for firearms training info checkout:

http://www.fseso.org/

I did my restricted and non-restricted last winter and it ran me about $300 by the time I paid for the courses, books and rcmp application fees.

first off, ask as many questions as possible, that's how we all learn knew ideas. i may do something x, y and z, and someone else does it a, b, and c with different and or better results.

the basics of prepping is food, water and shelter. for me, shelter includes clothing because they are my first line. (don't believe me, go camping in feb in -29C 😀 )

i tried to sum this up when my mom starting prepping.

if the food you store needs water, add more water to your storage. for every 1-500L of water you store, have 1 bottle of bleach, (but you should have more any way)
for every 4 weeks worth of food you store/per person, have a pack of toilet paper/per person. (and a back up cooking source)
have 3 changes of clothing that start with a good poly pro layer, rugged outer layer, (non cotton, or blended faberic) and a water/wind proof layer. (3 poly pro, 3 rugged changes, 1 rain suit and maybe a wind type suit, LOTS OF SOCKS!. . ./per person)

you should have extra blankets, and or a very good winter and a good summer sleeping back.
back up heat source.

with this you want things like rubbing alcohol, basics medications, POWDER! SOAP, extra tooth brushes, dental floss (sticks are better in my opinion . . .
a couple good flash lights, a couple GOOD LED head lamps! EXTRA BATTERIES 😀 (batteries go on sale at walmart often, i don't pay more then 50 cents for Duracell or energizer battery (i like both brands) before tax, the biggest pack isn't always the best deal lithium batteries last much longer and work better in the cold. . . think about getting a good charger and stocking rechargeables.

once you get the basics down
start planning how you're going to expand your food, start with a goal of 2-4 weeks of food, get that in, buy extra stuff when you shop, buy more when its on sale or when you have coupons. . . "buy what you eat, and eat what you buy". . ROTATION ROTATION ROTATION! did i mention make sure you rotate? remember those.

record what you have, and where it is! i used excel for a long time, the files failed and i lost them. i now use something called "food storage pantry" it can be used for many other "lists" if you play around with it, i track medication, medical supplies, etc.

when you add 2 or so weeks worth of food add more TP, (again buy on sale)

thing of your preps in a graph type thing, if you raise one bar (say your food bar) on that graph to 4 but your water is at 1, and your first aid/medical supplies are at 0 you are still only as good as your weakest bar, move them all up as equaly as you can.

things any prepper shouldn't be without?
antibiotic ointment! can't have enough!
Rx meds, 1 month is good, more is better, 1-2 years is best but very very hard to get to that point!
Tylenol, ibuprofen, benadryl and gravol. . . imodium, laxatives, anti gas, and anything symptom that any illness you can't stand, have a treatment for! example, i hate sore throats, HATE THEM. i stock about 40 bags of 30 halls cough candies, plus i have about 400 doses of cold EEZE drops.

stock teas, hot chocolate, coffee if you need it,
powdered juices and powdered gatorade (helps rehydrate, add calories, and makes stored water taste better)

build each thing slowly, keeping everything in balance, keep out of debt as you prep, and don't go over board all at once, buy once, cry once! buy quality gear and it'll work when you need it.

if something doesn't have a dual purpose can it be done buy something else? are you buying a cheap POS to do a job that a better piece of gear could do better? don't waste money on hasty decisions. . .

beans before band aids and band aids before bullets. . .
don't have 4 guns, 100000 rds and 4 weeks of food, when you have enough food to need to protect it, you should have a good first aid/medical kit with meds, then you'll need to consider firearms. . .

i've been up way to long and this is the best i could do at this time of night. . . lol, anyone please fill in any blanks i left and i'll try to add more when i can thing.

i've already said get a couple good books, i think you said you ordered a couple.

