Hey guys help a poor married college student out, What is the best shtf rifle for 350 bucks. Dont care if it is auto or lever or black or not, just has to be dead reliably. As for a high power bolt action, and 12 gauge pump I already have.
Best shtf rifle for 350.00 dollars
- Thread starter tango3065
- Start date
- Status
Cortland
Member
4 SKSs?
Devonai
Member
$350 should net you an immaculate Enfield #4 Mk1, a few boxes of ammo, and two dozen stripper clips.
FireInTheHole
Member
SKS and 3 cases of ammo.
Cortland
Member
Well that's why you buy four.
No? Well how about a Winchester 1894 30-30? Very light, compact, fun to shoot.
Slam fires can be prevented by not using US ammo (cheaper not to do this anyway) with softer primers and making sure you clean the bolt of cosmoline before firing and firing-related crud every so often.
Gas valve problems are usually found in used guns (corrosive comm bloc ammo) and should be evident upon first firing. Send it back, if so. Don't use corrosive ammo (esp. since Yugos don't have chromed barrels).
You can have an SKS and a Mosin-Nagant and stay in your price range and still buy ammo.
Should mention that AIM is in OH and have these and Centerfire Systems and Cole Distributing are in KY and also have MNs and SKSs. You can probabaly drive to one of these within 2 hours, which is well worth it to get to see what you're buying. Centerfire has Manurhin PPs if you want a good, yet cheap handgun for just over $200.
Gas valve problems are usually found in used guns (corrosive comm bloc ammo) and should be evident upon first firing. Send it back, if so. Don't use corrosive ammo (esp. since Yugos don't have chromed barrels).
You can have an SKS and a Mosin-Nagant and stay in your price range and still buy ammo.
Should mention that AIM is in OH and have these and Centerfire Systems and Cole Distributing are in KY and also have MNs and SKSs. You can probabaly drive to one of these within 2 hours, which is well worth it to get to see what you're buying. Centerfire has Manurhin PPs if you want a good, yet cheap handgun for just over $200.
DMK
Member
Yugo SKS, Norinco SKS(I like the 16" barreled "paratroopers"), Romanian SKS, SAR-1 AK(if it doesn't have canted sights).
Don't discount the utility of the venerable and versatile Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 Shotguns either.
Don't discount the utility of the venerable and versatile Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 Shotguns either.
Feanaro
Member
Slam-fires aren't a problem with the SKS as long as you clean the cosmoline out of the bolt/spring assembly and use ammo with hard primers, like Wolf. With UMC 7.62x39 ammunition for example, the primers are far too soft. I once purchased a box of that and on the first round, it double fired. The only reason it didn't dump the whole magazine was because the bullet in the third cartridge pushed itself back into the casing and jammed on the feeding ramp.
Sks rifles are good. If you get one, put a peep sight on the rear. Williams makes an inexpensive rear peep, and Arsenal appears to be offering one now, as well.
If you could find one, I'd get a Model 1917 Rifle, if I could find a decent one for $350. Incredibly sturdy, good sights, powerful ammo, acceptable for all but the most rabid bunny-huggers.
If you could find one, I'd get a Model 1917 Rifle, if I could find a decent one for $350. Incredibly sturdy, good sights, powerful ammo, acceptable for all but the most rabid bunny-huggers.
geekWithA.45
Moderator Emeritus
Look Into Saigas...
http://www.eaacorp.com/.
7.62x39 for $239, according to the manufacturer.
I don't own one, but I have shot them, they seem a good value for the money.
I'm not an AK guy, so I can't swear to it, but I think you could probably touch some sort of AK for that sort of money.
http://www.eaacorp.com/.
7.62x39 for $239, according to the manufacturer.
I don't own one, but I have shot them, they seem a good value for the money.
I'm not an AK guy, so I can't swear to it, but I think you could probably touch some sort of AK for that sort of money.
