This is an interesting thought experiment: Knowing what I know now, if I had to restart acquiring guns today, then what would I get, in what order, and why?

My initial reaction to this thought experiment is that my “collection” wouldn’t be much different than it is today. The more that I thought about it however, I realized my initial reaction wasn’t quite right. I have a deeper understanding of firearms as a whole. I’ve also developed preferences. While my top priorities remain unchanged, the priorities that follow have. I suppose that’s what happens when curiosity is replaced with competence and experience. Some might call that wisdom, but I won’t simply because I still think I have a lot more to learn and experience before I can call it that. Nevertheless, the thought experiment is interesting and I’m willing to entertain it.

Concealed Carry

My top priority remains the same: self defense. Self defense was my driver for my first gun purchase. It was also my driver to seek quality training and instruction. While I have explored different aspects of shooting like competition and hunting, self defense has never taken a back seat. If push came to shove and I was forced to sell off firearms, the defensive tools would be the last to go. Self defense is, first and foremost, my first priority.

Following logical priority, my first purchase would be an H&K VP9. Less specifically, I would want a duty sized 9mm handgun that has a proven track record of durability and reliability that I can conceal carry. There are a lot of pistols available in the market today that fit this bill, but the VP9 is the one I know and trust the most. Granted my trust is based on what I’ve heard and my personal anecdotal experience with a sample size of three. Long time returning readers might be surprised by this given I’ve spent a good part of this calendar year using the Shadow 2 Compact and the Staccato C2 for this role, but the truth is the VP9 would be the last firearm I would let go of.

I’d also stick with and count on the Trijicon RMR on the VP9 for this role. It might be outdated and overpriced, but it’s the red dot I trust the most.

So there you go, the first purchase would be an H&K VP9 with a Trijicon RMR. End of discussion.

Home Defense

While having a concealable pistol that I can keep on my person all day, every day, is at the top of my self defense list. Having something with a little more oomph that is easy to use for home defense is next on my list. As much as I’ve started to personally prefer the devastating power of the shotgun for this purpose, it has a steep learning curve and it’s not something that can be easily picked up by another family member with less skill. As such, my second purchase would be an AR-15 with a red dot (like the Holosun 510C) on it.

While I’m still exceptionally pleased with the DDM4 V11 that I own for that role, it is no longer in production. This forces me to consider what’s available on the market and available resources. There are plenty of options and a wide range of price points. There are also a couple of different ways to approach this priority.

If money and time weren’t a concern, then I would most likely opt for a suppressed short-barreled AR-15 in 300 BO like the integrally suppressed Daniel Defense DDM4ISR. I would also entertain other short-barreled AR-15s in 300 BO and a separate suppressor. However, money doesn’t grow on trees and regulatory approval times can be long. While 300 BO pistols are appealing, there are enough regulatory challenges making their way through the courts that I’d most likely end up going with a 16″ AR-15 chambered in .223 Wylde or 5.56 NATO.

The .223 Wylde chambering is growing in popularity and availability. It allows us to get the accuracy benefits of .223 Remington cartridges while also being able to handle the higher pressure 5.56 NATO cartridges. This matters to me because .223 Remington chambers may not handle the pressures of 5.56 NATO cartridges and 5.56 chambers can’t take advantage of the accuracy benefits of the .223 Remington cartridge.

If I was budget constrained, then I would start with an AR-15 from Palmetto State Armory. Otherwise, I’d pony up a bit more scratch for something from Bravo Company USA or Lone Star Armory.

Gamer Pistol

My third acquisition goes against conventional wisdom. Many folks, especially those focused on preparedness, will tell you that a rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge that isn’t an intermediate cartridge, a shotgun, and a 22LR rifle are the next immediate priorities as they are needed for hunting and can enhance defensive capabilities. They aren’t wrong. I agree wholeheartedly with them in terms of the capabilities that those tools provide and improve.

