# Newbie kit.



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

I'll get a firestorm for this as everyone has their own way of doing things and there's people here smarter than me even after studying since the 80's.this is only a starting place for a n00b,maybe save some time and or money.critiques are welcome.

*Shelter:*
It's a given that the world is nuts, Man's never mad a bomb he's never dropped either, so one must have a shelter capable of surviving a few weeks hard radiation.and before the long whistle starts at the cost, said shelter also makes a fine root cellar/storm shelter.nobody HAS to know about the air filters and radiation suits, in fact it's best nobody did!

*Retreat:*
It's a good idea that cabin in the woods has a shelter as well,just in case you're driven there or go there of your own free will.and think how much money you'll save on Disney world and beaches taking everyone to the woods a few times a year.

*Food:*
Keep the canned stuff at home and use it to supplement your dehydrated stocks, keep the retreat food exclusively dehydrated WITH the ability to grow gardens/hunt to supplement it.Make sure it's stored where rats and bugs can't eat it before you do!

*Guns:*
Here's your big glitch, because everyone has favorites.these are mine and they work:
I used to favor heavy caliber weapons such as FN-FALs and M-1As but health and age and a few accidents changed that to AR-15s and AKs so WHATEVER you chose make sure it meets these criteria:
Accurate as in at least 2 MOA.
Durable.if it breaks after 5000 rounds it's trash.
Repairable and by YOU!
Reliable.more than one jam every 100 rounds is unforgivable.

*4 gun list and alternatives.*
Fighting RifleI'd go for the FN FAL or M-1A but not everyone can handle the recoil so an AR-15 or AK system is acceptable,just be aware that 7.62X39 ammo will dry up FAST so store a LOT!The FAL and M-1A use ammo common to American military LMGs like the M-60 and sniper rifles, it'll be out there, just not in great quantity.another plus is the 7.62X51[.308]is a nice hunting round!so if you have an especially accurate one of these rifles, scope it and save yourself the price of a hunting rifle.

If you go the AR route, every NATO and American soldier carries 250+ rounds of 5.56X45 ammo on him not to mention most use rifles that share at least partial parts commonality with your AR.

Hunting RiflesMeh.I use a WW2 Mauser and a Savage Weather warrior.everyone has a favorite,as long as it meets the same criteria as the fighting rifle you're good to go.store at least 500 rounds with it and be sure to supplement it with a 22 or have a 22 conversion for your AR.I've gone both routes.to me having an extra rifle more meets my preferences.I'd go Ruger 10/22 or Marlin.both have advantages over the other.feel them out and see who you love.I'd go Ruger myself, loads of accessories and large magazines but if you're an extra good shot the Marlin eats it's lunch as far as accuracy goes.

ShotgunI'm not a duck hunter, get a Remington 870 and dress it to your needs as its extremely customizable like the 10/22 and durable as a brick.10$ worth of spare parts ought to keep one going forever. BUT if you want something Lighter and ready to go as a pure combat shotgun. Mossberg 500 is the path to tread!just pop on a side saddle and go!
Third would be a Winchester 1200.they're fine weapons, my dad loved them but they don't feel "right" to me and good luck fixing one!

Pistol:There's so many to chose from these days,I haven't had my hands on half of them!but what I have had my hands on I can assure you you'll do well with.that being a slightly altered 1911 with extended safety and slide release, a Browning Hi power with the same additions, or a Glock 18 with a WOLF kit.

Hunting Pistol[because you'll thank me later]Ruger single or double action,357 44 Mag or 45 LC.

*Medical Supplies:*
Boo boo's happen, sometimes you bleed to death from them or get gangrene.START with an EMT grade ambulance kit and make it grow!

*Tools:* 
Basically every tool you know how to use and then buy three and make sure they are quality goods and not Tiwantanium crap.learn to use and read measuring tools such as Micrometers and calipers too!the more you can do for yourself, the more you can charge others for doing it for them!

*Bug out Mobile:*
I don't really care what you get,I've had a bunch.as long as it's reliable and you can fix it without waiting a month for parts it's good to go!be aware Gasoline doesn't last as long as it did however.you might want to look into bio diesel and converting something over.

*Well...that's it.my opinions on what stuff you need to start with,everyone else has an opinion too, so listen to the replies and make your own judgements but just remember THIS is a starting point!*:beercheer:


----------



## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanks! I'm a n00bler with ideas, so this is very helpful.


