To show your weapons or not?

[Dorky_D]

I didn't mean to make it sound like your idea was invalid or poor.

I was not upset, I thought I would clarify a bit as to the purpose while I was at it. No foul, no harm!

 

[odie]

I would conceal my weapon. I also will have my ar as my main protection and the trusty 1911 as a back up and NOBODY will take them away from me while I am kicking.

 

[Rocknhawk]

Conceal. Being armed but not showing it, gives you an edge over potential threats. In a bug out situation, weapons will be in high demand and make you a target.

 

[Rocknhawk]

Also, you would want to take the route least likely to be congested/inhabited/manned. Even if it takes a considerably longer time to arrive at your goal destination.

 

[jeremy]

Conceal. Being armed but not showing it, gives you an edge over potential threats. In a bug out situation, weapons will be in high demand and make you a target.

Showing the weapons is a deterrent telling persons not to **** with me or you may die...

Where as the Concealment thing may work, it has been my experience that as the rule of law collapses, those that conceal paint themselves as weak targets and easy for the pickings...

Also, you would want to take the route least likely to be congested/inhabited/manned. Even if it takes a considerably longer time to arrive at your goal destination.

Any route out of Indy will be congested for the first week at least...

 

[churchmouse]

I have been taught that to brandish a firearm one must be ready to use it. There is a mindset that goes with that. It is obvious to many if you are ready to end someone or if you are just using it as a display like many animals do with their plumage etc..
Body language and attitude. I can usually tell when someone is "Comfortable" with their firearm. It would be dependent on the situation if I concealed. Probably wouldn't like stated above. I have them, I will use them, move along.

 

[yepthatsme]

Conceal. Being armed but not showing it, gives you an edge over potential threats. In a bug out situation, weapons will be in high demand and make you a target.

IMHO, I would change this just a little. I would say that not concealing a weapon, makes you a long distance target as well and it attracts LEO's as well as others that you may not be prepared to deal with in a bug out situation.

Personally, I would try to blend in as well as possible. If a SHTF senerio was taking place right now, I would try to bug out with the crowd and blend in to exit the city. The longer you wait to bug out, the bigger of a target you become. Once you have exited a heavily populated area, then move away from the crowds and try to avoid people all together.

This may sound somewhat stupid after reading the fire power that most on here prefer, but I opt to carry an AR 7. It is very concealable. It has a fair range and I can also use the same ammo for a small hand gun as well. The ammunition is light, which allows me to carry more. I know that it doesn't have the knock down power I would like, but it is lethal. I would also like to carry a shotgun if possible, but if I could only take one weapon, it would be the AR 7. I'm just looking to survive and defend myself, not start or finish a war. Yes, it does have to be assembled to be used, but it can be assembled very quickly and that is why I would also carry a small hand gun. Just in case I am caught off guard.

 

[ghunter]

Conceal if at all possible. The Greyman philosophy is one I was living by for years before I knew there was a name for it. I always have my Glock 22 on me, and I can hide it well. When the weather's cool out, my favorite concealment trick is an LLBean cardigan. It hides your weapon, and chicks totally dig it!

 

[paddling_man]

Sidebar: Indianapolis --> Wabash? 80 miles. If you've lost your vehicle, you would be more than lucky to do 20 miles / day, 4 days in a row. Realistically, plan for at least 5.5 days.

If making it to Wabash is critical in your SHTF plan, then you need a decent bike. It would make for a long day, but I could do your 5.5 day walking trip in 6-7 hours on my bike.

Bike... quiet and grey man.

 

[Ted]

As TR is oft quoted: "Walk softly and carry a big stick."

Avoiding others whenever possible. If not possible, get by and away from the others as quietly and quickly as possible.

That is, until a threat become present, then all the above are out the window. Then resume the previous plan.

 

[churchmouse]

IMHO, I would change this just a little. I would say that not concealing a weapon, makes you a long distance target as well and it attracts LEO's as well as others that you may not be prepared to deal with in a bug out situation.

Personally, I would try to blend in as well as possible. If a SHTF senerio was taking place right now, I would try to bug out with the crowd and blend in to exit the city. The longer you wait to bug out, the bigger of a target you become. Once you have exited a heavily populated area, then move away from the crowds and try to avoid people all together.

This may sound somewhat stupid after reading the fire power that most on here prefer, but I opt to carry an AR 7. It is very concealable. It has a fair range and I can also use the same ammo for a small hand gun as well. The ammunition is light, which allows me to carry more. I know that it doesn't have the knock down power I would like, but it is lethal. I would also like to carry a shotgun if possible, but if I could only take one weapon, it would be the AR 7. I'm just looking to survive and defend myself, not start or finish a war. Yes, it does have to be assembled to be used, but it can be assembled very quickly and that is why I would also carry a small hand gun. Just in case I am caught off guard.

Honestly, a lot of folks I know with firearms are geared more towards close range and shotgun. To assume a long distance target would take some stealth or training and most really do not have it. Now in this statement I would say avoid Jeramy's place but having an exposed firearm would make you a hard target and most thugs would move on to softer game.
A property owner might be staked out and alert with a deer rifle with optics
but city folk are (not all but the ones we would worry about) sporting pistols and the occasional AK-47 or shotty. Their long range ability is not something of concern.

 

[paddling_man]

Bike... quiet and grey man.

And pedal faster if you hear banjo music.

 

[churchmouse]

And pedal faster if you hear banjo music.

He shore do have a purty mouth dont him...............

 

[Ted]

And pedal faster if you hear banjo music.

No need for purple on that one. That's just plain ol' good advice.

