Survival Scenarios. Which Rifle and Why?

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I have several rifles. If I had to choose one quickly for survival, I'd have to go with my Schmidt Rubin K31 bolt action. It is accurate to several hundred yards and very reliable. The drawback is limited replacement parts and ammo.

If I was looking at possible fighting, I'd have to go with the other one I have, the M1 Garand because of the faster cycle time, more ammo available, and good accuracy out to several hundred yards.

For urban use, imo, while a shorter barreled may have a slight advantage, I'd still stick with the M1. I have a pistol for infighting if need be at close range. And for rural, the M1 definitely has the advantage over shorter barrel rifles.

But, as someone said, it is a matter of individual taste, and parts and ammo availability.
 
Did anybody mention using a .22 conversion on an AR -15 platform. Can be switched out in seconds, allows for 5.56 or .22 use, depending on which "game" you are hunting for. Survival also means being the hunter instead of the hunted. There is always something or someone who will want what you have, and will dispense with you as fast as you would it.
 
Here's a different answer from any one posted so far . . .

Start laughing.

I would choose my Air Arms S410 .22 PCP with a hand pump to recharge it -- yes, that's right, an air rifle!

If we're not talking home protection or defending my family (not talking shotguns), or urban an un-expected urban shoot-out (not talking concealed handguns) then, we are talking bug out, get to somewhere safe, hunker down and survive as long as you have to. I presume here that the ATM's aren't working and the grocery and hardware stores are closed anyhow, and if you don't already have the weapon and all the ammo you will ever need, then you are in trouble.

If the SHTF, no matter how well armed I might be, in a shoot out, or if someone knows where I am and really wants to get me and what I have stockpiled, then I am probably screwed.

So I have in mind a secluded little place in the deep woods where I can disappear, hunker down, and survive, heat with firewood, tend a garden patch, have well water and nearby spring water, and small game in sufficient numbers to hunt often and successfully.

A .22LR rifle would be a great choice, if it is noise suppressed. But otherwise, even occasionally shooting small game with a firearm will eventually attract unwanted attention. With an air rifle, I can reliably take rabbits, squirrels and birds at up to 50 yards, fill my game bag, and creep home. No one, even if they are very nearby, will realize I have been hunting (or poaching) on their property. With practiced stealth and careful shot placement, getting within 15 to 20 yards, particularly with a pre-charged pneumatic air rifle, I wager that I can kill anything that you can kill with a .22LR, one or two legged.

The cost of 500 rounds of pellets is about $10 bucks. Air rifles never jam and very seldom need cleaning. And when they do, it's easy. I am pretty sure I can keep an air rifle shooting for the rest of my lifetime with a few hand tools, a hand pump and a couple of hundred dollars of spare parts - springs, seals, a small tube of silicone grease, and a couple of hundred dollars worth of pellets.

So, if the SHTF, I won't be fighting, I will be hiding and keeping as quiet as possible. Stealth is the best survival option even if you aren't cowardly like me. And I will be very quietly hunting with an air rifle, maybe right in your back yard. But of course, in the real world SHTF scenario,we will all have much more than one rifle on hand for other contingencies, right?
 
guns vs. toys

My bad, bro. But I thought we were talking about survival, not guns. PS, here is the toy I referred to. The bunny didn't realize I was just playing, I guess.
 

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Scenario: Any man-vs-wild scenario.
Weapon: Remington 700 series in .308 or .30-06, with a good Leopold scope (preferably the VX-I3-9x50mm).

Unless they've been making 7.92x57mm Mauser Remington 700's.

Scenario: Man-vs-Man.
Weapon: FN-FAL or equivalent. If I was ever in such a situation, no matter where, I'd want something I know won't fail me. There is a good reason the FAL is known as the "Right Arm of the Free World", not the AR-15.
 
It's all good

Understand. My place is in the mountains of WNC, BTW.

