Do you need a gun in your Get Home Bag?

It really depends. To be honest 99% of the time you don’t need a gun in your car's GHB. If you already have a handgun on you, which you should if it’s legal to carry concealed in your area, I'd say that a couple spare magazines for the handgun you carry as part of your EDC will handle 99.9% of your defensive needs when walking back home. It also depends on the use you have in mind and your location. If you're stuck in the middle of Alaska and have to walk back home then maybe protection against large predators is in order.
In general, walking back home is about having a very light pack so as to be quick. If I had to pick a rifle for a GHB, I'd go for a collapsible stock AK. Its still heavy though, and if I can get home walking within a day I'd probably put more importance in traveling light and fast than traveling well armed, get home as quick as I can.

In most cases, the gun you are already carrying will cover your defensive needs. The pictured Glock 31 can be carried daily and packs a punch.

Whatever you do, you want to try out hiking with whatever weight you plan on walking back home with. It’s safe to say that most people tend to overestimate their ability to carry weight in unfavorable conditions. Also think about this: Why are you even walking back home? You had a car accident? Chances are you may be hurt, then your weight carry capacity drops considerably. You may have been attacked, injured, sick, you may have to carry a wounded family member. All these reasons are why l think it’s important to go light and leave behind the items you don’t absolutely need.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.