# A collective agreement on what fire arms,,,,,,



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I'm am going to have a few guest when TSHTF and we decided it would be in our best interest to all have the same
calibration in guns so the ammo will interchange in our basic SHTF firearms. And maybe even the same firearms so parts might
interchange. This what we all agreed to.

Colt,, Basic AR-15 M-4 5.56 
12 Gauge shot gun--Pump or auto. 
And for a side arm .45ACP <-----Darn I would love to have a Colt 

This way we can concentrate on only 3 types of ammo to bulk up on.
They have some firearms already everything from a 9mm to some long distant rifles
They will be bringing there own ammo for these.

This was the only 3 we agreed on
But I have a question on the 45s If we go with Mil Spec will the parts interchange if brand names are different? 

And do you think this decision was the right way to go?


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Are you going to include the .22 LR? 
I think the .45ACP is fine if that's agreed upon buy all. 
If the pistols are manufactured to military specification then the parts will be interchangeable. Actually most parts will cross over even if they are not mil spec. There is really not a whole lot on a 1911 that breaks and needs to be replaced, other than recoil springs every so often.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Seneca said:


> Are you going to include the .22 LR?
> I think the .45ACP is fine if that's agreed upon buy all.
> If the pistols are manufactured to military specification then the parts will be interchangeable. Actually most parts will cross over even if they are not mil spec. There is really not a whole lot on a 1911 that breaks and needs to be replaced, other than recoil springs every so often.


Yes I have a colt/wather AR-.22lr and a scoped 10/22 -- finding ammo is being a problem tho,,
I'm sure more will show up


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

You can have different manufacturers of AR15s & the uppers & lowers are not compatable. Same with different manufacturers of 45 parts not interchageable.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

As HH pointed out not all manufacturers will interchange/fit.

If all of you have agreed to what make, model and caliber to buy that is a good start. You are not only making sure that you have ammo compatability, but also magazine compatability and only have to stock one manufacture's spare parts for each type of weapon. 

Easier to teach or memorize (muscle memory) on those types of firearms as well. I would not overlook a Bolt Action or Break Action choice for longe range shooting or a last ditch effort gun.


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## nephilim (Jan 20, 2014)

A bow and Arrow for basics - Can kill at a good range, silent, ammo is easy enough to make and can be made in abundance.
M1911 or Glock 36 handgun
Baretta CX4 rifle

This way - only 1 bullet type is required...a nice .45ACP


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

45 doesn't fit everyone's hand. So you might consider option of 9mm or 38. Not everyone does well with a pistol.

Everything being 223 isn't the best choice either. You want some 308NATO or 30/06 in there such as a MiA or M1 Garand.


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## nephilim (Jan 20, 2014)

I am only thinking in the UK. .45 is easier to find in gun shops over here than anything else (despite having to be registered and all sorts)


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## The Resister (Jul 24, 2013)

While it makes good common sense to standardize calibers, once you get more than half a dozen people, you are urinating in the wind to think some guy won't see the necessity. With the following weapons / calibers the militia could not get enough support for the measure:

Long Guns / MBR

M1A and M1 Garands
FN / FAL
Bolt action in .308 or 30-06
AK variants
AR variants
Ruger 10 22

Shotguns

Remington 870 in 12 Ga.
Mossberg 500 or 590

Handguns

.45 Colt or milspec variant
Glocks in 9 mm, 40 S&W, or 9 mm
Beretta 92 9mm
Sig Sauer in 9mm .40 S&W, or 45
Ruger P series in 9mm 40 S&W, or 45

Despite all those choices, you found at least 1 in every six people that would say nobody was going to tell them what weapon to carry. You want my fifty best arguments to standardize when in a group where your life depends upon standardization? 

Despite all those choices


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## spokes (Feb 22, 2014)

So someone shows up with a SK and a brick of ammo, is that a no go? Standization of supplies sounds good, but in reality you might just be better to adapt. 

