best rifle for worst case scenario?

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I'd go for an AR build, about 600 bucks if you stay cheap, and an AK, which will run you between 420-500 for a decent Yugo. Then spend as much as you can on magazines and ammunition.
Mags and Ammunition are what the demo's are going to go after next, methinks, a rifle without ammunition is a club, and a semi-auto without a magazine is a hard-to-load single shot.
 
In Order By Price (And For The Most Part Quality).

701 : Who makes the best AK?
Click to expand...

It more depends on what you want to spend, what company you think is best and what features you want on it. At the top (in both price and often quality) you're going to have custom AK's like those made by Krebs Custom. There are other custom gunsmiths that are just as good, but he seems to be the most well known as far as AK's go. Krebs is kind of expensive for an AK ($900 to $1600), but they are nice though.

Also included in this category are the various Pre-Ban AK Models that some people really prize that are no longer imported by decree of George the 1st in 1989. Since alot of these that are listed below are "No-Ban models" that have the same exact features that the Pre-Bans do and cost less doing it and due to the fact that you're probably not going to start collecting various models of AK's that are rare and expensive, then I'll leave those out for another time.

1) Expensive, but very well made.

Krebs Custom.

http://www.krebscustom.com/KalashnikovRifles.shtml#AK103KPKFS

http://www.krebscustom.com/KalashnikovRifles.shtml

http://www.krebscustom.com/KalashnikovRifles.shtml#AK103S

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2) Very good quality, but less money. Top of the regular AK's

Then you're going to have AK's by these guys.......
http://www.globaltrades.com/

........., these guys (which are my favorite), and then......
http://www.arsenalinc.com/calibers762.htm

....these guys which are all in basically the same category as far as quality is concerned.
http://www.robarm.com/M96_Home.htm

Out of the three I personally like the Arsenal SA M-7, but the other two are great too.

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3) In the middle in both price and quality

Then you have companies like these of which there are several.
http://ewbankak47.com/AK47_Rifles.php

Yugo AK's
www.centuryarms.com

For several other companies like it click on here...
http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/index.html

...or here and see what they have to say about various mid-level companies.
http://www.akfiles.com/forums/

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4) The most inexpensive of all. Some don't have a great finish, but they work fine.

Then you have the Romanian AK's...
http://www.southernohiogun.com/aks.htm

...the Chinese AK's...
http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/mak90.html

...and the Saiga by EAA which is pretty cheap, but that from what I hear works great..
http://www.militarygunsupply.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=FIEAA762

You'll see alot of the Chinese and Romanian AK's both used and new as they're the most inexpensive and they do work well. They were imported into the country in the most numbers. The Saiga's are starting to get popular as guys convert them to No-Ban, so the price on them will go up eventually. They make a great truck ranch or trunk carbine as they only cost about $300 out the door tax and everything.
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Used AK page so that you can check out the prices.

AK Classifieds if you're looking for a deal on a used one.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=7&f=122
 
Another source for quality AK builds would be Arizona Expertarms. Details here. I haven't yet had a chance to take mine out to the range, but the fit and finish is very nice. Has four more US parts than required, so the BATFEboys won't get bent out of shape if you use surplus mags. It accepts all stick mags I've tried: 30-round Promags, 30-round Bulgy waffles, 30-round East German metal ones. The Chinese 75-round drums fit and hand-cycle great, but I did note that the more steeply-angled drums (Yugo? I forgot) will need a little bit of filing done to the drum to allow the catch to lock closed. Not that I believe it matters in an AK, but the stick mags and Chinese drum lock in nice, tight, and smoothly.

Can't wait for my weekend! :D
 
One thing all you AKers have not figured on is the ARers can make their own ammo dirt cheap. Cases are silly cheap, Pulled bullets too.

The one big grawback on an AK is the magazine feed. With an inexpierenced shooter under stress they can not get the mag in that easy.

The AR on the other hand is so easy a 12 year old can do it.

The ARs wont take the abuse an AK can, but the AK would reach out and touch someone like the AR can.

For myself, I use an 1944 M1 Garand. The finest battle rifle ever made.
My Wife being a small asian uses a SKS, highly modified (lightened).
 
