Top 4 Survival Guns?

[American Rage]

I saw the results on the news.
We may be next...the New Madrid fault.

My mother's kin own half of Paragould, Ark. She grew up in that region.

[American Rage]

You must not bird hunt. A 12 ga. is not only for combat, first it was for getting birds on the wing to eat. Eating is important if you plan to live. A shotgun is your best means to getting flying food. Times get rough a crow, pigeon, dove, blue jay, hell anything you can bag with some birdshot is a snack.

I'm not a hunter, but I've been told that with modern shot shells the need for a longer barrel isn't nearly as great as it once was. Is this true?

[Bluntforce]

You must not bird hunt. A 12 ga. is not only for combat, first it was for getting birds on the wing to eat. Eating is important if you plan to live. A shotgun is your best means to getting flying food. Times get rough a crow, pigeon, dove, blue jay, hell anything you can bag with some birdshot is a snack.

Here's a gross survival tip. If you foresee being forced to eat raw meat (can't/don't want to start a fire etc.) go to a Co-Op or feed store and order FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth. It will kill just about all the parasites in it. It is also an effective, no scent bug repellent when put on the skin like powder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

Sorry to digress.

[L1A1Rocker]

In a true SHTF situation to Hell with 'shooting' birds. Save your freaking ammo and build a bird trap. You can use your time better in the garden and simply collect the birds rather than waste so much time, effort/energy, and ammo for so little reward (very little meat on a bird).

Oh, and do I really need to mention SILENCERS?

[gpwasr10]

You must not bird hunt. A 12 ga. is not only for combat, first it was for getting birds on the wing to eat. Eating is important if you plan to live. A shotgun is your best means to getting flying food. Times get rough a crow, pigeon, dove, blue jay, hell anything you can bag with some birdshot is a snack.

All can be had with snakeshot from a revolver when they are on the ground... especially Pigeons who practically let you walk right up and catch; and many can be harvested with a .22 or even a pellet gun (both are quieter). In combat why would you want a weapon that only holds 8 rounds, has limited range and has the recoil of a .375 H&H mag, ammo weighs more and takes longer to reload? Heck not even the local cops carry shotties in their cruiser anymore.

Your points have some validity, but SHTF means there is a good possibility your ass is gunna be moving... and when that times comes your not gunna grab a shotty as you head out into the world...The carbine wins the contest hands down IMHO, especially if you need to move around.

[Schuetzenman]

All can be had with snakeshot from a revolver when they are on the ground... especially Pigeons who practically let you walk right up and catch; and many can be harvested with a .22 or even a pellet gun (both are quieter). In combat why would you want a weapon that only holds 8 rounds, has limited range and has the recoil of a .375 H&H mag, ammo weighs more and takes longer to reload? Heck not even the local cops carry shotties in their cruiser anymore.

Your points have some validity, but SHTF means there is a good possibility your ass is gunna be moving... and when that times comes your not gunna grab a shotty as you head out into the world...The carbine wins the contest hands down IMHO, especially if you need to move around.

You missed my point completely. I don't want a shot gun as a combat weapon. I want a rifle of some sort. The shot gun is for rounding out the survival arsenal as a food getter. I wouldn't waste the effort to tote it if I had to run for the exact reasons stated; low capacity and very heavy ammo. I would be inclined to take my short range piston driven AR or the SAR-3 for close work and my Match grade AR with 6.5X20 EFR scope on it. All 3 can run the same ammo, so less logistics. The down side to the SAR-3 is it takes different magazine. If I had a bug out partner, (possibly the wife) I'd give her the SAR-3 to carry as her load out. The Match AR has zeros from 100to 600 yards. At 600 if I dope the wind it can put them in a grape fruit sized group. As much as I would like a .22 LR for hunting small game I wouldn't be carrying 3 long guns and I wouldn't consider a .22 LR as a proper backup long gun.

Now if we were talking zombie apocalypse a .22 LR with suppressor might be the primary carry weapon.

[gpwasr10]

I was running with your "not only for combat" and countering with an "it's bearly good for combat". I can see the weapons merits based off of what you said; I just don't see a shotty as a "must" for a survival arsenal.


I was thinking though, if a man was to go with the AR platform as his primary SHTF long-arm (An an excellent choice it would be), would he do well to also pack a small .22 conversion kit, 1 mag, and some .22 Ammo? I know it's not the very best option for a .22 rifle, but it does offer some flexability for harvesting small game and out of a 20" AR, is rather quiet to boot. It is somethng I have been considering...

