Firearms

[Moped]

Ok, this is a firearms forum, so what's your all's thinking about a bug out/survival weapon or weapons?

[Smith]

Most say some sort of .22 rifle for portability ammo cost, ammo portability, and you can use it for anything from squirrels to deer. Personally that's what my AR is for. Well at least the since I don't have the AK anymore!

[Guest Fenris]

If I had to head to the hills I would take my .22 Takedown and my .357 revolver. If there was planning time and I would have a vehicle, I would also take the 12 gauge for birds.

[Guest EDWSRTN]

I take every thing i got this way i can shoot them all.

[Guest Revelator]

It pretty much ends and begins with the .22 rifle, I think. And a good sidearm. Actually, I don't even have a .22. I really need to allocate $175 or so and get one.

[Guest Astra900]

It is VERY hard to beat a good .22 LR.

It can take about any game in TN.

While I DO NOT advocate the practice (not to mention it is illegal) I know people who have killed deer with a well placed CCI stinger to the head. In a survival situation, the law will be somewhat irrelevant though.

[poak]

As far as food for survival, I'd go with a solid .22LR myself. Survival from zombies? I'm grabbing the AR.

A solid shotgun with various loads can't be overlooked in a survival situation either.

Edited January 1, 2009 by poak
Mild Dyslexia

[Guest jackdog]

# 1 has to be a good .22 and a reliable side arm. If you can accommodate more in your plan that would be great.

[Guest canynracer]

22 rifle and the judge

[Guest db99wj]

I have a .22 rifle, pistol, my 870 shotgun and my XD40. I will soon have the AR, hopefully I won't have to have it between now and then! LOL!

[mousegunner]

I believe a Kel-Tec 9mm carbine would be handier than a .22 rifle.

http://www.mouseguns.com/sub2000/sub2000.htm

[Guest tedbo]

Why not an AR with the .22 conversion?

Sounds like a good combo.

[poak]

For those with a Glock, I imagine this would be quite handy:

http://www.mechtechsys.com/glock.html

I'm thinking about picking one up sometime.

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

It would depend on how much warning I had, and whether or not I was on foot or in a vehicle.

On foot, how discreet do you want to be hoofing it up the side of the highway and across some farmer's field? I'm likely to avoid carrying an EBR while on foot. Will only most likely have a weapon that can be hidden in my 20'' pack. That's the way my bag is set up right now. I went with .22LR's because of weight and the fact that the round can be surprisingly versatile with enough skill and cunning.

In a vehicle, I'll carry much more firepower and supplies. Who wouldn't?

[Guest mikedwood]

I have a Henry Survival rifle. Breaks down into the stock and floats if need be. Love it and if the S never HTF I still have a Henry survival rifle that floats if need be.

For a side arm probably the G19 and Keltec sub 2000 as well. But neither of them float.

[Guest RISC777]

Scoped .22 rifle ... quieter

Hard sighted (for now) 7.62 rifle ... louder, more impact energy

12 gauge .. louder, general purpose

(The .40 is always on the waist)

[Guest bkelm18]

I have a Henry Survival rifle. Breaks down into the stock and floats if need be. Love it and if the S never HTF I still have a Henry survival rifle that floats if need be.

For a side arm probably the G19 and Keltec sub 2000 as well. But neither of them float.

That Henry Survival Rifle looks pretty nifty. I might have to pick one up sometime. Price is hard to beat.

[Guest nraforlife]

12 gauge shotgun, .45 1911, 22 pistol and/or rifle, AND a rifle of sufficient caliber to bring down ANYTHING one is liable to run into in for area.

I have my eye on one of these - when I get my bailout money.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?version=35

Until then a simple .223 will suffice.

[Guest bkelm18]

My general purpose SHTF rifle would be my Saiga 7.62 AK. If I have to hunt something, my Garand would suffice. My handgun of choice would be my only practical SHTF handgun (and its not even in my possession yet ), a Sig P228 in 9mm. But I've got enough 9mm and 7.62x39 to make a decent stand. I've got a mag pouch that is currently holding 5 fully loaded 30 rnd AK mags and its ready to be grabbed if I need to scoot quickly.