WonderNine
member
I've fired two boxes of Federal American Eagle 7.62X39mm through a Yugo SKS with no problems. Of course the rifle was unissued and detail stripped with cosmo removed from every part.
Gunscrubber sure melts that cosmoline away like it was melted butter! It isn't very nice to the stock, but add a little linseed oil and the stock looked better than it did at first.
Gunscrubber sure melts that cosmoline away like it was melted butter! It isn't very nice to the stock, but add a little linseed oil and the stock looked better than it did at first.
Feanaro
Member
Most of the time the SKS won't slam-fire on soft primer ammunition... but that's not good enough for me. And Wolf is cheaper anyways.
j.wise
Member
There was an SAR-1 with 5 mags for that exact price on GunsAmerica not too long ago (might still be there.) The SAR-1 is the Romanian AK, chambered for the standard 7.62X39 round. Great gun for the money, especially the newer ones with laminated stocks.
Hot brass
Member
SKS and a Mosin-Nagant , and STILL have plenty of money left over to buy lots of ammo. Then buy the little misses an ice cream............
armoredman
Member
The CETME redesigned from GunsNstuff.com for $320 shipped. Supposedly they have been fixed by Century to remove all the old problems like ground bolts and worn out rollers.
Also, cdnninvestments.com occaisionally has the Saiga rifles for killer prices, like $159 for the 7.62x39, or $179 for the .223, and $219 for the .308! They run out fast, but try to keep in stock.
Also, cdnninvestments.com occaisionally has the Saiga rifles for killer prices, like $159 for the 7.62x39, or $179 for the .223, and $219 for the .308! They run out fast, but try to keep in stock.
Preacherman
Member
The answer couldn't be simpler... Saiga in 7.62x39. They retail for less than $200 (I paid $169 for mine - the 16" barrel version - at a local gunshop), and for your $350, you can buy one of them, a half-dozen magazines, and 1000 rounds of ammunition. What's not to like? See here for more information.
Mike Irwin
Member
Hard to beat a Lee Enfield...
MeekandMild
Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2002
- Messages
- 1,877
444 is right. My vote is the Marlin.
One could argue all day the fine points of leverguns in 30-30 versus .44 magnum vs .357 magnum vs 45-70 however.
One could argue all day the fine points of leverguns in 30-30 versus .44 magnum vs .357 magnum vs 45-70 however.
You can't seriously expect to use a lever or bolt action rifle to defend yourself and your family from the HOARDES of angry roving zombies that you'll encounter during TEOTWAWKI!!!
AK is the only way to go on your budget... stone cold reliable, cheap, ammo cheap, 30 rnd mags cheap, 75 round drums not cheap, but 1/7th the price of AR drum mags...
I am kidding, but on a more serious note...
Someone on a budget is also probably on a budget with ammo costs and other accessories as well. You can't get any cheaper than the 7.62x39. Plus, there's the real "scare" factor involved too. You're gonna be a lot more commanding (or is that commando?
) holding a semi-automatic "military style+" rifle than any other choice.
After all, appearance is everything
AK is the only way to go on your budget... stone cold reliable, cheap, ammo cheap, 30 rnd mags cheap, 75 round drums not cheap, but 1/7th the price of AR drum mags...
I am kidding, but on a more serious note...
Someone on a budget is also probably on a budget with ammo costs and other accessories as well. You can't get any cheaper than the 7.62x39. Plus, there's the real "scare" factor involved too. You're gonna be a lot more commanding (or is that commando?
) holding a semi-automatic "military style+" rifle than any other choice. After all, appearance is everything
Mike Irwin
Member
"You can't seriously expect to use a lever or bolt action rifle to defend yourself and your family from the HOARDES of angry roving zombies that you'll encounter during TEOTWAWKI!!!"
If it was good enough to roll back hoards of Nazi & Nips...
I think some people have been watching far too many George Romero movies...
If it was good enough to roll back hoards of Nazi & Nips...
I think some people have been watching far too many George Romero movies...
- Status