If shtf I don't plan on using any firearms unless for defensive purposes, will be spending more effort in survival, food, water, shelter, digging latrines fun stuff like that.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

You have a plan . Often that is good enough. No plan is prefect you have something to work with, Over 90% or more of all AR's are interchangeable.
Some older Colt and Rock Island hand different pins but that has long sense changed and even then many of the parts were easy to swap.
If SHTF picky people on what they shoot will get a lot more flexible real fast. This stage of the game anything that goes bang is a plus to won.
Just know the limitation of the weapons and calibers you have available. 
Acquire what you can refine the inventory to fit your needs over time


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Wouldn't it be better to make up parts kits specific to the firearm, rather than try to mix and match parts from different 1911's? That way one could standardize the caliber and leave the rest to personal choice.

Most generic 1911 parts will interchange. I believe the 1911 aftermarket drives a certain amount of uniformity between manufacturers which may be useful to the parts scrounger/swapper. While there are some differences between the series 70 and series 80 which might be problematic, a quick browse through a Brownells or similar catalog will show you which parts are not specific to any particular 1911 and which are.

Good Luck!


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## Notsoyoung (Dec 2, 2013)

As I understand the post, they all agree upon the weapons mentioned. I would think that if a person had a problem with the .45 for example, they would have brought it up during the discussion. I am only going by my own situation, but although we have agreed upon a basic package, so to speak, on which weapons we will all have in our possession, we are NOT limited to those particular calibers. If someone not only has a 1911 but also has a 9mm Glock, we do not expect him to throw his Glock away. Bring it along, the more the merrier! 

In our case we went with a minimum of a .22 rifle, a 30-06 rifle for hunting and longer distance (we all already had 30-06's which is why we went with it), an AR-15 for centerfire rifle capable of a high volume of fire, a 1911 in .45 ACP, and a 12 ga shotgun for hunting, if things get really close and for night time defense. 

In addition to our basic weapons load I know that there will also be AK's, SKS's, 9mm, .40 cal, .357 mag pistols and rifles, 7.62 NATO rifles, and 7.62 x 54 Mosin Nagant. In addition to having additional weapons for unexpected additions to our group, IMO the additional calibers enable us to utilize ammunition that we may come across that is not covered in our basic load. It would be a little bothersome if you came across 10,000 rounds of 9mm rounds and you didn't have a firearm that could use it.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

I think everyone should own a 22 rifle . However in no way would it be in the first few rounds of purchase. And the 50 Caliber a bit of Over kill reserved until the middle has been filled. But that is just How I see it.


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## Infidel (Dec 22, 2012)

Seneca said:


> Wouldn't it be better to make up parts kits specific to the firearm, rather than try to mix and match parts from different 1911's? That way one could standardize the caliber and leave the rest to personal choice.
> 
> Most generic 1911 parts will interchange. I believe the 1911 aftermarket drives a certain amount of uniformity between manufacturers which may be useful to the parts scrounger/swapper. While there are some differences between the series 70 and series 80 which might be problematic, a quick browse through a Brownells or similar catalog will show you which parts are not specific to any particular 1911 and which are.
> 
> Good Luck!


I was just going to mention the series 70/80 thing, you beat me to it. If it were me I would sit every one down and decide collectively series 70 or 80 and buy a couple of every part in that gun. The advantage of the 1911 over other pistols is that every part is available via Brownells or Midway. Some parts are going to require fitting though so you might want to make sure you're comfortable with this.

-Infidel


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

With AR's the parts you may need are generally interchangeable Lower springs and pins ,firing pin and extractor parts. They are many generic parts kits out there .
I have a few laying around here 
Example prices very about 10 dollars up and down
DPMS Ultimate Repair Kit AR-15


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

^Good thinking^ At least those kind of parts don't usually morph in full blown AR's. overnight that is.


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## Cheesewiz (Nov 16, 2012)

Your plan is the best part. Just keep in the back of your mind that things change rapidly , redundancy is your friend but you never know . If that time comes, anything and any caliber will be much better than a person with nothing . There will be a whole bunch of those around, the ones who want everyone else to take care of them and the Peace and Love people ....Then there are the criminal type who will attempt to just take what they never planed for .....