[Moped]

I think the .22 makes a lot of sense. Right now, I'd probably go with my Highpoint 9mm Carbine and a Ruger Blackhawk Conversion in .357/9mm.

The reason for the carbine is because it's a fairly small package (fits in a duffle bag), is in a convient caliber (you can find 9mm anywhere you can purchase ammo just about) and it runs flawlessly.

I'd pick the Blackhawk for few moving parts to break, they never jam, same caliber as the Highpoint, and dual caliber means I can use three different calibers .38spl, .357 mag and 9mm.

My second sidearm would be a Ruger II or III target pistol with a 6" barrel. That's for rabbits and such.

I'd go with .22 rifle, but I want something bigger for defensive situations and I can't see me carrying two rifles if I were on foot. A shotgun might be a good choice, but the ammo weights too much. I thought of a bigger rifle, but I like being able to use ammo in both my long gun and my main pistol. Of course a lever action in .357 or another type of 9mm rifle would work just as well.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Moped

[Oh Shoot]

I have a Henry Survival rifle. Breaks down into the stock and floats if need be. Love it and if the S never HTF I still have a Henry survival rifle that floats if need be....

Review I was reading said the stock leaked. Ever tested yours?

- OS

[enfield]

That's a hard choice. If I was limited to one long gun, I have a scoped Savage 24V in .222 Remington over 20 gauge, but only a limited supply of .222 ammo. .22 mag/.223/.30-30 over a shotgun barrel would probably be a better choice. I'd probably take a K-frame .357 along also.

[Guest mikedwood]

Review I was reading said the stock leaked. Ever tested yours?

- OS

It probably does leak I have never tested it. The stock is foam filled so I think it would still float. The barrel and receiver are also coated in ABS plastic and then Teflon so it's pretty water resistant even if it gets wet.

The main issue is it doesn't like bulk pack ammo for more than a few shots. So if you need more than a couple shots out of it, you are pretty much looking at cci mini mags.

I got mine used fro $129 out the door I think it was. I love it.

[kckndrgn]

The main issue is it doesn't like bulk pack ammo for more than a few shots. So if you need more than a couple shots out of it, you are pretty much looking at cci mini mags.

I got mine used fro $129 out the door I think it was. I love it.

I've got on the of the U.S. Survival rifles and it has shot everything I have fed it, including the bulk stuff.

When I first got the gun, it wouldn't work at all (spent casings would try to eject to the left, into the receiver). I shipped it back to Henry (on their dime), they replace the barrel, ejector and mags and shipped it back to me, no charge. I put 50 rounds of min-mags through it without one failure and now I have shot over 200 rounds of Rem. bulk pack without one failure.

Oh, and I got the gun for $10.00!!

As far as floating, i don't know, my stock does not appear to filled with foam. But then again, having a floating firearm was not one of my requirements.

Now for SHTF weapon(s), well, I have ammo for most of my guns. If I have to leave the house for a safer environment the current conditions will determine what I bring with.

This may need another thread, but, whatever you choose for your SHTF weapon I would be sure you can service it as there may be no gunsmiths available. I like glocks for this aspect, even my 10/22 is user friendly for fixing yourself.

[Guest RISC777]

:snip:I'd pick the Blackhawk for few moving parts to break, they never jam, same caliber as the Highpoint, and dual caliber means I can use three different calibers .38spl, .357 mag and 9mm.

...and I can't see me carrying two rifles if I were on foot. A shotgun might be a good choice, but the ammo weights too much.:snip:

The weight factors of arms and ammo is a consideration. If I have the family with me, the load can be distributed. If I'm on my own, then I'd have to re-think. Just as vehicle or no vehicle are considerations that change the situation.

Stick my 16 year old on the .22, me on the 7.62, and the wifey with the 12 gauge and I'm satisfied. Wife has close-in watch, I'm keeping heads down with the 7.62, and the kid can take his time with the .22 picking off pieces and parts.