We often get the question about  what type of gun we would recommend for emergency preparedness.

The answer is a bit complicated. It depends on what you’re going to use the gun for. Is it for hunting food that you’d need in an emergency? Is it for self-defense? Each gun has it’s different strengths and weaknesses and the gun you choose should be tailored to your specific needs.

Points to consider before you add a gun 
Before you choose a gun for your preparedness needs, you’ll want to consider a few points:

What Needs Will You Have? Will you be using this gun for protection? For hunting? Just an intimidation factor? Whatever gun you choose will depend on what you’re going to use it for. For example, a rifle would be better for hunting during an emergency while a shotgun would be better for self-defense.

Popularity/Availability of Ammo. You might not be able to buy more ammo in an emergency. As a rare commodity, you’d need ammo that would be popular enough to fit in your gun. You’d also need a gun that takes a very popular type of ammunition.

How Much Ammunition the Gun Holds. How many rounds does the gun hold? This might affect your decision of gun because of the needs that you have.

Interchangeable Choke and Barrel. For shotguns, the choke of the gun is the tapered build of the gun that helps determine how much the shot will spread. The choke will determine the accuracy and range of the gun. An interchangeable choke will allow you to change the use of your gun from a longer range to a shorter range weapon. The barrel length also makes an impact on the range but more importantly makes it easier or more difficult to handle in close quarter like turning around corners in your home. Handling a 4-foot gun for self-defense to protect yourself from a perpetrator in your home will be impractical.

Safe Storage. How are you going to store the weapon? Is it going to fit inside of your 72-hour kit or would it be something you keep under your bed or in the top of your closet? Will the gun break apart and store in a different space? Depending on what you’re using the gun for and how readily available you need the gun, the answers might change. But always keep your gun in a safe place away from children. If you are going to own a gun, treat it with the respect it deserves & get proper gun safety training.

Understand Your Weapon. No matter how many guns or how much ammunition you have, if you don’t understand how to use your gun and don’t have practice shooting it, it will be worthless. Or worse, your ignorance could cause injury or death for yourself, loved ones, or innocent people.

Which Gun Should I Own? Below we’ve listed the different types of guns you could consider acquiring for use in an emergency with some helpful details for each type of weapon. Please keep in mind a couple things:

• Prices for ammunition can change. The prices listed below are on the cheaper end. High-grade ammunition can be much more expensive than the prices listed below.
• *Range has many variables including: weather, specific ammo, specific gun, gun condition, visibility, and shooting experience to name a few. The best way to know the range of your gun is to use it.

High-Caliber Rifle (Price Range = $300 – $6,000 | Average Price = $800)
These weapons are designed for use in hunting large game like deer or elk from a longer distance. The ammunition is large, heavy, and travels very fast in order to take down larger game from far away with a high level of precision and accuracy.

Tactical Rifle (Price Range = $400 – $4,000 | Average Price = $1,000)
These weapons are designed for self-defense and are typically semi-automatic (you can just keep pulling the trigger to fire without cocking or reloading). Usually these weapons will hold more rounds of ammunition than a typical hunting rifle and are commonly used with a high-capacity magazine. They are usually shorter than a hunting rifle and have a pistol grip and stock combo for easier handling in close quarters.

Low-Caliber Rifle (Price Range = $150 – $1,000 | Average Price = $300)
These weapons are designed for hunting smaller animals like rabbits. They have a much shorter range, but the ammunition is significantly less expensive than other weapons. With a little digging you can find rounds for close to a penny each.

Click on the image to compare different kinds of rifle ammo:

Tactical Shotgun (Price Range = $200 – $2,000 | Average Price = $500)
Tactical shotguns like tactical rifles are intended for short-range self-defense. They usually have a shorter barrel and a choke designed to spread the shot as much as possible. Typically these are pump action or semi-automatic weapons. Barrels shorter than 18” or weapons shorter than 26” are illegal in the USA without proper registration. Another thing to consider is shotguns are the easiest ammunition to load yourself.

Hunting Shotgun (Price Range = $200 – $2,000 | Average Price = $500)
Hunting shotguns are designed for shooting small game (especially birds). These weapons typically have a barrel 28” – 33” long. There are many choices for ammunition depending on your intended use.

Click on the image to compare different kinds of shotgun ammo:

Pistol/Handgun (Price Range = $150 – $3,000 | Average Price = $500)
Pistols, like shotguns and tactical rifles are design for close-quarter self-defense. Handguns have the advantage that they can be legally concealed with a proper permit. Ammunition is cheaper than other weapons but still not as cheap as a low-caliber rifle.

Click on the image to compare different kinds of handgun ammo:

What are you packing?
So, what gun do you prefer? Comment below to tell us what kind of gun you prefer for emergency situations.

Lisa Fine and her fiancé Josh Valinsky are using their tax refunds to get a dog.

The couple fell in love with Tibetan terriers during a trip to the Westminster Dog Show in New York.

“When we both found out we were getting refunds that was kind of the extra push,” Fine said. “We decided we have the extra money, let’s get a dog.”

