Which gun, for a one-gun user, in a worse-case scenario?

Realistically, a 12 gauge pump will handle everything from small game to large game to HD/SD...............

benEzra, all your points are excellent. Hm. And actually the first recommendation to get a handgun first rather goes agains the later point that subsistence is a higher priority than self-defense! But I think that both points made, and the reasons for them, are right on. Lots to think about.

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The problem with subsistence hunting and fishing in some sort of crisis is that it works great as long as you don't have a hundred thousand starving people in the woods with you doing the same thing. If you are in Alaska or rural Maine, or live in any other very rural area surrounded by thousands of acres of forest, and are an experienced hunter, it's a good plan. But for most of us, in a crisis, $400 of Ramen noodles and canned goods, water, a saucepan, and a cheap camp stove or some firewood will feed you far longer and far better than a $400 in guns and ammunition.

In my opinion, most potential crises in the United States---whether the result of weather, economic depression, whatever---will look a whole lot more like the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina than they look like an episode of Grizzly Adams. If I were contingency planning, I'd be thinking of preparations to handle a "widespread Katrina event", rather than an "alone against the wilderness" scenario.

In Argentina in the early 2000's, they had a major economic collapse and for the poor and middle class, it was a SHTF scenario in a lot of regions. The middle class turned poor and the poor turned desperate, but almost no one survived by subsistence hunting. There's a good writeup here by Fernando "FerFAL" Aguirre, IIRC a fellow THR member, who lived through the crisis:

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2008/10/thoughts-on-urban-survival-2005.html

Maybe a handgun and 10/22 for hunting? Dont laugh, but how do you all think a 10/22 would stand-up self-defense wise?

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I actually think that's a good idea. A 10/22 doesn't have the per-shot effectiveness of a shotgun or centerfire rifle, but it's very portable (you could consider adding a Butler Creek folding stock someday if you want it to store more compactly) and with a .25-round magazine it would be a pretty decent defense weapon, IMO. If you were preparing for a firefight rather than a crisis, it wouldn't be my first choice, but since you can stash away 500 rounds of .22 for less than $20, and in a severe crisis it could be used not only for defense, but for whatever level of subsistence hunting you do have the opportunity to participate in. Certainly you can get a more effective gun if you are willing to spend a lot more money, but for an all-around long gun to supplement a handgun inside 100 yards, a 10/22 is a decent and very economical choice if you factor in ammo cost.

http://www.gunweek.com/2004/feature1001.html

Oops, double post.

I’d choose a 12ga but it wouldn’t be a pump or semi only because it difficult to feed less than perfect shotshells.

If you’re a rifle guy the .22LR would be more than effective IF you carry a pistol for SD.

In my opinion, AR15. Reliable, lightweight, great handling, accurate, etc. 5.56 is a great round that is very lethal inside a few hundred yards, and the ammo is small and light as well allowing more to be carried. 5.56 is by no means the best hunting round but it could get the job done on Deer and Elk even if need be.

AR15s are also the most common type of center fire rifle in America so if you need parts, you're more likely to find them for an AR than any other rifle. They're also used by the US military so if you happen to run into friendly former military members they may have parts and ammo to trade.

Of course, you could also take a .22 upper or conversion kit to shoot the even more prevalent and light .22 ammo for very small game hunting.

Honestly about the only things you couldn't hunt with an AR15 are fish and flying birds. Combine the versatility with the light weight of the ammo and rifle, accuracy, reliability, capacity, rate of fire, etc., and it's easy to see why it's the best overall choice.

I would also say an AK47 is a good choice but with both ARs and 5.56/.223 ammo being more common the US it's not the ideal choice. Certainly an option though. I would stay away from shotguns purely due to ammo size and weight. You're only gonna have with you what you can carry, and 12G ammo adds up quick.

My $.02

Hello friends and neighbors // For me these days the choice is .357 rifle and 6" .357 revolver, with a Lee Hand Loader.

