The first thing any hunter or shooter learns when they start looking for a thermal rifle scope is that THERMAL IS EXPENSIVE. With the average thermal scope costing around three thousand dollars and higher-end models easily reaching six grand or more, there is a substantial barrier to entry for anyone that wants to get into thermal.
Thankfully for all the buddies on a budget, there is the AGM Rattler. With the base model costing only $1099, this unit is much more accessible to the average person. Although, this comparatively low price tag begs the question; is a thermal scope this cheap any good?
When your average American firearms enthusiast hears the term “Guerilla Arms” the majority of them are going to get a mental picture of a group of pissed off citizens armed with a “smorgasbord” of weapons, ranging from AR-15’s to AK-47’s to K98 bolt action rifles to Dad’s .270 Winchester Deer Rifle. The majority of this thinking comes from not only popular culture and movies but historical lessons as well where the guerilla used whatever guns they could get their hands on, with ultimately a majority of them coming from “battlefield pickups” from the enemy.
Now while conventional thinking like this is not necessarily wrong for the armed citizen/future guerilla, it is in my estimation narrow minded. Yes, America has one of the most heavily armed populaces in the world so the possibility that when the bottom falls out for whatever reason MOST people will be armed IN THE BEGINNING is not unfounded. But what about when the ammunition begins to dry up or your gun breaks down and you have no spare parts or have the know-how to fix it? This is where having an over-reliance on enemy pickups and ammunition can be a weakness. We have to remember that maintaining a self-sufficient and independent mentality exclusive from any ‘theoretical’ supply chain is key.
Impro Guns is a blog that focuses on ghost guns (3D Printed) and DIY firearms from around the globe. Most of the these guns have been confiscated from criminals in Europe and other countries where the access to firearms is extremely limited due to either draconian legal restrictions or supply limitations.
Now while most American gun enthusiast might look at these DIY jobs as “junk” or “an accident waiting to happen” I urge all of you to take a second look at this subject from a purely practical, self-sufficient POV. Discard the aesthetics. Weapons are tools, nothing more. In the coming desperate hours, months and years they will cease being status symbols and those pretty things you show off to your friends and become the dividing line between life and death, that TOOL that both put’s food in your belly and kills the enemy trying to kill you and your family.
What if the only option you have for a weapon is building a WW2-era Sten from some sheet metal and other spare parts? Don’t snicker, the direction the ATF is headed currently that could very well be a reality! What if it comes down to building a slam fire “bang stick” from some metal pipe and plumbing supplies? Could you do it?
What about reloading? Do you have the equipment and know-how? While you have been stashing away food and water have you thought about brass, primers and powder when your ammo supply goes dry?
Do you see where I am going with this folks?
We have to change our mentality if we want to TRULY be ready for what is coming. Dispense with the romantic notions of Guerilla Resistance and get down to the nitty gritty.
I am currently working on a novelette that discusses all these “probabilities” in graphic detail, so stay tuned.
The Tactical Hermit 
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