Why You Want To Keep A Shotgun In Your Preps

The gear in your survival pack can determine whether you live or die. One of the biggest decisions to make is which firearms to take with you. We have very limited space in which we have to carry everything we will need after a major disaster. Most will agree that a high-powered rifle is an essential part of a survival pack. However, there is debate on whether a pistol or a shotgun works best as a secondary firearm. While some conventional wisdom would have you believe that a pistol is the ideal choice, a shotgun is in fact a far more effective weapon when your back is against the wall.

Why A Shotgun Is The Best Secondary Weapon

Unlike most pistols, a shotgun can be accurate against an attacker even when you’re on the run. Pistols typically require focus and precision to hit their target, while a shotgun with buckshot can slow or stop an attacker even if you can only fire it in their general direction.

Shotguns also have far greater versatility in a wide range of situations. They can be useful for hunting as well as self-defense and can even be loaded with beanbag shot that can stop an attacker without being lethal. However, when real power is needed, there are few weapons more effective at close range than a shotgun loaded with a lead slug.

Another benefit of shotguns before any major societal collapse has occurred is their ubiquitous nature in most of the United States. Few weapons are as widely sold in every state as the shotgun is. The shotgun is typically considered a self-defense weapon among even the strongest proponents of gun control, which makes it easier to find the right one at a good price. On the other hand, high-powered rifles and pistols are often considered “murder weapons” by gun control groups and are always at risk of being legislated and regulated against. A bad stroke of luck in the political scene could leave you defenseless right when you’ll need your weapons most.

As a shotgun of choice two of the best bets is the Remington 870 or the Mossberg 590 Mariner, each of which have a reasonable starting price of around $400 to $500. The selling point for the Mossberg is that it is a 9-shot shotgun compared to the Remington only being a 7-shot.

Preparing And Maintaining Your Shotgun

When choosing your shotgun, it is important that you feel comfortable with it and can understand each working part within the weapon. Shotguns are modular in design, which means that the individual parts can be cleaned, repaired, and replaced when needed. In addition to simply knowing how to break down and put together your weapon, having a stock of the right replacement parts is essential to keeping your shotgun in good working order.

Fortunately, there are a number of websites that offer inexpensive replacement parts for shotguns that will ship to anywhere in the United States. One of the most important pieces in any shotgun is an Apple Rubber o-ring. These military grade rubber seals ensure the continued operation of your shotgun without affecting the accuracy of your weapon. In addition to the o-ring, be sure to keep at least one or two replacement parts of each component of your shotgun.