The conventional wisdom exists for good reason. Theoretically, I could have fun competing with the first two acquisitions and might be better served investing in tools suggested by conventional wisdom to improve my emergency preparedness. However, I’ve become quite fond of practical shooting and action shooting sports. I also think it’s important to have fun. We should enjoy life whenever we can. Being all doom and gloom all the time is depressing and being depressed is a piss poor way to live life.

So for my third purchase, I’m going with a CZ Shadow 2 and a competition optic like the Holosun 507COMP. That scratches my gamer itch.

Deer Hunting

I love deer hunting. Deer, while they are beautiful animals that are dumb as rocks, are quite tasty. Given that the wheels haven’t fallen completely off and we still live in a world where rule and law exists, hunting deer legally is important to me. Having a rifle that is capable of that also has the ability to hunt other similar sized game. Furthermore, if society was to collapse and things got really crazy, then that same deer hunting rifle might come in handy for other, darker, tasks I’d rather not ponder.

My choice for this priority would be a large-frame AR chambered for 6.5 Creedmoor. I get it. The 6.5 Creedmoor catches a lot of hate. There are arguments to be made for cartridge availability, especially in end of the world scenarios. All feelings and apocalyptic considerations aside, it’s a fantastic cartridge that is well suited for a lot of tasks including, but not limited to, competitive shooting, medium game hunting, and long range plinking. Honestly, I think the hate is misplaced and I like the cartridge a lot and it’s my choice for this application and priority.

The Scatter Gat

Having addressed my defensive needs, gamer needs, and hunting needs, I’m ready to come back to the shotgun. This platform is a devastating option for home defense and further expands hunting capabilities. In order to comply with existing laws and regulations, it requires modifications for each purpose or purchasing two shotguns, one for each purpose.

My first choice for a scatter gat for defensive purposes, which would be my next priority, is the LTT Beretta 1301 Tactical Shotgun. While it can be used for hunting purposes, its barrel length isn’t ideal for that use and it would require the installation of a magazine plug in order to comply with hunting regulations. It will work, but it’s far less than ideal for hunting.

For hunting, I would probably still stick with a semi-auto shotgun from Beretta. Probably something from the A300 or A400 line today. However, I would wait until after acquiring a LTT 1301 Tactical for defensive applications and picking up a 22LR rifle and pistol as explained in the next section.

22 Long Rifle

I love 22LR. It has several applications both in rifle and pistol platforms. It’s also the most affordable cartridge to shoot.

I would start with a 22LR rifle. Something like the Ruger 10/22. Preferably one of the “take down” models. This rifle is fantastic for small game hunting. It’s also highly customizable and can be used for competitive applications. While all of that is cool and neat, I prefer it as a platform to introduce others to firearms and for good old fashioned inexpensive recreational plinking.

Next I would add a 22LR pistol like the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite to the collection. I’ve used this pistol quite a bit to introduce others to pistols and for competition. In a pinch it can also be used for small game hunting.

Closing Thoughts

Thinking through what I would buy in order based on my current knowledge and prior experience with firearms has been an interesting and fun thought experiment.

In summary, what I would do today is as follows:

1. An H&K VP9 for concealed carry,
2. an AR-15 for home defense,
3. a CZ Shadow 2 for gaming,
4. an AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting (and maybe for competition, long range plinking, and additional defensive capabilities),
5. a LTT Beretta 1301 Tactical Shotgun for home defense,
6. a Ruger 10/22 for small game hunting, cheap plinking, and introducing others to rifles,
7. a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 for cheap plinking, competition, and introducing others to pistols,
8. and a Beretta A300 or A400 for additional hunting capabilities.

Honestly, this list looks pretty good to me. However, I wouldn’t be honest if I said there was absolutely zero chance that another gamer gun wouldn’t be acquired along the way. How likely that is to happen depends on a lot of factors such as my available resources, current economic and political conditions, and other local environmental factors.

There are arguments to be made for cartridge choices and ordering priorities, but, at the end of the day, this is what I came up with today. It might be fun or even worthwhile to revisit this thought experiment at a later date.

I’m curious, what would be your priorities today and why? Post them below in the comments or let me know on social media.