Beware the man with one rifle...

Well I see a lot of people have pointed out they could use a .22 to hunt etc. but the original question as another poster put is succinctly a few posts back never said why? It didn't say it was the apocolypse end of the world SHTF situation. In which case I would choose my 12ga and both barrels, with it I can hunt pretty much any game alive and still defend myself OK.

However as to if I had to pick just one rifle to have it would have to be an M1. It would also be a good choice in the SHTF situation too IMO...

It's tough to choose, I would consider caliber before anything else so my
30'06 , .308 0r 22LR simply due to the availability of rounds if the Baloon went up. I may be buying a .223 soon though.
Long Term it may be Beneficial to have a caliber that is less common though.
Lots of ammo left when others have used all the common stuff up.

AR-15 in 6.5 or 6.8, unless finding ammo is an issue, in which case 5.56.

Only one rifle...

My choice would be (and I already have it in inventory) my 38 Swede. It is the only high powered rifle I own. I can use it out to 400 metres without hesitation. If I feel the need for another weapon it will allow me to obtain it as well as keep my freezer full.

Nuff Said

John H.

For that range, that sure is a big group!

M14. The rifle that SHOULD have been the right arm of the free world.

S/F

Farnham

PTR-91 (G3) . I like its looks, its caliber, its strength, its ergonomics, and it's accurate.

middy said:

AR-15 in 6.5 or 6.8, unless finding ammo is an issue, in which case 5.56.

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The 6.5 Grendel is REALLY interesting. Fantastic ballistics and long range accuracy, with a nice "punch".

R

I've been giving this one a lot of thought lately...last year was a bit rough with a chargable car accident, legal fees, a job loss, a move, etc and alot of my favorite guns went bye-bye & my father isn't sure whether to keep his stuff, sell it, or pass it on and he has had a strong influence on the 'practicality' side of my boom-booms (eg: the multifacetedness of a .357 magnum revolver as an 'all-around' handgun); he's got a nice older Remington 760 Gamemaster in .30-06 and as a Penna whitetail hunter (he finally packed it in after some health issues) the slide action repeatability with the accuracy of a free floated barrel makes alot of sense

even though I started rebuilding with a Savage Stevens 200 bolt action in .30-06, I have a real bad itch for a Remington 7600 synthetic in .30-06; a decent caliber and a good all around gun for hunting, survival, and even as a BUG OUT gun if the SHTF...Remmy 55 grain accelerators for 'social' work up to heavy 180 grainers for animals with thicker hydes

M1A Scout. Real shame SA doesn't make many of these anymore...

For me this ones easy. My old Model 70 Winchester 22-250 with 24” barrel and custom target trigger, Leopold 3.5 x 10 x 50-w/duplex crosshair, Redfield one-piece scope base, Redfield rings and a standard leather military sling.

Minimal recoil and it’ll really reach out and touch something.

"Beware the man with one rifle" I like that...

Because I can gain protein in the form of squirrel, rabbit, turkey, marmot, groundhog, prairie dog, chipmonk...

The rest of you can repel the mongrel hords with your high tech assault rifles.

I'll get the meat with a lot less noise {dbl} that could attract said mongrel hords...

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Or I guess we could invest our time in making snares and other traps that are relatively easy to make and just set out these in say a few dozen different locations.

Oooooo, a two year old thread bumped to the top! I'd like to take this opportunity to remind my fellow forum members that it's only annoying if you don't participate!

I'm going with the Winchester '54 in .30-06. Sure, S might HTF, but consider the alternative. If I had to keep one rifle, and I wanted it to address what I think my actual future needs might be as much as possible, instead of just what I might be scared of, I'd keep this one. I'm not saying someone's AR won't go 73 years without a failure of any kind, just saying... come back and let us know about it in thirty years.

m1a scout, or loaded model.

Things do have changed. Since the job description is smth else right now the rifle would be either 5.56 cal assault rifle (G36) or 7.62 bolt action (like M24)

Beware the man with one rifle... he probably can't afford to shoot much.

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If I had quit with one, I'd be ten thousand rounds ahead of the game.

Jerry

M1A Scout with:
Smith break
Leupold Scout scope on GG&G throw levers
Aimpoint Comp 3 on throw levers

Or I guess we could invest our time in making snares and other traps that are relatively easy to make and just set out these in say a few dozen different locations.

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Yeah, I guess.

But it's not the same with snares.

Something about the hunt with a small game rifle that makes it ... um, more interesting, more satisfying.

A two year old thread
back from the dead.
Poet's justice.

Update:

I now have two rifles (that's all for now).
I may add a third (Marlin 1895G in .45/70) if I head up to AK.

Which one would I keep if I could have only one?

Hmmm.... .... .. . .... .. . .. ..

I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Nem

I have 2 rifles right now, and no plans to obtain more...

M1A Scout/Squad
Ruger 10/22

The 10/22 is only there for cheap target practice.

I have only one rifle, and I know how to use it--an AK-47. Arsenal Inc. SAS-M7 (milled underfolder).

Decent trigger, end-of-the-worlde reliability and toughness, and a plenty capable caliber for anything with 2 or 4 legs in my neck of the world.

A levergun in either .44 magnum or .30-30. I say this because I assume if I have one rifle, I won't be traveling much and These two calibers are enough to kill anything around me.
Of course, I wouldn't be sad at all to have a bolt action .308 or .30-06 milled to accept stripper clips, with a scout scope.

Either choice would be fine to hunt or for a SHTF situation.

Beware the man with one rifle..

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With no backup rifle, when his breaks he'll be coming after yours. Better keep it by your bed at night.

rifles are like potato chips.

you can't have just ONE.

easy

I would have to go with a Sabre Defense AR in 6.5 Grendel. It would be the 18”barrel with the “Gill Brake”, a skeletonized stock and the rails. Why? Well the 6.5 Grendel gives you almost 308 ballistics to about 200-300 yards, and better than 308 ballistics past 300 yards, in a package that only weighs 2/3 as much and recoils half as much. With a wide range of bullet weights (85-144gr) you could take small game up to big bucks, maybe even black bear. The 18”barrel would still keep velocity high but still balance well and be easy to maneuver. I think that it would just make the perfect single rifle solution.