Go Bag Weapon and Ammunition Load Out.
Go Bag Weapon and Ammunition Load Out.
This article will deal with my personal choice of firearms when packing a Go Bag, the ammunition I chose to load and the big consideration of just how much weight ammunition, or ammo, adds to what you have to carry.
I will be talking about my personal collection and the reasons for picking these particular firearms over others. I have not shown pistols here for some very simple reasons. Compared to long guns (rifles and shotguns) they are more difficult to get a hold of (paperwork), and they take a considerable amount of practice to use even moderately efficiently and accurately. I will also be talking about “hunting weapons”, rather than what are described as Under Law as “assault weapons”, because the same matters of legality apply to them as to pistols (after market additions and magazine capacity). The consideration of effective range was also paramount to me. A pistol is a close quarters weapon and I felt that my choice of shotgun covered this eventuality.
It should be noted that, no matter which firearm you chose, you will need to practice constantly to get and remain proficient in your gun's use. Shooting is a “learned skill”, you can not put down a gun and then pick it up six months later and expect to be as good. Shooting, like flying, is not like riding a bike. There is some muscle-memory involved but it needs constant, diligent practice to keep your skills honed.
On a personal note, all of my firearms are fitted with both a trigger lock and a breach lock and I always store them in a gun safe. This, I feel, is only common sense.
Mossberg 500 JIC Mariner.
Be aware of Local and State Laws regarding the purchase of, not only, firearms but also magazines and ammunition and the storage of both.
This is how I purchased my shotgun. The Mossberg 500 JIC (Just in Case) comes with a folding knife, multi-tool, and waterproof storage and carry case. The Mossberg 500 JIC's come in a number of variants, including the Mariner, the Cruiser, and the FLEX. After doing some research I found Mossberg shotguns to be reliable, rugged, and very affordable. It was these three factors that lead me to choose both Mossberg and Ruger firearms.
The Mossberg 500 JIC Mariner is a .12 gauge shotgun (though you can get it chambered in other gauges). .12 gauge shells are cheap, readily available, and come in many different loads that include Birdshot (small, lightweight pellets, like BB's), 00 Buckshot (Usually 9 large pellets the approximate size of .38 caliber bullets) to .50 Slugs (These need a rifled barrel to be used effectively), depending upon your needs.
Mossberg 500 JIC Cruiser.
Remember, guns are not magic. You simply can not expect to point a firearm at a target and hit it. Even from incredibly short ranges the drop, lift or wobble of the barrel by even a fraction of an inch, or of a degree, will send the bullet far wide of the intended target. Practice is paramount.
Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you chose. Where is the safety? How is the bolt released?
As with my Go Bags I am constantly updating and improving them as new items come on the market or as funds become available. Always be aware what your additions do to your gun with regard to the Law. You might be changing your hunting weapon into an assault weapon which means you may have to register it (Safe Act).
After-market additions can include the following:
Stocks : From collapsible to foldable most after market stocks are pistol-grip in nature many being modeled after that of the Colt M4 Carbine.
Fore-grips : Generally an upright grip that allows a solid hold and action on the shotgun. These grips can themselves feature such additions as tactical lights or lasers. They are generally mounted on picatinny rails (a bracket that allows industry wide standard mountings).
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction (away from people and buildings). Keep the gun in safe and your finger off the trigger, until you are ready to shoot.
Heat shields : The barrel of any gun gets incredibly hot after firing only a few rounds. The heat shields lessen the chance of any, self-inflicted, burns or injuries.
Heat shields such as the Warhammer Rail System actually come with molded picatinny rails.
Optics : Also known as “Reflex Sight” or “Red Dot Sights” the most common feature a laser that projects a reticle, of variable intensity, upon a glass screen. The idea is to place or drift the reticle over the target.
Tactical Flashlights : A high intensity flashlight mounted to the fore-grip or barrel. I prefer LED flashlights to those that use bulbs because less damage can be done to the flashlight due to the shock of recoil. The spare batteries for the flashlight can be housed in the hollow handle of the fore-grip or the pistol grip.
Bayonet : Ka-Bar pistol bayonet. Mounted to the barrel this is detachable and for emergency, close quarter, use only.
Laser Designator : A back-up to the reflex sight. Ranged in at the maximum effective stopping range of the shot gun. Only good in low-light scenarios.
Tactical Sling : A strong, load bearing sling, that allows the shotgun to be carried in a number of ways and allows easy access to the firearm.
Belt Pouches : Each pouch can hold 12 rounds. I have fitted 4 such pouches to a tactical belt.
Bandoliers : Designed to be worn over the shoulder I place these in my Go Bag where they can be easily grabbed an worn should an encounter take place.