[Solidus-snake]

AR-15, Kimber 1911, Mossberg 500, and a ,22 conversion kit for the AR.

I think im close enough.

[Warthogg]

If down to a long gun and a pistol I will stay with my ArmaLite AR-10 carbine (US Optics scope) and Baer 1911.


Wart

[Warthogg]

SHTF means there is a good possibility your ass is gunna be moving... and when that times comes your not gunna grab a shotty as you head out into the world...The carbine wins the contest hands down IMHO, especially if you need to move around.

Agree with the carbine. I like a shotgun around the house for home defense.


Wart

[American Rage]

Agree with the carbine. I like a shotgun around the house for home defense.


Wart

And that's exactly what mine are for. If necessary, they'd be the first weapons I ditched. And by ditched I mean given to close friends, neighbors or relatives. If none exist anymore, I'd hide them just in case I ever came back.

[Schuetzenman]

I was running with your "not only for combat" and countering with an "it's bearly good for combat". I can see the weapons merits based off of what you said; I just don't see a shotty as a "must" for a survival arsenal.


I was thinking though, if a man was to go with the AR platform as his primary SHTF long-arm (An an excellent choice it would be), would he do well to also pack a small .22 conversion kit, 1 mag, and some .22 Ammo? I know it's not the very best option for a .22 rifle, but it does offer some flexability for harvesting small game and out of a 20" AR, is rather quiet to boot. It is somethng I have been considering...

I'd say if it shoots accurately enough, yes. Problem is .22 LR ammo is smaller diameter than .223 bullets so they are marginal and would be very close range from what I've seen. For small game you need something that can do a head shot at 25 yards at least IMO, (about 1"). It does bring up the potential of a dedicated .22 LR upper that with the push of two pins is on your normal lower. Less weight than two separate weapons but the flexibility of two provided you have 1 minute to convert it. I have a dedicated .22 AR and though it's ok as a shooter, I'm still not really happy with the accuracy. My Anschutz bolt rifle a model 54 Sporter I picked up in 1973 can do 1" at 50 yards easy. It's nearly the same weight as a .22 AR upper but sure is bulkier in length.

I just thought of the Aguila SSS loading. I seem to remember it is a 60 grain bullet and very long, too long for a normal .22 LR twist. It will keyhole and ruin a .22 LR can if you shoot them. However in an AR-15 1 in 9 or 1 in 7 twist they would be very stabil. That might be da ticket but the ammo is quite scarce and what you would have at the start of SHTF would be all you'd ever likely to see or have. I may have to investigate that option, I have a couple boxes of that stuff around somewhere and I have real AR rifles. If it seems stabil I might try it through my .223 can.

[Penguin]

Could this be the list of the top 4 survival guns to own? Maybe.

I think this is a good list though I would go with other options myself. I don't have any of those guns. I think it is a great general list though with out a specific scnerio you are preparing for.

Top of my list would be a good 12 Gauge shotgun. Doesn't really matter which as long as the gun works for you. I think I would go with a mosberg 590. At the moment all I have is a beneli M3 though.

Second choice would probably be an M1A. Other guns I would strongly consider for the same role would be the L1A1 and the M1 Garand. I figure with any of those rifles you could pretty much hunt anything in north america. The fact that they are semi auto would make them good choices in a pinch if it came down to self defense. I figure ammo would be fairly easy to come by in any of those. I would give the edge to the M1A though. I think the fact that you can reload it from striper clips fairly easily if you have lost or broken all your spare mags is a huge plus. I would put the M1 Garand at the bottom of my list of pics here even though I like it and shoot it the best out of these choices. You are probably bound to lose the clips sooner or latter. While I like the L1A1 the metric version of the FAL might be a smarter choice as they and their mags are more common. As for me I like the inch version mcuh better and hord mags acordingly.

My third pic would be the good old 1911. It may be old but it still works and I like it. Good for self defense but, I don't know for what else other than target shooting. Any relible model works, I prefer my old colt M1911A1. Along these lines I would also consider the browning high power. The 9mm rounds are more common at least world wide than 45 ACP is. I wonder which is more common in the US?

4th I don't know what I would go with. A good 22 of some sort seems like a reasonable choice to me. I would go with a rugger 10/22 or some real acurate model. I don't have a 22, at least not one that works anyways.

