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45K views 80 replies 42 participants last post by  BlightedJosh 
#1 · (Edited)
One of the most asked questions I see on the forum - "what is the best survival rifle?" A well balanced answer is, there is no perfect rifle. If you live in Alaska, your rifle needs are going to be a lot different then someone that lives in the Southern states. Its doubtful someone living in southern Florida is going to be running in Grizzly bears, like someone in someone in the Northern States might. If you live in Colorado, or Washington state you might be hunting elk or moose, while people in Louisiana, Alabama or Mississippi might be hunting whitetail deer or wild hogs.

1) Ruger 10/22 - semi-automatic, magazine fed, 22 caliber rifle. Its not one thing that sets the Ruger 10/22 apart, its the huge list - the reliability, the vast selection of accessories - magazines, scopes, barrels, stocks,,,,,, just all kinds of stuff. My personal Ruger 10/22 was bought in January of 1986, and is still going strong.

My first experience with a Ruger 10/22 was sometime in 1984 or 1985 when 3 of my buddies and I were on a 3 day camping trip. We loaded up an aluminum boat and headed out to one of the bayous close to Bridge City, Texas. After eating lunch, Allen and I took the dishes to the bayou to wash them. While we were washing the dishes, we saw a nutria rat on the other side of the bayou. 1 shot with the Ruger 10/22 took care of the animal. Allen and I got in the aluminum boat we had used to reach the camping spot, and paddled across the bayou to retrieve the animal. We skinned the nutria rat and brought it back to the camping spot where it was roasted over a camp fire and eaten. Even though we had just eaten dinner, it was just canned chili and we were still hungry. The meat from that nutria rat really hit the spot.

After I handled the Ruger 10/22 on that 3 day camping trip, I knew I had to have one. From that day forward, the Ruger 10/22 has been one of my favorite survival rifles.

The 22 long rifle cartridge only compliments the 10/22. The 22 long rifle is cheap, easy to stockpile, does not have a loud report, easy to carry and has plenty of power to take small game - like the nutria rat. With prices ranging from $12 - $20 for a brick of 550 rounds, for people on a budget, the 22 long rifle is going to be a tough round to beat.

2) AK-47 - semi-automatic, magazine fed, 7.62X39 caliber. Its the effective stopping power of the 7.62X39 round (which is just slightly less powerful then the 30-30), the reliability of the AK47 design, and the vast number of modifications that puts this rifle at #2.

From the Speer reloading manual #11:

7.62X39 - 130 grain bullet: 2057 fps - 2232 fps - depending on the load.

30-30 Winchester - 150 grain bullet: 1879 fps - 2304 fps - depending on the load.

As you can see, the 7.62X39 is right there with the 30-30 Winchester. Since the 30-30 has a reputation of being a great deer caliber, then why shouldn't the 7.72X39 be right there with it? The thing is, not a lot of people use an SKS or AK-47 for hunting deer. The 7.62X39 should be more then adequate for taking deer and hog sized game out to 100 - 150 yards, and taking care of business in an urban survival situation.

There are lot of rifles that shoot the 7.62X39 round, but I deiced against giving them their own spot in the top 5.

SKS - has gotten too expensive, and only the SKS-D has a detachable magazine. I remember in the early 1990s being able to buy an SKS and a case of Russian 7.62X39 for less then $200 - $90 for the SKS and $80 for a case of ammo. But these days, and SKS almost cost as much as a Marlin 30-30. If your going to spend $300 on a rifle, would you rather buy American made or Communist made?

Ruger mini-30 - might be a nice rifle, but its just too expensive to justify the cost. I (Kevin) owned a Ruger mini-30, and I could not justify buying 1 Mini-30, when I could have bought 2 Ak-47s for the same price.

3) Marlin 30-30 - lever action, tube fed, 30-30 caliber. Its the reliability of the Marlin 30-30, mixed with the effectiveness of the 30-30 Winchester that puts this rifle at #3.

In just about any state in the lower 48 states, the 30-30 has enough power put meat on the table. This includes everything from deer and hog sized group and down.

