#i think i might have to just buy one of those cat slings and battle him to trim his nails bc it must be done… living alone sux i need a

[aldieb]

today i edited about 5k words, walked to the store, completed a medium-difficulty plumbing project, called my grandma, and successfully clipped mac’s ingrown dew claw that he wouldn’t let me touch. tomorrow i turn 26. seems about right

[itsany62]

SteveTony - Getting Together

Here are some Getting Together fics that I adore. Don't forget to leave kudos and nice comments in every fic!

Lovesick, by royal_chandler, 3 k >, fluff.

The depth of the flu aisle in the pharmacy is substantial, overwhelmingly so, and Steve is half-convinced he needs to return to the front and trade his basket for a full-on cart.

There's a Party Going on Right Here, by Annie D (scaramouche), Post-Endgame.

After the Battle of Earth, Tony hosts a party.

Open Tab , by machi_kun , 5k> words, Post-Avengers 2012.

Tony has a lot of money. Really. More money he could possibly ever spend by himself. So what if he spends some of it buying gifts for his friends? People like gifts! And Steve is his friend. His best friend, actually, inside the Avengers, and he’s glad it turned out this way - so it’s also a way of saying 'thanks for putting up with me', he thinks. He just wants Steve to be happy. If Tony can make him happy, then why wouldn’t he? Tony buying Steve gifts is no big deal. Shut up, Rhodey.

(Pretty) Odd, by machi_kun, 5 k> words, Developing Relationship, Fluff.

In his file, Tony Stark had been described as eccentric. He had also been described as a narcissist, as a self-destructive liability, as not-recommended, and all sort of fancy words that are used to disguise the fact that they were calling him an all-around asshole; And that’s a very long list of bad adjectives, for a guy Steve saw carry a nuke behind his back to save the city, gave them a place to stay, and is slowly showing himself to be one of the most curious people Steve has ever met. Maybe Tony Stark is eccentric – and maybe he is a bit of an asshole. But maybe he’s also more than that.

Six Times DUM-E Made It Worse (and One Time He Fixed It) by FestiveFerret, 4 k > words, Outsider POV.

DUM-E has a lot of Very Important jobs to do, and he does his best to do them right. Sometimes, though, things don't work out very well.

All he wants is for his humans to be happy.

Sweet Child O' Mine by starspangledsprocket, 9 k > words, Age Regression/De-Aging, Fluff.

After just their second outing as the Avengers, everyone except for Steve and Tony are turned into toddlers. Madness ensues.

'Cause Everytime We Touch by Perlmutt, 5 k > words, Touch-Starved.

Steve noticed it the first time they were officially introduced at Fury’s office after the battle of New York.

He extended his hand for a handshake, a silent peace offer after their horrible first meeting at the helicarrier almost a week ago. Stark looked at it like it would bite him any second. Steve could see how his hands twitched where he’d buried them in his pockets. But instead of taking his hand, he stared into his eyes for a moment and nodded before turning back to Fury.

Only later would Steve learn that it wasn’t hatred or aversion.

how the thought of you does things to me by Finduilas, 6 k > words, Mutual Pining, Domestic Avengers.

Steve has a thing for Tony's butt. Tony has a thing for Steve's beard. They're both very obvious about it (just ask any of their friends!), but somehow they manage to also be completely oblivious.

Right here waiting by gottalovev, 19 k > words, Cat Dads.

Steve has been missing Tony like crazy since he left the compound. One day, Steve drops in unannounced at the tower, and when on a walk for coffee they rescue newborn kittens.

Or: A yearning Steve, an oblivious Tony, and co-parenting kittens. (= fuff!)

picture perfect (picture us) by starklystar, 18 k > words, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Photo Shoots.

Tony has a habit of being handsy during photoshoots.

Steve has a habit of being flustered whenever Tony touches him.

Misunderstandings happen.

Or, five times Steve and Tony went to a photoshoot

+ the one time they had better things to do.

++ the one time they take their photoshoot online.

take me out (to the ball game) by muItifandomjess, 1 k > words, Fluff.

“Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd,” Steve sings, his shoulder bumping into Tony’s as he sways back and forth. “Come on, Tony, sing!”

“I am a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist,” Tony protests around a mouthful of hot dog. “I do not sing.”

