When it comes to firearms, firearms related equipment, and “tactical” gear, the selections are endless. We are constantly inundated with the latest and greatest. Prepping is pointless if it ultimately lands us in financial hardship, stressed out, and we still don’t feel adequately prepared. So where do we draw the line between being prepared and getting in over our head.
The key to knowing what to buy boils down to knowing why we’re buying. Although this article will focus on firearms, the concept can be applied to all preparedness related purchases. We’ve all seen someone online speak on their latest piece of equipment and we’ve asked ourselves, “is that really necessary?” The reality is, no one can answer the question for us. The objective of this series is to highlight key considerations that will hopefully help inform our purchase decisions.
When it comes to deciding what gear we actually need, the very first step is to ask ourselves, why do we even own a firearm? Is our objective recreational shooting, hunting, or defensive applications? Some may check multiple boxes. That being said, at KILO25, we believe that firearms are tools that can inherently be used offensively, defensively, or recreationally. It is important to acknowledge all three philosophies of use starting with our first introduction to firearms. Practicing only one philosophy can be as dangerous as no training at all. As the old saying goes, sometimes the best defense is a good offense. What if we didn’t even know that offense was an option? We will talk about this more in a future article.
Once we know why we own a firearm, the best way to ensure we equip ourselves with the most appropriate tools in the most cost effective way is to identify the most likely challenges we will encounter in our chosen application of the firearm.
For the recreational shooter, there shouldn’t be many challenges besides making time to get to the range. As far as equipment, a decent .22 caliber rifle or pistol should be sufficient unless the shooter prefers a different caliber. Other than that, pick up some eye and ear protection, ammo, targets, and you’re off to a good time.
The hunter will take things a step further dealing with living targets. Inclement weather may be unavoidable. We must take steps to maintain the serviceability of our equipment during inclement weather. This can be as simple as keeping our water supply warmly under our winter garments during extended periods in cold weather to prevent it from freezing. Proper clothing and equipment to transport and protect our gear from the elements will be required.
Certain targets may be most active at night or during the early morning hours when visibility is poor. Thermal imaging capabilities will facilitate detecting heat signatures and following a fresh blood trail. Night vision paired with an infrared laser will facilitate targeting in low light. Weapon mounted lights (white or infrared) may be utilized as well.
Stay tuned for part two of this topic where we will address the defensive shooter and some relevant considerations.