All purpose rifle/pistol caliber hunting & self defense round nomination.

[JR24]

That 5.7 is another marketing gimmick imo. .357 mag or .44 mag 6 inch pistol and carbine combination will do just fine. You wont make it on just one or the other firearm. SBRs not in my survival arsenal. Spraying and praying with limited ammo supply won't cut it. To each his own though.

Huh? Just because it has more bullets means aimed, accurate, shots are not possible? Strange.

 

[Pat Riot]

All purpose rifle/pistol caliber hunting & self defense round nomination.

I think this is where the rifle/pistol thoughts came from.

But, you did say “ONE gun”.
For me, right at this very moment from the guns in my house, that one gun would be my Ruger PC Carbine in 9mm. I know this is a handgun forum, but this would be what I would grab for an all around situation.

 

[JDeere]

Strange.

Not really. Accurate well placed shots out to 100 yds? With a 16inch AR yes. Can you do that with an SBR with consistancy?

 

[35 Whelen]

At what ranges? Certainly not for the first 50 yards or so? Just asking - your point is taken.

Look, the 5.7x28 uses tiny bullets that are either highly frangible or FMJ, neither of which are going to do much good when one is trying to stay alive by harvesting common game such as deer.
I've ways felt a lever rifle in .357 (or maybe a .44 Magnum) along with a so chambered revolver would be the most versatile long-term survival firearm one could want. Self contained, no magazines to keep up with or get damaged, very common caliber, etc.

35W

 

[JR24]

Not really. Accurate well placed shots out to 100 yds? With a 16inch AR yes. Can you do that with an SBR with consistancy?

Dunno, don’t own an SBR or braced pistol and agree that they aren’t part of my plan either. 16-18 inch barrel would be what I’d choose for almost all applications.

But, I’ve seen folks at the range pull respectable groups at 100 with their SBRs (depending on optic), hardly spraying and praying. I guess it depends on what the definition of both accurate fire and spraying and praying is.

 

[JDeere]

Dunno, don’t own an SBR or braced pistol and agree that they aren’t part of my plan either. 16-18 inch barrel would be what I’d choose for almost all applications.

That's all I have is 16 and 20s. I get what your saying. I have never seen anyone at the range on the rifle line with an SBR...It's all good...

 

[Tinker-S]

Not sure I buy into the general premise. I am never going to be doing all three of those things at the same time. Thankfully I am not in a situation that forces me to just one gun choice. Variety is the spice of life and I change guns almost as often as I can aford. Anything I hunt with will do a passable job at self defense too. A self defense specific firearm implies CCW to me so that is going to be a handgun in some common caliber (40S&w and 38 Special my two favorite etc). Bugout is something I don't see happening in all but the most vanishing weird and unlikely circumstance and in that case my first choice is going to be a 22LR or 410.

The same reason I do not buy ammo for a "Stash". Just what I want to use for the weekly range visits.
Nice post!

 

[Tinker-S]

Dunno, don’t own an SBR or braced pistol and agree that they aren’t part of my plan either. 16-18 inch barrel would be what I’d choose for almost all applications.

But, I’ve seen folks at the range pull respectable groups at 100 with their SBRs (depending on optic), hardly spraying and praying. I guess it depends on what the definition of both accurate fire and spraying and praying is.

Not really. Accurate well placed shots out to 100 yds? With a 16inch AR yes. Can you do that with an SBR with consistancy?

All day long!
Even with a pistol without brace.
Your mileage will vary.

 

[Tallball]

The title is a little confusing. If civilization disappeared and I had to feed and protect myself long-term with a rifle and handgun in the same caliber, a 44 magnum rifle and revolver would be fine, with 45 colt or 357 magnum being okay substitutes. That sort of thing worked out okay for my ancestors.

If it was just one firearm period, a good hunting rifle in a normal caliber would be fine. You can take smaller things like squirrels and such with them, as well as deer and hogs.

 

[Rexster]

I would consider the .45 Colt and .357 Magnum to be the leading candidates, for my personal use cases, to be one cartridge to use in both long guns and handguns. Favorite individual weapons, that I already own, would favor the .357 Magnum cartridge. .357 Magnum might be a bit light, for Brown Bears, but I am rarely out and about, anywhere near their habitats.

