It’s probably safe to say most preppers own at least one gun. It’s hard to think of any single item that’s more likely to protect you, your family and your vital supplies in a crisis.
Unfortunately, guns have two problems: They’re complex machines that can go wrong, and they’re a political hot potato. Both these problems create the risk that, just when you need your gun the most, it won’t be giving its best performance.
The good news is you can cut that risk by having the right parts and accessories available – and the time to get those parts and accessories is now, while you can be sure they’re easily available.
Here’s the top items you should be collecting to make sure your guns are ready for whatever’s coming down the road.
Magazines
Even if you don’t plan to stock up on any other gun parts, get some more magazines.
Without a magazine, most modern firearms are just clumsy, inefficient single-shot breech loaders. Yes, you can run an AR15 by loading one round at a time into the chamber, but that’s slow and awkward.
It’s just about adequate for hunting, but for self-defense it’s hopeless. You need magazines to use a gun effectively.
There are a couple of problems with magazines, though. One is that because they’re detachable they’re the most likely part of your gun to get lost or damaged. Magazines can fall out of unsecured pouches or get dropped under the stress of combat.
They’re vulnerable to damage – especially the vital feed lips – and almost impossible to repair if they get dented. Aluminum magazines, like most metal AR15 mags, also wear out; repeated loading and use will eventually erode the ends of the feed lips.
Magazines are also a main target of gun banners. Gun control activists would love to ban “large capacity” magazines. Some states already have – for example, in California it’s illegal to buy a magazine that holds more than ten rounds.
Related: The Guns the Government Doesn’t Want You to Have
However, even in California pre-ban magazines were grandfathered in. Stock up on them now, so if a federal ban ever happens you’ll have enough to keep you shooting reliably in the future.
Extractors
Running out of serviceable magazines will convert your gun into a single-shot breech loader, but a broken extractor is even worse – you’re going to have to push a cleaning rod down the muzzle, and probably hammer on the end of it, to get every fired case out of the chamber.
Unfortunately, extractors are one of the components that fails most often on any firearm.
On AR15-type rifles it’s probably the #1 failure point. Fire enough rounds and sooner or later your extractor will break, probably at the groove where the rim of the cartridge snaps into it.
The good news is extractors aren’t too expensive. You can pick up an AR15 extractor for less than $8, and for under $20 you can get a kit that also contains the spring, pin and other parts needed to install it. It’s worth getting a few of the kits just so you have the parts to deal with any extractor problem, then some bare extractors too.
Firing Pins
The firing pin is another component that’s likely to break. If it does, the best case scenario is that your gun won’t work.
The worst case scenario is that the broken section of the pin will get stuck in the forward position, so the gun fires as soon as you chamber a round. A couple of spare firing pins are essential if you want to keep a gun working in the long term.
Furniture
Stocks, pistol grips and handguards tend to be made of plastic, and they can take some hard knocks. That means sometimes they break, and that can leave a gun almost unusable. They’re also a target for gun banners. California’s notorious gun laws, as well as the old federal “assault weapon” ban, restricted popular styles of rifle furniture.
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Adjustable stocks and pistol grips are banned in California and counted as controlled features under the 1994 federal ban. It’s likely that any future federal law would regulate them again. Having some spares will let you replace broken parts and also upgrade your rifle if society collapses and the law becomes irrelevant.
Springs
Any firearm relies on springs. From feeding rounds from the magazine, to firing a shot, ejecting the spent case and chambering a new round, lots of bent and coiled bits of springy wire make things happen. Unfortunately springs can break, and even if they don’t they’ll slowly lose strength over time. Hard use, high temperatures and just age will eventually make them lose their springiness – and when that happens you’ll start to get stoppages.
You should have at least one complete set of replacement springs for each gun you own. On top of that, some extra recoil springs are always good to have, and perhaps trigger springs too. One thing to be aware of is that if you have an AR-style rifle with an aftermarket trigger, make sure you get spare springs from the trigger’s manufacturer; the strength and geometry could be different from standard AR springs, and that might lead to reliability problems.