Drop Leg Shell Holders : Attached to your belt and cinched around the thigh this device allows easy access to shells for the shotgun. Uncovered does mean open to the elements and thus could cause misfire due to rain, snow, and dirt.
Saddles : Fitted to the body of the shotgun, or two the stock these devices hold between 4 and 6 shells on the firearm itself.
Shotgun Shell Weight : 47g
Shotgun Shell Weight, 100 rounds : 4.7kg
Shotgun shells are heavy. Those 8 kg are for the shells alone. Not the gun, not the pouches, nor bandoliers. Just the shells. Weight has to be a consideration when picking out the particular firearm for your Go Bag.
Firearms should be unloaded and securely stored when not in use.
The Ruger 10/22 is so named because the specially designed magazine is designed to ten rounds of .22 caliber ammunition. The .22 round is small and with a relatively low velocity but is cheap, light, and until recently, readily available. You can carry, literally, thousands of rounds without adversely effecting the weight requirement of your Go Bag.
The Ruger 10/22 is rugged, reliable, cheap, and Sturm Ruger is constantly bringing out new variants, from the “Take Down” version to the “Tactical”. The Ruger 10/22 is a good rifle to learn to shoot with, both lightweight and with a minimal recoil, and the inexpensive ammunition will not empty your wallet as you learn to improve your accuracy. It has the ability to take many different loads, from Hollow Point to High Velocity. This is a good, lightweight, multipurpose rifle to have by your side, should the situation ever arise.
I chose semi-automatic rifles over fully automatic because of two reasons. The first is legality. The paperwork and checks involved in the purchase of a fully automatic weapon are involved and convoluted and after all that your firearm may still not be legal in States through which you travel. The second is ammunition. There is the possibility that a person may be tempted to go “rock and roll”, that is, fire off a whole magazine of rounds, in an emergency situation. Yes, fully automatic weapons have an incredibly high rate of fire but there can be eight or more feet in distance between a bullet and the one following it. This means you could “spray” a room with bullets and yet miss every single target. A semi-automatic rifle allows you to fire rapidly, while aiming, at multiple targets.
Ruger 10/22 Tactical. Note the thicker, heavier barrel.
ALWAYS treat a firearm as if it were loaded. Even if you are certain that it was you that just unloaded that gun, treat it as if it had a full magazine and a chambered round or shell.
After-market additions can include the following:
Stocks : From collapsible to foldable most after market stocks are pistol-grip in nature many being modeled after that of the Colt M4 Carbine.
Fore-grips : Generally an upright grip that allows a solid hold and action on the shotgun. These grips can themselves feature such additions as tactical lights or lasers. They are generally mounted on picatinny rails (a bracket that allows industry wide standard mountings).
Optics : I fitted my rifle with a Barska 3-9 x 42 sight with an illuminated reticle. The sight takes the same batteries as the reflex sights. With optics or “sights” you get what you pay for, it can be very easy to purchase a sight that costs many more times than that of the firearm. A sight will not magically improve your shooting. They need to dialed into to your gun, your shooting style, even the type of ammunition. To become truly proficient in their use you also need a good understanding of maths.
Bi-pod s : Foldable and allows for steady, prone shooting where you can take your time placing a shot. I chose a short legged bi-pod for weight and to keep the carbine as compact as possible.
Flash Guards : Diminishes the time “back on target” after a shot is fired by lessening the recoil to a small degree. The porting also dispels the “flash” of ignited gasses away from the barrel rather than just in front of it.
Ruger 10/22 Takedown. Can be “broken” in half for transportation.
Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions BEFORE using. Do NOT look down the end of the barrel to do this, check from the breach. A condom and elastic band make for a very good, and cheap, barrel protector, keeping out rain, mud, and dirt.
Be sure of your target before shooting. Tunnel vision is a real thing, where you become focused upon the target, and only the target, to the detriment of what is behind, or may be passing, the target. Soldiers and police officers are trained to compensate for this.
Magazines : The standard is a 10 round, rotary style magazine. Larger capacity magazines are available but you need to check Local and State Laws as to whether they are legal to purchase.
Magazine Pouches : These come in many styles from drop leg to belt pouches. Most modern tactical vests comes with pre-fitted pouches and there are a number made with the Ruger 10/22 in mind. Chose what is right for you.
Ammunition Belt : Used for holding reloads for the magazines. Boxes of .22 caliber ammunition come in either 50 or 40 rounds as standard.
.22 Caliber Round Weight : 3g
.22 Caliber Round Weight, 1000 rounds : 3kg :
Ruger Mini-14 Ranch rifle.
The Ruger Mini-14 is based upon the military M-14 rifle, a gun that is still in use today as a training weapon, a ceremonial weapon, and, when accurized, a sniper rifle. Where the M-14 is chambered for a .308, 7.62 mm round Ruger has chambered their rifle for the .223, 5.56 mm round.
