Curious as to what people of this mindset feel about precision rifle. I have a friend who thinks this is the bee's knees and that a few handy snipers could effect a change of power and dominate terrain and totally protect a community. Given how amazing snipers are in war on paper this sounds attractive but when faced with the prospect of a SHTF/survival situation the picture to me seems less rosy.
What I mean is that a sniper is a military force multiplier whose sole mission is to show up, lay prone with his nice rifle and optics engaging targets for which he has knowledge as well as previous intelligence at will. Someone in a position to survive has to take care of water, food and shelter as well as protecting his own to a degree a military combatant wouldn't have to. I can only imagine that traipsing around town in a ghillie suit with some fancy precision rifle and its optic could only attract negative attention. Never mind how it would be impossible to size up a threat at long range, what kind of difficulty you'd find yourself to prove self defense for a shot taken at those distances and how it could alert the world at large to your presence as a prepared person or place to rob.
My feeling is that the simpler (and maybe quieter) and lower key weaponry the better. I think that with your chances of surviving are the opposite that they are in wartime: going up as your engagement range shrinks as in fighting only when cornered without alternative. If one really were into the survivalist mindset I would imagine that blending in and staying out of the way would be preferable and the best combat tactic would be to avoid a fight at all costs instead of starting one by engaging willy nilly at long range.
Thoughts?
What I mean is that a sniper is a military force multiplier whose sole mission is to show up, lay prone with his nice rifle and optics engaging targets for which he has knowledge as well as previous intelligence at will. Someone in a position to survive has to take care of water, food and shelter as well as protecting his own to a degree a military combatant wouldn't have to. I can only imagine that traipsing around town in a ghillie suit with some fancy precision rifle and its optic could only attract negative attention. Never mind how it would be impossible to size up a threat at long range, what kind of difficulty you'd find yourself to prove self defense for a shot taken at those distances and how it could alert the world at large to your presence as a prepared person or place to rob.
My feeling is that the simpler (and maybe quieter) and lower key weaponry the better. I think that with your chances of surviving are the opposite that they are in wartime: going up as your engagement range shrinks as in fighting only when cornered without alternative. If one really were into the survivalist mindset I would imagine that blending in and staying out of the way would be preferable and the best combat tactic would be to avoid a fight at all costs instead of starting one by engaging willy nilly at long range.
Thoughts?