Thanks much eleven.to.one and Entropy great advise!! Clearing room in my storage closet for supplies. Going to look up that "food storage pantry" shortly and already started reading the Peggy Layton book thinks for the book suggestions too!! Looking at going the first of Nov. for my firearms course. Wife asked if we were going to have a gun in the house after I go and I told her not for a bit. I think she thinks you get a gun when you complete it. 😮 Anyway thanks again!!

get the wife in the course with you! if she doesn't have her papers, she can NOT have legal access to your firearms. which means in a safe she is not allowed to know the combo. . . if she ever needed a firearm to defend her self, and somehow she got into your safe, to defend herself, i'd bet both of you would be charged. (unsafe storage, use of a firearm. . .) remember guns are BAD and people get punished for using them to save their lives.

look at Ian Thomson, his house was fire bombed (while he, his wife and kids were in it), they are trying to get him on "unsafe storage". because he fired warning shots at people throwing bottles of gas, lite on fire ON HIS ROOF!, they then hid his family in the master bedroom, took his pistol out, put out the fires NOT sure if there were coming back to burn him alive, shoot him, attack him. . . his pistol in his PJ waist ban. . . unsafe storage my arse.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/31/firebombs-left-no-choice-homeowner-tells-gun-trial/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/31/court-adjourns-homeowners-self-defence-trial-to-clarify-confusing-gun-control-law/
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/02/01/lorne-gunter-why-hang-ian-thomson-for-the-crime-of-protecting-himself/

That is some scary S#@t. But anyway she will be taking the course with me as well. but she can get go pick her own firearms!! My luck I would come home with a nice little S&W 22 and she would show up with an freakin' AR15 or something!! LOL!!

just remember, buy common calubers with her.. . you should each have a .22, pick a shotgun gage together, i like 12, wife likes the 12 just fine. we've both shot 9mm, i never liked 45's (glock), but after buying a Ruger P90 we found out that not all 45's have the same feel. turns out the wife likes the 45 better too. (i have small hands, hers are a little smaller, our 45's have thinner grips then the double stack 9mm in glock or Ruger) she hates the 7.62x39 in both the SKS and CZ858 so when we visit a friend we are going to try out the Mini 14, and then decide between that or a AR15. (she's shot the C7 without problem. . .)

it's a lot better to stock just a few calibers that work in many firearms then it is to have 1 odd ball out.

things like magazines that are interchangable are great too. my buddy has a camp 9, they use the same mag as one of his handguns, some rifles will take glock mags, my two Rugers P90 and P345 use the same mags, etc.

the only odd ball gun i have is my Lee Enfield #4 mk 2. and i can hit the center heart on a 5 of hearts playing card (the giant cards 3.5 " by 5.5") at a hundered yards, with it's iron sight, then hit it again lol. so having a great rifle in a odd caliber isn't the end of the world if it's the greatest rifle ever made! (and i would gladdly take another LE #4 mk 2)

just remember, buy common calubers with her.. . you should each have a .22, pick a shotgun gage together, i like 12, wife likes the 12 just fine. we've both shot 9mm, i never liked 45's (glock), but after buying a Ruger P90 we found out that not all 45's have the same feel. turns out the wife likes the 45 better too. (i have small hands, hers are a little smaller, our 45's have thinner grips then the double stack 9mm in glock or Ruger) she hates the 7.62x39 in both the SKS and CZ858 so when we visit a friend we are going to try out the Mini 14, and then decide between that or a AR15. (she's shot the C7 without problem. . .)

it's a lot better to stock just a few calibers that work in many firearms then it is to have 1 odd ball out.

things like magazines that are interchangable are great too. my buddy has a camp 9, they use the same mag as one of his handguns, some rifles will take glock mags, my two Rugers P90 and P345 use the same mags, etc.

the only odd ball gun i have is my Lee Enfield #4 mk 2. and i can hit the center heart on a 5 of hearts playing card (the giant cards 3.5 " by 5.5") at a hundered yards, with it's iron sight, then hit it again lol. so having a great rifle in a odd caliber isn't the end of the world if it's the greatest rifle ever made! (and i would gladdly take another LE #4 mk 2)