Or, Steve and Tony go to a ball game. It all kind of snowballs from there.

Drifting Further Everyday by GotTheSilver, 8 k > words, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Steve’s quiet a lot of the time, it’s almost like living with a ghost, and Tony kind of hates it; he lives with more than enough actual ghosts every day. The longer time goes on, the more Tony recognises what’s going on, sees the jumpiness, the haunted look on his face, and he gets it. Realises they’re both trying to bury things they don’t want to talk about. More often than not, Tony turns around in the workshop to see Steve sitting there, patiently working on something in his sketchbook or reading an actual book, usually something he missed during the years he was frozen.

Somehow Steve is filling all the gaps in his life Tony didn’t realise he needed filling.

Goop, Or Five Times Steve Rogers Was Covered In... Something, And One Time Tony Was by Bill_Longbow, 7 k > words, Mutual Pining.

There were a lot of things Steve had expected about the future; sleek buildings, sleeker electronics, and all the food you can eat. Being covered in alien goop wasn't one of them.

or

How Steve being covered in... stuff, brings Tony and Steve closer.

The art of longing by itsallAvengers, 63 k > words, Oblivious Tony, Not Actually Unrequited Love.

Steve's used to missing his shot. To being too late, too scared, and losing everything. But he really did think that this time, with Tony, something could work.

Then Tony meets Mark. He's cool and charming, he's a scientist and he's perfect for a man like Tony Stark.

And suddenly Steve...

Well. Steve just doesn't have a place anymore

earth laughs in flowers by starksnack, 3 k > words, Love Confessions, Secret Admirer.

A secret admirer has been sending Tony flowers and confessions of love.

Crash Into You by FestiveFerret, 15 K > words, Post-Avengers (2012), Stranded.

Tony was pretty used to crashing.

It seemed like these days more often than not his return to earth in the Iron Man suit was at least somewhat out of control. He couldn't count the number of times he'd used a helpfully situated building, a local landmark, or, hey, even a teammate to slow a wild descent. And he'd be damned if he'd admit it to Pepper, but on more than one occasion he hadn't even been conscious when he'd hit the ground.

So crashing wasn't really a new experience. He would get banged up a bit, maybe put a scratch in the suit somewhere, but bruised ribs healed and there was no better way to work off the post-battle high than smoothing dents out of his most prized possession.

He had a feeling crashing in the Quinjet, without his armour, was going to be a bit different..

I like me better (when I'm with you) by I_write_things_sometimes, 79 k > words, Domestic Avengers, Friends to Lovers.

If you ask either of them how they got together, they'd go back to an unremarkable night filled with expensive food, rich donors, and lots of schmoozing. And, of course, the anxiety attack that started it all.

"Not recognizing someone was strange enough, but the longer the two men spoke with — or, more accurately at — Tony, the more convinced Steve was that the conversation was unwanted, at least on Tony’s part.

The first clue was that Tony was actively leaning away from the men he was talking to. Steve had learned firsthand that Tony was an incredibly tactile person. When he wanted to talk to you, Tony engaged completely; he’d sling his arm around your shoulders, squeeze your arm, or drag you around as he talked, walked and usually did at least two other things. Even when he argued, Tony was often immediate and in his opponent's space; Steve knew that from experience.

Right now? Tony was scanning the outskirts of the room rather than making eye contact with the men near him. If Steve had to guess, Tony was looking for the nearest exit."

Or, the way Steve Rogers and Tony Stark became friends and then more.

Mission SteveTony by itsallAvengers, 7 k > words, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Steve Rogers.

If the entire team of Avengers could please stop trying to get it on with Tony when Steve is right there, he would really appreciate that, thank you

you'll wait a long time by nanasekei, 16 k > words, Pining, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie).

Steve and Tony share a moment during a wedding. Things escalate from there.

-

Alternatively: Four weddings, a funeral, and one very emotionally stunted idiot.

The Game by FestiveFerret, 5 k > words, Gay Chicken.

The game starts when Tony walks into the garage to find Steve sitting astride the R1200RS, staring down at his phone, and he maybe, just a little bit, walks into a car.

Talking Bodies by itsallAvengers, 13 k > words, Misunderstandings, Insecure Steve Rogers.

