Regarding BOB firearms:

Because we've had a number of lawyers murdered locally, I started carrying a concealed handgun on a regular basis years ago. I'd always been a shooter, but my EDC gun became my BOB personal defense gun by default. Later, I added a Henry "Survival Rifle" .22 for small game harvesting as an option for my BOB. Now, my concept for my BOB is just a pack for getting back home from within my average travels of 100 miles or so, or to hide out/hang out for several days if things temporarily get strange, not for long-term/wilderness survival or fighting zombies.

I can easily imagine wanting to, or needing to, stash, abandon or destroy any firearm I might have, for a variety of reasons. But I can foresee the value of having a weapon when people get stupid crazy in an emergency, or to harvest the occasional rabbit, squirrel or stray dog. I'm not inclined to keep anything more, like a major caliber rifle, in my car where my BOB resides, nor am I willing to carry anything less concealable than a pistol or a tiny take-down .22 like the Henry, with me.

So, there is another interesting option out there, that I am considering for my BOB, that may combine both personal defense and small game collection adequately. Kel-Tec is making a new pistol in .22 mag that weighs only 14 oz and has an impressive 30 round magazine.

For someone like me, unwilling to commit to the expense, weight and size of multiple/heavy firearms, it may be a good compromise option.

Personally I think way to many people get lost in their "bobs" and spend more time planning for the end of the world then for real life emergencies.

While I do have a BOB planned and ready to go for Evacuating from my home for several days. (We live in the city within 1 mile of 2-3 hazmat sites).

I mostly plan for those emergencies in which I need to leave my home right now throwing my bag and anything else I can out the window while making sure the wife is safe. IE: House fire, Gas Leak, Roof Collapse, something where 10 seconds makes the difference between life and death.

On one of the other forums I visit a member wrote a very good account of things for preparing his family. I would highly recommend it to anyone just getting into this.
Listening to Katrina

As for firearms? I EDC a handgun. My handgun goes with me everywhere, do I carry a bazillion rounds for it? No. I carry 2 spare mags on me and 3 spare in my truck.

BOB’s are something different to everyone. Just make sure the basics are covered and make sure your plan and your BOB are both realistic. IE Why are you carrying a ninja outfit in it?

I think when looking at others peoples bob lists and pictures of bobs you have to keep in mine that there are some who fall into a "see who can carry the most gear" category. Everyone respnds because that 75lb bob with a sleeping bag, bottle of water and 12 guns is cool but its not practicle. Your chances of having to bug out due to a smaller localized emergancy is much greater than the world ending. Those situations your going to drive to the next town and rent a hotel room rather than camp out in the woods. My 'bob' tends to lean more to that type of situation.

Not a bad read here. I go through all my preps each year after Christmas when the winter days are dark and cold so we can't get out and do anything else, running late this year so I'm still finishing up this years task.

A couple notes so far http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/p/0006.html

His arrangement of photos into year folders then month folders. Unless you can rely 100% on whatever photo index software you use (for example google's picassa or that adobe program) you better use a different method. Unless you can take the indexing software with you and install on whatever destination system you use (in the case of taking just your backup drive and getting a new desktop/laptop) that structure won't work. You'll find yourself later wanting a specific set of pictures "oldest son's Christmas play" So you'll look in december 2006 and can't find it then try maybe december 2005, or not there, december 2007, still can't find it because it was done at the end of November 2006. I tried that structure and it became unmanageable. I setteled on a format similar to "2006 11 27 Son's Christmas Play" or "2007 07 01 Family Vacation to <wherever>". This seems to have a good compromise by having a little bit of data so I can still find things without needing another program. Notice the ISO date format of YYYY MM DD which sorts best.

Notice his binder similar to what we've talked about with Blasts. I've done similar with a report cover for each person for all their personal info such as birth certificate and SScard. Those slide inside a zipper binder which then has shared info such as marriage license, as well as the backup hard drive. I have a pair of 160G laptop drives inside usb elclosures from where I upgraded the drives in each of our netbooks to 500G. The amount of true data fits with those 160G drives, the rest on the netbooks being for the OS(s) and applications and such. Those are getting a little small though so probably by next year I'll put a bigger drive in the netbooks like a 640 or 720 (just released) and the 500's will go for backups.

