Creek Stewart is a survival instructor whose main interest lies in building compact-sized and clever survival kits. One of his latest projects is to modify a pump-action shotgun and cram it full of survival stuff, essentially creating a combination of a weapon and survival tool ... perfect in case of a zombie apocalypse.
Stewart chose a Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun as a platform and filled it with loads of clever modifications, utilizing lots of gun's details in quite surprising ways. Basic survival needs fall into five categories according to Stewart: water, fire, shelter, signaling and food. Thus a perfect survival kit must be able to meet the needs of each category.
The gun holds various kinds of ammunition that can be used to hunt different species of animals and for self-defense. With a full magazine and chamber, as well as a couple of side holders full of shells, Stewart's weaopon can carry 19 rounds in total including special rounds used as signal flares. There's a 5'' Ka-Bar knife mounted on a Picatinny rail and a bright flashlight and a compass installed on the gun barrel.
To enable the carrying of survival items, Stewart has managed to find extra storage areas inside the shotgun. Certain modifications resulted in three separate storage compartments, located in stock, pistol grip and pump hand grip. Stewart uses these compartments to store survival tools such as a multi-tool, fire starting materials (matches, striker, steel wool), foldable aluminum baking pan, thrash bag, fishing kit, non-lubricated condoms, water purification tablets, survival blanket, first aid supplies, whistle, lighter or 25 feet (7.62 m) of snare wire.
Besides using matches or lighter, starting fire is possible via a steel rod which is installed on the top of the stock - by swiping the Ka-Bar knife there you get a shower of sparks.
Another clever modification is a handheld folding saw that can be mounted between the back of the pistol grip and the butt stock sling stud. Stewart made the shotgun sling with 80 feet (24.3 m) of braided paracord which needs to be unraveled to be used. There's also a bandana attached to the sling, which Stewart finds as a handy survival tool, that can be used for instance as a filter for dirty water, first aid bandage, signal flag, dust mask, etc. With all modifications applied, the shotgun weighs 9.5 lbs (4.3 kg).
Stewart works as an instructor in Willow Haven Outdoor School for Survival, Preparedness & Bushcraft, Indiana, USA.
"If the zombies still eat your brains when you're carrying this thing, it's your own dang fault," Stewart says.
To see all Creek Stewart's instructions on building such a shotgun check the following YouTube videos: part 1 / part 2.
Source: Art of Manliness