Coincidentally, the physical effects of romantic and sexual desire match up very closely with the physical effects of fear. But it's not a problem-- it's not like anyone is going to be able to hear the way your heart speeds up, or see the minute dilation of your pupils, are they? They'd have to be some sort of Superhuman to do that.

And what's worse than a Superhuman hearing that quick pulse and seeing those dilated eyes and concluding that you're in love with them?

A Superhuman hearing that quick pulse and seeing those dilated eyes and thinking you're terrified of them.

more than just a dream. by frostfall, 10 k > words, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Parent Tony Stark.

Tony: Fine.

Tony: I think I might.

Tony: Just might.

Tony: Have a teensy-weensy crush.

Peter: ;)

Peter: Is it who I think it is?

Tony: Unfortunately, yes.

Tony: You happy now?

(Peter thinks he's found the perfect partner for his dad. Tony thinks his son has officially lost his mind. Steve's just oblivious to the fact that he's out of Tony's league.)

don’t want you to get it on (with nobody else but me). by frostfall, 4 k > words, Jealous Steve Rogers, The Pocky Game.

There are a lot of things that Steve doesn’t get about the future. But it’s fine. He will, eventually. He has time.

But one thing he knows is that he’ll never, ever be able to wrap his head around is the fanfare surrounding Pocky.

(Or Steve’s jealous of biscuit sticks.)

check yes (if the feeling isn't new) by cvptains, 12 k > words, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Meddling.

After the battle with Thanos, both Tony and Steve struggle with reconnecting in certain aspects of their lives. Sam Wilson and Peter Parker are totally over it.

Where both Steve and Tony's respective friends make accounts for them on the renowned dating app, FlickLove, and the results come out a bit... surprising. Cue unadvisable meddling that really — honestly — comes from good intentions.

take my heart clean apart by mistymountainking, 13 k > words, Tony Stark Has Self-Esteem Issues.

He’s tired, so tired of waiting, tired of touches with no meaning, tired of holding his breath when Steve’s in the room, tired of keeping this love to himself.

“I can’t—I can’t, if you don’t mean it.”

***

Tony comes home exhausted after an SI event. Steve acts as welcoming committee. It's an old, careworn routine they've perfected over the years, but tonight ends up going in a very different direction.

[njawaidofficial]

“Billions” Is The Best Show About The Worst Kind Of Masculinity

https://styleveryday.com/2018/04/16/billions-is-the-best-show-about-the-worst-kind-of-masculinity/

“Billions” Is The Best Show About The Worst Kind Of Masculinity

Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades and Jeffrey DeMunn as Charles Rhoades Sr. in the Billions episode “Hell of a Ride.”

Jeff Neumann / Showtime

Dick is a multipurpose metaphor in Billions. Most of the characters in Showtime’s hedge fund drama talk about their work, their success or lack thereof, and their stature as an extension of their virility. They aren’t all men, but they do all circle a luxe locker room of an industry that’s been overwhelmingly defined by men. Any observation you might feel inclined to make about Wall Street being dominated by bros vying to prove who has the biggest balls, Billions makes for you. In its very first episode, without the hint of a wink, a trader describes his issues at work to performance coach Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff) by using the language of erectile dysfunction: “I hear it happens to guys my age.”

Exactly a season later, Wendy shakes a bottle of Viagra at an audience of hedge fund types, telling them that while some of them rely on it, none would admit that: “The thought that someone might know you need help is worse than not getting the help you need. Still, when the time comes, when you need to pull the trigger on the buy or sell order, you better be hard as a rock and ready to go” — no Freudian subtext necessary. More recently, to really underscore the erection connection and the fragility that accompanies it, a character insists he would part with a fraction of his — “an inch off my dick” — if it meant he and his failing fund could get back in the game.

When Billions, the creation of Brian Koppelman and David Levien, premiered in 2016, it was a show that — much like its wilder cinematic sibling The Wolf of Wall Street — felt unwilling to commit to being either a critique or a celebration of the excesses and amoral schemes it was putting onscreen. When you wallow in dudes slinging their schlongs around without any apparent subversion, it tends to come across as endorsement, especially when considered through the fumes of the presidential election that followed the first season, in which macho posturing and cartoonish wealth carried the day. In its early episodes, especially, Billions could be taken for another variation on the “flawed but great man” drama, and an addictive but particularly sour one whose standards of greatness were questionable.

Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and Chuck at the end of Season 1.

Jeff Neumann / Showtime

It’s actually about two men — US attorney and rising political star Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), and hedge fund superstar and billionaire “man of the people” Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) — and the series unfolds in the shadow of their kaiju battle. Chuck, who sets out to take down Axe for insider trading with the obsessiveness of Ahab chasing Moby (sorry) Dick, might nominally be on the side of “good,” or at least the law, but Billions is quick to muddy this divide. With his aims to run for office, Chuck proves himself to be someone willing to cross lines to further his own interests, while Axe is shown to be, while far from innocent, not the worst offender in his ethically flexible industry — just the showiest target.

Three seasons in, Chuck and Axe are still duking it out, and what’s striking is how much smaller their continuing struggle now makes them look — so very human-sized. They’ve lost relationships and fortunes to a conflict that was started, by Axe’s own acknowledgment, for “dick-measuring purposes.” Somewhere along its run, Billions snapped into focus from being a blurry drama about power to being an infinitely sharper one about gender. It’s a snappily paced, light-on-its-feet nightmare about pissing contests, bruised egos, and displays of dominance, and what happens when power and gendered behavior are so intertwined that they get openly treated as if they were one and the same.

Midway through its current season, Billions still couldn’t be described as a critique of the finance world, or the political one that intersects with it — it regards them both with a clinical gaze, as structures that protect and serve themselves, resist consequences, and erode people’s ideals with rewards and compromises. Part of what makes the protagonists’ continuing clash quietly ridiculous is that, however intent they are on obliterating one another, both are wealthy white men cushioned by all the advantages they inherited or accrued for themselves, and they could ever only fall so far.

Chuck, with his pedigree and connections, could roll through the scandal that may or may not erupt around him and into a lucrative private sector gig if he had to; Axe, who in a recent episode had an earnest conversation with his ex-wife Lara about whether they could afford to live on a mere $300 million if they had to, immediately comes up with a workaround after being cornered into giving up his ability to trade. Billions is technically a drama, but it’s more fitting to think of it as a dark, near-subliminal comedy about machismo and avarice, about what a surreal thing it is that so many people in power are really just jostling to throw their junk on the table.

Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) at the poker table in “Optimal Play.”

Jeff Neumann / Showtime

The best thing Billions has done was to introduce a nonbinary character in its second season. That’s not just because casting the nonbinary actor Asia Kate Dillon as Taylor Mason — a brilliant analyst who strides into Axe’s office, informs him of their preferred pronouns, and proceeds to impress him so much that he coaxes them out of their plans to head to academia with offers of a hefty paycheck and mentorship — is a milestone of representation. It is, as is the conversation that Dillon went on to lead about actor/actress awards categories. But Taylor has also crystallized the themes of gender and power that the show had previously been circling less certainly. The transformation of Taylor from an intriguing side character at the start of Season 2 to a central series regular in Season 3 is the saga of Billions finally clicking together, like a dance troupe finally nailing its choreography.

Billions is not exclusively a show about men, but it is shaped by masculinity to the extent that most of its women — formidable, brainy, tough — are seen through the ways they’ve had to learn how to navigate the expectations and biases of men. They shield themselves when needed, soften their edges when it’s advantageous, and contend with being seen as sexual objects. Characters like Wendy, who can effortlessly hamstring a heckler with a precise observation about the source of his insecurities, or Assistant US Attorney Kate Sacker (Condola Rashād), whose guardedness when talking about the depths of her convictions speaks to an awareness that they could get her labeled as too emotional to get the job done, have had to get used to being one of the few women in the room. Wendy’s storyline has been explicitly about those challenges, about being Chuck’s romantic partner and Axe’s professional one, and contending with how much trouble they have accepting that she can do both.

