What arsenal do you recommend? I only have a 12 ga. at the moment.
12ga is a good place to start.
I'd suggest going with an AR15 clone or any of the ak47 types. then a handgun in either .45acp or 9mm.
those are going to be the most popular calibres with ammo and hicap mags widely available.
However, those weapons aren't going to do a whole lot of good if you want to keep those human predators at distance more than about 30 yards away from you. A semi-auto rifle in a common military caliber (5.56, 7.62x39, 7.62x51, .30-06) is probably the best way to go. There are a lot of opinions of which is better, the smaller 5.56mm because it's higher velocity and you can carry more ammo, or the .30/7.62x51 rifles (my preference) because they have better range, maintain their stopping power at long ranges, can punch through cover that would stop the smaller 5.56, etc. That's a matter for you to decide for yourself...but it's a lot of fun doing the research.
As far as pistols go, the most important thing to remember is that a handgun is a last ditch defense weapon. Forget the movie stuff about picking off a bad guy at 50 yards with a snub nosed revolver or Colt Peacemaker. Any cop will tell you that most shootings take place at ranges less than 7 yards. Get a big 'un, with plenty of stopping power to knock that bad guy on his a** so he can't close those last 7 yards and do some damage to you. Personally, I like .45 ACP, .357 and really want to get a .40 SW. IMNSHO, one of the dumbest things the Army did while I was in boots was going to that 9mm mopuse gun over the good ol' M1911a1 .45ACP.
Revolver vs. auto loader is a matter of personal preference. Revolvers are mechanically simpler and less prone to jamming and failures, but generally autoloaders have greater ammo capacity and can put more lead downrange faster. Of course, 15 rounds from a Glock 9mm mouse gun won't do you any good if you don't hit your target, and a single, well-placed .357 Winchester Silvertip 158-grain bullet can drop a scumbag in his tracks...but you have to choose for yourself.
Finally, get pleanty of ammo for all weapons; keep 1000 rounds or more on hand for each rifle you have, and 500 or more for each pistol and shotgun. Additionally, get enough ammo to get proficient with each weapons, 'cause the baddest M-1A or FAL isn't going to do you a bit of good if you can't hit squat with it farther than 100 yards out.
All this can obviously get quite spendy, so you'll have to prioritize for yourself which you get first. Just don't get the weapon without the ammo. Each pistol should have a holster and each rifle a sling, 'cause if you don't have a way to easily carry your weapon(s), you'll set it down, and not have it when you need it. Cleaning supplies, spare mags and speed loaders and spare parts kits are all good ideas as well.
It's not cheap to get all this...I've collected mine over a period of several years, and there's still stuff I'd feel better if I had. But like they say, too many guins still ain't enough. Enjoy your research!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
The M1 Garand is a classic.
Available at a good price from the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
That's a good basic beginning, though the shotgun has a limited ability against multiple opponents or those at a distance. And some ammunition can throw a considerable muzzleflash at night, which can either flashblind you or shout *throw grenade here* to those who don't like you. Get yourself a handgun for those circumstances when your longer weapons are immediately unavailable, and a rifle with much greater range than either, and you're well on your way. And get yourself three times as much ammunition as you *think* you need; a third is your immediaye working reserve, a third is for practice and training, and the rest can be used as backup as you expend any of the other, for barter, or for friends of yours less well-equipped.