The weakness of any nation is its people. Human nature is flawed. And in a country with popular government--that is, "by the People"--these flaws are multiplied. So there is never a guarantee that America--that is, the United States thereof--won't fail. And if it does...
I speak only for myself here: My life is devoted to three earthly causes (not necessarily in this order): Cats, guns, and national security (which is to say, heritage). This is my calling, I do believe--my "commission," perhaps, but definitely my "commitment." Sometimes you will see "AmCom" in items about my life. That is short for, "American Commission/Commitment," whichever is better stated. That commission (I'll go with that for now) would not end even after a President Harris might bring in two minority-majority States, attack RKBA, and persecute White people. It would, though, change form. Some extremist conspiracy groups claim our government is "occupied." While I reject their flawed theories, a Harris agenda can readily lead to "occupied" being an accurate description of this country's authority.
In that event, my purpose would turn to maintenance of the American heritage spirit, along with some ancillary functions. This would be accomplished by two items:
1. The flag patch I carry in my wallet: It is the patch off of the last uniform I ever wore on duty--though if it were to be lost, I would simply replace it. Whatever a new anti-American regime might do to the country itself, that flag remains, imbued with the spirit of a country that is occupied, or perhaps no longer existent save as having a successor state in the world community.
2. A revolver (exact type to be determined): The Right to Arms is second only to Freedom of Religion as iconic of American culture. Given that private prayer and worship can generally be retained in a Leftist-Socialist state (again, PRIVATE), the outward expression of American culture is not the Cross (or Star of David, or whatever), but a weapon. And the most iconic American arm still meaningful, rivaled only by a lever-action rifle, is the revolver. Essentially the invention of American COL Samuel Colt, historian John Dunham said of the early Colt Patterson model, "This may be the most important design in gun history."
Exempting non-fixed-cartridge models as fundamentally obsolete, the most iconic of this iconic form would be the Colt Single Action Army in .45 with rod ejection. However, that model has a fatal flaw in terms of a lack of safety system. However, that form and configuration--that is, single-action rod-eject--can be had today in very similar models, such as the Ruger Vaquero. Such a weapon is both still valid for serious use today, AND the least likely of modern (so to speak) firearms to be banned in an occupied America. In addition, it sorta fits within the long-time Anglo Common Law Right to Arms of the 1688 English Bill of Rights. Though technically speaking the carbine and shotgun are the descendants of the home-defense blunderbuss (the weapon commonly associated with the 1688 right), a revolver of that style has the capability of filling that role while still not rising to the capability most feared by said theoretical occupiers.
Of course, this is subject to reality. If keeping such an arm becomes untenable or requires a counterproductive choice--e.g., making keeping a better CCW arm impossible--then this piece of the operation must fall by the wayside. If only CCW can be kept, and this is held to be inappropriate for that use, then a more modern revolver would have to pull double duty. Both trace back to COL Colt, after all. Whatever the case, the symbolism remains.
NOTE: Normally I tend on the side of sheer practicality in such matters as caliber. By that measure, I'd go with the .357/9mm model below. BUT, this is case calling for iconography and symbolism. Hence, the .45 for the reasons stated below is the most logical choice. But again, sentimentality falls to practical pressures.
And so, if America falls, this is my maintenance of our spirit.