Taylor’s experience is by no means easier than that of the women on the show (“You skinny fucking freak!” a finance bigshot spits at them at one point), but it’s different, in that so many of their colleagues are confounded about what biases to bring to bear. No one at work has context for Taylor. In their first appearance, Taylor teases another trader about assuming they’re a vegan, letting him sputter before dryly saying, “Of course I’m a vegan.” Taylor, with their shorn head, neutral dress, and intense eye contact, is cerebral and straightforward instead of gut-driven and posturing, concerned about their carbon footprint, and uneasy with conspicuous consumption — all qualities that put them at odds with everyone around them at the office. At first, that made it seem like they were going to get saddled with being Axe Capital’s conscience — that frequent burden of the outsider, to have to serve as a morally pure buzzkill.

Taylor and Mafee (Dan Soder) in “Dead Cat Bounce.”

Jeff Neumann / Showtime

Instead, Taylor becomes the company’s star, then Axe’s unexpected chosen successor, carving out a path for themselves as someone for whom strength is not bound up in performing masculinity or displays of aggression. Taylor was clearly initially introduced to be a foil for Axe, to demonstrate that, despite how chest-thumpy the office culture around him is, Axe himself is capable of seeing talent whether it comes in a form he’s accustomed to or not. But since then, Axe has in many ways been transformed into a foil for Taylor. He is an adviser who keeps trying to pass along his worst qualities as well as his best ones, because he doesn’t see them that way, even as his skirmishes with Chuck end up making him an exile from his own fund.

“You know the rider in the bicycle movie who, just when he has victory in sight, takes his hands off the bars and just holds them out like this, taking in the sun, gliding, letting all the other racers whiz by him just because?” Taylor asks Axe this in the Alex Gibney–directed episode “Optimal Play” in the second season, when Axe approaches them about representing the company in a Wall Street charity poker tournament called, honest to god, the Alpha Cup. “I always want to be that biker,” Taylor says. Despite their disinterest in that sort of competition, Taylor of course gets roped into playing and wins, taking down a taunting opponent whose rage makes him transparent.

It’s an exhilarating moment underscored with unease, as their colleagues slap them on the back and cuff their head affectionately, rewarding them with “one of us” gestures of acceptance they weren’t seeking out. Taylor understands that knowing you can win, and then opting not to bother, is actually a bigger power move than needing to constantly destroy all rivals. They even put it in language the Axe Capital community should understand: “The whole ‘my dick is bigger than yours’ thing, it wasn’t for me.”

Axe in “The Wrong Maria Gonzalez.”

Jeff Neumann / Showtime

The motif of fathers and their (literal or figurative) children has become a throughline in the third season of Billions, and another way for the series to explore gender and power. Taylor, in becoming the heir to Axe’s throne, has had to contend with their mentor’s unwillingness to cede control of his kingdom. Axe turns up at the office, which is full of employees he’s forbidden from interacting with, to show that it’s still his territory, a compulsive flaunting of strength that mostly just undermines Taylor’s still-new leadership role. There’s a sense that he can’t resist wanting to compete with Taylor, even if it means competing with his own company — to prove, even if only to himself, that he’s still the best. As is the case with his war with Chuck, Axe just can’t help himself.

While Taylor and Axe settle on a mutually agreeable detente, a more perverse reconciliation is achieved in the parallel storyline of Chuck and his actual father, Charles (Jeffrey DeMunn), a New York real estate tycoon. Charles’ desire to further a family dynasty wars with his contempt for what he perceives as weakness in his son, and he is a great believer in manly posturing, in ways that his son is at least conflicted about. Billions is, on the sexposition-happy scale of cable dramas, relatively restrained with displays of sex and nudity. So it’s telling that in Sunday’s episode, “A Generation Too Late,” the writers allow DeMunn a moment in the buff when Charles shucks his robe to dismiss a man who tries to corner him outside a steam room for an unwanted conversation — full-frontal as a power move.

In the previous episode, Charles scornfully lectures Chuck about trying to repair their relationship with a sentimental speech, as they stand outside an alumni event on a campus Charles describes as “the site of my greatest conquests.” He points to a dorm and announces, “I fucked three girls in there once in a 24-hour period — one in the can.” Charles is a hidebound, amusingly loathsome creation, and last night’s installment ended with a particularly grim punchline about just what it takes for Chuck to secure affirmation from his father. All Chuck needed to do is to screw his dad over and force his hand. “I’m proud of you, son — you fucked me good,” the older man says, in the first expression of pride toward his son since young Chuck lost his virginity to a sex worker of his dad’s choosing at age 14.