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I think the 45 ACP and .223/5.56 caliber selections are solid. I could even see the 9mm being a viable choice for the hand gun caliber. As long as everybody is on the same page with what to bring, you should have it pretty well covered. I honestly believe that most groups will come together in a last minute response to TSHTF armed with a hodgepodge of firearms and calibers. So planning alleviates that potential headache ahead of time.


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## SF340_Driver (Aug 2, 2013)

Seneca said:


> Wouldn't it be better to make up parts kits specific to the firearm, rather than try to mix and match parts from different 1911's? That way one could standardize the caliber and leave the rest to personal choice.
> 
> Most generic 1911 parts will interchange. I believe the 1911 aftermarket drives a certain amount of uniformity between manufacturers which may be useful to the parts scrounger/swapper. While there are some differences between the series 70 and series 80 which might be problematic, a quick browse through a Brownells or similar catalog will show you which parts are not specific to any particular 1911 and which are.
> 
> Good Luck!


I had a conversation with Bill Wilson (Wilson Combat) about interchangeability of parts on a 1911. He said for the most part many of the parts are interchangeable, but some of them (barrel, bushing, barrel link, extractor, and some trigger parts) may not necessarily interchange. The parts may fit and function, but may not lead to the reliability or accuracy of properly fitted parts.

If you want to go with a 1911, you may want to each have your own spare parts and make sure they work with your gun.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> With AR's the parts you may need are generally interchangeable Lower springs and pins ,firing pin and extractor parts. They are many generic parts kits out there .
> I have a few laying around here
> Example prices very about 10 dollars up and down
> DPMS Ultimate Repair Kit AR-15





AquaHull said:


> ^Good thinking^ At least those kind of parts don't usually morph in full blown AR's. overnight that is.


My problem is spare parte eventually grow into full weapon systems. It is very hard to keep spares when they keep growing into adult firearms.... lol


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

dsdmmat said:


> My problem is spare parte eventually grow into full weapon systems. It is very hard to keep spares when they keep growing into adult firearms.... lol


 You got that right. Lower spring kits not so much but a spare lower or upper some how turns into a full weapon in 10-12 months. 
A mutt is born that is just how this one came to be.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> You got that right. Lower spring kits not so much but a spare lower or upper some how turns into a full weapon in 10-12 months.
> A mutt is born that is just how this one came to be.
> View attachment 4555


I tried having a spare bolt carrier group and spare lower parts kit, just in case. It didn't work they soon morphed into a full blown rifle. i though I was done building ARs until my gun dealer gave me a lower receiver for a christmas present.


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## Maxxdad (Feb 5, 2014)

I like your basic list. But as other pointed out it could be that you will come across bulk 7.62x39, 9mm or 7.62 Nato. It would be a shame not to have a few firearms to feed that to. But I suppose if you got that ammo from raiders you cold use their guns to fire it.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Why not just have a gun that doesn't need a spare parts kit? Oh! that's right you would need a Ruger revolver for that.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

The Resister said:


> While it makes good common sense to standardize calibers, once you get more than half a dozen people, you are urinating in the wind to think some guy won't see the necessity. With the following weapons / calibers the militia could not get enough support for the measure:
> 
> Long Guns / MBR
> 
> ...


 I have no problem with someone showing up with whatever they like if they have spare parts and plenty of ammo.
However,, I do have a problem with anyone that says "nobody is going to tell me what to do"
It may be my property and my BOL but when TSHTF Even I will do what I'm told to do.
We have a nurse a ******* survivalist and a retired special forces guy among us. 
We haven't selected a leader yet (I'm not interested in that part) but it looks like the
special forces guy will get elected he seems to know a little about everything - and we need him.-
I'm hopping to do maintenance. We have will have running water (hot and cold) wood heat and solar lights 
And other cool stuff. If I am not voted to maintenance then I will do what I'm told.