 

[paddling_man]

No need for purple on that one. That's just plain ol' good advice.

No doubt, brother. No doubt.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

This very true and I am not pointing this at you Blackhawk. You weren't suggesting this, but it bothers me how many people intimate that they would rather shoot first and ask questions later.

It is going to be up to each of us as to what they have to do to survive. However, if you're on the road walking (or in a field, or heading through a woods, whatever,) there is always a chance you'll be seen first. Not everyone is going to want your supplies. Some might naively be approaching just to get some information or possibly even to help (or just to find out what you're doing trespassing on their land.)
My point is you don't want to be blamming away at everyone you see until you're able to really size up the situation. Any one with any sense should realize that. Besides, gun shots might very well draw exactly the people you DO want to avoid, or a lynching party if you've shot a friendly farmer who was just looking to help.
Remember, not everyone is going to be out there looking for blood. You shouldn't be either, especially if things have just recently gone bad in the country and no one knows exactly what's happening. There is going to be a lot stunned people who won't know what's going on and aren't ready to start killing everyone. Be wary as a serpent, keep your wits about you, avoid people as much as possible and keep a backup weapon hidden, and keep your own fear in check!. Scared people do stupid things. But don't go terminator on anyone until you know there is a threat. That's my opinion.

Thus the term "functional paranoia" and "try REALLY not to get ambushed"

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Honestly, a lot of folks I know with firearms are geared more towards close range and shotgun. To assume a long distance target would take some stealth or training and most really do not have it. Now in this statement I would say avoid Jeramy's place but having an exposed firearm would make you a hard target and most thugs would move on to softer game.
A property owner might be staked out and alert with a deer rifle with optics
but city folk are (not all but the ones we would worry about) sporting pistols and the occasional AK-47 or shotty. Their long range ability is not something of concern.

I disagree with you to the extent that "long distance" can be a relative term. In the city, "long distance" can be the end of the block or across the street - if it's out of your immediate line-of-sight. Seems to me that the solo evader probably needs to be thinking in terms of immediate action drills: "take fire, take cover, assess the threat, drag out the rifle - if necessary - or engage with your secondary weapon, break contact, continue to evade" or something along those lines. Projecting a relatively harmless image may deflect attention away from the evader - or it may attract jackals who think they can take what they want without consequences to themselves. The solo evader had better cultivate the ability to notice the other guy first and be able to assess his intentions - get inside HIS decision cycle; it gives the evader more options than armed confrontation.

 

[churchmouse]

I disagree with you to the extent that "long distance" can be a relative term. In the city, "long distance" can be the end of the block or across the street - if it's out of your immediate line-of-sight. Seems to me that the solo evader probably needs to be thinking in terms of immediate action drills: "take fire, take cover, assess the threat, drag out the rifle - if necessary - or engage with your secondary weapon, break contact, continue to evade" or something along those lines. Projecting a relatively harmless image may deflect attention away from the evader - or it may attract jackals who think they can take what they want without consequences to themselves. The solo evader had better cultivate the ability to notice the other guy first and be able to assess his intentions - get inside HIS decision cycle; it gives the evader more options than armed confrontation.

Agree with you that long distance is relative. Most long shots one would be forced to take in the city are within pistol range. My thinking is towards the wolf pack mentality. If you appear to be prepared, observant and ready to defend yourself the pack will most likely move on to a softer target, possibly one of the other folks in this thread that think concealment is a virtue...
There is the gray man approach but if moving through the city for whatever reason it would be difficult to go totally un-noticed.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Agree with you that long distance is relative. Most long shots one would be forced to take in the city are within pistol range. My thinking is towards the wolf pack mentality. If you appear to be prepared, observant and ready to defend yourself the pack will most likely move on to a softer target, possibly one of the other folks in this thread that think concealment is a virtue...
There is the gray man approach but if moving through the city for whatever reason it would be difficult to go totally un-noticed.

I have to disagree on your wolf pack thought assessment, I think even if you show that you are armed, the human approach of the wolf pack is to take what ever they want, from who ever they run across, they have no concerns or cares, they want what you have.

But saying that, I'm more fearful of the one man not seen than the five crazy idiots showing themselves.

The five have showed their hand and you can make a immediate tactical decision, where as the one man not seen will let you stroll along until he perceives you as a threat and take you out if/when he decides to. The lone man can use this approach any way he see's fit, from long distance or up closer all while remaining hid.

There's just no end to the many hundreds/thousands of scenario's that a person could run across in a SHTF situation. This is why I'm not bugging out, I'm staying home or if out and about, evading under the cover of darkness to get home to my wife.

 

[churchmouse]

I have to disagree on your wolf pack thought assessment, I think even if you show that you are armed, the human approach of the wolf pack is to take what ever they want, from who ever they run across, they have no concerns or cares, they want what you have.

But saying that, I'm more fearful of the one man not seen than the five crazy idiots showing themselves.

The five have showed their hand and you can make a immediate tactical decision, where as the one man not seen will let you stroll along until he perceives you as a threat and take you out if/when he decides to. The lone man can use this approach any way he see's fit, from long distance or up closer all while remaining hid.

There's just no end to the many hundreds/thousands of scenario's that a person could run across in a SHTF situation. This is why I'm not bugging out, I'm staying home or if out and about, evading under the cover of darkness to get home to my wife.

There is no real way to plan for anything like this. After reading and assessing all of the thoughts posted I would say situational awareness and stealth or Gray man would give a person, a lone person the edge. There is strength in numbers.

One thing about a pack, take out the alpha and they will usually become disorganized in their approach. Some experience with this.