----------



## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

Magus. For the most part you posted a great list of things someone just starting needs. I didn't see any flaws in your thinking. I disagree with your weapon choices personaly, however for a beginer yours is better than mine. I would also mention a B.O.B and a G.H.B. if for no other reason than insurance for their first plan.


----------



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Only thing I would add is training (mostly for the guns, but other stuff too), reading, and reference materials.

And Glock makes the best handguns.


----------



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

FatTire said:


> Only thing I would add is training (mostly for the guns, but other stuff too), reading, and reference materials.
> 
> And Glock makes the best handguns.


You are correct sir!in fact my whole odessy started with a packed library of Survival guide, Soldier of fortune and SWAT magazines, Ragnar Benson paper backs and military manuals!

Indeed Glock does,but that Polymer frame won't stand a fire that a steel or Aluminum framed gun would laugh at.but yes, yes they do!

*rumor has it they bought the rights to the Styer Aug recently and within two years they'll be on the market at a blowout price!*



md1911 said:


> Magus. For the most part you posted a great list of things someone just starting needs. I didn't see any flaws in your thinking. I disagree with your weapon choices personaly, however for a beginer yours is better than mine. I would also mention a B.O.B and a G.H.B. if for no other reason than insurance for their first plan.


See why I said everyone needs to read the replies too? good subject for another thread,might even go into a city BOB Vs Rural BOB and a city to country BOB.


----------



## Diego2112 (Aug 18, 2010)

Decent list. Permit me if you will to add my gun choices to it (read: These are my suggestions, not what I have for my own personal-years of abusing my body in the worst possible ways in some of the most physically extreme situations leave my personal guns a bit... different)?

"Battle" Rifle: The AK47 was recently awarded "World's Best" by the Military Channel. I respectfully disagree. I PREFER a Mosin Nagant 91/30. Builded like a bloody tank by Crazy Ivan. Iron Sights say 1000M, and you can make every bit of it. You can pick one up for less than $200 in many cases. Breakdowns are never an issue, since they don't break down. Hell, they come from the FACTORY DIRTY. Basically, take a p*ss down the barrel twice a year, it's clean. As far as oiling goes, it gets all the oil it needs just from your handling it (those are not necessarily exaggerations). Outside the Nagant, I'd say an SKS. Less moving parts=less work.

Hunting Rifle: Really depends on the locality, not going to lie. 'Round my parts, something that's a good brush gun (read: heavy bullet) is usually preferred (the .30-06 and .30-30 are the local favorites). I'd say bolt or lever action, simply for ease of care and cleaning. 

Shotgun: 12 Gauge. This is not a negotiable point, unless you're broken like me. Then a 20 is acceptable. The only time a .410 is permissible is if it's the Circuit Judge or some other similar .410/.45LC setup. Breach Loading is fine, but that limits your ammo. Pump is better than semi auto, since again, less can go wrong. If you're on/near water A LOT, the Mossberg Mariner is pretty much your best choice (this is coming from local hunters, police, and a few mates of mine down at Bragg).

Handgun: Nothing that the caliber of which does not start with ".4".  I would suggest a 1911, it's a personal favorite, and even the CHEAP ones (read: Rock Island) are rugged as hell. I've put hundreds upon hundreds of rounds through mine (only had it a few months), and nary a jam yet. The local range I frequent has two of 'em for the range goers to rent, according to the owner, they've cleaned them two MAYBE three times in as many years... No issues (no comments on the range quality please-it's a great place, the range is clean, lovely 25 yard INDOOR WELL LIT).

Varmint Gun: .22 that's capable of handling LR, L, and S. Marlin makes a nice one, so does Ruger. The 10/22 is the most sold rifle out there, and parts abound, so that's another option (although it won't handle ALL the ammo).

Hunting Handgun: .357Mag or .44Mag. Shouldn't need anything else. Those'll shoot .357Mag/.38Special, and .44Mag/Special respectively. Get a single action wheelgun. Again, LESS TO GO WRONG.

I would suggest a bare MINIMUM of 1000 rounds of each caliber you plan to use FREQUENTLY, 500 for the lesser used. IDEALLY, you'd have 2000+ for your Hunting/Battle/Handgun, 1000 for your shotgun, and 1000 for your hunting pistol. For your .22, since it's dirt cheap, 5000. That's 10 boxes, right at $200 at MY local store. Yeah.