One of the most fun, the most versatile for hunting and survival, reliable yet inexpensive, and best of all most effective home defense weapons is a 12 gauge pump. At 12 cents a shot (normal price for say 7-1/2 shot), 12 gauge ammo isn’t expensive nor is the weapon which you can pick up for $250 already.

If the motto is “one gun must meets all needs”, the shotgun is hands down the winner. It was the shotgun which tamed the West more than any other weapon. It's the same reason why the shotgun is actually making a comeback (In niche applications) in the Army and Marine Corps today.

(Fun)
If you want to do something fun try shooting skeet and trap!

(Survival)
You can hunt rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail, duck, turkey, goose, pheasant, hogs/bore, deer, moose, bear…… Most hunting for deer, moose, and bear is at less than 150 meters and a shotgun with a slug barrel is adequate. You can open doors, start fires, signal to aircraft/boats with flare rounds…….

(Shootin bad guys)
Close in 00B (2-3/4 inch standard) will put 9, .33 inch (8.4mm) holes in someone with a single shot. Let me put this in perspective. This is 1-1/8 ounce of lead you’re pumping into someone, or about 31.5 grams. In comparison a standard AK round might bring 122 grains or about 8 grams. 2-3/4 inch is fairly generic and when you get into 3 ½ you’re looking at 18 pellets (almost 8 TIMES the mass of an AK bullet) at 1,300 ft/sec coming at someone! There tends to be no over penetration and you almost always have a complete transfer of energy into the target. The so called “knock-down power” is substantial and the probability of injury to bystanders behind the target is less. Nine holes equal nine chances of hitting something vital, 18 holes double that probability; a shotgun achieves that with one pull of the trigger. For home defense and close in (100 feet or less), no assault rifle will hang with the shotgun.

(The drawbacks)
Every weapon has its application. A shotgun is the most versatile and indeed at close range it’s a near savage weapon against a human. The drawbacks are obvious. A shotgun is generally difficult to conceal and it lacks long range. Ammunition is very bulky and this makes the carrying of large quantities difficult. It’s not a weapon with which you want to hunt doll sheep in the Alaskan Brooks Range. No gun can do it all, but no gun has the scope in capabilities of a shotgun. Many of the virtues of the assault rifle considered by the DoD are not equally relevent to the survivalist or even for home defense.
 
Get a quality Arsenal AK. I have one that is fully milspec (hard to find) with a milled receiver. It is very accurate unlike what the AR guys will tell you. It will last forever and shoots any kind of crap ammo you would pick up along the way.

With practice you should be able to take body shots at 500 yds. with stock sights or to make things easier upgrade to peep sights from Krebs.

If the SHTF I will grab my AK and a .308 which I have not got yet, I will probably get a Saiga .308 b/c I can't front the cost for a Springfield M1A.
 
.223, and .22 Hornet for that matter are perfectly legal here in Wisconsin.
 
Lee Enfield No. 4 Mark 1 converted to .308

Incredibly Accurate

Peep Sights

Super Quick Action

Stripper Clips ?

Immune to the problems with semi-auto actions.

Damn good looking

Legal to hunt with in ALL states

Less of a chance of causing civil panic if your seen with it

Not an AK :neener:
 
Anybody who is advocating an AK for the "you-can-only-have-one-rifle" scenario is in denial about the lack of accuracy the AK suffers from.

Ever shot an AK at 300 yards?... 600 yards???

Come on guys, its a RIFLE we are talking about.

Samuel L. Jackson's famous line sums up the real value of an AK.
In that situation, the AK is as good as it gets.
Any other situation, and the garden-variety AK is not even close to a first choice. I love my AK's. But they will stay at home when I really need a rifle.
Even if you can get a scope mounted on an AK, the mounting apparatus is a JOKE compared to doing it the right way.
 
Since when was a .223 a legal hunting caliber?
Click to expand...