Having used a 7 1/2" Ruger Redhawk .44 a bit I'd be just as happy to go with .44 rifle/revolver combo ( I'm just too cheap). IIRC There was a hunting video with a scoped Super Redhawk .44 used to take down elk at 200yrds but I never tried it.

As stated in post#4 you can power down loads by using .44 special or your own hand loads. I carry .357/.38 of different bullet types (HP,,FMJ...and velocities as well as shot shells. I don't think of the .357 as a great 200 yard shooter but I do think a .357 lever and a .357 revolver make a very good bug out do all combo. If you check into the .357 Magnum History you might be surprised at the size game taken with even a 4" barrel.

I have though about the .22.
The .22 is great for bug out I have several including a Marlin Papoose.
You can carry many rounds but you can't reload them without some difficulty.
The .22 is good for some but not most needs where the .357/.38 is good for "most" needs including shot shells with more force and a better pattern.
"Most" of the jobs a .22 can do could be done with a good pellet gun or wrist rocket much more economically.

I have thought about the 12ga.
Awesome power, decent range, great diversity in ammo but way too heavy(gun and ammo) for a bug out. Especially if you want to carry food and water....as well as ammo. I do have a Remington 870 3" Express Magnum 20ga. with choke tubes that is tempting, light, manuverable and powerful but I prefer the .357 platform.

Here is my old (I've upgraded the Knife and Flashlight) woods walking set up.


1987 Inter Arms (rossi) , Model 92, .357 8+1 or .38 10+1, lever action rifle with night glow rear sights.
1983 S&W 6" Model 586 Distingushed Combat Magnum .357/.38 6 round Revolver.

I hope you find something that works for you ....enjoy the search.....and last but not least welcome to THR......Content

BTW, I should have posted this earlier, but this is a very interesting take on the aftermath of Katrina on the Gulf Coast, and what things were like for those caught up in it:

http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/

I would hate to be limited to one firearm but if I was it would be a good reliable accurate centerfire rifle.

I love handguns, there is nothing better for concealed carry, but they are underpowered and short range compared to a rifle or a shotgun.

I love shotguns and bird hunting, but except for bird hunting almost anything a shotgun can do with slugs or buckshot a rifle can do equally well or better, while extending the maximum range of a shotgun by 200 yards, for example I shot an Elk at 350 yards with a 300 Win Mag try that with a shotgun or a handgun.

For self defense at the longer ranges you will probably be killed if you are unlucky enough to go up against a man with a centerfire scoped rifle if you are using a hangun or a shotgun.

To carry the most ammo an AR in 556, to have a better round for big game an AK in 762x39 or my choice a 308 in one of the many rifle platforms for it, bolt action, Fal, M1A, HK91, AK, Ar10 etc.

I would much prefer to also be carrying a 22 pistol with hundreds of rounds to hunt small game, and if in a self defense situation, silencers for both guns, a pump water filter, fire starter and no fires or light at night no big fires with smoke during the day, and always stay in cover and concealment, as you would now not only be the hunter, but also the hunted. Some of us have been hunted before, it brings a whole new unique feeling and thinking to the perspective.

Only one gun for when SHTF?

I'm going to cheat just a little bit on the one gun thing. If you ask me, any reasonable person would have the venerable 1911 for personal defense, but also have one of these on hand:

http://www.mechtechsys. com

That's still only one gun. Right?

I often think Cowboy or Mountain man for this type of situation give me a levergun and a single action or a good flintlock Hawken.

