"People who live in delightful, well-mannered suburbs, who never have to contest for their lives and property, often fail to grasp the subtle logic of violence. It is a mistake seldom made by hardened criminals." James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg in THE GREAT RECKONING
In a massive social collapse caused by Y2K, most people will be able to keep only that which they can defend. This includes their lives, their homes, their food, their money, and if they're male, even their wives and perhaps their children. This is a thought that may disturb many people who are doing serious Y2K survival planning; many Y2K-aware people do not have a survivalist background or mindset and they've never had any reason to think about physically defending that which is precious to them. Y2K may change all that, just as it may change nearly everything else in the world.
In an orderly, productive society with a stable division of labor, the harsh realities of life are not so obvious. You have laws that most people obey and you have professional police who enforce those laws. It's their job to defend the lives and property of the average citizen; if there's any violence to be done in that defense, the police handle that. The average person never has to consider defending what is his unless he is personally threatened by a criminal. The threat of force by the police keeps order in the society and tends to discourage aggressive criminal behavior (not always very well in today's world I'll admit). It also tends to hide a basic truth about the nature of human relations.
In a massive Y2K social collapse, law and public order break down and the truth about human rights is revealed: An individual has rights only as long as he can defend them. This is the subtle logic of violence. It has always been true but it's something to which most of us have never given a moment's thought. It's also a concept that makes some people uncomfortable because it contradicts much of the illusions by which we have lived all of our lives. However, unless you understand and accept this basic fact of life, you may not survive the next few years.
If Y2K smashes down hard, it will destroy all the illusions and most of the rules we have lived by for the past hundred years or more. It will create harsh new rules. When the fundamental order of a society changes and new rules arise, those who fail to understand the new rules will suffer.
There's a reason for the information in the above paragraphs: It may save your life. Why? Because it's not just having a weapon that's important, or even knowing how to use one; it's knowing full well why you need to use it and therefore not hesitating to use it when needed. A gun in your hand is totally worthless against an assailant unless you're fully willing to use it to defend yourself. You must understand that the new rules brought on by a brutal Y2K breakdown require you to defend your life personally.
The information on this website is meant for the average person; it's essentially one average person speaking to another. Most of us are not survivalists and we have not had much experience with guns. We have no particular interest in, and precious little time to learn about, exotic weapons with foreign sounding names. We need basic information about basic weapons that work dependably and don't cost a fortune.
In a bad Y2K scenario, it is not likely that things will deteriorate into some kind of violent chaos. The more likely worst case scenario is one in which there may be unrest and martial law in the urban areas and far less order than we're accustomed to everywhere but nothing that resembles the Future War in The Terminator. Desperate people take desperate chances, the more base emotions become prominent in many people's behavior, and hunger, cold, lust, greed and fear take charge of people's actions. You won't have to worry about roving gangs; your concern will be with one or two people breaking into your house for food or whatever may be available, stealing vegetables from your garden or firewood from your woodpile, etc. This is what you'll need to defend against and this is something you can handle.
The best weapon for home defense is a shotgun with a short barrel. There are three reasons why this is true. First, there is nothing scarier than looking at that big black hole at the end of the barrel of a shotgun when it's pointed at you. Second, when you fire a shotgun at close range it's impossible to miss; you're going to hit what you're aiming at. Third, when you hit someone with a shotgun, he doesn't get up and come at you. A short barrel gun is easier to handle than one with a long barrel.
There are several good basic shotguns on the market. One of the best is a 12 gauge Remington pump 870 Express Magnum with an 18" barrel. It's not fancy and it's not pretty but it will do the job. As someone told me not long ago, just hearing the unmistakable click of a pump shotgun being cocked will scare off most intruders. The Remington costs about $250 new. Mossberg also makes a good pump 12 gauge, along with several other manufacturers. If there is a good gun shop in your area, stop by and look at what's available. Ask questions; most gun shop employees are very knowledgable and willing to share that knowledge with you.
The other useful weapon for home or personal defense is a handgun. Although an automatic shoots faster and loads quicker than a revolver, it is a more complex mechanism and may jam occasionally, whereas a revolver almost never jams. Also for a novice, a revolver is less intimidating to hold and shoot. Maybe it's all those Roy Rogers and Gene Autry movies, but somehow a revolver just seems more familiar to someone who is not used to guns.
The best revolver to have is a .357 magnum with a 4 inch barrel. It can fire both .38 and .357 shells (use the .38 ammo for practice because it's cheaper than the .357). A .357 is powerful enough to kill or seriously injure an assailant and it's common enough to be affordable. I'd stick to a well-known brand such as a Smith & Wesson. Taurus makes a good handgun that is less expensive than the very top names. Again, ask at the gun shop.
If the gun is for a small female, the .357 may be too heavy and awkward to use effectively. In that case a .38 or even a .32 may be a better choice. Remember that a smaller caliber weapon does not have the stopping power of a larger one, so if you have to shoot someone to defend yourself, keep shooting until you empty the gun. Once you've wounded someone, he's going to try to kill you if he possibly can, so you don't want to inflict a minor wound; you must stop him!
No matter which guns you get, be sure to get lots of ammunition. Any ammo you don't use or need will be a great trade item after Y2K. Walmart generally has good prices on ammunition. Gun shows are always a good place to shop for ammo deals.
If you know someone who has a good bit of knowledge and experience with guns, get him to teach you how to shoot safely. It is a terrible mistake to have a gun and not know anything about proper shooting and gun safety. If there is a gun course offered in your area, take it; ask about this at your local gun shop.
Be sure to keep your guns away from your children! Put them where you can get to them quickly if needed but in a place to which they don't have access. There are lockable gun boxes on the market that are quick to get into if you know how, but impossible for a child to open; again, ask at the gun shop.
Finally, there is a cardinal rule about guns that should always be kept in mind: Never point a gun at someone unless you are completely willing to shoot. If your assailant senses hesitancy, he'll move quickly and take the gun away from you. Your life may depend upon this so it's essential to accept it completely. Go back and read the opening paragraphs above. In Y2K the rules have changed; understand that and you will survive; fail to understand that and you will perish.