Guys, the minimum legal caliber for big game in Wyoming was .243 last time I went hunting there. The nice part is that you can even get an upper in .243 for an AR. Check out this link:

http://www.olyarms.com/index.php?pa...n=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37&vmcchk=1&Itemid=37

Don't ya just love a flexible platform? :cool:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushmaster_XM-15

"Aftermarket upper receivers that incorporate barrels of different weights and lengths, and handle different caliber ammunition, abound for this rifle. They are very easily installed, due to the rifle's modular design. These calibers include (in caliber size order):

.22 Long Rifle
.204 Ruger
5.56 × 45 mm NATO
.223 Remington
.243 WSM
6 x 45mm
6.5 Grendel (.264 cal)
6.8 SPC (.270 cal)
.300 Whisper
7.62x39mm
9mm Parabellum
.45 ACP
.45 Bushmaster
.458 SOCOM
.50 AE
.50 Beowulf
.50 BMG"

Again, try that with an AK. :neener:

Another advantage: all of these uppers are available mail order with no FFL required. You can just buy 'em and have 'em delivered to your door.

Again, try that with an AK. :neener:
 
ak..i have a norinco 56s..very reliable, reasonably accurate..and still pretty cheap to feed..and....i dont have to clean it often
 
Time for a bit of other opinion---FAL --7.62x51--A true battle rifle. Tough, durable, easy to maintain. Fun to shoot and shoot just about any ammo.:neener:
 
Does it have to be Mil-surp

if yes than go for the Enfield last of the 'empire' been used for years in allmost ever climate and you will look less evil with it and bring less attetion to yourself. Or get a nice simple and rugged lever action 30-30 will take out most game and if you need something bigger than you just shouldnt be hunting it and also less evil looking
 
I'd say the AR fits your criteria the best if you don't mind spending the extra $$$ to acquire it versus an AK.
 
The one big grawback on an AK is the magazine feed. With an inexpierenced shooter under stress they can not get the mag in that easy.

The AR on the other hand is so easy a 12 year old can do it.
Click to expand...
I've seen experienced shooters with military rifle training and multiple seasons of IPSC pistol shooting under their belt have the magazines fall out of their ARs after the first shot following a tactical reload.

It may be that an AK mag is somewhat harder to insert into the magwell than an AR mag (it's not for me, but I have more practice with the AK than the AR), but I do know that it is easier to fail to latch the mag on an AR, so it evens out.

Now, it does take a more practice to do magazine changes on an AK as fast as the same person could do on an AR, but it can be done.
 
Honestly, not trying to be a wise guy but whatever rifle you are most skilled in using. If you were to survive a worst case scenario that would require the use of a rifle, you would probably have more weapons and ammo than you could carry.

I don't think you could go wrong with an AR variant as it is the hottest selling rifle in the US from what I understand (availability of parts, accessories etc.). Pick a quality rifle and learn it's use at distance and in conditions. You might consider some professional training if the wallet permits, which would increase the likelihood of you collecting their weapon and not the other way around.
 
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my .02....

701 asked about the best rifle for "worst case scenario" ("sh*t his the fan" out here in the NE)

To me, that translates to the best weapon for
1.Close quarter battle (CQB)
2. medium to long range (hunting/sniping)
3. long range

The AR has these classes locked...that's why it is the
#1 most popular rifle for the last several years...

All you need is one lower with 2 uppers:
1 upper w 16 in barrel, reddot, flashlight and free float HG ((maybe 1-5 x 20 scope w QD)
the other upper for long range - 24" barrel with scope (5-10 or 6-20)

Again, this is for SHTF...your bug out kit has 1 rifle, 1 upper
and all the ammo you can carry! (dont forget batteries and a pistol)
THERE IS NO OTHER RIFLE PLATFORM THAT COMES CLOSE!

DOCGARY
1. RRA TACT CAR - EOTECH, grippod, MI FF HG
2. Custom KRIEGER barrel 26", JVAC FF HG, Magpul PRS stock, Harris Bipod
various handguns, etc
 
as annoyed as i get when someone says "both", in this case i'm gonna agree with O.S.O.K: get both !!
consider that $429 yugo AK from classic arms, AND build an inexpensive AR.
you can even go cheaper on the AK from classic arms, they have one for $289,i believe. not as "nice" as the yugo, but it'll have a chrome bore (yugo don't) and it'll still go bang when you pull the trigger.
 
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