Chuck and Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff) at the start of Season 2.

Showtime

Billions can be cartoonish, and if the past year has underscored anything, it’s that the IRL worlds of finance and politics sure can be, too. But the fictionality of Billions provides enough distance that there’s a strange sense of comfort to be had from the series. Watching actual world leaders conduct their own dick-measuring contest on a nuclear scale is terrifying, because we exist at the mercy of their decisions, and we have to live with the consequences. Watching Axe and Chuck sneer at each other in the plush spaces the show rarely strays from, we’re freed up to consider the sad absurdity of these tendencies. These men are so inured to competition and a desire to prove their dominance that they work against their own best interests and those of their successors.

The series doesn’t pander by suggesting that its non-male characters are either better or more compassionate than men — both Taylor and Lara, for instance, advocate for financially gutting a small town whose debt Axe purchases. But the show does end up portraying stereotypical masculinity as a trap that its main characters can’t find their way out of. That masculinity is a vulnerability that they have internalized as strength, even if these same characters still hold most of the power. They may be smart men, but they can be baited into doing some very dumb things for the sake of their pride and the need to demonstrate their prowess. And that’s a hell of a lot more fun to watch unfold on scripted television than it is on cable news. ●

[thecoroutfitters]

No matter how many times it is said, it can never be said or heard enough: “The best self defense firearm for you is the one you are proficient with, feel confident with, and are carrying in a time of need.”

In an urban environment, you have to defend yourself at close, intermediate, and long ranges. This is why you need to develop proficiency with at least one weapon in each of the three main categories of firearms: handguns, shotguns, and rifles.

For each of these groups, there are questions to think about and answer for yourself in order to decide which weapon will best meet your needs.

Since .22 Caliber handguns and rifles are often underestimated as defensive rounds, I created a category just for them. In most cases, as a beginner, you will be starting with a .22 and then moving onto higher powered weapons.

Handguns

This is the weapon you should always carry and have on hand when a rifle or shotgun is impractical. Choose a defensive handgun that is comfortable to shoot under any circumstances and feels comfortable to carry all day.

While those questions are a matter of personal taste, reliability and stopping power (should be powerful enough to put an attacker down with the first or second shot) are much easier to gauge via known facts about specific handgun models.

3 Second SEAL Test Will Tell You If You’ll Survive A SHTF Situation

In pistols, the most popular defense calibers are the 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. All are good choices, but I prefer the 9mm for its larger magazine capacity and the .45 ACP for its knock down power with lighter recoil than the .40 S&W. For open or concealed carrying, I prefer to carry a full-size pistol at all times.

My recommendations for pistols are the following:

In the 9mm – the Glock 17 with it’s 17 rounds per magazine. This pistol is safe to be use by adults and older teenagers after instruction.

In the .45ACP category – the Springfield XD-M with it’s 13 rounds per magazine. This pistol is to be used by adults only who can handle the heavier recoil.

Revolvers are an excellent option, and a good choice for inexperienced shooters since they are a rather simple handgun to operate. They are also very reliable and do not require buying and using spare magazines. I would choose the Ruger stainless steel GP100 in .357 magnum/.38 Special with a four inch barrel. I would recommend this revolver for adults and older teenagers that can safely handle them after training.

If you live in a dangerous area, or want a handgun that might be used against bears or big cats, a S&W 629 .44 magnum revolver would be suitable. I would recommend this revolver for adults only because of the heavy recoil.

In a time of social unrest it’s to your advantage to use the same caliber ammunition as the police and the military do. This makes it easier to scrounge up extra ammunition in your calibers during and after these periods of unrest.

For most modern pistols and revolvers, it is easy enough to get spare parts or repairs. However, as laws continue to change, these options may become limited. Now is the time to buy parts kits, accessories, and any tools you might need to make basic repairs or manage deeper cleaning.

Shotguns

The shotgun is an excellent and formidable home and personal defense weapon. Shotguns come in pump action, semi-auto, double barrel, and single barrel.

