I lurk on some "survivalist" groups, more for grins rather than any useful information. Typically they indulge in "Mad Max" scenarios which envision a total breakdown of society, starving hoards looting and pillaging, and the virtuous, saintly far sighted preppers having to defend their goods against the unprepped. Hence endless discussions of "How much ammo? What caliber? What rate of fire? etc. etc? OPSEC"

I call BS on all that monkey business. My scenario tends otherwise because I have usually been inclined to assist in times of distress, as a volunteer SAR respondee (which sometimes requires really significant effort) and during a career in the National park Service (which often has very positive aspects). When the next episode of trouble arrives at my doorstep, i intend to patch up my situation, tend to family and neighbors, and then reach out to others to minimize distress and rebuild.

Homo sapiens is a social critter, and we have gotten where we are through cooperation and group expertise. Look at history and you will find that Mad Max scenarios are rare and isolated, and not the way of progress or repair,often a strategy which involves a lot of hard, grinding labor (terribly unromantic and not the stuff of fantasy).

Looking back, working in SAR has been a powerful, positive influence in my life - thank heavens! I just spend a very long day as a poll worker in our primary election and that is my current contribution to a stable, productive society. Most definitely not glamorous.

Will my S&W Mod 28 be enough to hold off the masses, provided they can find my fortified, booby trapped bunker?? Enquiring minds want to know....