CarlosD: "...to let all around know you shouldn't be messed with..."

There will always be someone larger, tougher and meaner than you. Irritating them tends to be counter-productive. A bug that looks like a stick or bird poop can be easily overlooked.

Sue

A bug that looks like bird poop... I wanna see one!! That would be a great prank!!

To address the firearm, thing. I have been through several natural disasters and the only time I saw a firearm used was when a policeman shot a dog believed to be rabid.
I for one am of the opinion that what best separates ETS from most of those "survivalist" forums is the lack of whacko "chairborne commandos" with their black guns and ammo stacked to the ceiling.
I seriously doubt you will ever find yourself in circumstances that would require serious firepower. I think discretion and situational awareness are much better tools to employ than Walter Mitty-esque fantasies of gunning down hordes of mutant zombies or whatever your paranoid delusions conjur up.
I buy more bandaids and beans than bullets. We need builders and healers, especially in the aftermath of bad times

Well, so far on this site, I haven't seen any posts from people who seem to be "chairborne commandos" who just want to shoot up zombies. When people talk about guns on this site, from what I've seen, the posters have legitimate, practical questions about the use of firearms in a survival situation. It seems that only the people who would rather NOT carry protection are coming up with condescending statements toward people who want to carry.

A person who is thinking about security and self-defense at least somewhat, that's the only type of person who has my ear when it comes to survival situations. No offense, but it's difficult to pay attention to a person who freely chooses to be weaponless. I personally don't understand the complex arguments for intentionally NOT carrying a weapon if you have the opportunity to do so legally and easily. Further, if you are thinking about self-defense weapon at all, then a handgun or other gun is a highly efficient self-defense tool, and quite a bit more efficient than a knife, your fists, a voodoo mind trick or whatever else you may have in mind to protect yourself.

Hey Tarzan! CHARLIE DONT SURF!!! This thread is Urban Preparedness! Carlos started a VALID thread,I read it, pages 1 thru 5 & Thought it to be Enlightening,Until your opinion popped up.Opinions are like keisters...Everybody has one!

I gotcha. But, just to clarify, what I meant was not to look bad-a$$ but to give people pause and make them decide if tangling with you is worth the risk.

If we're "migrating", ne'er-do-wells may opt to hassle someone who is not clearly armed and take their supplies rather than someone who is visibly a risk.

But again, that was my initial query.

After some thought and reading everyone's responses, I agree that it's best to keep what resources you have (self-defense weapons included) under wraps.

And no, I have no delusions of Matrix-like shoot outs or holing up with an armory. If it came down to it and I had to use a firearm to defend myself, I am aware (and accept) that it will be brief and brutal, regardless of who will actually win (much like real street fights or hand-to-hand self defense situations).

In addition to what i posted above about a 5.11 vest the other question people ask is how was the fishing(land of 10,000 lakes).