My personal preference is the pump action because of the distinctive sound it makes when being racked. If there is one gun in this group that will act as a deterrent that reduces the need to open fire, the pump action models can do the job. If they can’t, you will still have an excellent weapon to resolve the matter with.

Pump action shotguns are rugged, reliable, simple to operate, and best of all easy to learn and teach.

Shotguns can be concealable if it is done right. The first thing that you must consider is how to make the shotgun a more compact weapon. To shorten the overall length, I would use the shortest legal tactical barrel and stock combination possible. The standard stock would be replaced with either a cruiser or a folding stock that folds over the top of the shotgun. Finally to help support the weight and add control ability I would attach a single point sling.

For a shotgun to be concealed properly you must be wearing clothing that can cover the shotgun without standing out. Here, loose fitting clothing and a long cold weather or rain coat would help, but the clothing must fit the season and temperatures.

One of the things I like most about a lot of the pump shotguns is that changing barrels is very easy. To make the most of your pump action shotgun, you should have at least two barrels for it. This gives you two guns for the price of one.

The first one should be a field barrel with multiple choke tubes. This one is your hunting and varmint control barrel. The second barrel should be a shorter tactical barrel in the 18-20 inch range. This one is for home defense purposes. It is quicker handling in tight quarters and gives a wider shot spread at short ranges. The tactical barrels come either rifled or smooth bore.

What to choose from so many pump action shotguns?

For adults and older teenagers that will not have any problems with recoil or operating a pump action shotgun, the Parkerized Mossburg 590-A1 in 12 Gauge should work well. This shotgun was designed for the military and is a very heavy duty shotgun that holds 9 rounds of 3 inch shotgun shells. If need be a M-7 or M-9 bayonet can be mounted under the tube magazine for further self defense.

For smaller framed adults, teenagers, and older children that can operate a pump action shotgun, I would recommend the Remington 870 Shotguns in 20 Gauge. An 18-20 inch barrel can still be used for defense and a 26-28 inch barrel for hunting.

For individuals that can’t operate either pump action or semi-auto shotguns, the double barrel shotgun may be a viable answer. If you can handle the recoil of a 12 Gauge shell, but can’t work the pump action or semi-auto action, the 12 Gauge double barrel shotguns should work fine. The same is true for those individuals who can handle the 20 Gauge recoil, but can’t work pump or semi-auto actions.

My recommendation in this group is the Stoeger Double Defense over/under double barreled shotgun for adults and older teenagers that have no issues with 12 Gauge recoil. This shotgun comes with a fiber optic front sight and a picatinny rail for your optics or rear sights. It shoots 2 3/4” or 3” shells. These shotguns are well made and very reliable. It is easier for most people to aim and shoot an over/under shotgun, because of it’s similarities to shooting a rifle. Most people prefer it over the side-by-side double barrel shotguns, because they are more accurate and are easier to aim.

Smaller framed adults, teenagers, and older children that can handle the 20 Gauge recoil and would rather not shoot an over/under double barreled shotguns can try the Stoeger Coach double barreled shotguns with a 20” barrel. These are well made and very reliable shotguns that can shoot 2 3/4” or 3” shotgun shells.

As with handguns, in a time of social unrest it’s to your advantage to have and use the same Gauge shotgun ammunition as the police and the military do. This makes it easier to scrounge up extra shotgun ammunition in your gauges during and after these periods of unrest. Now is a good time to find out what is most commonly being used in your area.

For most shotguns today, it is very easy to get repair or spare parts. You can get them today by ordering direct from the shotgun manufacturers or from firearm part dealers. In a time of social conflict, repair or spare parts will not be available on the open market. It is best to purchase extra kits now while you can.

Centerfire Rifles

As with any other weapon, it will be a matter of personal preference in terms of which one feels most comfortable and easy to carry. You will still need to choose a rifle that is reliable and can put down an attacker with the first shot, if you have to face the aftermath of a disaster in your urban location.

If you need a few recommendations for semi-autos and bolt action rifles in today’s popular calibers, here are some options. As with the other categories, each of these models has a long standing reputation for reliability and has suitable stopping power for most situations.

The Springfield Saint (Military Spec) AR-15 in the 5.56×45 can also shoot the .223 Remington. This gun is very easy to shoot and works well with high capacity magazines or drums. Because of its low recoil, I recommend it for adults, teenagers and slender built individuals after proper training.

