survival or disaster situation, where you may want to preserve your center fire ammo, you can hunt with it. Now let me address those who say the .22LR is an “inadequate” caliber for self-defense or hunting; I will admit, it would not be my first choice for self-defense, that is not to say however, I could not kill somebody or a medium-sized animal with it if I had too..Two Words:  Shot Placement.


And with that, a weapon is no good without the training to use it. How are your supporting skills? Got training?

 

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22 Comments

  1. thestraygoose October 31, 2019 at 10:31

    Great article and great reasoning, its hard to argue with any choice you recommended. I would like your opinion on the .17HMR instead of the .22lr or also to augment the core you chose. I have one with a heavy barrel that’s threaded an it is a stone cold nail driver at 150 yards with the BDC scope. At 2550 fps, 20 round mag and no kick it can tear up a paper plate or take down a deer with a head shot no problem. I’ve shot it through 4 one inch phone books duct taped tight together. Ammo is about $12-13 bux per 50.

  2. constitutionalist October 31, 2019 at 10:56

    I would combine guns 2 and 4 into one 7.62×51 (.308) semiauto rifle. Use a quality QD mount to change between a CQB optic and a scope.

  3. Anonymous October 31, 2019 at 12:08

    4

  4. brunop October 31, 2019 at 12:12

    @ constitutionalist – that is good if you are the only person using your guns. If you have a willing party / family member who could provide overwatch with #4 while you are on Walk About with #2, you’d need both of them.

    Additionally, I wouldn’t want to be taking a scope off of my #4, putting it back on, confirming zero again, and then repeating that cycle.

  5. Wynn October 31, 2019 at 12:48

    I pretty much subscribe to this model… I standardized years ago. 9mm Glock, 5.56 AR, 12ga Remington Shotgun, .308 Bolt gun, .22Auto Simi auto 10/22…

    All rounds are easily available within CONUS…

    Great write up!!

  6. SemperFi, 0321 October 31, 2019 at 15:24

    In a “combat” scenario, caliber commonality is the key to survival, and yet so many still keep going out and buying this weeks new fad calibers because they want the newest and bestest there is. Fine for a recreational weapon, not good for combat.
    I know a few folks with a .17, but I also know almost everyone has a .22.
    Reminds me of the argument I had yrs ago at WRSA with a guy who carried his grandpappy’s Winchester Model 71 in .348 Win, that WAS his survival gun! I know several who insist their cowboy guns are the equal of an assault rifle, let’s see how well that theory holds up in a firefight and it’s reload time. Fine, carry and shoot whatever you want, but don’t expect to find ammo for it after 6-12 months when everyone’s supply is gone and shot out, chances are you won’t be reloading by then either.
    I’ve come to realize common sense is neither common nor sensible to most folks, for me I stick to KISS as much as possible.

  7. Ray October 31, 2019 at 16:50

    The more common your ammunition type /Cal. is the better . Three .30:06 . One scoped Hi grade hunting Mauser, One 1903 Springfield. One Garand. One 12Ga. pump (870) . one .22 bolt action target rifle. Black powder rifles in both flint and cap lock for hunting. A caplock Revolver. Don’t laugh, I have busted many a rabbit with the Navy Colt. Two good full size .45’s . One revolver one 1911A1. One S&W .M&P shield 2.0 9mm for “goin’ to town” and a set of flintlock dueling pistols. As long as I can find flint, wheel weights and make powder I have three shots and a good blade. None of this is “high speed black rifle war daddy” . But that isn’t my thing. I think everybody should own what ever weapon makes them happy. I might not want an AR-15. But I am more than willing to kill or die to defend YOUR Absolut G_D ordained right to have one ,if it makes you warm& fuzzy.

  8. A.B Prosper October 31, 2019 at 17:08

    I can’t disagree with any of this. here are my very minor quibbles such as they are.

    if you combat rifle is .308 or you are in an urban environment you may not need a bolt rifle. It’s good to have all those skills but given a hobbesian choice of AR or bolt, the AR is better.

    In weapon restricted areas, it’s obviously better to move but if you can’t a lever rifle 30/30 or the like is a solid choice as well. Plenty of power , useful for hunting and decent in defense. If things go hot as vs being unstable, gun laws won’t matter anyway.

    As for handguns, service side handguns are more generally useful but a smaller handgun, concealable like a Kahr 9mm or a Makarov might be a good choice instead. There will be many time openly wearing a gun is ill advised but you won’t want to go unarmed either. Pocket pistols and vest pocket pistols should be avoided unless you are already highly skilled.

    My personal opinion is that the handgun will be generally more useful than any of the others as unlike a long gun it will always be with you. Carried always hopefully never used,

    You can also use a .22 pellet gun instead of a ,22 rifle if you like.

    All in all though, it’s a very well thought out list having all the bases covered but not so much that skill can’t be acquired with all of them.

    Thanks.

  9. Shinmen Takezo. October 31, 2019 at 18:38

    I’m just going to wave a butter knife and use harsh language (not).

  10. Ed October 31, 2019 at 18:48

    I am inexplicably drawn to a Barrett M95.