[FunkyPertwee]

If you need more than 8 rounds of buckshot you probably need a partner more than extra ammo.

My four, because I own them.

SAR-1
M590
XD-9/CZ-75b (or whatever pistol I feel like that day. )
Ruger 22/45 scoped

[Justin]

Well none of mine make your list but I wouldn't trade any of my choices for your choices.



Not that your choices are wrong or bad but I am a dinosaur and dinosaurs like dinosaur guns. Gotta go with what I knows best.

I don't blame you for going with the M1 Garand, I'm actually thinking about letting my brother have the AK in a shtf scenario, and using the M1 for myself as a primary battle rifle. I'm currently working on getting more ammo stockpiles for the M1 Garand. I finally got my reproduction leather sling for it, in the mail yesterday.

[gpwasr10]

I see alot of 1911's popping up in peoples lists... Why not Glock or something similar? I have a pretty decent 1911, it's accurate and VERY reliable... with plenty of custom upgrades... but I cannot see taking it over my XD-45 Tactical. The XD (like the Glock or M&P) seems like it would put up with a shitload more abuse then any 1911 would; while also being as accurate, and holding many more bullets (14 rounds).

Keep in mind I am not knocking the 1911, I love them and my next gun will likely be a home built Fusion 1911 or possibly a Colt or Sig... and I will even say they are a better "gun" then a solid polymer... But are they better weapons? In my opinion, no.

[old Grump]

I see alot of 1911's popping up in peoples lists... Why not Glock or something similar? I have a pretty decent 1911, it's accurate and VERY reliable... with plenty of custom upgrades... but I cannot see taking it over my XD-45 Tactical. The XD (like the Glock or M&P) seems like it would put up with a shitload more abuse then any 1911 would; while also being as accurate, and holding many more bullets (14 rounds).

That 45 in my picture has over 280,000 rounds, on its second bushing, second barrel and third set of rear sights. Keep in mind the number of rounds I have in it, most of them in a 6 year period when I was competing regularly and trying my damndest to make the Olympic Pistol Team. That 22 in the picture was with me every step of the way and is well beyond the 45 in number of shots fired since I use it for hunting and plinking and I only had to replace 1 spring. Nothing wrong with the old one, I lost the original when I was cleaning the gun. How rugged do you want to get?

Nothing against the Glock, I shoot them just fine, I just don't like the trigger and the 110 degree grip of the Colt points better for me than the 105 degree angle of the Glock. It's the same reason I don't feel comfortable with Lugers and Ruger pistols. I shoot them fine but it takes me longer to get on target because I have to adjust my wrist before I shoot. Ithers prefer the rake, it just depends on the shooter, that's why my choice is the 1911A1 and why a lot of other shooters swing the same way. They might not know why but the 45 just feels right in their hand.

[Penguin]

I see alot of 1911's popping up in peoples lists... Why not Glock or something similar?

For me it a preference thing. I know the 1911 and know it well. I have carried and trained with it for years. I know how it works and how to field stip it an clean it, in my sleep practically. I just shoot it better than any other pistol I have shoot. I have hardly shot any other pistols though.

[gpwasr10]

That 45 in my picture has over 280,000 rounds, on its second bushing, second barrel and third set of rear sights. Keep in mind the number of rounds I have in it, most of them in a 6 year period when I was competing regularly and trying my damndest to make the Olympic Pistol Team. That 22 in the picture was with me every step of the way and is well beyond the 45 in number of shots fired since I use it for hunting and plinking and I only had to replace 1 spring. Nothing wrong with the old one, I lost the original when I was cleaning the gun. How rugged do you want to get?

Well, that sounds pretty pussy to me there Old Timer. LOL

For me it a preference thing. I know the 1911 and know it well. I have carried and trained with it for years. I know how it works and how to field stip it an clean it, in my sleep practically. I just shoot it better than any other pistol I have shoot. I have hardly shot any other pistols though.

I agree that 1911's will work (ask Germany, and the fact that people still use them 100 years later is a testament to the design. But, these polymers seem much more corrosion resistant then everything on the market today; they are also lighter and exhibit a higher capacity.

[videodon]

Of your 4...I have:

Glock 19...suppressed...

Remington 870

Alt for AR...AKs..

Alt for 10/22...Thompson Machine Operative B...suppressed...