For me I would grab a Marlin 1894C in 357 and my S&W 65 or 13. I will not be a sport and wing shoot any fowl I might meet up with I will shoot them on the ground so I do not need a shotgun.
I often think about a centerfire rifle and a rimfire handgun or vice versa would be a great combo. Having a heavy caliber rifle with a small lightweight 22 handgun would be great where larger game would be plentiful. While having a very accurate 22 rifle and a heavy caliber handgun would be great where smaller game would be plentiful. While many people suggest a shotgun for this type of situation they often do not take into account that a box of 25 shotgun shells takes up as much room as 500 22lr and 25 centerfire handgun cartridges. if I needed to depend on my gun for survival I would not want to throw that much lead down range just to get one animal. Taking the time to know the game animals of the area will allow one to be a better hunter so you would not need to throw a shot pattern to kill an animal a 22 slug would do it.


Here are a number of guns that would work
a Ruger 10/22 with a folding stock and a good set of peep sights.
a Colt Woodsman or Ruger mkII
a Ruger MkII with a silencer and a scope and a wire stock. Wire stock, think Sten gun, drill and tap a hole in the back rear of the grip and screw it in with a knurled lock nut.
Marlin 1894C with a tang sight in 357, 44mag or 45 Colt.
Win 1894 or Marlin 336 in 30-30.
A Ruger superblackhawk in 357 or 44mag. (the Hunter version allows a scope to be removed and replaced easily.)



Lost in the woods, give me a Ruger SuperBearcat modified with a small dovetailed rear sight and with one chamber reamed out to 22mag and and a bag of 22lr and a bag of 22mags and while we are at it a good slimline trapper knife.

A gun that would be slick would be a Savage 24 clone in 22 hornet/28gauge. I would have it built with the shotgun barrel on top and put a tang sight on it so that using the shotgun would be easier with just the front sight and then when the rifle is needed one could flip up the tang sight and have the accuracy needed.

Something like a Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 would be perfect for you intended purpose. There's nothing you can't hunt with one and it's a very effective weapon for defending yourself. They are also easy to use and maintain and ammo is commonly available everywhere.

If you could only have ONE gun, and you need it to do multiple things, you should look at the Baikals. It's an open sighted long gun, 20ga over a .223 barrel. There you have all the advantages of a shotgun and a rifle in one neat package, If you can get a second gun on top of that, go for a 4 inch 357.

Glock 9mm or .40 caliber. The Glock pistol is the most popular pistol in American law enforcement today, with the .40 caliber being the most popular caliber. 9mm is also a good choice since it is standard military issue.

While I prefer the larger guns, my thought process says a subcompact might be a good choice because it will feed any of the magazines, so you don't scrounge a Glock 19 magazine that won't seat in your Glock 17 for instance. You can also put longer barrels into the gun if you think that is necessary. If we're not talking about a forever-after type event, I would go with the Glock 17 or 19.

Ruger Single Six 6.5 inch barrel. Serves in the .22 role without another long gun to carry. Not as good as a rifle, but not bad either. A bolt action or 10/22 folder would also be an excellent choice.

Either an AR platform rifle or a Remington 700 in .223/5.56. I would personally take the AR platform rifle. Again, the most popular rifle for military, law enforcement, and recently the general public makes for easier scrounging if that become necessary in a long term scenario.

While an 870 pump or a good break-open 12 gauge would be excellent for a myriad of problems, the sheer volume the ammo takes up is a negative. Would have to think on a shotgun.

For the original poster I would probably recommend the Remington 700 in 5.56 since he indicates a familiarity with bolt action rifles. Then modify the gun to accept detachable box magazines and buy spare mags, this would increase a shooters volume of fire if the rifle needed to be used in a self defense/multiple assailant type scenario.

BenEzra and Mr. Williams have said it best.

That said, I think that it really depends where you live. If you live in a city, then your primary objective would be getting the heck outta Dodge. I certainly wouldn't want to be around hundreds of thousands of ill prepared people. Also what are the most likely disasters/ obstacles that you would face. Would it be hurricanes, fire or zombie hordes?

The way I see it, Hurricanes, floods, massive fires (ala California wild fires, but on a larger scale), nuclear/ biological, terrorist etc are disasters that mean that you have to get out and far away, so portability is key.