The Ruger Mini-14 is accurate, durable, and easy to operate and the .223 round has a longer range and a more devastating impact than the .22 round. This heavier round does entail a more pronounced recoil but this can be reduced by incorporating such items as a flash compensator or a barrel strut.
Like it's smaller, lighter brother the 10/22, the Mini-14 is already manufactured in a number of variants by Ruger. The Ranch, the Tactical, and the heavier variant, the Mini-30, chambered for .308, 7.62 mm (Exactly like the M-14). Like the 10/22 the Mini-14 can be enhanced by many accessories though it should be noted that both rifles are very good, “straight out of the box”. It really is to your own personal preference as to what, if any, changes you wish to make.
Firearms are loud. When possible wear or fit ear protection when shooting. Glasses or goggles will protect your eyes from expelled gasses and debris.
After-market additions can include the following:
Stocks : From collapsible to foldable most after market stocks are pistol-grip in nature many being modeled after that of the Colt M4 Carbine.
Fore-grips : Generally an upright grip that allows a solid hold and action on the shotgun. These grips can themselves feature such additions as tactical lights or lasers. They are generally mounted on picatinny rails (a bracket that allows industry wide standard mountings).
Optics : I fitted my rifle with a Leapers 4 x 32 sight with a Reflex sight on an angled mount as a back up. With optics or “sights” you get what you pay for, it can be very easy to purchase a sight that costs many more times than that of the firearm. A sight will not magically improve your shooting. They need to dialed into to your gun, your shooting style, even the type of ammunition. To become truly proficient in their use you also need a good understanding of maths.
Bi-pod s : Foldable and allows for steady, prone shooting where you can take your time placing a shot. I chose a short legged bi-pod for weight and to keep the carbine as compact as possible.
Flash Guards : Diminishes the time “back on target” after a shot is fired by lessening the recoil to a small degree. The porting also dispels the “flash” of ignited gasses away from the barrel rather than just in front of it.
Suppressors : “Silencer” is a misnomer. You can never truly silence a firearm. The action alone is very loud. A suppressor will greatly reduce the noise of a gun shot but never eliminate. The purchase and use of suppressors is, rightly, very heavily regulated. You absolutely have to check Local and State Laws as to their legality.
Never climb a tree, a fence, structure, or do anything awkward with a loaded firearm.
Ruger Mini-30. Chambered for the 7.62 mm, .308 caliber round.
The standard ammunition load for an American Infantryman is 210 rounds of .223, 5.56 mm ammunition in 7 x 30 round magazines. 1 in the rifle with 6 in belt or vest pouches.
Those 210 rounds in 7 magazines are considered sufficient for a single engagement. Not a day but a single engagement. The expectation is that the soldier will be able to disengage to resupply, that they will be resupplied by air or ground forces, or that the engagement will be over before the soldier has expended all their ammuntion. Most soldiers, the best soldiers, will carry many more than the “recommended” 210 rounds, 7 magazines.
10 round magazines : Double stack magazines stored in vest or pocket. These are legal in most states (though the number of rounds you are allowed to put in them can vary). Again, you must check Local and State Laws.
5 round magazines : Double stack magazines stored in vest or pocket. The 5 round magazine is Ruger standard.
High Capacity magazines : 20, 30, 100 rounds (most rifles can also be modified to become belt fed which can increase the available number of rounds to 200 – 250). There are very strict Laws regarding the purchase and ownership of high capacity magazines. You absolutely must check Local and State Laws with regard to their legality.
.223 Caliber Round Weight : 12g
.223 Caliber Round Weight, 210 rounds : 2.52kg
Do not shoot at a hard surface, or at, and into water. The bullet may well ricochet or shatter.
Never transport a loaded firearm. The vibration, or an impact, could set off a round in the chamber.
Kel-Tec KSG 14+1 shotgun. Zombie Apocalypse wish list.
Mossberg MVP Patrol bolt-action rifle. Zombie Apocalypse wish list.
This article is, in no way, meant to be definitive or something that is to be strictly adhered to. Rather it is a springboard for your own needs, wants, and situation. I chose these particular firearms due to their reliability, their ruggedness, the availability of ammunition, and not least, because of their cost.
I also took into consideration my own skill level, and the skill levels of my family and friends. There is also the fact that all three of these firearms are relatively easy to both use and maintain and that has to be a strong consideration in any emergency situation. The more complicated that any device is, be it mechanical or electronic, the more likely it is that the device will fail and maintenance and or repair becomes exponentially more difficult.
NEVER imbibe an alcoholic beverage or use drugs (recreational or medical) when shooting OR handling a firearm. You are not the Vice President, if you shoot your friend in the face you will go to jail.
My thanks to Mossberg, Ruger, and Max Brooks for their aid in writing this article.
