15 Tips For Staying Safe During Times of Civil Unrest

The Survival Mom ^ | Lisa Bedford(ChocChipCookie)

[Kartographer]

It can happen completely out of the blue, but usually there a lot of very unhappy people complaining very loudly before a group reaches the point of civil unrest. The problem is, you never know what will trigger it to boil over, when it will happen, or where it will be. These 15 tips will help you stay safe, especially if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Pollster1]

The best shotgun for a petite lady has many correct answers. I'd suggest a 12 gauge that you like - it's a personal fit question. The best gauge has only one best answer - get a 12 gauge. If the recoil is too much initially, use low-recoil ammo.

I'm big, I'm experienced, and I have low recoil loads in every shotgun in my home (except the last round is a magnum so even if I lose count, I'll know it's the last one). Low recoil is much easier to handle and much more comfortable to shoot, especially if you don't weigh much.

Best shotgun has a lot of answers, all of them right. I personally love the Remington 870 Express Tactical/Home-Defense Shotgun. I hate the Remington 887, which is advertised as having the same design and a better anti-rust coating (not true on the action) - mine has jammed or failed to fire many times, as has the 887 for other owners, and the 870 has never done that.

People here and on the range also like Mossberg’s 590 A1, and the Saiga SGL, along with several others, and I'll agree that they are good too. My personal preference is for the Remington 870 because it's simple and completely reliable, but I'd encourage you to shoot several models before choosing. There are already a lot of "best shotgun" threads on FR with excellent suggestions on which one to choose and why.

[outofsalt]

"showing a gun of even using one will get you out of many situations, but you can(t) take them all out unless you are Rambo."

I agree but I would rather die fighting than on my knees. I keep 11 tips for survival on me when I go out. Plus one in the chamber, plus 11 more in the other magazine in my pocket. Situational awareness is critical and avoidance is key but, just in case... Fortunately I live in a right to carry state and even better, I've never had to draw my gun.

[albie]

18. Impeach Obama

[stellaluna]

So your saying run out into the midst of the mob and start blasting?

[Yorlik803]

got my house surrounded by job applications. that should keep the homies away

[Buckeye McFrog]

Shoot first. You can always blame it on a random stray round later.

[taxcontrol]

After you get to the biker bar, buy everyone a round of drinks.

[T-Bone Texan]

"...5... Whatever they’re chanting, you chant..."

I was caught up in the Rodney King riot in SF CA. It was WAY more sedate than the real riot in So Cal, but there were still many angry black people looking to hurt white people. I am very pale.

Anyway, in the beginning it was a fun, carnival atmosphere until I realized I was the only white person in sight, not counting the lines of cops at the end of the street (who would not let me pass; they told me to turn back).

There was a fancy hotel right there (on Market St) and I opted to enter so as to escape the mob. Well, they locked the doors to blacks and whites alike that night - I was denied entry, and when I turned around I could see why: Rioters were hurling newspaper vending machines at the windows.

So anyway, I sensed that some in the crowd could turn against me at any moment, and I needed to get out of Dodge quick-like. I was almost in a panic. I weighed 150 and was, and still am not, an imposing figure. I only had a single card left in my deck of tricks, and I went with it 100%:

I faced the line(s) of cops, threw my fist in the air, channeled my inner Black Panther, and yelled convincingly "F THE POLICE ! F THE POLICE!" (The F was fully articulated).

It worked. A black dude dressed like a minister pointed at me and yelled "That man is a brother!"

Right then and there a black civil rights lawyer chick even hit on me a tiny bit, maybe because I was obviously down with the struggle. Actually, I was 100% down with the struggle called "getting back to suburbia alive".

I saw her on TV later that night giving an interview. She used the word "struggle"; I laughed heartily into my Guinness Extra Stout

[Salamander]

Don’t need to.
I’ve known them for 21 years.

I’m kinda like their “little pet”.

:)

[catnipman]

ROTFLOL!

You just LOVE to put words in peoples mouths don’t you? Here’s what I ACTUALLY said:

“What happens when running and hiding doesn’t work?”

[catnipman]

ROTFLOL!

You just LOVE to put words in peoples mouths don’t you? Here’s what I ACTUALLY said:

“What happens when running and hiding doesn’t work?”

[catnipman]

ROTFLOL!

You just LOVE to put words in peoples mouths don’t you? Here’s what I ACTUALLY said:

“What happens when running and hiding doesn’t work?”

[Kartographer]

“What happens when running and hiding doesn’t work?”

Well the first thing you do is loosen your head band. ;-)

[SumProVita]

First of all, thank you SOOO much for responding. You are the second person to tell me the 12 gauge would be good. One other person has mentioned something called the 410...but he’s not available to give me any more information about this.

I’ve shot guns before when my husband and boys were all hitting clay pigeons one day and a few other times when they were simply doing target practice. They let me try and I was pretty good. I have NO idea of what kind of gun they gave me to shoot. I fully understand that I would have to get some good training, but I’m up to the challenge.

I also like the idea of the low-recoil ammo because I don’t weigh much. You have given me some good info and I will use it.

May God bless you and yours and give you HIS protection in the days to come. :-)

[yorkiemom]

15 Tips For Staying Safe During Times of Civil Unrest

[OneWingedShark]

CWII Spark Ping — Not exactly a “this could spark it”, but tangential.