Survival guns

[bayouvol]

If you only had this choice, which would it be for survival and defense. A 22 rifle and a large bore pistol ( or revolver) that has ammunition readily available. Not exotic ammo. Or the other way. Large bore rifle and 22 pistol or revolver. Please explain your reasoning.

[Spots]

Large bore rifle and .22 pistol. Id rather have the more accurate rifle chambered for deer sized game and defense. Pistol for backup and small gams.

[Moped]

I'll give you three.  And I would be quite happy with anyone of them.  Keep in mind, that I am not looking for a firefight.  I am looking to survive and put food in my belly (which is large).  Also I want to make sure whatever I am carrying is going to be easy to fix if it breaks.  There are not going to be any gunsmith services  available in the "Grand New World".  I picked things that were robust and easily repaired..

 

No. 1 - A .22 tube fed bolt action or a single shot.  Few parts to be lost or broken and simple in operation.  .22 is usually a pretty common and easy to find ammunition.  Ammunition is light weight so you can carry quite a bit.  Probably more bad guys have been put down with the lowly .22 than any other caliber.

 

No.  2 - A 12 ga shotgun. Anything found in North America, can be brought down with a 12 ga. given the right ammunition.  I would probably opt for a single shot for this.  Again because they are simple to operate and have few parts to break.  They are also pretty light weight, so they wouldn't be a pain to carry.  The one draw back to the 12 ga is that shells take up a lot of space and are heavy.  A 20 or 25 round box of 12 is about the same size as a brick of .22 (500).

 

No. 3 - AK 47, because it's the simplest auto, I have ever seen.  Goes bang every time, is tough as nails and is pretty much idiot proof.  And comes in a several good calibers.

 

I would also carry .357 mag revolver.  Again, simple to maintain, with few parts to break or lose.  .38/357 is a popular ammunition is a easy to find.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Moped

[Caster]

I'm not a fan of any rimfire. Don't own one to speak of.

My choice for noncombatant style survival would be my Ruger Bisley in 45 colt and my Win 94 in .30 WCF. People say you can't hunt small game because they are too big and destructive or too loud. Well obviously they don't handload. I have a plethora of loads for my '94 that can handle anything from bunnies to bears. Edited February 7, 2013 by Caster

[Spots]

My post above was working with what are I was given. My current choice is a Ruger Mini 30 and a. 45 acp 1911

[nightrunner]

Remington 870 w/ 18" defense barrel and longer hunting barrel. Complete with barrel inserts for various calibers including 30/30, 45/70, 7.62x39mm, .22lr, and .410 shotgun.
Glock 20 w/ .22 conversion.

This is assuming i am mobile for whatever reason, as I would not restrict myself to only 2 guns if i were bugging in.

[LowBb]

Marlin 3030 and a 12 gauge with good bird shot.

[RichardR]

12 gauge pump, Mossberg 590A1 preferably, no explaination should be necessary.

[TMF]

Can't take out large game with a .22 rifle, but you can take out small game with a .22 pistol. I'd go for the large bore rifle and .22 pistol.

[Danger Rane]

I think it would depend on what I'm "surviving".  I've always tried to stick with some common calibers (.22lr, .380 Auto, 9mm, .45 ACP, 5.56mm, 7.62mm, 12 Gauge, etc..) thinking that there would always be a bountiful supply of ammunition available.  Well obviously everyone and their brother thought the same thing, so here we are.  I guess I can take heart that after the first wave of zombies roll through, I can probably refill my mags at just about any house in TN!

 

If I could choose only two, I would go for a Glock 17 and an AR in 300 Blackout.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I am a HUGE fan of the 300 Blackout but unless you reload it is useless in a SHTF situation because ammunition is scarce, even now. For me 300 Blackout IS my end of times caliber, more so than 223, because I can cast for it. I can use powders designed for 223 with my supersonic or subsonic loads. And my AR is very tolerant of all the different kinds of powders. But unless you reload AND cast for it the caliber is probably one of the worst choices because of ammunition availability.

 

I would recommend a rifle, bolt action is the simplest, in 30-06. 30-06 has been a military round and is a popular hunting round so finding it in stores or in abandoned houses is possible. It is capable of killing anything in North America. It is a 1,000 yard cartridge in capable hands. You can still find surplus WW2 ammo because stocks are still very plentiful.

