Trade material is one great idea. how much value in a real meltdown would US money backed by nothing but fear ...etc. Fire starters?

Everyone else covered that quite thoroughly. My only standard is there is nothing quite so useless as an unloaded weapon. I'll give a graphic example.

Standard load for US Army Infantry in the 1970's was one magazine 20 rounds locked in the weapon and six magazines on the pistol belt of the web harness 7 x 20 = 140. Minus one round per magazine to keep the spring from weakening but the bullets went in some pocket

Bandoleers of stripper clips were 7 x two of ten rounds each. or 140.

We changed form M14 most semiautomatic to M16 with full automatic capability and then to the 30 round magazine four or 120 plus 30 for one in the weapon for 150. minus one or even two to save the spring.

Here's the real load out.

As many magazines as could be scrounged. the bandoleers carrying 20 round magazine in each of their pockets except two those carried grenades. Two of those crisscrossed under the web gear and over the shirt. That added 10 of the 20 round magazines or sometimes twelve depending on personal preference so let's call it 12 x 19 208 extra rounds total now 358 ready to go. In the rucksack two extra bandoleers for 280 more. never less than one extra.

Why? Supply systems could not show up like magic helicopters or no helicopters due to a number of factors. weather, availability of aircraft, need for suppression of incoming not friendly fire.

Rate of fire of was too often one Mad Minute at full auto as fire suppression and superiority coupled with a fair amount of adrenaline took control. Look up the statistics on rounds to make one kill. That will put you in shock.

Point is an empty weapon is just a really poorly designed club.

Translate to the Oregon type of situation. One side can literally fire until their weapon barrels melt and then pick up a fresh weapon. One side cannot.

Taking and holding ground is a symbolic statement but not a useful technique for being around to explain the symbolism.

And that's not counting the Jackboot Janet Von Flamethrower solution of fuck 'em burn everyone and let God sort them out. Ask the children of the Waco incident. But it suits a certain fascist mentality. No brain power there. All they needed to do to remove the leadership was have the local gun dealer call up and say "got a new shipment you might be interested in examining."

Those agents if that's what you want to call them are all gone and retired. But their deeds live in infamy.

One wonders how Obama will or worse a revival of Clintonism would handle the situation. And it may be those folks are doing exactly that ...letting the government make the statement for them. A demonstration of fascism as just signed into law by the President instead of law enforcement as used to be required when we had a Constitution...and a Bill of Rights.

You seriously contemplating voting for the left again?

Police are well aware of non uniforms for one good reason. Most detectives are plain clothes. Most police however are like most military people. They have never experienced two way live fire exercises. That goes back to a proper and 'often' training regimen.

First thing is don't be a collector bring the requirements down to specific needs. for Example. .22 cal in Short, Long, and Long Rifle. If you have opted for a (legal) sound suppressor for your .22 caliber rifle or pistol that leaves out revolvers and leaves out .22 Long Rife. Like any other caliber the bullet must be subsonic.Two ways to make sound plus one. The initial explosive force, the sonic boom of a a bullet breaking the sound barrier, and the mechanical action. In readily available ammunition .22 and .45 caliber most often meet those standards. A .45 caliber comes also in .45/.22 with interchangeable barrels. reducing the amount of weapons needed once again. BUT it depends where in the world you are located. Much of the world is enamoured for strange reasons with 9 mm. and that caliber is dependent on bullet type to be of any use. Life is not crap rap and being a poseur. 115 grain semi jacketed hollow points make it somewhat acceptable. Military ammunition means enough on hand to spray each target with multiple hits none of which can be at body armor. The price you pay for going hollywood and leaving real life behind. In North America I opt for the .45/.22 Long Slide and long extended barrel with a .45 concealed carry version such as the ASP. Snake shot also an option but Glaser Safety slugs actually a mini propelled grenade is a worthy choice.

Revolvers come into play with the higher more powerful calibers and cartridge loads. The actions with a long barrel can take the punishment after that it's a question of can your hand take the punishment. 8 3/8" barrel in .357 one of the .38 family and the compromise is a .38 Plus P round. 225 grain SJHP. The .44 magnum pistol hosted for tunnel rat purposes at one time a suppressed cartridge using an internal piston but with acceptable reduced range and stopping power. Who makes that round these days? No one I know about. that brings us to other pistol cartridges and without the need for sound suppression and with the need for suitable munition supply that means no less than .40 or 10 mm

Best compromise for a single small gun? .45/.22 combination.

the best alternative ever made was the M1 carbine of WWII/Korea fame. A hot pistol cartridge with a much longer barrel on a small stock . Improved range and accuracy but still in the realm of pistols. which brings us to long barrel weapons.

Shotgun? 12 gauge with #4 Buck at 27pellets in .17 caliber vs a 00B's 9 pellets in .22 caliber. My old Topper had interchangeable barrels with .410 but was a single shot break action. Since we're not talking gamebirds and can add slug rounds the actions other than Browning SA are side and double barrel. A slide mechanism can be combat loaded by turning it upside down (left hand and inserting into the tube while one round is still chambered with right hand. Safety switch should be on. Medium ranges and pellets can be bounced off any hard surface and will pick up secondary projectiles aim point is half way between target and shooter to gain the proper angle of fire. Assuming a hard enough surface it works for going around corners too.

Long barreled rifled weapons. Whatever fits the neighborhood. Semi automatic versions of military rifles are sort of red flags... Standard area hunting weapons don't cause much int he way of excitement unless your talking .577 or .600 Nitro Express elephant guns. Scopes no big deal but laser dots are. Most common is a Model 94 Winchester lever action in .30-30. Medium range brush gun or similar. One .22 rifle and one other for distance shooting.

Your reload needs are now potentially cut to .45 pistol and/or .38./.357 revolver, 12 gauge and perhaps .410 shotgun,and two rifle calibers six in total.

For the .45/.22 get extra barrels. and firing pins.

Back to sound suppression. The weapon firing sound gives a straight direction to location. The sonic boom of the bullet makes a 45 degrees to each side sound print. Others tend to to look to the shooters right or left depending which ear picked up the sound of the bullet passing by. No extra charge for the physics lesson.