In the 7.62×51, the Springfield M1A would be an excellent choice. I highly recommend the M1A for it’s knock down power, durability, an reliability. It shoots very accurately from 20 round magazines, and is an excellent hunting or battle rifle. I would recommend this rifle for adults and older teenagers that can take the recoil after proper training.

In 7.62×39, the AK-47 is my hands down favorite weapon. This weapon is a proven warhorse rifle that has stood the test of time. It is extremely reliable, low recoiled, shoots high capacity magazines and drums, and has good knock down power. I would recommend this weapon to all shooters except young children after proper training.

My choice for a bolt action rifle is the Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308. This is a well built rifle that is very accurate, reliable, has an 18 inch tactical barrel, and uses ten round magazines. This rifle can be scoped two ways; by a regular scope, or by using a scout scope on the picatinny scope rail. If you don’t wish to scope this rifle, it comes standard with front blade and rear aperture sights. This rifle has a bit of a recoil, so it is best for adults and teenage shooters that can take it after proper training.

For those individuals that would like to shoot semi-auto rifles, but have recoil issues, I would recommend an AR-15 that shoots the 9mm pistol round. This AR could be a companion rifle to anyone that is carrying a Glock 9mm semi-auto pistol. Both of these weapons can use the large capacity Glock magazines when needed. This rifle is safe to use by all shooters after proper training.

If you choose a gun that uses ammunition other than what the local military, police, or sheriffs use, it would be to your advantage to stock up on them now.

For most centerfire rifles of today, it is also easy to get repair or spare parts. You can get them by ordering direct from the manufacturers or from firearm part dealers. Get them now while they are still available and easy to get with relatively little effort.

AR-15s with a folding stock or a collapsible stock and AK-47 rifles with a side folding stock or an under folding stocks can be concealed. It will depend upon the climate, time of day, and the type of clothing being used. Concealing other full sized centerfire rifles will depend on their size and weight. Some are very hard or impossible to conceal.

What About .22 Caliber Rifles and Handguns?

.22 caliber rifles and handguns are great learning and practice tools for shooters of all skill levels. It is also an underestimated defensive round, and will put down attackers quite well with good shot placement.

Training and practice are the keys to being a good marksman and with these firearms. Ammo for these weapons is also cheaper than for higher powered guns, so you will find training and practice more affordable.

I recommend the following .22 caliber rifles and handguns for training and defense:

For a semi-auto rifle – Ruger 10/22 in stainless steel with a black synthetic stock. This rifle can be scoped or use the metal adjustable sights. The 10/22 is a tough, reliable little rifle with a lot of accessories. Upgrades are also available. If taken care of, this 10/22 will last a life time.

For a lever action rifle – Henry Lever Action .22 caliber. This is a very well made and dependable rifle that shoots .22 LR, .22L, and .22S.This rifle has adjustable sights or can be scoped.

For a semi-auto pistol – Ruger Mark III Hunter. This is a .22LR very well made, reliable, stainless steel pistol with adjustable sights, and a 10 round magazine.

For a .22 caliber revolver – Taurus Tracker in .22LR. This is a very well made and dependable SA/DA stainless steel revolver, with a 4 inch barrel, and a 9 round cylinder capacity.

Typically, .22RL ammunition is not used by most local military, police, or sheriffs. It would be to your advantage to stock up on this ammo now because it will disappear very quickly in time of need. At this time the ammunition is priced reasonably, but you never know when the next shortage will come.

For most .22 caliber handguns and rifles today, it is easy to get repair or spare parts by ordering direct from the manufacturers or from firearm part dealers. It is best to buy extra parts now while you can get them at a reasonable price on the open market.

In a time of social conflict, you have to defend yourself at close, intermediate, and long ranges in an urban environment that goes crazy. Proficiency with handguns, shotguns, and rifles will go a long way to helping you achieve that goal.

Each of these weapon types have their advantages and disadvantages, as do specific models in each category. Regardless of how many models you try out, the best one is always going to be the one you are comfortable with and actually have on hand in a time of need.

Prepare your guns and practice your shooting skills, so you could survive the disaster!

This article has been written by Fred Tyrell for Survivopedia.

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