Another thing that the Marlin 30-30 brings to the table, it has lower recoil then say the 30-06. This makes the 30-30 a good choice small framed adults, teenagers and small framed women.

4) Remington Model 750 Woodsmaster -semi-automatic, magazine fed, variety of calibers. Its the wide variety of calibers, detachable magazines and being semi-automatic that put this rifle at #4.

The Remington 750 Woodsmaster is an under appreciated rifle for survival situations. Unlike the AK-47, Marlin 336 or Ruger 10/22, if you need a larger caliber to take care of moose, elk or bear, the Remington Model 750 Woodsmaster can take care of that for you. Need a rifle in 30-06 to take down a moose or elk - no problem.

On the flip side of the coin, if you need a semi-automatic rifle with detachable magazines for an urban survival situation, the Remington 750 can take care of that as well.

5) Remington Model 700- bolt action, magazine fed, variety of calibers. Its the wide range of calibers, simplicity of design, and accuracy that puts this rifle at #5.

Whether you need a rifle to take grizzly bear, or small game, the Remington model 700 is designed to take care of business.

What was left off the list: There are a lot of rifles left off the list. Its not that they are a bad choice, or a poor design and its nothing personal against the rifles that were not listed. The above list tried to address the rifles that might fill a wide range of needs in a survival situation.

AR-15 - semi-automatic, magazine fed, couple of calibers. There are a lot of people that would have put the AR15 at the top of the list. But the fact is, the 223 Remington / 5.56mm NATO is a small round that lacks the penetration power of the larger rounds.

The argument for the 223/5.56 is that the bullet tumbles after it hits flesh. There are various test with ballistic gelatin showing the 223/5.56mm tumbling after it hits the gelatin block. The problem is, how do we know the bullet is going to tumble "every time?" How does the 223/5.56mm bullet know the difference between a wall - and it should not tumble, or a body and it should tumble?

One thing I know for sure, .308 is bigger then .223. That is a mathematical certainty that will never change.

Also, some states do not allow people to hunt deer sized game with anything smaller then a 243 (check your local regulations). There is a reason "why" some states do not want people hunting deer with a 222 or 223/5.56mm.

Then there is the price of the AR15, which can range anywhere from $800 - $1,500. Most of the time you can buy 2 Ak47s or 3 SKSs or 3 Mossberg 500s for the price of 1 AR15.

Ruger mini-14 and mini-30 - are fine rifles and I have owned one of each. The problems with the mini family - they are expensive, and the magazines can be expensive. For the price of 1 mini-14 or mini-30, you could buy 2 AK47s or 2 SKS, or maybe even 2 Marlin 30-30s.

The other day I was in a gun store and saw a used Mossberg model 500 for $175. I could buy 4 used Mossberg model 500s for $700, or 1 mini-14 or 1 mini-30 for $700 - $800.

From a survivalist point of view, the mini-14 and mini-30 rifles are just not worth the cost.

Weatherby Vanguard - this is the economy line of the Weatherby rifle line. The Vanguard is supposed to be developed by Howa, and is an under valued rifle in the survivalist lineup. Costing less then the Remington Model 700, the Weatherby Vanguard is attractive to a lot of shooters that are on a budget.

Some of the nice things about the Weatherby Vanguard, it comes in a variety of calibers, it has a synthetic stock, and a heavier barrel then some of the other rifles on the market. Its also available in 270 and 30-06, which makes it a good choice for most wild game outside of Africa.

Marlin Model 60 - an outstanding 22 rifle, but being tube fed makes it slow on the reloading. There are people out there that like tube fed rifles over magazine rifles - which is fine and I can respect that. With a tube fed rifle, there are no magazines to lose.

If I could not pick the Ruger 10/22, or the 10/22 had never been developed, the marlin model 60 would be my nest choice in a 22 rifle.

22 Magnum - What can the 22 magnum do that the 22 long rifle can not? And the 22 magnum is not as popular as the 22 long rifle. While the 22 magnum does have a advantage over the 22 long rifle, its not like comparing the 243 and 30-06.
 

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#4 ·
I would have to disagree with the Remington 7400 semi. I worked in a gunshop that had two(a 7400 and a 742) come in where the extractor had pulled out of the bolt. While I know keeping your chamber clean would probably stop such issues I would be worried in a SHTF situation where you can't kept maintenance up as well.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I would have to disagree with the Remington 7400 semi.
The Remington 7400 was discontinued in 2004. From what I heard, it had the nickname jam-o-matic because it jammed so much.

I listed the 750 Woodsmaster because my dad and my brother both shoot one chambered in 30-06. They have yet to have any problems with the 750.

A couple I left off the original list


Pistol calibers in a rifle – a lot of survivalist consider a pistol and rifle that can use the same ammo the ultimate setup. Examples of this would include the Marlin camp 9 and camp 45, the Beretta Px4 Storm, the Marlin Model 1894C in 357 magnum / 38 special and the action Arms Timberwolf .357 Magnum.

While pistol rounds might be fine and dandy for up close and personal work, they lack the energy for long distance shots – say anything over 75 yards. Then there is the argument whether a 9mm or 40 S&W is safe to use on deer sized game. While the 357 magnum has plenty of energy to take deer sized game at close ranges, most people stockpiling ammo for some kind of SHTF situation usually stock 9mm, 45acp or 40S&W.

A good survivalist weapon should serve a dual purpose role. Whether your in an urban survival situation or hunting some of the local wild game, try to pick a rifle that can serve both roles. That way you just have to stockpile 1 type of ammo for 1 rifle. One of the big mistakes that people make is spreading their resources too thin. They might buy a 30-06 for the adult male, a couple of SKSs or AK47s, a 22 long rifle, and a couple of shotguns,,,,. Then they have to stockpile several different types of ammo. Limiting your weapon and ammo selection to just a couple of firearms frees up resources for other projects. Instead of having to test fire 3 or 4 rifles, with several different types of ammo,,,, just test 1 or 2 rifles with a couple of different loads.
 
#7 ·
One thing I think is worthy of consideration.

If SHTF... ask what will be the caliber ammunition will you "find" the most available? Whether it be military or civilian.

9mm
.223
.308

Personally. I choose my weapons accordingly.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I would recommend a .308 caliber rifle over a 7.62 for the following reason: An AK rifle can not fire the .308 without damaging it, where as the .308 can fire the 7.62 no problem what so ever. Plus if you run out of .308, I believe that there will plenty of the 7.62 around. Why because if NWO is the cause of SHTF they will have to bring in Foreign troops who would just love to shoot Americans as I dont believe that US Forces will FIRE on Civilians or Militia's.
 
#8 ·
I went to buy the 10/22 a couple of weeks ago but purchased the 795 Marlin instead . The 795 was 1/2 the price of the 10/22 . For someone on a tight budget [like me] I think the 795 might be a better chioice . You can't customise it like the 10/22 but I didn't plan on doing that anyway . I've read reviews on the 795 and many say the 795 is more acurate out of the box than the 10/22 .
 
#9 ·
You might want to reconsider the .357 magnum's performance. With a 158gr gas checked cast bullet you can get 1700 fps with minimal effort (14gr 2400 with a small pistol primer). As you correctly pointed out a 30-30 has enough energy to take most game in the lower 48. A 170 gr. cast bullet in the 30-30 runs 1700-1900 fps. It can be pushed harder but it requires special lubes and alloys and you won't get much more performance. The .357 Mag rifle has the added advantage of 10 rounds vs 7, less powder to reload, and if you choose a L-frame Smith or GP-100 rifle pistol ammo interchangeability. The biggest advantage of the 30-30 that I can see is a slightly longer range, with the .357 I generally limit myself to 125 yards while I will go 175-200 with the 30-30. In the SE that difference has not really made a difference but under certain conditions it could.
 
#13 ·
survivalist rifle calibers

You might want to reconsider the .357 magnum's performance. With a 158gr gas checked cast bullet you can get 1700 fps with minimal effort (14gr 2400 with a small pistol primer).
1700 fps at the muzzle? And what is it at 75 - 100 yards?

The way pistol bullets are designed - round nose fmj or hollow point - are less aerodynamically designed then say a remington pointed soft point (PSP).
 
#10 ·
Should you base your decision of what firearm to get because of what ammo other people might be stockpiling ? What are the odds that you could get your hands on someone elses stockpile even if you could find it ?
Just my 2 cents but I think you should choose the guns & ammo that work for you and don't think about what other people might be stockpiling . Unless you are part of a group that want's to have common ammo .
 
#18 ·
I understand what you are saying... however..are you sure you will not run out of ammo?

I have 2 other weapons in my safe. However, I feel it is a good plan to have weapons in calibers that have the edge in available ammunition.
 
#11 ·
It really stinks that Virginia won't let me hunt with my 223's....I now have to buy a 6.8,6.5 or 7.62x39 upper for my AR. :(

My son had to kill a deer with my Sub2000 9mm a few weeks ago, because I don't have a youth sized rifle yet. BTW a 9mm out of a 16" barrel at 25 yards will dispatch a deer, just not that efficiently. I'm thinking of buying him a youth sized 243 mossberg bolt in the next few weeks.

At least I can still go to WV and hunt with my AR's... :)
 
#19 ·
True... but having a superearsplitenloudenboomermagnum doesn't make up for that either... Some people are clueless... see a few posts above.:xeye:
 
#23 ·
1) Ruger 10/22 - semi-automatic, magazine fed, 22 caliber rifle. Its not one thing that sets the Ruger 10/22 apart, its the huge list - the reliability, the vast selection of accessories - magazines, scopes, barrels, stocks,,,,,, just all kinds of stuff. My personal Ruger 10/22 was bought in January of 1986, and is still going strong.

... we saw a nutria rat on the other side of the bayou. 1 shot with the Ruger 10/22 took care of the animal. Allen and I got in the aluminum boat we had used to reach the camping spot, and paddled across the bayou to retrieve the animal. We skinned the nutria rat and brought it back to the camping spot where it was roasted over a camp fire and eaten. Even though we had just eaten dinner, it was just canned chili and we were still hungry. The meat from that nutria rat really hit the spot.

2) AK-47 - semi-automatic, magazine fed, 7.62X39 caliber. Its the effective stopping power of the 7.62X39 round (which is just slightly less powerful then the 30-30), the reliability of the AK47 design, and the vast number of modifications that puts this rifle at #2.

3) Marlin 30-30 - lever action, tube fed, 30-30 caliber. Its the reliability of the Marlin 30-30, mixed with the effectiveness of the 30-30 Winchester that puts this rifle at #3.

4) Remington Model 750 Woodsmaster .....

5) Remington Model 700- bolt action, magazine fed, variety of calibers. Its the wide range of calibers, simplicity of design, and accuracy that puts this rifle at #5.

Whether you need a rifle to take grizzly bear, or small game, the Remington model 700 is designed to take care of business.

What was left off the list: There are a lot of rifles left off the list...

AR-15 - semi-automatic, magazine fed, ....

Ruger mini-14 and mini-30 - are fine rifles .....

Weatherby Vanguard - this is the economy line of the Weatherby rifle line. ....

Marlin Model 60 - an outstanding 22 rifle, but being tube fed makes it slow on the reloading ....
Your main point about the 10/22 is exactly why I cannot classify it as a rifle, but rather a "receiver." I mean, yeah, it might be the most popular 22 LR receiver ever made but it is not a great rifle overall imho. Can it be improved upon with all of the accessories - yes it can. But it is not the most accurate 22 LR ever made - and given that there really is no need for a combat ready, magazine fed 22LR rifle, I always figured accuracy was what I should shoot for (pardon the pun) in my 22LRs ... so I place the CZ 452 up high. Succinctly put, 22LR is a great round for survival, but not for combat. So if I am hunting with 22LR I want something dead-eye accurate and the 10/22 is not it unless you spend the money upgrading. Just mho .... worth less than 2 cents.

But talking about nutria, it brought back memories of shooting nutrias in Mississippi during duck season. Good eatin' ... plus they make for nice pelts. I've never understood why the nutria have not made it further east in the southern states - I suspect they'll eventually get all the way to the east coast ... GA, SC, etc.

I'd have the Marlin 30-30 over the AK for post shtf ammo availability and for accuracy reasons as well. We've even put the two to a test and we always figured we'd want something 100 meter pie plate accurate - we couldn't get that out of the AK but we do out of a 336. Again, just mho.

I used to be a big fan of the Remington series of semi-auto and pump rifles. I had one of the BDL basket weave 742s as a kid in 243 and that was a deer killing machine. The 750 I have not had the opportunity to shoot but I think it is the off shoot of the 740 series? I know two of the knocks on the 740 series was lack of calibers and the cheap/poorly engineered magazines.

Sure as heck cannot argue with the Remington 700 ... except for one thing. :) Price point was a big key issue in everything else you listed - but not the bolt action rifle? Because if it was you would have had to rank the Savage 110 over the Remington 700, just asking? I mean you can get a Savage 110 with an accutrigger in 308 for half of what a 700 runs and chances are the 110 is going to be more accurate straight out of the box plus you are still going to have to have a trigger job done to the 700. Again, just mho.

I agree about all the rifles you left off the list except the actual value-for-the-dollar issue where the AR is concerned .... you can interchange uppers all day long, they are inherently very accurate, reliable enough, mag fed, lots of replacement parts available, familiarity among the masses, etc. ARs are a part of my plans. But then again the M1a is a big part of my plans as well.

Thanks for sharing your list Kev, plus the nurtria comments brought back big memories. They are an imported species you know. :) But they are pretty good darn eatin' when rotated over an open spit.
 
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#24 ·
best survivalist weapon

I agree about all the rifles you left off the list except the actual value-for-the-dollar issue where the AR is concerned .... .........

Thanks for sharing your list Kev, plus the nurtria comments brought back big memories. They are an imported species you know. :) But they are pretty good darn eatin' when rotated over an open spit.

The ar15 might have a place in the top 5, but its the size of the 223, its loud report and high price that makes me not list it in the top five.

Lets say you want a rifle for wild hog or deer hunting:

A lot of people say the ar15 will take deer, but I have serious doubts about the 223 being able to humanly take down a medium sized wild animal. When that 30-30 hits a deer, it leaves a gaping hole on the exit side. Some of the exit holes I have seen are in the 1/2 - 3/4 inch range. I have seen lots of times what a 30-30, 270, 280 and 30-06 can do to a deer. As far as I'am concerned, that 223 an stay at home, or be used on coyote sized game and smaller.

So lets see, 2 SKS or 2 marlin 336 30-30s or 2 mossberg 500s for the price of one ar15.

Academy sports and outdoors has a marlin 336 for $399.99

Academy sports and outdoors has a Bushmaster A2 M4 Carbine for $949.99

That is a price difference of $550. I can buy a lot of ammo, and even a marlin model 60 or ruger 10/22 with that $550.

To be perfectly honest, I sleep with a Bushmaster AR15 next to my bed. But that does not mean I'am going to take it hunting. When I go hunting, I take my remington 7mm express/280, weatherby vanguard in 270 or marlin 30-30.

Even though I hunt with a 280/7mm express I did not even list it, the ammo is too expansive and its a rare round.

The next rifle I would like to buy is a Remington 750 in 308 winchester
 
#26 ·
The 22 magnum is just that, its a 22 long rifle magnum.

Your still shooting a 22 bullet, the case of the 22 mag is longer then the 22 long rifle and the the 22 magnum ammo cost more then then 22 long rifle. Its like comparing small apples to large apples - its still an apple. If you want something else, get a banana or an orange. The 22 long rifle and 22 magnum are both effective at taking anything from rabbits to coyotes and stray dogs. So I can not justify the extra cost of the 22 magnum.

In my opinion, the next upgrade from the 22 long rifle is the 222, 223, 6mm remington, or 243 winchester - in that order.
 
#27 ·
Shoots faster. Also has a slightly thicker 'jacket' on the outside. Not a true jacket really, it is more there to protect the barrel from lead fouling (like a gas check) then it is to really provide penetration. It does help but don't mistake it for a real jacket like the .223.

Very flat shooting round, in the right rifle very accurate and it goes super sonic and stays there for a long range. The biggest issues with small projectiles is passing through the sound barrier and then going back through it again as it slows. This and the wind throwing it around.

It is also expensive and can be close to bulk rates for .223 per round.

You could safely state that it is between a standard .22lr and a light .223 in usefulness and weight/space needs. I grew up shooting 22mag and it was and still is my favorite round to hunt/plink with but it is limited and the costs have always been excessive for what you get.
 
#29 ·
What about the mosin nagant? I know that ammo could be a problem, but if it is for hunting only, a thousand rounds would be plenty, probably wouldn't even need that many. If affordability is one of the issues on a good survival rifle, I paid 79.99 for mine, that is very affordable.
 
#30 ·
The biggest advantage in the 22 mag over the 22 LR is in handguns.

If a 22 mag has a barrel 4 inches or longer than it is traveling faster than any length barrel out of a 22 LR Rifle.

So you get 22 LR Rifle potential out of a pistol.


In a rifle the difference is not as great as the dif between a 243 and a 30/06 like you said Kev,but it is greater than the dif between a 223 and a 22/250.

For the survivalist the 22 LR wins hands down though.Ammo price,and size storage cant be beat.

I would pick different weapons than you did Kev but your premise is sound.

22 rifle,handy centerfire carbine,shootout carbine,High power rifle.

No shotguns or pistols though?
 
#31 ·
Oh and if you shoot a lot of LR then go get some of the Hornady Vmax 22mag. It is a lot of fun to shoot and will surprise you with how much it zips out there (and accurately).

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Horn...lProducts&Ntt=22+magnum&x=0&y=0&Ntt=22+magnum

It is 30gr but it also has the poly tip on it that helps with its ballistics and energy transfer. 250 rounds is $64.99 (ignoring shipping) which is around 26 cents a shot. This is about as good as it gets for this ammo.

CCI 40gr LR ammo is $36.99 per 500 which is 7 cents a shot.

300 rounds of PMC is $129.99 on sale right now, that is 43 cents a shot.

You can do better than these numbers but it starts to illustrate the costs of 22mag and how high it is.
 
#32 ·
I respectfully disagree.

Marlin 795 - I used to love my 10/22. I did the bolt release mod. I did a little trigger work on it. Upgraded the extractor. Added a scope rail. Thought about a different barrel because I wasn't getting tight groups with any of the bulk ammo. But for 20 years it was the rifle that went with me to the range, camping, hiking. Just about everywhere. Then I bought a Marlin 795. It is, out of the box, what my 10/22 is now with one exception. It is a tack driver with bulk Federal Automatch. 795 is $100. A 10/22 is $189 then add about $100 in upgrades (not including a barrel).

AR-15 - Yes it's a .223, but that round has been the mainstay of the US Military for 40+ years. IMO the reason the military is rethinking the 5.56 is not it's lethality at <300M It's because >300M that little .223 round is affected by wind, heat and just a mean look. I'm not saying that it can't be effective over 300M, it can in the right hands. It's that your typical Infantry Soldier has not received that type of training.

In a true survival situation, a .223 will bring down a deer. Will it be a humane kill? Maybe not, but we are in a survival situation. It is a battle rifle, not a deer hunting rifle.

Yup, they cost more than an SKS or some variants of an AK-47. But around my part of the country (Northeast). Not much more. A USED AR-15 is in the $700 range. An SKS is in the $450 range. AK's $600. I personally build my AR's. Not only do I know them inside and out. I can get exactly what I want and if I want to keep it CHEAP I can build one for under $600.

Winchester Model 70 - It's been taking game for many decades. Available in many calibers. My favorite is .308. Because I reload for it. It's available at Walmart. And can be bought in surplus.

Remington 870 - Accessorize to your hearts content. Extend the tube. Add a pistol grip and a flashlight. Great home defense.


That makes 4. IMO I think that makes a great survival rifle battery. But if I was to add a fifth to the list it would be....

FN-FAL - It's shooting a 7.62x51 NATO round (.308 win). It holds 20 rounds in a detachable magazine. While it is heavy when loaded (~10lbs) for shooting a .308 round, the recoil is minimal. I love mine, but I can only think of very few purposes that I would take it over the AR or M70 in a survival situation.


In a true SHTF situation my AR-15 will be with me.
 
#33 ·
good list, my top 5 rifles would (and are, finally)

Ruger 10-22 for the reasons mentioned above

Rem M-1903, because its a 30-06, I have a crap load of surplus M-1, M-2, and various other rounds, and it's a sweet shooter

FN-49, 8mm mauser, because, what could be better for capping zombies or taking a deer with a chance at a quick follow up, than a 10 rd, semi-auto 8mm mauser

AR-15, Homebuilt. because it's accurate, fun, and easy to lug, though mine is way louder than my other rifles, which is odd.

and finally, a Destroyer 9mm Largo bolt action. 8 rounds of 9mm largo, which is a pretty awesome round if you can find it, I have a vast stock of it right now, and my Star and Astara eat it too, so i can in a pinch have 3 weapons, with one ammo feed. I also feel safe shooting 9mm styer or 9mm Luger in the Destroyer, but i wont in the other ones

Once again you have a great list there. I feel i should add that the only reason the AK isn't on there is i haven't found one yet that i like the feel off, so i have no experience with them.
 
#35 ·
I've always liked the concept of rifle/shotgun combos. A 20 gauge/.223 would give medium and medium game ability, along with the shotgun's usefulness. Having a .22 adapter cartridge would let you use .22s for small game. Though realistically, something like 20 gauge/.308 would be more versatile, with a chamber adapter to use .32 ACP or .32 longs for your small game cartridge.

Though I certainly can't knock the 10/22 and any of the rifles Kev mentioned.
 
#37 ·
I like the list and would love to have the SKS Or AK...big 5 had the SKS on sale not long ago but the price was too much for me...I did pick up the mossin nagant 91/30 which despite the 5 round limit, can take down a deer or a jack booted thug trying to take me to a happy camp! i'm planning on the adding the .22 ruger because of the cheap ammo and it's light kick for women and children to use in emergency...
 
#38 ·
IMO, the best "survival gun" is the one that you have with you when you absolutely need one.

If I get lost wandering the woods for a few days or more, having a .357 levergun will more than equal my odds of getting food vs clubbing it with a stick. Ditto for defense.

A .22 may not be ideal for defense, but a 10/22 can put enough rounds at something for it or them to think twice about pressing the attack.

The .308 is a great round, but its useless on small game and if you get stuck in hotter months, you will waste a lot of meat from that deer you just shot.

They all have their ups and downs.

I understand the argument for the .22, but with regard to range and versatilty in a carbine, I think that a .357/.38 sp would be a better compromise since it can cover small to large game, quantities of ammo can be carried and it has a good defensive profile.

A lot of one's selection in a "survival" rifle depends on where you live and what you envision yourself doing. If outdoors in Montana or Kansas, you want a round with 300+ yard ability. In East Texas, 100 yards or less is often sufficient.

I also keep in mind the commonality of ammo. It is not too difficult to find 30-06, 30-30, .22, .38. 12 ga. and 9mm ammo anywhere that sells guns and even some hardware stores. However, I do not see walmart stocking 5.45 or 6.8 spc or .41 long colt ammo.

In the US, most government agencies US .5.56/.223, .308, 9mm, 12 ga. and .40 s&w. To a lesser degree you can still find some with .357/.38, .357 sig and .45acp
 
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