I prefer to follow the police mentality. Different options for different levels of threat. However with that comes even more training, as you simply MUST be proficient with EVERY tool or device or weapon that you plan on using.

For example, sure a knife may seem simple, but without proper training in its use you can easily do as much damage to yourself as your attacker. There is no flawless victory when playing with knives. Same goes for firearms, pepper spray, baseball bats, fists, etc. the best you can hope for is that you are better with your training then your opponent and that Lady Luck is smiling on you... And that you have some backup and a good medical kit handy.

So the moral is this: with or with out fire arms, learn your tool, and hope you never have to use it

Training - Training - Training, and then when you think you finally got it - more Training /// To this end I am currently in negotiations with a Krav Maga instructor to update my aging skill set and educate Mrs. 23rd & our children /// Just one more tool in the box to cope with the desperate & have not's

Leave no stone unturned & plan to adapt to multiple contingencies /// In short, "Si vis pacem, para bellum"

Keep Safe - Twenty3rdPsalm

Guns require training if you want to be efficient and on target. Knife requires no skill and can come real fast if you let your guards down. For those nervous people who are trigger happy, I hope you don't shoot innocent people. If you have a gun, don't put yourself in a close quarter situation. Being shot once won't deter a deranged assailant who is on adrenaline and will over power you with a knife. Guns are only good at mid to long distances. A knife wielding maniac can get to you in 2 secs and stab you multiple times before you can pull out your gun and aim.
There are weapons for different situations be it guns, sharp or blunt weapons. Know what works in what scenario and you will live a little longer.
Personally I'll only use a gun if I absolutely have to. Blunt trauma weapons and some rope or handcuffs are more preferred. Sharp weapons if needs to be escalated. Remember almost all confrontation happens within 50m or less.

An untrained individual with a knife can die just as readily as an untrained individual with a firearm.

I have extensive experience in all modes of personal combat. The first thing I will say is that one has to avoid using absolutes. As I have said before one should not think that there are little tricks and shortcuts to making it big in the battle space. People thinking they were smarter than warfare fill many a grave yard.

There are reasons why military and law enforcement carry firearms and not swords and spears. I have stopped many X-rays with a single round in my career.

The Teuller drill is used as a demonstration of the threat to officers from knife wielding attacker. However the Tueller drill is not a tactical exercise. We did exercises where we were permitted proactive methods and the knife attacker got one of my guys one out of one hundred tries. We varied our responses, doing everything from opening fire with readied weapons all the way down to lethal disarmament methods.

If you don't know how to use your knife, you are in more trouble than the guy who doesn't know how to use that firearm.

I have used my service weapon literally in hand to hand combat ranges more than once. At the same time I do have to disclose that I have also used a knife in one hand while holding a service weapon in the other.

-S.

This is one of those "high impact, low probability" things though.
Get your food preps sorted out, your grid down plans first.
Then as a matter of continuing to expand your preparedness firearms come in to play, both as a means of acquiring food longer term and protecting what you have in the (very)unlikely event of a total collapse.

I find it interesting that no one has mentioned the good old bow and arrow. As with guns, you need the proper training so that you are a good shot. I will be the first to admit that I do not know the laws regarding the ownership and use of the bow and arrow. Obviously it's a weapon and you can't just carry it around. However, I am assuming you can store it in your home. That means when the SHTF it's there when you need it, plus, you can get a shot off at a distance, just as you would with a gun, it's quiet, and you can generally retrieve you arrow, which means ongoing ammo. It's my weapon of choice and I plan on taking lessons this fall.

Humans are great at adapting to any situation and environment. If all technology and industry is loss there is still hope. Living like the old settlers using bows and arrows and knives/Axe and blunt weapons are the only weapon that will last. With human ingenuity we can make all those things and traps to do what we need to provide food water and shelter easily. That reminds me. Anyone here like homesteading? There is a good book called " back to basics" its a good read with useful info.