My wife is petite @ 5'4", 110lbs and she loves the big bang of the 7.62x39 round shot from my SKS. She can keep 5/5 shots on a man sized target, standing at 50 yards without issue. Best of all its non-restricted and surplus ammo is cheap. She would love the AR in .223 too but the whole restricted "good gun, bad gun"thing bugs me (I do have my restricted license though) not to mention AR's are expensive. I do own a Kel Tec su-16f in .223 that takes AR/LAR mags. Semi-auto, shoots the same ammo and uses the same mags as an AR but is non-restricted...ah the joys of Canadian firearms laws. I haven't made a handgun purchase yet either but really like .357 revolvers so that will probably be my first when the time is right.

I have a Mosin Nagant 91/30 that shoots great too (my "oddball" caliber) and can hit a 12" target 5/5 shots from 100 yards w/iron sights while standing. Not as good as your 5 of hearts shots though! Your eyes are awesome! I can't even see a playing card from 100 yards away 🙁

sspencer69, being in an apartment building you would probably be best served with a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun and some 00 buckshot or #2 heavy game loads. As an example, canadaammo.com sells little pump actions that would be perfect for close quarter defence: https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/11/dominion-arms-grizzly-shotgun-12-5/

best of all, FREE SHIPPING 😀

I will never understand some of our gun laws. I am licensed but the wife is not. The wife however is proficient with my .40 hand gun, my ar15 and to a lesser extent the sks. If I was not home, I would fully expect my wife to protect herself with any of my guns. I would rather see her alive and having to deal with the law afterwards rather than the alternative. That being said, she does want to get out and get licensed herself.

My advice for the original post is to sign up on the canadiangunnutz forum. There is a real wealth of knowledge there when it comes to this topic. For myself I went in cheap just to see how I would like it without getting in too deep money wise. Now today I am reloading my own pistol and rifle ammo, and really looking forward purchasing my first 1911. So many choices.

! Your eyes are awesome! I can't even see a playing card from 100 yards away 🙁

actually it's funny, i couldn't see it very well at all, and the front sight of the LE was the same size as the card.
we started at 75 yards, i hit the card, couldn't believe it. my buddy says try the other one. fired, miss, fired again after the prez of the range came over to say hi. . . hit it. . . walked down and low and behold there were two holes in the card lol.
so my buddy was all impressed, so i tired a card at 100 yards, one shot, one hit. then the 5 of hearts came. . . two shoots, two hits. i quit because i'm not that good, the wind was calm, and my buddy was impressed.

i do what to try it again, but without the pressure of someone watching. really pull the rifle to the test. . . i tell you though, it's better then i am. as for my eyes, i have a very weak Rx for seeing things far away. . . i don't have my Rx safety glasses yet, and i was shooting without the very very minor correction the glasses give, and i couldn't even see the wholes with my range scope lol. i have a great rifle, a good clear day, and a lot of luck. . .now if i can repeat it, i'll be impressed.

Sounds like to me Entropy that you already duplicated the feat.... you are being modest as it was not so much luck but very good trigger control.

Oh and about owning a 22 rifle that I read above.... one may also look at getting 22 conversions for their hand gun/AR (if this is your thing). A couple benefits here is not only getting good practice at a really outstanding price but you are practicing with your primary weapons. An AR15 can be had starting at $700 and a 22 conversion bolt for just under 300. For hand guns these 22 conversions can also be had but just need to look into it to see if one is made for your type of gun. My hand gun is a cheapy norinco so I would never look for a 22 conversion for a sub 400 hand gun. But if one were to invest in a nice hand gun then I can see how a .22 conversion would make a lot of sense.

Also I have seen another training method, especially for those of us in the city is having airsoft for practicing while at home. That is, if you can convince your better half that you are going to be using the basement or garage for such activity.

Oh and once one gets bored standing at the firing line shooting at the same target, there are a lot of action shooting games one can get involved in. Seems like 3 gun is making a comeback from what I understand. Here is a link to check out some of the fun.

http://3gunnation.com/