For an account (previously on HN a few times) from someone in Argentina who really went through total currency meltdown:
http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ub...
A pistol is a type of gun.
Handguns: Revolver or Pistol? Pistol ALL THE WAY! Yes, I saw the video of the guy that accurately emptied his S&W in ½ a second. I also saw the shooting range and the crowd behind him, watching the event. Can he shoot and reload that way if he is in his car, driving with one hand and shooting with the other, while a bunch of scum bags in another car are shooting at him? Hey, maybe he can. I know I can’t. Can you? Generally speaking, the revolver is more difficult to master than the pistol. The double action is hard and it affects speed and accuracy. It can be done, but I found that pistols are easier, as did many shooters. Also, even though they seem to be more simple, revolvers are not as rugged as service pistols, the mechanisms that cycles the cylinder and cocks the hammer is both complicated and fragile compared to auto pistols. Before anyone starts casting evil voodoo spells at me for insulting their prized S&W or Ruger: I own revolvers and like shooting them, I just don’t think they are the best option for self defense, and I see that everyone I talk to in my country who is worried about security as I am also chooses pistols. Quality pistols resist sand, mud and dirt in general better than revolvers, where a small pebble locked in the mechanism may render the revolver inoperable.
A revolver is a type of pistol.
My ideal portfolio:
25% bullion (Mostly gold, some 14k gold rings, some silver, along with a digital balance and a jeweller's touchstone kit for determining purity).
15% cash in a sock.
16% mining company stock.
12% index fund.
7% ag company (basic foodstuff, like wheat or other cereals).
15% in a savings account.
1 pistol, 1 body armor and 3 years of ammo. Consider investing in self-defense and food.
I know, it's very reddit of me, but this way, if the shit hits the fan, you'll only lose a small amount of your portfolio, and the rest will go way up. If things are fine, you're fine. Not as fine as your peers, but fine nonetheless.