One Rifle Poll.

Which is the rifle you would prefer for a "one and only rifle" situation.

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I chose my AR-15 in .223.

Mostly because I am so familiar with it and it is very accurate with irons and scopes. I have lots of ammo and magazines on hand and I am set up to reload for it.
 
This is why there is more than one rifle. Everyone has a different opinion with no clear winner. Unique/specialty calibers will always be suspect since anyone picking their one gun will need assurance that they can get ammo. This last year was a good test. What ammo was on the shelf reliably. 12 ga. and 22 LR were about the only certainty. 30-06, 30-30 were steady and .223/5.56 and 7.62x39 were spotty in this area. That could be that hunters didn't hoard as much as shooters. Any $100 rifle/shotgun with ammo is certainly better than the best $3k rifle with no ammo.
 
I voted AR-15 in 5.56 since it has been my one and only rifle in a 3rd world sh*thole. However, why is the Sig 556 considered an exotic rifle and left off this poll? Yes, the Sig 556 I own just came on the market recently, but it's based on the Sig Sg 550 that's been around since the 70s. That and it uses the same mags and ammo as the AR.
 
Hello friends and neighbors // I chose semi-auto .22

My Marlin 795 syn. stock is light weight, and has 10 round mags. just change the mag for different ammo needs.
My main consideration is mobility, second is the number of rounds I can carry in addition to other necessary items (water ,food, first aid, shelter).
 
When I made this decision in real life, I did choose the AR15 .223 But maybe that's because I already had a 12 ga. I picked the AR in this poll too, but boy, if I had to choose between the AR and the 12, that would really be tough for me. The shotgun is so versatile, but the AR has the range......hmmmmm......so glad I don't really have to choose, because I think the right answer is having an AR, 12ga. and a handgun to handle it all.
 
"polls" like this one is the main reason why the shooting industry laughs at and ignores internet firearms sites.
 
In the ole 1 gun situation the 12ga gives you more options than about anything else. It may not be the BEST tool for all jobs, but it is a good tool for all, and a better one for most of them than about anything else.
 
I could not have said it better than TCB. I know it isn't a rifle, but assuming the intent was to limit one to a single firearm, I'd choose the 12 Ga.
 
This is like asking if you could only have one wrench, what size would it be. I would probably have to say a bolt action .223 with a heavy barrel, but its really difficult.
 
Interesting question. If I could only go with one rifle, I'd want it to be the most practical and useful rifle possible, so first off, it would be a hunting rifle first and foremost and accuracy would be a big consideration. I'd want a rifle that could consistently shoot 2 MOA or better. It should also be relatively cheap to shoot, have the potential to be relatively quiet so that it could be used for pest control and small game hunting in semi-rural areas. It should also have the versatility to take game up to 400 lbs or so cleanly.

Thinking a little bit outside the box, maybe a double rifle in something like .308/.22 LR might do the trick.

Another possibility might be something like a .243 with a suppressor.
 
Ok I suppose it is too late to back out now...:uhoh:

I chose the FN-FAL. I live by mine,great cartridge,magazines all over the world...I would of coarse "modernize" it and get my uppers as follows.
.243Win. 20",7mm-08 20"and .358Win. 18"---I would have two in 7.62x51...18" and my free float 24"ss bull(capeable of 1/2" three shot @200m w/168gr hand load). All fluted and and threaded,all having modified detatchable phantom muzzle brakes except the bullbarrel(it is threaded too tho'). OP did say "one rifle" not what else goes with it!:neener:

I prefer the balance of the DSA short gas system but in the interest of a pure SHTF/Zombie/What ever, I would go standard length for parts scavenging.

Secound choice would be a good lever in .357 Rem. Mag. or .44 Mag. to go with companion handgun of same chambering.

Third choice...a new Brownchester allweather in .308 or .30-06...maybe .300WM.

Fourth choice would be a well apointed op-rod AR. With extra uppers in different cals of coarse!!
 
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Would have to be a .700 Nitro Express...because I want something big enough to kill this thread. :fire:
 
^It is 6mo. old and has been revived on several occasions, I think it is time to move on (how bout a two rifle thread...JK).
 
Bolt action 308. My priorities for weapon use would be:

1. home defense
2. hunting - another important aspect of survival, food.

Priority of rifle attributes would be:
1. reliability
2. ammo availability
3. rate of fire
4. accuracy
5. target aquisition
6. portability
7. range
8. recoil

In a nutshell, I would be tempted towards a semi-auto for rate of fire, but I'm not sure about reliability issues. I know AR's are relatively reliable and AK's even more so, but they are gas systems with moving parts. A bolt gun will most likely work forever, no parts necessary. Keep It Simple Stupid applies here.

223, 308 and 7.62x39 are the obvious ammo choices, since they will be easiest to find ammo for. Since I've opted for the simplistic reliability of a bolt rifle, then no point in skimping on power. 308 has enough power to effectively take down men even with kevlar vests. Has plenty of range (commonly shot in 1000 yd matches). Most defensive situations will be inside 200 yards anyway. Even if I ran out of reloading components, I'd have a decent chance of finding more ammo. Recoil is not excessive. Could have a 308 bolt rifle as light as 5.5 lbs if I wanted and a short carbine barrel if I so chose. 30 cal AR's, AK's, CETME's, FN FAL's are all in the 10 lbs range. (Ruger Mini's are nice and light but again, not sure if I want to trust my life to a gas gun indefinitely) If I find myself in the mountains, running for my life, I don't want to be lugging around a 10lbs gun before I've even added a scope or ammo.

More specifically, I would want a Mcmillan Edge stock, any action (won't matter much because once they are trued up they all shoot), detachable box magazine 10 rounds, Krieger 5R 18" fluted barrel, 11" twist, Jewell trigger at 1-2lbs., Nightforce 1-4x tactical scope w/mildots. Finished weight should be in the 8lbs range including scope and mag. If bedded and trued properly and using decent handloads, should be 1/2MOA capable out to 600-800 yards with alot more man and game animal stopping power than a 223 or 7.62x39.
 
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Why didn't you just ask me which one of my kids I'd rather have? Real tough choices require real tough decisions. I choose a bolt action over .30.
 
voted sks. You can shoot from the prone, 30 caliber so big hole, no worries about losing a magazine and just as reliable as the AK.
 
One of my Lee-Enfield "Jungle Carbines":). I would rather hit with some of the ten rounds of .303 from the peep sight, than miss with most of an AK's thirty rounds. If we need thirty rounds, it's already too late to escape from a herd of feral pigs or feral people.

SquirrelNuts is funny.
And you described my next rifle.

WantaB: A guy at today's Southaven gun show lives down in Batesville MS and is selling his FAL for $700 (the bore/rifling are excellent).
Can provide his cell phone number.
Do they tear up brass too much to easily reload, as a beginner? Am well-aware that CETMEs bang it up.
 
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My FAL was pretty gentle on brass. I wouldn't worry about being able to reload them and once you get the gas adjust dialed in it will eject the brass just a few feet away. The worst brass mangler I've had is my PSL.
 
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