Swampman I believe you have a good point . At home a good M-1A would be nice but out and about a good old mod 94 might be nice for a short term . Long term it may boil down to fire power. I really don't think people realize what SHTF could mean . No food , no medicine , no water etc. . It could mean walking every place you go with no protection other than what you provide for yourself. It takes about 45 min. to get to where my father grew up in a car from my home. When grand dad took tobacco to market in a wagon it was a three day trip one going , one selling and one comming home . On buying day he got goods for a year. A minor first aid need could become a crisis in many cases . That would be what we could face , to say life changing would be an understatement.