We all agree that good leadership is a must. We will have a process where as someone can be voted "OUT" if necessary
but so far everyone has worked like ants and all pulled together.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Good leadership is a must but it is imperative to have proper leadership too. You will not be a military force so it might be a good idea to have the special forces guy in charge of defense and any offensive programs that become necessary but you need a good family man in charge over all. It will be up to him to mandate what the job of the military should be. Along with that he will be in charge of all the other things like hunting and gathering, gardens and animals as well as the necessities of living together as a unit - like a family.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

In the bible one man in charge of ten. One in charge of a hundred. One in charge of a thousand. Voted into there standing. This sounds very logical to me.


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## The Resister (Jul 24, 2013)

budgetprepp-n said:


> I have no problem with someone showing up with whatever they like if they have spare parts and plenty of ammo.
> However,, I do have a problem with anyone that says "nobody is going to tell me what to do"
> It may be my property and my BOL but when TSHTF Even I will do what I'm told to do.
> We have a nurse a ******* survivalist and a retired special forces guy among us.
> ...


Insofar as the voting process goes, good luck with that. The largest militias in the U.S. had elections, but none of the leadership was taken out in a vote. Usually what happens is that an infiltrator comes in with some government money and some eye candy and the members dwindle down to nothing because the leader cannot compete with the B.S. and eye candy offered by the infiltrators.

Having said that, weapon standardization is plain old common horse sense in any survivalist, group, militia or even family setting. In a SHTF scenario you need common calibers so that when one of your team goes down, the rest can use the remaining ammo. If one team member goes down, another can use his / her weapon immediately and be familiar with its operation since your training is done with a finite number of weapons.

I've never seen a downside to weapon standardization.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

PaulS said:


> Why not just have a gun that doesn't need a spare parts kit? Oh! that's right you would need a Ruger revolver for that.


 No one respects a Ruger of any type more than I. But never put a Ruger revolver up against an AR. Even revolvers have parts wear over time


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## The Resister (Jul 24, 2013)

Seneca said:


> I think the 45 ACP and .223/5.56 caliber selections are solid. I could even see the 9mm being a viable choice for the hand gun caliber. As long as everybody is on the same page with what to bring, you should have it pretty well covered. I honestly believe that most groups will come together in a last minute response to TSHTF armed with a hodgepodge of firearms and calibers. So planning alleviates that potential headache ahead of time.


The point is, if you are preparing *in advance of *a SHTF scenario, you can and should avoid the hodge podge of weapons. If you have a group, NOW would be the time to start figuring out what basic standards you want to follow. You can save big dollars by investing in bulk ammo, spreading the cost among the members who buy a given caliber. Ditto for spare parts. The more you buy, the cheaper it gets per part.

The guys who make this ridiculous argument about what if someone shows up with some off brand, one of a kind caliber aren't on the same page this thread started off with. You are preparing IN ADVANCE of a SHTF scenario. Prepare now and standardize. If on the big day people show up with junk guns, of course, any dumb ass knows they will be welcome. They might also get to be the first to be point men. If they go down, you lost a soldier, but if a trained citizen / soldier goes down, you lose all that time expended in training. So, not to be shy about it, those who want to sit it out and be a lone wolf / cowboy until the day of reckoning are the most expendable in a group.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

About all we do agree on is
Hand gun some where between a 22 and 50 healthy mix of revolvers and auto
Shot gun 12 GA
Rifles 22. to a 50
About covers it.
I agree having common weapons is and advantage just not a deal breaker


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

My ammo won't fit another gun most likely because I only partially NECK size my cases when I reload them. Another persons rifle would have to have the same dimensions as mine or larger and that is so unlikely that it would seem impossible.


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## The Resister (Jul 24, 2013)

PaulS said:


> My ammo won't fit another gun most likely because I only partially NECK size my cases when I reload them. Another persons rifle would have to have the same dimensions as mine or larger and that is so unlikely that it would seem impossible.