A box full of bills http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/p/0009.html just setup an e-mail alias and have the utility companies e-mail you the bills and then sign in to your banks web site and pay them. Don't just put bills in a box

Does anyone make a dual use/combo item. Machining the .22LR barrel down to half the thickness then wrapping the result with CRP would only add around 200-400 grams to the hiking pole. .22LR ammo could be stored in the second pole. The .22LR bolt/trigger assembly could conceivably be made to fit inside the handle.

Of course this probably wouldn't do for the folks mentioned earlier in the Youtube BOB videos, they would probably need to Bug Out with the Hollywood film remake weapon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUKN_YF8tjA

The Original version,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIyL4qCcig

Ok, this has officially applied to me. Last night, they enacted a water ban in my town, due to the flooding. Apparently, a culvert broke in our neighbor town, flooding our wells (there are 6 that they pull water from the local reservoir from). We are under water restrictions in my town, and they have shut 5 of the 6 wells down due to this. As a result, they ask everyone to conserve water and, if possible, find another place to stay for the next 2 weeks, to reduce the strain on our water system. Additionally, as a precaution, they are asking people to boil water for consumption. It isnt polluted, but they dont want to risk it.
This is the first time I have ever been in a situation where there is a possible evacuation. Even voluntary. Now, when I was in the Guard, we ASSISTED people with evacuating, but I have not been in the situation where I was the one-voluntary or no. I am bringing this up for 2 reasons:
First, I have about 15 gallons of water stashed in my apt-so, I am covered with that. And, I fill up 2 nalgene bottles at work, before heading home. So, I am OK there.
Second, should they shut the town water down, what do I REALLY need? I have places to go to, so, changes of clothing. Thats it. Lesson learned for me-evactuation, at least in my neck of the woods, allows you PLENTY of time to get your stuff gathered. In fact, should I decide to vacate for a couple of days, all I really need to do is pack a suitcase. Granted, I am given plenty of notice-but even the little act of having fresh water available, close at hand, will likely keep me going during this. Its a minor thing to me-barely even an inconvenience; I wasnt flooded out, and its not a mandatory water shut off & evacuation. But, the short story is, I was prepared enough for generalized emergencies, and am thankful for my foresight

As an aside-they are thousands of homes & businesses that are damaged because of these rains. Whole streets have collapsed due to the bedding underneath being washed out. I am fortunate-I live in an apt building, on a hill, nowhere near rivers. All I got was wet going to & from my vehicle every day. Even shutting our wells down is a minor inconvenience in comparison to someone who has lost everything due to flooding. To them, my heart goes out.

Check out Doug's article Don't forget the....

I'm glad to see the many sensible replies to this thread. There are too many forums filled with BOBs full of guns, ammo, and MREs with thoughts of creating a new society. I have had to evacuate due to hurricanes. A realistic bug out situation is when you have to leave your local area for a little while, go to a nearby place that isn't affected, hang out in a hotel (or with friends or family), then go back when the emergency is over.

I am recently married so now that I have a family my priorities are to put together a get home bag, then either bug in or bug out by vehicle.

If you do any backpacking or climbing, you are well on the way to creating a useful, versatile BOB that is light enough to be practical for a walking evacuation. The main difference would be the desirability of carrying medical and financial information in a BOB situation.

If you can use a vehicle, you can add additional items, like family pictures and memorabilia.

Firearms? Maybe, depending on the situation. I would be tempted to take my 22 survival piece, an Armalite AR-7. As much for the sentimental value as its potential utility, my S&W Mod 28, and perhaps the 7mm Nambu my father liberated, would make the grade if driving.

It makes sense to me that your BOB should be tailored to your circumstances. Mine lives in my car, and it's designed for several possible scenarios, so it's on the heavy side. If I'm not moving long distances on foot, having that gear could add materially to comfort and possibly survival. If I do need to hoof it, the idea is to take what the situation seems to call for and ditch or cache the rest.

'Zactly. Options for a variety of different scenarios and versatility for unanticipated circumstances. Don't lock yourself in by over-commitment to a pre-conceived plan, for "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley, an' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain."