I picked the AK because it is better than the AR:

 

says who?

 

I picked based on maximum reliability in all environments and also based on cartridge.
1)bolt action .22LR
2)Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 .303 British
3)SKS Russian 7.62x39
4)SKS Chinese 7.62x39
5)Maverick M88 12 gauge
Any of these, depending on scenario have served the test of reliability and time in my life.

 

Reliability
ammo availability
ease of maintenance
availability of parts

All those you mentioned pass the above tests for a main battle rifle. So shoot them all see which you like best.

 

^^^^What he said, nobody is going to care post-SHTF is the rifle cool looking or not, above listed is the only thing that will matter. No ammo or parts, overly complicated to maintain=only this it will be good for is a club or firewood (if it has wood stocks)

 

Weight. Try carrying it and a few hundred rounds for an hour.

 

uses a common easy to find round
least moving parts to fail / availability of spare parts

 

if I had to pick one it would be the AK, to hell and back is the motto

 

Whichever gun I had the most ammo for. :]

 

I picked the SKS ---------------(first)

Then I picked the AK and the Mini!

Gunshow this weekend............maybe an AR to round it out!

I'd keep the AK if had to throw all but one in the river.

 

I picked the AR. I picked it because it's what I know. I carried one similar in the Army for 28 years. I've been to war with it. I could never be as comfortable or proficient with any other weapon system.

 

Based off all of my experiences, I opted to have several firearms. Since I teach various police officers and civilians on how to use rifles, shotguns, pistols and submachineguns, I have several different firearms to test and for demonstration purposes. One thing I did keep present on the majority of my firearms is a scope on the rifles. That goes back to my Viet Nam days when I worked as a sniper over there. I tend to think that just about any caliber rifle or firearm in my hands can be effectively used provided I do my part and pick the right tactics to make it effective.

Some tactics require I get close to engage the target. Other tactics allow me the luxury of using a firearm at long distance or one that has really good punch/penetration to my advantage. But, as long as I do the right thing, I fell comfortable making my guns work for me.

 

I wanted a machingun in a rifle caliber that was a military proven platform. Accurate and reliable. 3rnd burst was a plus but not must. All within a 12k budget. I slimmed the pickings down to two which was a Ruger AC556 and FN FNC. I went with the FNC because it is a military proven gun wheres the ruger is LE. Then with the spare budget money of 3.5k I got a Lonestar Arms Saiga SBS with the works.

I have both AKs and ARs but the FNC is a hybrid of both, so to me it was the best of both worlds. I like the cost and trajectory of the 5.56 and reliability an ruggedness of an AK. It being able to take typical AR mags was a plus. 3rnd burst was a plus.

 

rifles for me are like tools you wouldn't use a screw driver when you need a saw and you wouldnt use a saw when you need to be using a block plane.


but how I determine what tool I would use

I ask myself
what is the job I need this platform to do
how far am I planning on shooting with it
what am I shooting with it
what is the weather and geography going to be like
how much gun do I really need?
what possible contingencies do I need to take into consideration

after I satisfactorily answer these questions to myself I then say
whats my budget and how much ammo do I have on hand
how much does it weigh
how conspicuous is it

but typically I go for precision over quantity I have no problem spending money on a good platform but I also can realize when things are more name than function price wise and if I cant find what I want I make it so I have what i want

my recomendation is get something you like and can practice often with a 5o bmg is great but if you only shoot x2 a year its no good

 

Totally agreed.

My grandpa taught me the " firearm toolbox" mentality. He used to say that there's no one gun that can do everything, and most guns can do something pretty well.

"You don't bring an -06 squirrel hunting."

 

^^^ Do you think that over when someone kicks in the front door?

 

lol I always have a gun on me so why would I?

357 mag still on my hip and im just on pc and playing COD

 

Fair enough :thumb: I also use a 357 as my carry.

 

but when deciding to buy or not to you should use the above

 

Whatever you shoot best and is comfortable. I chose an SW Sport since I'm familiar with the platform and like the caliber.
I could be just as comfortable though with my Marlin 60 since I've put lots of rounds down range and can run the mildot scope to get performance out of it.

 

A good SHTF weapon, huh?


Daisy Red Ryder with a dollar store laser! :thumb:



In all honesty, though, the best SHTF rifle/carbine for YOU is the one you're most comfortable with.

For myself, my first "shtf gun" was my AK, it's the only pistol grip carbine I have ever fired that "feels" right when I'm shooting, otherwise, my second choice is a Mini-14/30 or SKS, with AR's coming in a distant last place, no matter how many times my buddies hand me their AR's, they just don't "feel" right in my hands, target acquisition isn't natural and quick, just not my cup o' tea. I'd recommend test firing one or ten anyways, though, they may feel right in your hands.

 

i choose a marlin 22lr because i bought 600 rounds for under 50 bucks and its acurate for me up to 90 yards/ i had it sighted for 50 and i was still shooting a 4 inch diamiter at 90 yards.

 

M1 Garand because I am a dinosaur and I dance with what brung me to the party 50 years ago. Besides I'm keeping my old head down out of fire and will not play that game unless there is no other way. Rambo's and Ramboette's can play without me.

 

I got one right next to my bed:thumb:

 

I chose a stainless/wood mini14 ranch for my common caliber autoloader several years back.
The minis I have known, including mine, have always gobbled up all types and brands of ammo without a hitch, and kept on running dirty as a mudflap.
Accuracy more than acceptable for real world.
Always felt much more natural to ME, than an AR's pistol grip design.
Quite frankly, liked the classic lines of it too. Easy to scope out of the box a plus.
Ammo reasonable, or was.

 

I wasn't very creative or imaginative. I went with an AR-15. Not really sure why except it seemed I needed one until I bought it and stuck it in the safe. It rarely comes out. I'm a handgun guy and always have one on me so that's what I practice with and enjoy. There is also a 12 gauge handy with a tri-rail, light and laser. Anything happens around the house and that'll be my go to gun. Looking back I wish I'd gone old school and followed Old Grumps lead with the Garand. There's time to add one I suppose.

 

I chose the AR because of widely available ammo, cheap mags, cheap replacement parts, and accuracy. And because I already have a AK and sks to back it up.

 

I've always been a fan of break action and lever guns for hunting.

My favorite utility rifles are Savage Model 24C combo gun in .22LR over 20ga cyl bore for small game, varmints, etc, and Savage Model 24V (can you tell I'm a savage fan? lol) in .30-30 over 20ga full choke for big game and birds. That's what I'm stocking up ammo for. The rest of 'em, eh not so much. 3 calibers with 3 distinct uses.

If S really HTF, the Ballester-Molina will go on the belt, the 24C will stay broke down in the pack, and the 24V will be in hand with a Sierra 125 spitzer on top and a load of #2 on the bottom, and I'd be heading up the 'holler.

If I find myself needing people-shooting weapon other than the .45 (which I don't expect to need immediately in a SHTF situation; if something happens, folk around here tend to pull together in times of crisis for the most part instead of turning on each other, and I 'spect we'd all already be out on patrol once the displaced cityfolk started showing up), I'd get down to the farm and pick up the Mini-14, Rem 870, or the M1 Garand from the family mini-arsenal. But in a pinch, I 'spect the ol' .45 and some #2 buckshot would be right dandy.

If worst comes to worst after a while and bullets get too expensive (as if they're not already, lol), there's the .45 caliber flintlock, ball mold, old wheel weights, and homemade black power. Or a compound bow, though I've never been a fan of bowhunting. Never been able to make a clean kill with one. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do, I reckon.

 

I picked the same weapons systems that I used in combat, having been in situations where my life depended on my firearms made the chooses pretty obvious to me when I started to build my own collection up. I have built the muscle memory and put in countless hours training with them so when it is go time I don't have to really think about working the weapon and can concentrate on shooting.

AR15/M4
1911
Sig 226

I also have a 10/22 because that was the first rifle I fired as a kid and absolutely love it still.

 

I choose the ar-15 for the following reasons:

-I already reload for .223
-High avalibility of ammo, mags, parts, etc. in my area
-Able to take down anything I'll ever run in to
-The ar-15 is the good guy gun and the ak is the bad guys gun
-It's a very versatile platform. You "can" go from a small game hunting rifle ( .22lr conversion) to a anti material long range rifle (.50bmg upper)

 

I went through the patrol rifle course aka ar-15 course at work. Been carrying one for years. Easy to use and that is what I am trained with.