“Just one gun” would narrow it down to the GP100, .357 Mag. I consider concealed carry to be an essential factor, and, I can dress-around a 4” to 6” GP100, if I must. The original-pattern GP100 factory grip is custom-level perfect, for each of my hands, and the trigger is perfectly-shaped, and perfectly positioned, for each of my index fingers. (I consider ambidextrous usage to be important.) I am more consistently accurate with a GP100, than any other handgun I own.

Mag dumps, fast splits, suppressors, and arm braces are not on my radar screen. Defense against feral dogs, feral hogs, and feral humans are important. Survival hunting might become important. (Yes, feral hogs. A home health care nurse was killed and eaten by one or more feral hogs, in her clients’ driveway, in an adjacent county, east of here. I am getting old, and have balance problems, from time to time. So, yes, feral hogs are a concern, in cartridge selection.)

Edited to add: Nothing against braced pistols and SBRs. I have a DDM4 V7P, but, it is a niche weapon; nice to have, but not important enough to influence my “one cartridge” choice, and certainly far too niche to be the “one gun.”

 

[35 Whelen]

I would consider the .45 Colt and .357 Magnum to be the leading candidates, for my personal use cases, to be one cartridge to use in both long guns and handguns. Favorite individual weapons, that I already own, would favor the .357 Magnum cartridge. .357 Magnum might be a bit light, for Brown Bears, but I am rarely out and about, anywhere near their habitats.

“Just one gun” would narrow it down to the GP100, .357 Mag. I consider concealed carry to be an essential factor, and, I can dress-around a 4” to 6” GP100, if I must. The original-pattern GP100 factory grip is custom-level perfect, for each of my hands, and the trigger is perfectly-shaped, and perfectly positioned, for each of my index fingers. (I consider ambidextrous usage to be important.) I am more consistently accurate with a GP100, than any other handgun I own.

I'm with you although I much prefer the ruggedness of fixed sights. We own a cabin in the mountains of northern New Mexico outside of town where getting snowed-in during winter is a very real possibility. I bought an old worn Ruger Police Service Six .38 Special, then found a Security Six .357 cylinder and yoke on eBay and installed it therein. I keep it and a couple of boxes of mixed .357 and .38 Special "just in case". It's a very accurate revolver and shoot to the sights with only a marginal difference in vertical POI between my .38 and .357 handloads.

35W

 

[Rexster]

35W, I can do “ruggedness of fixed sights.” Two of my several GP100 revolving pistols have fixed sights; one 4”, with the traditional trough-style rear, and one 3”, with the dovetailed Novak, presumably a Wiley Clapp edition, though I bought it pre-owned, with some customization already done to it, so, it may have been from a a different edition.

I have broken at least one rear sight blade, so, know what you are saying.

My carry gun, at this moment, is a fixed-sight S&W Model 64, backed-up by a “fixed-sight-less” Seecamp LWS-32, in a pocket holster.

 

[someguy2800]

Not a chance for me. 357 mag, 44 mag or 10mm would all be better for that in my opinion.

 

[someguy2800]

Not really. Accurate well placed shots out to 100 yds? With a 16inch AR yes. Can you do that with an SBR with consistancy?

Why wouldn’t you be able to do that with an SBR?

 

[someguy2800]

That 5.7 is another marketing gimmick imo.

I have to agree, I really can’t think of an application where one would be be more useful than other options. Maybe someone that needs a very low recoil full size service pistol? At one time it held an interesting niche because it could defeat most soft body armor, but Thats not always true anymore with advancements in technology.

 

[LimaCharlie]

With a 44 magnum, you can go from mild 44 special to nuclear 44 magnum.

 

[tarosean]

That 5.7 is another marketing gimmick imo.

I have to agree, I really can’t think of an application where one would be be more useful than other options. Maybe someone that needs a very low recoil full size service pistol? At one time it held an interesting niche because it could defeat most soft body armor, but Thats not always true anymore with advancements in technology.

Must be one hell of a marketing genius to get NATO STANAG, plus I am pretty sure USSS still tasks it with protecting POTUS.
(I don’t even own anything 5.7x28)

 

[jstert]

generally speaking, 357/38 revolver or 9mm pistol paired with a carbine of same caliber. however for my humble needs both pieces would be chambered in 22lr.

the same geniuses who changed army service uniforms from greens to bus driver blues to ww2 pinks, and made umpteen more cammy designs for fatigues, at huge personal and public costs, bring us the 5.7. i would worry more about filling the ranks with fit, trained and motivated young men and women, than filling new mags with a magic bullet.