 

For the handgun I would choose a semiauto pistol and for this there is only one option. The Ruger MK series of pistols and the all steel version at that. The are very few all steel 22's and the Ruger is the most popular. This means the odds of finding one is probably higher than any other 22 pistol. And because it is all steel it will last lifetimes. There are Ruger MK pistols made in the 50's that are still being used today.

 

Dolomite

[f3joel]

22 mag rifle, 44 mag revolver

[Jonnin]

22 pistol, large rifle from your choices as listed.   A long barrel 22 pistol (and it can be simple, I would probably take my ruger revolver which has a 22 mag cylinder and a 22 LR so it has options) can hit small game out to small game range (easily out to 30, even 50 yards).    large rifle will take stuff out to 1k yards or devestate an attacker (and here I mean 30-30 or more powerful, prefer 308+)

 

However I would as others said actually rather take a shotgun than the rifle, with a mixed bag of ammo from bird to slugs. 

 

While there is MUCH to be said for having 100k rounds of .22 LR to live off the land, why limit yourself?   Are you going to WALK to your hide-away place, carrying it all? 

I would take my shotgun, rifle, 22 pistol, and several 9mm pistols (most of mine are quite small, I could put 3 in my pockets) if at all possible.  I might toss the real rifle over for my 223 pistol, if weight and bulk got to be an issue.

[UncleJak]

Large rifle and 22 pistol.  Use the rifle for all needs and the pistol as a last ditch back up.

[Will H]

I currently carry three on extended time in the woods.  My scoped Ruger 10/22 rides a single point sling carried.  My Winchester 94 30WCF rides in a rifle scabbard attached to my ruck and my Ruger GP100 .357 rides on my hip.  I see no reason to change any of it, although I have recently finished rebuilding my late mom's Mossberg 500 so with a few more trials it might replace the 10/22 and 94 both freeing up hands as it can ride in the scabbard.

 

Only given OP choice it would be large rifle small pistol.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Will H

[will_reed]

Sticking with what the OP asked, I would go with my Ruger 22/45 and a lever action .30-30 with a small fixed power optic.

Outside of those limitations, I'm liking the idea of my Glock 34 and a carbine that uses the same ammo and mags.

[quietmike]

My pick would also be a 30-30 and MkII, but I'd cheat and carry my Savage 24 30-30/12 ga. combo.

I'll always cheat when it's about surviving.

[bayouvol]

I hadn't thought about the combo guns. I was just trying to see if people would rather have. I originally thought about a 22 rifle because you could kill small game farther out and still have a large caliber for 50-75 yard shots on medium game. At close ranges and proper placement the 22 rifle could be used on medium deer sized animals. This is not hunting but SHTF survival mode. I see that most people would go with the opposite though. I was also looking at how much more 22 I could carry if the time period got too long.

[runco]

Kinda taking a play from our ancestors, I say a large caliber bore rifle and small caliber pistol. I do think the pistol is sort of useless in a SHTF afterlife, other than self defence. Only those weapons that can put food on the table at a great distance will be best. My pistol accuracy really falls off after 25 yards (actually 15 yards), and most sizable game that I have shot (shot at) through the years have been at least 50+ yards.

[orientalexpress]

I was thinking a percussion revolver

[dralarms]

I'll go with the tnw areo, in 40 with the 22 conversion. Best of both worlds. :D

[TrickyNicky]

If we can go with conversions my AR with .22 conversion and my Blackhawk convertible would be my picks. 223 and 22 through the rifle and 3 very common, practical calibers through the Blackhawk (9/38/357)

I'd still like to have a shotgun though, even if all you have is a bunch of birdshot you can still most likely find some candles or crayons to build wax slugs. Worst case cut shell slugs will apparently put meat on the table.

This is a hard choice.

[Guest 270win]

I like a good 22 rifle.  Look at Savage or Marlin bolt action and stainless with a synthetic stock if you don't mind paying extra.  Marlin has a tube fed stainless 22 rifle that looks like a good gun.

 

I have kin that killed all sorts of game like ducks (shot on the water), squirrels, rabbits, birds during the depression with a 22 rifle.  Although it is not legal, I know people who have killed deer with 22 rifles and 22 handguns.  So in a pinch, you could do the same if you are close and a good shot, especially on little does and fawns.

 

 

For a handgun, I would find a good stainless 22 revolver.  

 

Bolt action 22 rifles and 22 revolvers are less ammo sensitive than semi auto 22's. 

Edited February 19, 2013 by 270win