So the Vermont residents used part of their $2,500 in combined refund money to put a deposit down for a Tibetan terrier puppy from a Connecticut breeder. The refund will also cover immunizations and supplies for the new puppy, which they expect to bring home in May or June.

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saving for an engagement ring

When Dave Payne got his $120 tax refund, he promptly socked it away.

The Tarpon Springs, Fla. resident said the cash will go towards an engagement ring for his girlfriend — who happens to be an accountant.

“I have a savings account that is dedicated to saving for the ring,” he said. “It’s kind of appropriate since she helped me get the refund that it be used for that.”

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Paying Student Loan

While Jessica Ann Samson would love to spend her $1,200 refund on travel — her goal is to visit every continent before she turns 30. But the recent graduate of New York University has decided to put it toward her student loan debt instead.

“I think the faster I don’t have that thought in the back of my head (about my student loan debt), the more at peace I’ll be,” she said.

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Professional artist Deb Keirce plans to use her family’s tax refund to support her fellow artists and buy a new piece of art.

The fine art she has purchased in the past has always grown in value so Keirce sees it as a good investment. With her husband, she expects to receive a few thousand dollars back from the federal government.

“We have three kids who are college-aged,” the Virginia resident said. “We don’t have extra income to have fun things to do with usually.”

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For Erika Searl, deciding how to spend her expected $3,500 tax refund was easy.

“I spend it on my dogs every year,” said Searl, a New York City resident. “I love my girls. We do everything together.”

She plans to spend the cash on teeth cleanings for her two dogs, Cubby and Ginger, and to help pay for their upcoming trips to a dog camp in upstate New York and a friend’s “dog wedding” in Connecticut.

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10 Benefits of Freeze Dried Food

It seems that nowadays, everything takes its toll on the nation’s food supply. From climate change, natural disasters to emergency situations… these things can all hinder your ability to shop for food the way you usually would. Having a long term food storage supply could mean the difference between making it through the crisis in good health, and passing away from starvation.

• 10 Benefits of Using Freeze Dried Foods for Food Storage Plans

No matter what your purpose is for starting your food storage plan, you need to ensure that you have enough food to feed your entire family, if a disaster strikes. Here are 10 advantages to adding freeze dried food to your food storage plan:

1. Fantastic Flavors

Freeze dried entrees are prepared by gourmet chefs. This means that the foods are prepared using amazing recipes and only high-quality ingredients. The freeze drying process essentially freezes the flavors in place, retaining the original natural flavors.

2. Looks Fresh

When food is freeze-dried, the process also freezes the original texture and shape in place. These foods never shrivel or shrink during processing. Using low temperatures to remove moisture helps to keep the food fibers and moisture channels intact.

3. Good Nutritional Value

Foods that are flash frozen retain their nutritional value, including the original amount of minerals and vitamins. This is because, unlike processed foods, they are flash frozen using low temperatures, which doesn’t strip the foods of nutrients.

4. Shelf Life

Even when stored at room temperature, most of these foods have a shelf life of more than 25 years. There’s no need to rotate these foods, because there’s no need to worry about them spoiling for more than two decades. No one knows exactly when a disaster will strike. Therefore, having foods that last for 25+ years will help you stand the test of time.

5. Cost Efficient

There are extra costs associated with investing in freeze dried foods. However, when you factor in the long shelf life, these foods are very cost efficient. You’ll no longer need to restock your food storage regularly, which could save you a bundle in the long-run.

6. Easy Preparation

Before being freeze dried, the foods are prepared and trimmed down to serving sizes. They’re then individually wrapped to avoid waste and leftovers. All you have to do is open a packet, add some boiling (or very hot) water, and eat away.

7. Lightweight

Do you know that the majority of the weight in food is caused by moisture? That’s why these foods are so lightweight, making them easy to tote around during a trip or emergency evacuation. Removing the moisture makes freeze dried food weigh substantially less than canned or fresh food.

8. Less Storage Space

These foods are condensed, before being vacuum sealed in high-quality Mylar bags. Even in bulk, meal packages take up much less space than other types of foods, such as canned goods.

9. Convenient to Carry

Because of the lightweight and condensed packaging, freeze dried food packages are very convenient to carry. They fit in the back seat or trunk of your car. Long-term food storage packages come in one big box, making it convenient to grab your goods and run.

10. Financial Emergencies

Food storage isn’t just for natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. There are times when a financial crisis may hit, causing you to have to cut back on the way you usually shop for groceries. Having an emergency supply of freeze-dried foods will ensure that your family eats healthy meals until you’re able to get back on your feet.

Author Bio

This content was prepared by Dirk Puckett. Daily Bread is an industry leader in long-term food storage plans. Ready to begin putting your food storage plan together? Start here and place your order today.

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http://m.cnsnews.com/news/article/tax-freedom-day-2013-april-18-five-days-later-last-year

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/bidens-increase-charitable-donations-187-percent-income_716310.html

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