  11. SemperFi, 0321 October 31, 2019 at 18:51

    Ray,
    FYI, do not use wheel weights in your black powder guns, you want soft pure lead, like fishing weights and plumbers lead. Wheel weights are for modern pistol/rifle bullet casting as they don’t deform. Look it up if you don’t believe me, you’re going to hurt yourself with hard lead/BP.

  12. Arthur Sido October 31, 2019 at 19:08

    Very solid list but the most important part is this line “Fast forward to today and you have people who own 25 guns and are proficient with none of them because every time they go to shoot, they grab a different gun.” Absolutely. I would love to have a bunch of different pistols: 10mm, .45, 9mm, .40, etc. If I was confident of the future being peaceful I would say go crazy and buy one of each. But we live in the real world and that means having a few guns you are good with and preferably guns in a common caliber. 9mm and 5.45 aren’t very sexy but the ammo is cheap and common, not only to buy but also from scavenging. Get good at what you got instead of chasing every fad.

  13. ensitue October 31, 2019 at 20:36

    I’ve divested myself of all meme gunz, no more collectibles, no more cowboy guns, that money went into optics. I did keep my 270Win because it is a stone cold killer at 700 yards and I did buy a 300WM because there is a spot in my AO that requires 900 yard engagements otherwise everything falls into the basic five

  14. swwatcher October 31, 2019 at 21:59

    Excellent article full of great ideas. All of my like-minded friends (and tribe) have two separate batteries of guns. Battery 1 has heirlooms and collectibles, many passed down by family. Battery 2 is their standardized “business battery” that is outlined in the article. The bulk of their deep ammo stores supports battery 2. Do not sell the .22 long rifle short. A close friend was a trauma Doctor who spent better part of two decades in an emergency room. He will tell you that by a huge margin, of the number of folks shot to death that he tried to save, more were shot with a .22 Long rifle than all other calibers combined !

  15. brunop October 31, 2019 at 22:46

    @Shinmen Takezo – I know you are joking. Meanwhile, a guy I went to high school with just told me that if he got mugged (he lives in Manhattan/NYC), he would just curse the guy and keep walking. That’s the totality of his plan, which *will* work – until it doesn’t.

    He doesn’t want to know.

  16. pdxr13 October 31, 2019 at 22:52

    There is a steep monetary price and time cost in getting and staying proficient with 3 of 5, with the .22lr carbine and the 9mm pistol having lower price but similar time need to the rest. For urban self defence, that would be some deterrence, cheap to obtain, portable up stairs, unlike pretend-individual-weapons chambered in .50bmg. No one wants to get shot with any size firearm, especially without functional ambulance to trauma center 4 minutes away.
    This beginner strategy is relatively short range, but might be good enough in tight quarters or for weak/wounded auxiliary.

    +1 on ParaFAL as the do-almost-everything weapon of the 20th century, lacking only bayonet effectiveness of the fixed stock model. FAL builds strong fighters if they carry it a lot on foot.

    If the history of insurgencies is any predictor of the future, man-portable very low cost efp’s with high quality targetting and triggering will be instrumental in the strategy of bankrupting the Big Army until they withdraw. Small group with guns fighting a big group with guns and unlimited orbital and materiel support is painful.

    A “civil conflict” will be less focused, with fewer external rules for combatants, other than “don’t get identified” and “don’t get caught”. Suck will be plentiful.

    pdxr13

  17. Anonymous October 31, 2019 at 23:21

    4.5

  18. Oldfart October 31, 2019 at 23:30

    Ah yes, “shot placement.” I can vouch for it. Many years ago (I start entirely too many stories that way) I lived in a rather secluded part of Alaska. While cutting firewood one day, I spotted a yearling moose watching me. I stalked him for the better part of an hour and finally got within 50 feet of him. Using a 10/22, I put one bullet in his right eye. He dropped to his knees and I ran up and put another shot into the back of his skull.

    DRT!

  19. Ray November 1, 2019 at 15:29

    Yeh I learned about hard Vs. lead when I started shooting front stuffers 40 years ago. The trick is to not use hard lead in a C&B revolver or in a full size ML bullet. Paper patching an undersize scrap lead bullet , even one as hard as 20 to 1, will give a vast improvement in flintlock penetration. You can also use hard(scrap) lead in undersize Mine type bullets if you paper patch and use a wax and tallow lube. The trick is to keep the lead away from the steel. You let the linen paper do all the work of spinning up the ball. I use my super hard alloy bullets for my .45LC with BP or pyrodex (or what ever ya got) I trained for the survivalist ideal. Use whatever you can get to best advantage. If CW2 starts or the whole world just go’s Tango Uniform , or anything else short of the SMOD, I want at least a chance to fight back. Even if that chance is a long rifle and tomahawk. Like the man said. It beats a butter knife and harsh words. That and sometimes scouting the woods in buckskin with 250 year old weapons makes you look like something not worth shooting to the sniper you didn’t see. It at least gives a better chance than rolling up the tree line looking like the guy in the header.