Ammunition
Finally, don’t forget to stock up on ammo.
There are so many firearms in the US that even the most fanatical gun grabber knows they’re never going to take more than a fraction of them out of circulation
But there is one button the government can push if it’s determined enough – ammo.
Restrict or shut off the supply and a lot of guns will become useless. Even if the government doesn’t get involved, ammo shortages can happen; in 2020, sparked by a combination of the COVID pandemic, the surge in gun ownership after the Black Lives Matter riots and the election of President Biden, gun stores across the US started to run short of popular calibers.
That shortage still hasn’t completely gone away – and if you want an example of just how fragile supply chains can be, the main problem is that US factories can’t produce enough primers to meet demand.
Any time you get the chance to stock up on ammunition at a reasonable price, take it. Even if it’s not your preferred brand or load, any ammo that will work in your gun is better than nothing.
When a crisis hits, a gun will give you a much better chance of surviving the immediate aftermath. If the crisis causes a long-term or even permanent collapse of society, however, you’ll be relying on your guns to keep you alive for years. Make sure they stay in working order – and avoid potential government interference – by stocking up on the parts and ammunition you need now.
Being prepared with the right gun parts and accessories can give you a huge advantage when things go south, but having a well-rounded survival plan is key. As any seasoned prepper knows, survival is about more than just weapons—it’s about having a complete strategy in place.
Even if your firearms are fully stocked and operational, your home and family need protection in more ways than one. This guide provides a comprehensive approach to survival that goes beyond firearms, teaching you how to turn your home into a fortress, store vital supplies, and ensure you’re ready for any long-term crisis.
After all, preparedness is about more than just having the right tools—it’s about being ready for the unexpected.
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i am a cowboy action shooter and a few years ago at a match the magazine spring in my winchester 73 broke and i had to finish the shoot by holding the barrel up after every shot to let the cartridges slid down to the loading lever. it was a pain but it worked till i could get a new one and replace it. i keep extra parts for my ar-15 but didn’t think about my other style guns. i had my s&w model 39 get a broken sear and it went to full auto mode. it was fun but i got it fixed right away. the problem was it took 2 months before the gunsmith could the parts needed. you never know when a stoppage is going to happen. get a book showing you how to repair the firearms you have is important also. another time i bought(at a gunshow) an astra a-100 45acp and it had a broken hammer block. i ordered one and used my books to show me how to fix it and now it runs like a champ. i hope my mis-haps get you to thinking about spare parts.
Did you know many comments are being denied on this website, why?
This site tries to sell more books by the authors salting in these links, instead of using their actual experiences from the books they try to sell.
You know, in life there is nothing that is free. I’m just glad that these people are around to give free advice and i appreciate that. There is so much information out there about survival that put it all into book form for our convenience and it doesn’t really cost that much. If you don’t want it, don’t buy it.
As poot mentioned, having a manual for each arm you own should be as important as a cleaning kit. Many places to order spare parts on-line. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) now has a ‘survival gunsmithing’ course. May be worth looking into.
You won’t have worry about searching for extra gun parts, that will be the least of our problems.
How many billions of dollars sent overseas like Ukraine to keep their businesses and their social security up and running, while our stuff goes broke.
Who is running our America, not Biden, Harris or Walz, is it Obama, Soros and other deep state elites?
Will you vote November 5th to save our America or bug out to nowhere?
This is a time to pray God for guidance for America’s liberty being stolen.
Yet money by Biden & Harris is going to Ukraine $8 billion or more USD. This hurricane response is being done by locals, private organizations like Glenn Beck. While Biden, HARRIS drag their feet in supporting the flood victims. But give our hard earned money to the illegals flooding our open southern border get free money, lots of it.
These useless idiots proclaim an end run around the Constitution for pushing the climate change controversy with FEMA set by the deep state going green for what?
We are in deep doo-do if our side fails to be elected and the whatever you call them, socialist, Marxist or communist they will win with the indoctrinated sheeple public and illegals voting in this 2024 election, don’t stay home an not vote.