Harvey said:

http://www.mechtechsys. com
That's still only one gun. Right?

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I would love something like that. The 'Glock CCU with a Quadrail installed along with some accessories' looks like a lot of fun, and hey, plenty of magazines and ammunition can be had for cheap!

Ammo Weight...

As a reality check I quickly weighed some ammo that i had on hand-

Your numbers may vary based on manufacturer and bullet weight, but based on some quick and dirty math, here's how many rounds you get per pound:

22LR- 135-140
223- 36-39
7.62x39- 27-28
6.5 Grendel- 25-27
30-30 21-23
308- 18-19
12 GA (2.75) 9-11

Loaded AR mag
.223, 30rd = 1.12lb
6.5 Grendel, 25 round = 1.35

357mag- 35ish (only had one brand)
9mm- 32-39
40 S&W- 28-30
44mag- 18-20
45ACP- 22-25

+100 on the 12ga pump, there are trade offs on about everything, but in your situation I would say that the pump shotty will give you a lot more versatility than any other option.

This is a very broad question. Choices have ramifications. Here is what I have done...

I have a Ruger Mini-14 (223) for whatever and I don't expect to ever shoot further than 100 yards. They are utterly reliable and you can expect pie plate accuracy at 100 yards with open sights. It is adequate for hunting larger game with well placed shots.

You will want a good 22 rifle for woods use/foraging. This is for food, but can be used for limited protection. I like the Marlin 39A for this, but more than likely I would choose one of my very accurate bolt actions in the event I had to leave home. The Marlin is a great rifle for this purpose. I would probably take both... more than one person in my scenario....

For handguns, I prefer a good 22 and have mixed emotions about choosing only one... but my choice would be either a Ruger Mark II (with 5.5" heavy barrel) or a Smith Model 18 (4" barrel). You will need holsters for each handgun you might choose.

My other choice would be probably a Glock 23 (40S&W) for urban considerations where self defense likely takes a higher priority, but I am very comfortable with a 357 mag revolver like the 3" GP-100 also. I wouldn't be hunting with either of these unless it was VERY close range. Holsters are required for either.

The other alternative I see is to simply take one of my 41 mags and a fair amount of ammo. I'm pretty accurate to 100 yds with one of these and could probably carry a 22 rifle and the revolver as my only choices in a rural setting. I could hunt with this combo quite well and defend myself under a normal scenario barring an armed gang set on killing me. This would not be my choice for urban uses.

A Thompson Contender is also a reasonable choice as well with several barrels including 22LR and 223. You can shoot them fairly quickly if you had to, but it is no gun for urban survival. You want something concealable in an urban setting because the world has not ended. It may be chaotic, but there will likely be some law enforcement or military around and you don't want to look like a bad guy to them lugging around your AR.

Shotguns are always good choices. The 12 ga Remington 870 or Mossberg comes to mind as primary choices. Be sure to have a sling on them.

I will agree with the 12ga.....although I find it hard to leave the house without one of my .38 snubs, and/or .357.....

Spikes Tactical ST-15 LE

or, Arsenal SGL-21-61 (Its a type of AK-47). 7.62x39 will knock down a dear.

Stainless Synthetic Bolt Action Sporter Weight 308 Winchester

Medium Power Scope

Lots of Bullets

The first thing that came to mind is a lever gun in 357. The only concern I would possibly have with that is ammo avalability. In which case maybe an AK variant may be in order. Personslly, a 22 rifle is hard to beat for a survival gun. Also a 12 Ga is useful for almost anything. Maybe a cheap shotgun in conjuction with a cheap 22. Forget pistols. They are cool, and you can hide them, but for a survival gun, they suck.

One other thing to consider, I don't know what kind of situation you think you might find yourself in, but I always figured if there was some kind of major civil unrest/war, there will be plenty of rifles laying around for me to pick up if I run out of ammo in mine.