Humans are great at adapting to any situation and environment. If all technology and industry is loss there is still hope. Living like the old settlers using bows and arrows and knives/Axe and blunt weapons are the only weapon that will last. With human ingenuity we can make all those things and traps to do what we need to provide food water and shelter easily. That reminds me. Anyone here like homesteading? There is a good book called " back to basics" its a good read with useful info.

Guns will be around for ever.. no matter what.. I know of folks that have enough reload supplies to last more then one life time. All i know is I pray for the best and prep for the worst. Living off the land and having a large garden is what my family does already. Have for a long time.

As far as Adapting.. for the most part its been a change in life not a set back in all things. Be ready for Nov 13th.. sounds like some rolling power outs for 24 hour period..

What's on November 13th?

Just checked the AESO website - they aren't forecasting anything for November 13. The system is forecasted to operate at generating capacity briefly in late November, and for several days in January, however that forecast is without inclusion of Wind generation or supply from interties with BC, Sask and Montana.

Perhaps the reference is to the Alberta Power Summit being held November 12 & 13th in Calgary (a blackout at the same time would be funny)

I plan to carry a gun in a holster on my own property when things get worrisome. A dog to yap so no one can sneek up on you while you are gardening or whatever is a good warning device even if it's not an attacking sort. At night we are well within our legal rights to meet force with force on our own property. I found some solar motion sensor lights which will discourage troublemakers and light them up if need be. I'm getting a blow horn to communicate with them to run-without needing to leave my house.

Even not owning gun, we still must at least know how to use it.
I'm not too worry about not owning guns because love to play with fire and firecrackers.
The hardest decision is will you follow the regulation or will you follow your instinct.
My advice is stick to the regulation, if you plan otherwise just make sure nobody knows 😆

In a crisis, the crime rate will be crazy. But, in Canada, we are not able to legaly carry a gun no matter WHAT crisis has happened. And its a sure bet, that even in a full melt down, there will STILL be a governing and law, and that means that it will still be a felon to carry a firearm here in Canada. And for those who chose to, they will be the ones who the law will be trying to defuse first.
So, for the rest of us, we will be left with only our witts, and common sence, to protect ourselfs from being targeted.
I chose bear spray as I am a climber, so I always have some for when I am out in the mountains. But for urban, I can only rely on good judgment and a open eye, to stay as clear of trouble, as I can

Someone else has already pointed out that you are allowed to carry your non restricted firearm unloaded. So the basis of your prediction is wrong. But I cannot understand your post here ?. What was the point with this ?.

Did you mean to say that all firearms owners are going to walk around with their firearms in a SHTF situation ?. That they will all be arrested and thrown in jail ?. Was it a gloating "I do not need firearms I am superior to needing one". Or Bear spray is fantastic you should all buy some !. Or was it a way to help people develop their witts to your level ?.

In my opinion you need to think and analyse this further. If you think you will be able to go through a SHTF scenario with just your "witts and bear spray" I think you are either not experiencing an SHTF situation and you will subsequently be arrested for spraying the mailman in the face or you may just become one of the first victims of a real SHTF scenario. At the very least you probably should have more than one can of bear spray on hand if you seriously expect "crime rate will be crazy" in a SHTF scenario. Do you ?.

I like your comment on fireworks JackDee. I have probs with coyotes coming in too close to my house. They make a racket and I don't like them near my dogs. So rather than getting out a gun I light off the noisy ones I can get about 12 for$6. How were you planning on using them JackDee? I was thinking the fountain ones would light up the front yard and the Roman candles might let my neighbors know if I was in trouble.

I know we can't have any body armour. But is there anything we can do that might slow down a knife?

I know we can't have any body armour. But is there anything we can do that might slow down a knife?

Avoid any altercation if at all possible. Life is much, much more valuable than possessions. Unless your defense and training are exponentially greater than that of the antagonist, you have to accept that you won't come out of any altercation injury-free. You WILL get hurt.