In a SHTF scenario, the reloader would full size the cases. Additionally, all your post assumes is that you are shooting reloads. What about the factory ammo your group bought in bulk?


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

We are all reloaders - I don't think any of us has actually bought more than a few boxes of factory ammo unless we get a new gun. Then we buy enough ammo to start reloading and use until we can get bulk brass. I just got two new guns and have purchased 60 rounds for each. I am now looking for brass. The new ammo will be used to break in the barrels and zero the scopes and from then on it's all reloads.

I will not be full length sizing my loads - ever. I work them up for the best accuracy in my gun. I have never found factory ammo as accurate as I reload.


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## bad (Feb 22, 2014)

I would think the best way to survive would be to avoid as many fights as possible. Keep a low profile. You don't want to get in a firefight. Taking a round is a possibility no matter who might be shooting. Getting medivac may not be an option. There is always going to be a group that is larger and or more prepared. Learn how to live off the grid. Weapons are but a very small part of the equation. I will miss my internet friends but "C'est la vie".


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## The Resister (Jul 24, 2013)

bad said:


> I would think the best way to survive would be to avoid as many fights as possible. Keep a low profile. You don't want to get in a firefight. Taking a round is a possibility no matter who might be shooting. Getting medivac may not be an option. There is always going to be a group that is larger and or more prepared. Learn how to live off the grid. Weapons are but a very small part of the equation. I will miss my internet friends but "C'est la vie".


Real prepping will require people to exit the net before their version of SHTF happens. Check this out and you'll see what I mean:

American Defense Network - Patriot Privacy 101 - Powered by ForumCo.com - The Forum Company

I'd like to live off the grid, but the government has made that all but impossible. That's another thread. This one was about weapon and caliber standardization within a group. While some are changing the topic and others are making silly objections, so far we've not witnessed a credible reason that groups should not have some standardization for SHTF scenarios.


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## Maxxdad (Feb 5, 2014)

At this point as far as AR's go, I have about given up on having spare parts. The damn things just grow into whole guns. Sprinkle a little LSA on em, keep them in a cool dry place and they just grow into shooters! Damnedest thing I ever saw. Must be spring. LOL


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Maxxdad said:


> At this point as far as AR's go, I have about given up on having spare parts. The damn things just grow into whole guns. Sprinkle a little LSA on em, keep them in a cool dry place and they just grow into shooters! Damnedest thing I ever saw. Must be spring. LOL


 I picked up a repair kit yesterday just because I walked by it. Price was good. 
Springs are a big thing not as much because they break ,but so easy to lose one.
The only part of a AR I have had break was the dust cover door spring.


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## bushrat (Oct 21, 2013)

Remember this is only my opinion, but count on different makes of m 1911 pistols to easily interchange parts without some minor (inmost cases) fitting. I agree the idea of standardizing calibers is a great idea, but standardizing firearms so parts are interchangeable is not (in my opinion) the best idea. Of course, I may not fully understand your meaning here. 

I would stock enough parts (one set per firearm at least) of whatever are likely to be a problem for whatever gun you decide on such as springs, pins, screws (things likely to go "ping" off into the night or lost in the rug). In my mind it doesn't make sense to buy all the same firearms to use one as a parts gun, when all you need to do is if one breaks just load up the "parts gun" and start shooting. Don't take parts from a perfectly good gun just to fix another broken gun just like it. Never made sense to me. 

We have standardized on a certain number of calibers and try to standardize on the guns, but not everyone shoots a particular as well as some others. So, as long as it's a common caliber we stock they can use whatever gun works best for them. hope this helps.


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## shotlady (Aug 30, 2012)

I went wth 9,40,22,556/223

I also stock ammo for pieces I don't have for barter or practical acquisition purposes


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## StarPD45 (Nov 13, 2012)

shotlady said:


> I went wth 9,40,22,556/223
> 
> I also stock ammo for pieces I don't have for barter or practical acquisition purposes


Not too sure I want to barter away ammo unless I'm **** sure I can trust who is getting it.


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