Wait until AI is fully implemented in misinformation along with the digital currency and the already in place American version of the Chinese social credit system.
Many of you are participating in that by RING doorbell cameras and Simply Safe indoor and outdoor cameras secretly data sent to the government server farms. To be interpretative by AI like the movie Minority Report to report future crime activities programmed by liberal software engineers. You get the picture, many of the public is hooked on social media that they will have the DT’s like the alcoholics go through not physically but mentally.
Many bug out locations we thought were safe are now used by illegals, criminals and homeless the dirt bag doper type.
How much ammo can you carry in a bug out situation to defend ourselves at the bug out location being on foot?
Let alone bringing badly need gun parts that may be hard to repair when our nerves are shoot from being outside in the cold, hands shaking from being cold.
These just a few things we don’t think of when prepping. Think preppers have this idea there will be a SHTF Summer like weather conditions warm, not cold.
How much can we carry to live in long term desperate conditions?
I’m for staying home until it becomes impossible or the rioters burn down the home, many older seniors who were probably military can no longer move like they did years ago.
Bugging in, out or somewhere is a challenge at any age. Look at what is going on with the dock strike, the hurricane areas where people lost everything prepped.
Heavenly Father;
I and other fixed income seniors can no longer add to our preps when we got overpaid dock workers on strike effecting major parts of the economy.
Sure got some food tucked away but that won’t last long in long term socialism currently in most populated big cities.
And where do all the preppers think they are going to into the country?
There is no place to go that there won’t be a zillion people heading there, too. And, there won’t be gas for the stand still traffic. We saw I-75 at full stop, accidents, no gas, no place to get off for over 200 miles and that was just a hurricane evacuation.
Nope…plan to stay home.
Many people currently are dying because of the Marxist in charge giving taxpayers funds to illegals and Ukraine. The thug Ukrainian president begs Harris for funds while fiddles on her violin as America burns to the ground.
Harris and the elite union management don’t care about us, they get their 6 figured union wages while we are drowning in debt.
How many EV’s are shorting out burning up with water damage next to gas vehicle on the highways?
Close the southern border, drill for oil ASAP!
Figure when the shooting in the streets dies down be able to pickup brand new guns from the over anxious fighters dead clammy hands.
How much is enough of accumulating food, firearms and food?
Some states you can only get Nancy Pelosi 10 round magazines if any.
Elections have consequences, if Harris gets in you will have mass second amendment gun confiscations by the United Nations agenda. So kiss any spare parts gone too.
Well…I reckon I could buy all these spare parts…or…I just get me another rifle, shotgun and pistol! One is none you know! PROBLEMO EL SOLVEDO!
I carried a side arm 24/7 for 27 years. Started out with revolvers. I’m not young. Semi automatics are nice, but I’m back to revolvers. Not anticipating a residential fire fight…..BUT If I can’t do it with the rounds in my revolver(s), then, the shotgun and/or Judge will probably work. Maybe a rifle.
Less complicated. Yes, they have moving parts, but I’ve never had a revolver give me an “allibi” on the range unless it was a bad round.
Just saying…..
Byrna makes a nice little product for when killing a human isn’t the best option if you can get away to safety instead. Lots less paperwork.
Before what’s too late?
More scare tactic to accommodate scared paranoid people.
Just pretend SHF will never happen and you will be the one curled up in a fetal position crying mommy.
Pretend your the good Lisa.
If I only had 10% of the stuff recommended by this guy I would need a warehouse to store all of it. Why not just tell us that we should have 2 of everything imaginable, just in case.
Why not tell the ugly truth about prepping and what happened to the left over stuff from the 1970’s.
The prepper movement is commonsense but we also have a large prepper corporate cottage industry making money off stuff we really don’t. Just the facts Ma’am, just the facts. Many are not going to see a big firefight except where the starving freeloaders are at. OMG they are everywhere armed too, from Biden, Harris and Walz politics.
Do we have enough ammo for that, ha, ha!
Vote MAGA, God is watching.
Interesting history about the 1970 survival movement that is now the prepper community, minus food, how much of the prepper equipment is mage in China?