Reloading equipment for any caliber you shoot often. 

Right, so that addresses the main issue of firearms.

I would also suggest a bow/crossbow, several arrows, and learn how to make 'em.

Fishing Tackle. This is a MUST. There have been times (I lived on the streets/in the woods for a while) where some dental floss and a bit of scrap wire fed me for several days. They also make automatic fishers-check the legality in your state, because in MINE, they can only be used for survival.

As to the rest, for some people (myself included), it is not practical to have multiple BOLs, or even a cabin out in the woods. Hell, I'm doing good to keep the ONE house I've got!  For those that CAN, HELL YEAH do! For those that cannot, locate abandoned property, remote locations, etc., mark 'em on your map, and then if/when the :shtf: you can start relocating if need be.

IF you've relatives that are in remote areas, put some of your preps (most of your preps, really) there. 

Have your BOL stocked just like you'd have your home in the event you HAD to stay home-don't skimp.

RVs, Campers, and/or Boats: Get one if you can. A boat on a trailer is a (cramped) mobile home, AND it can hit the water, getting you out away from people quickly. Good quality boats can be had for under $10,000.

Gear: Personal preference. I would STRONGLY suggest a good quality rucksack (LARGE), personal first aid kit, three days of food, water, and clothing, a good multitool, hatchet/machete, and rope. If you can get tools, get tools, but keep them at your BOL-not in your BOB. Extra weight is not a good thing when you're having to move QUICK.

Food/Water: US Coast Guard food bars, MREs, and dehydrated food all keeps for AGES, and is usually pretty damn light. You can keep three days worth of food in the USCG Food Bars packed tighter than a carton of smokes. Water, you'll need some sort of filter system-a handheld for your pack, a Berkey style for your home, and a desalinator (which I just found out about) for your boat/RV/Camper.

Those are all I can think of right now-I mean, I'm three sheets to the wind, and it's 4:40AM... So my brain is a bit out of it...


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Good list to work towards. For someone just starting out I would suggest building a get home bag for the car, a bug out bag(bob since this is a noob thread), a couple survival books to start reading (ranger handbook or sas survival are good ones), and a weapon of your choice that is good for hunting and defense with ammo. Canned goods and dried goods, and start filling 2 liters with water if you dont have a well. That and a vehicle with extra fuel that is kept in good working order. As far as food just go drop $50 on rice, beans, and chk stock to start with then buy extra canned goods a little at a time when shopping. There are multiple threads on get home bags and bob's just check em out for ideas. Oh, and dont forget a couple good ponchos. Light, waterproof, and compressable and they will be a life saver. After that, start droppin dough on a cabin in the woods unless you've got $ for it now.


----------



## Diego2112 (Aug 18, 2010)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> Good list to work towards. For someone just starting out I would suggest building a get home bag for the car, a bug out bag(bob since this is a noob thread), a couple survival books to start reading (ranger handbook or sas survival are good ones), and a weapon of your choice that is good for hunting and defense with ammo. Canned goods and dried goods, and start filling 2 liters with water if you dont have a well. That and a vehicle with extra fuel that is kept in good working order. As far as food just go drop $50 on rice, beans, and chk stock to start with then buy extra canned goods a little at a time when shopping. There are multiple threads on get home bags and bob's just check em out for ideas. Oh, and dont forget a couple good ponchos. Light, waterproof, and compressable and they will be a life saver. After that, start droppin dough on a cabin in the woods unless you've got $ for it now.


Whereas the rice/beans/chicken stock is a great idea, don't forget to take into account starvation due to flavour fatigue. Buying the staples just so you can have a stock of food does no good if it's not food you'd regularly eat anyway.

Yes, yes-I know. In a survival type situation that mindset SHOULD go out the window-but let's be practical here. Do you want to SURIVE, or do you want to THRIVE?

Stock up on the foods you and yours eat.

Yes, a cabin in the woods would be QUITE nice, but honestly, in today's economy, how many people can afford their OWN house, let alone a second? Again, practicality comes in to play here. If it's something you CAN afford, yes-by all means, go for it! But don't beat yourself up because you don't have a second location to go to if/when the :shtf:. I mean, if you've a friend/family member what's in a remote location, see if you can get them involved. Nine out of ten, they'll see the need.