  20. Ben Leucking November 1, 2019 at 21:02

    Great article and loaded with common sense. The five gun theory doesn’t mean that you can’t have backup weapons in each of the five categories, however. For example, I have four rifles in category #2, three are AR platform and one is 7.62X39. Likewise, I have backup SA pistols in 9mm and .45 caliber in category #1. As for category #4, I prefer bolt action 30-06 because it has superior range to the .308.

  21. Boat Guy November 3, 2019 at 09:34

    Excellent piece! Good and simple criteria. No ” this is the bestest because” stuff.

  22. Nobody November 8, 2019 at 19:05

    Years ago I considered that one only needed Three firearms for survival would be best for survival. A handgun, a long rifle, and a shotgun. Before that I considered a .22 LR as the only firearm. I still do in many ways.
    Your article brings up many fine points that I highly agree with. such as Common Sense…..IF Common Sense is so Common, Why don’t more people have it?

    All firearms are tools and all each has a job it is was designed for to do…..and like any tool, some tools can do multiple jobs and be adequate for other jobs. While not perfect for other jobs you have to use what you have on hand to get the job done. While the tool/firearm may not be he preferred tool you want to do the job with, one improvise. Eskimos are reported to kill Polar Bears with a .22 LR. Not something I would ever want to try or recommend!
    That being said the Ruger 10/22 take down version does make a great addition and the regular standard model 10/22 has “High Capacity” magazines and other items readily available and all at realistic prices. One can find ammo most anywhere or stockpile several thousand rounds in a small space…..

    I would add an air rifle with a FPS at or above 1200 FPS. one can readily supply themselves with even more thousands of rounds and even different type pellets…some for penetration some for expansion or whatever.
    The are quiet or can be made quiet and take small game……among other things. Things I would not recommend unless as a last resort. Anytime one must use a weapon against another may be the last option and only resort.

    “Combat Weapons” are whatever the Human Brain can think of Hands/Feet/Elbows/Knees/Axe Handles/Baseball bats/ knife/a bottle/ whatever else they can improvise.

    Firearms with a high capacity do not make up for hitting a target. Look at the LAPD when they changed from their .38 Special revolvers to the 9mm.
    Accuracy and Hitting your target counts! Misses do not!

    An M-1 Garand holds normally holds 8 rounds though 3 and 5 round clips for hunting can be found. An SKS has a 10 round built in magazine but higher capacity magazines can be found. The M-1A (M-14) has a normal 20 round magazine.

    One can build their own AR-10 (7.62×51 NATO.308 or other calibers such as the 6.5 Grendel or .243 Winchester) or AR-15 (5,56 NATO or other calibers such as the .300 Black out or .458 SOCOM for examples). All one has to do is buy or build a new upper with respect to the lower and they can change the caliber.
    There are .22LR conversion kits made for the AR-15s and the Ruger Mini14s.

    The Glock and even the 1911 can be built and a with new slide and barrels springs and magazines kits can change the caliber and potentially hae a have one frame and change it out to shoot 3 or maybe 4 or so different calibers depending on the frame. There is a .22 LR conversion kit made for the Government Model 1911s

    IF you go with Glocks or 1911 or other semi auto handgun or an AR Platform or AK or other such rifle or even a Ruger 10-22,, Get as many spare magazines as you can. Magazines can get lost and go bad and the only way you might be able to find is either through trade or barter or if someone else does not need them anymore.

    When it comes to bolt or other long range firearms, does the area you live or going to bug out too have an open area here you will be able to shoot 600 or 800 Yards/Meters or longer?

    Other than some ranges or along a road/highway or under power lines OR lives in wide open country they will most likely never see or need to make shots at such extreme/long range.

    If so, you need more practice and knowledge of long range shooting and practice and practice and practice and practice more so than you normally should be doing. Shooting Long range is more or less an art form and did I mention A LOT of Practice/Practice Practice Practice and more Practice and a lot learning how to read the wind, the humidity, the temperature, and MORE! Be consistent and BE SURE TO get the Dope on all of your ammo
    at such range.

    If you want a bolt rifle decide if you want a long or short bolt throw . Example a 30.06 and .270 Winchester are long bolt throws. The .308 Winchester and 6mm Remington are short bolt throws. Among others

    Shotguns see if you can find a shorter or “Tactical/Riot” barrel to swap out for the longer hunting barrel. At one time and maybe still do M sold a Mosssberg sold a shotgun with both barrels….The longer barrels are not good for using at close quarters.

    Some revolvers in SOME situations are actually better than a semi auto. Example the smaller revolvers such as made b Smith & Wesson or Ruger that do not have an external hammer say in .38 Special or .357 Magnum can be fired in a jacket pocket or through a woman’s purse more than once
    without jamming or the slide on a semi auto being caught up in clothing/material.

    A .357 Magnum can safely fire all .38 Special ammo and can fire .38 Special +P+ bullets with less recoil than the full .357 Magnum loads.
    just something to consider.

    One other weapon I would suggest to consider adding is a crossbow.

    Just some thoughts t consider.

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