 

[BreechFace]

Not really. Accurate well placed shots out to 100 yds? With a 16inch AR yes. Can you do that with an SBR with consistancy?

Easy, if one can’t then one needs practice. 100 yard hits with an SBR in 556 is a walk in the park.

An SBR length barrel is just as accurate as a long barreled AR when an optic is in the mix. The only benefits that pertain to accuracy to a longer barrel is velocity and longer sight radius for iron sights.

 

[hq]

100 yard hits with an SBR in 556 is a walk in the park.

Exactly. As a sidenote, I've used a 10½" suppressed SBR for grouse hunting for decades and 200yd+ shots aren't that uncommon. The vital area of a black grouse is approximately 3-4" in diameter. That of a willow ptarmigan is even smaller.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

FK BRNO

 

[Leon tP]

All purpose rifle/pistol caliber hunting & self defense round nomination.

What would you all think of the 5.7x28 as a self defense, bug-out, and hunting round?

You can carry a 30 round magazine in a pistol. The cartridge is accurate out to 150 yards.
Given a survival mode it could be used to hunt all but the largest game. It comes available in the pistols of 3 different manufacturers. If you had to use only ONE gun might not this be the choice?

The 5.7 wouldn't be my first choice as a self defense round but if you put enough rounds CM on target, I'm sure you can end a threat pretty quick or if you land a CNS shot it's game over, but still it's not my first choice.

As a "bug out" caliber it has a few things going for it. First, your ability to carry lots of ammo for the same weight penalty as compared to other service caliber choices. More ammo, that's always good. It has the ability to reach out a fair distance, even with a handgun and that can be useful.

For hunting and survival (survival is implied by any "bug out" gun), it wouldn't be my first choice for mid size or larger deer but small game and edible varmints, sure. Get used to eating rabbit, squirrels, opossum, raccoons, woodchuck, snakes etc. After all, a lot of folks think, "head for the hills" when they think "bug out".

If I could only have one gun for this hypothetical scenario and it had to be for Self Defense, Bug Out, Hunting and basically anything else that might come up then I would probably lean towards a G20 in 10mm.

I'll take the penalty in the amount of ammo I can carry (bug out, hopefully find more ammo later -- 40 S&W will do) but for self defense, I'd rather be slinging the bigger bullets (stop the threat ASAP). I know CNS shots, right? But that's the thing about BGs and dangerous animals, they tend to move and not want to get shot (go figure). Besides, in a "bug out" scenario with no expectation of outside help, you're gonna want to avoid any kind of hostile confrontation -- if at all possible (no 911, no hospitals, no nothing). So that means I'll be using my firearm mostly for hunting and to that end I want Deer meat!

I had an old friend who loved to hunt by a river for opossum and racoon. He'd cook them up and made all kinds of dishes out of them, and I politely ate with him but they didn't compare to Texas deer. So I want a cartridge up to the task of harvesting just about anything I might encounter and in my mind for this thought exercise that's the 10mm.

Just my own musings on the subject.

Now if I could have a handgun and a rifle...

 

[JDeere]

Easy, if one can’t then one needs practice. 100 yard hits with an SBR in 556 is a walk in the park.

An SBR length barrel is just as accurate as a long barreled AR when an optic is in the mix. The only benefits that pertain to accuracy to a longer barrel is velocity and longer sight radius for iron sights.

Hits I'm sure but accuracy to atleast 2 moa. An SBR as accurate as a carbine length barrel or longer. I'm not buying that.

 

[BreechFace]

Hits I'm sure but accuracy to atleast 2 moa. An SBR as accurate as a carbine length barrel or longer. I'm not buying that.

Why?

What makes a carbine length barrel more accurate? Not it’s length.

Velocity advantage for wind drift wouldn’t be enough at that distance. Mechanical accuracy between the two would be the same, if not being potentially better for the shorter more rigid barrel. Ballistics of a faster muzzle velocity would surely help at greater distances with less flight time and decreasing the time wind has an effect on the bullet in flight, but at 100 yards that is a non-issue.

 

[Archie]

Why?

What makes a carbine length barrel more accurate? Not it’s length.

Not exactly. The difference is generally due to better manufacture of inner barrel (bore) dimensions and uniformity. In barrels of equal precision, the advantage is to (iron sight) radius. With scopes, that obvious does not matter as much. The length of a barrel - assuming done correctly has no inherent effect on accuracy.