For a starter B.O.B., as has been mentioned, the topic has been coverd ad nausium on here, but for those who don't know how to use the (rather unfortunate) search feature, here's the basics:

Good sturdy pack (internal frame vs. external frame is all preference, both have their pros and cons-do the reasearch)
72 Hours worth of food/water (USCG foodbars and packaged water is great for this-MREs, while good, have far too much sodium, and that dehydrates you-but again, it's all preference)
Two changes of clothes, rolled or vacuum bagged (and 6-8 changes socks/unders-trust me on this one, you'll thank me later)
550 Cord (paracord), several feet of it
USGI poncho (it can be used as a tent/hunting blind if need be)
Emergency fishing and sewing kits (I make the fishing kits if you're interested, PM me-I can tailor it to your specific needs)
Fire starters (at least three types-again, you're just going to have to trust me on this)
VERY GOOD First Aid kit (I'm not talking one of the little J&J pocket kits, buddy)
Signaling devices (mirrors work well, flare guns work well-pros and cons, research etc.-or just carry both)
Sleepsack/sleeping bag (let's face it, you're going to be spending the night out of doors)
Personal Defence (handgun of some kind. .45ACP-because shooting twice is just silly)
Hard Monies (silver/gold-coinage is great, bars are good, jewelry is best in my humble opinion)
Extra shoes (because TRUST ME)
Moleskin (blisters suck)
Multitool (Leatherman/Swisstool are my favorites)
Good fixed blade knife (too many to list-but I would suggest Ontario or Ka-Bar)

There... Pretty sure that covers all the high points. There's some stuff others think should go in, and there's some stuff *I* say that others would think are "luxury" items... But again, I ask you-Do you want to SURVIVE, or THRIVE?


----------



## cazetofamo (Mar 18, 2012)

For a bug out mobile, would biodeasil require a special engine or just a regular deisal engine?


----------



## artman556 (May 2, 2012)

Good starting point


----------



## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

cazetofamo said:


> For a bug out mobile, would biodeasil require a special engine or just a regular deisal engine?


properly made bio diesel will run in any normal deisel engine. But if you have to make the bio D yourself you might want to use a slightly modified engine. So you can run the in refined oil in it and just start and stop the engine running on Bio Diesel. the mods are a increased cooling system capacity since the oil runs a little hotter. And adual tank system so you can have one for the bio diesel to start and stop ( you need to switch over to bio d before you turn it off so you have the system primed with the refined stuff or it will be hard to start and maybe impossible in cool weather) And then your larger main tank for the unrefined oil might wanna add a preheater to the oil as well running those lines along the coling system and maybe plumbing some of the coolant system through the oil tank since if it's cold it will be hard to keep the oil liquid enough to pump well. Some extra filters for it all isn't a bad idea either. Ther may be finer touches I missed but that is the meat and taters of it.


----------



## riverpilot69 (Oct 29, 2012)

Good info. Everyones tastes are different, but this is a good starting place.


----------



## Eximius64 (May 28, 2013)

Magus said:


> *Medical Supplies:*
> Boo boo's happen, sometimes you bleed to death from them or get gangrene.START with an EMT grade ambulance kit and make it grow!


In response to the medical supplies if your going to get a EMT grade kit, go online and see if you can find a EMT training book, I'm taking EMT courses now and I can tell you if I was taught how to use a OPA, splint properly, or properly open an airway, I would have never known how. I strongly recommend reading threw the book once if not taking an EMT class it's an awesome skill set to have knowing you could save someone's life.


----------



## cazetofamo (Mar 18, 2012)

Eximius64 said:


> In response to the medical supplies if your going to get a EMT grade kit, go online and see if you can find a EMT training book, I'm taking EMT courses now and I can tell you if I was taught how to use a OPA, splint properly, or properly open an airway, I would have never known how. I strongly recommend reading threw the book once if not taking an EMT class it's an awesome skill set to have knowing you could save someone's life.


I fully intend to when i start college in a couple years!!


----------



## jackpreparednessexpert (Jan 20, 2014)

This is a great list, everything that you need to start prepping is covered except for water. Having access to a clean and safe drinking water is essential for survival as disasters will mostly cut clean and safe water supplies. You might want to start storing clean water supply as well just to be sure. But all the rest on your list, super great!


----------



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Good point.I was thinking just storing it and later using my filter on the well water.


----------