The S410 has a 10-round rotary magazine, a repeater that shoots an 18.1 grain pellet at about 880 FPS, or a little over 30 FPE. I am right handed, but shoot lefty because of a dominant left eye. With the RH bolt on the LH thumbhole, off a front rest, I can put 10 rounds in a 1-2 inch group at 50 yards in about 20 seconds with this one, working the bolt without ever taking my eye off the scope or finger off the trigger. I have taken a lot more small game with this air rifle than an of my .22LRs. No muzzle flash, completely shrouded barrel with integrated noise suppression, no recoil. The pellet striking the target makes a lot louder pop than the discharge of the air rifle. Very stealthy for varmint hunting. No one even knows your in the woods. Doesn't startle the other nearby game. Adjustable power, good for about 30 shots per fill at 3/4ths power and easily capable of sub 1-inch groups at 50 yards. Has a 4-16X 50mm sidewheel AO, lighted reticle mil dot (Hawke Eclipse) scope. Refill from a scuba tank or hand pump. I can feed my family with this air rifle if I have to, and I have several thousand rounds of pellets on hand --I buy them by the case. It is very cheap and very convenient to practice shooting this rifle, even indoors or in my suburban back yard. It's no toy, I assure you, but it is a heck of a lot of fun to play with. :):neener::)
 
For survival Id take an AR-15, theres nothing out there that cannot be killed easily with one, so it serves multiple purposes.
I can engage targets or hunt with one out to 650 meters with a decent scope. I can use one as effectively with open sights to distances beyond 400 meters. The rounds are small, light and plenty potent.
The AR/M-16 works perfectly in all environments, in combat Ive used the M-16 in the desert, it never hesitated to work flawlessly when dirty, sandy, gritty, dry, wet, or when I didnt do my part in maintaining it. In training regardless of how long I was out in the mud, water, dirt, sand, woods, swamps, mountains, snow, etc it worked flawlessly.
I wouldnt mind also having a bolt action rifle to use, something with better or more consistant long range capability.
Urban/suburban warfare a good backup weapon to have is a pump action 12 gauge shotgun to take door hunges and door knobs off quickly, or to use in the dark in confined areas.
 
Im not exactly sure what i would pick. I dont PLAN on being in shootouts because I would try and Hide out without being scene. Heres whats on the table for survival guns, Just not sure of the combination.

Rifles:

AR (m4 style) with .22 conversion
Ruger 10/22
Marlin 25 bolt action 10/22

Pistols:

Ruger MK3 hunter .22
Glock 21 .45
Ruger Blackhawk .357 convertable (.357, .38, 9mm)
 
Pretty much an AR because thats what I shoot best.
I can see the theory and usefullness to a 22rimfire to feed myself with with out letting everyone within 4 miles know that I have a gun
 
Assuming no one is going to be shooting at me:
CZ 452 .22 LR. It's uber accurate and cheap to feed.

If people are shooting (not all the time I hope):
Then my .357 Puma/Chiappa carbine. It's light so it won't weigh me down.
And it'll take anything in my area with 4 or 2 legs. I can use the .38 specials
for small game and the .357 full house loads for the larger stuff.
Plus it's what I have.... I can't bring an AR or AK if I don't have one. :)
 
I'm in the '06 bolt gun camp, a 1903 sporter would do fine, or perhaps a Winchester 94 carbine. In any realistic scenario I can envision, either would do very well, and not attract much attention. Either would do quite well as a defensive arm. Either are utterly reliable under any conditions I've subjected them to in my lifetime. One old 94 I have was a ranch gun from Az, made in 1927. When I got it, it looked like it hadn't been cleaned or maintained in any way for a lifetime. It felt like it was full of mud from old oil and dirt, but still worked. I stripped and cleaned it then, and replaced the magazine spring, which had worn through in two places, and was tied together with thread, and still functioned. I carry it in the rain, and dust, leave it in the truck for months at a time, and have never taken it apart since that one time 20 years ago. It's probably good to go for another 30 or 40 years before it needs a thorough detail cleaning at this rate. It gets a rod and brush through the bore once or twice a year, whether it needs it or not. The 1903 Springfields are about equally bombproof.

I wonder why the only choices were auto rifles?

I wonder why "survival" means "shootout" to so many?

I wonder how many made choices that they do not own? Seems like you would need to choose something you own for the choice to mean much.

CCI still makes .22 CB caps, in short and long variants. Same load, just different cases. Remington may still make them, they did a year or so ago. I like them for shooting grouse and small game, they don't spook my dogs. Noticably quieter than regular shorts. 3 grs of Unique w/ a .315" round ball in the 30-30 works very well for small game and makes less noise than a 22 LR high velocity load. And at todays prices, doesn't cost much more, if as much, depending on if you cast.
 
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Aguila Super Colibri are extremely quiet out of a long gun. Reasonably accurate too. They would be my choice for very low impact small game hunting in a situation where noise was an issue.
 
Urban or Jungle SHTF I would want something small that fired a big bullet that caliber matches my sidearm. Something like a .357 Marlin or Winchester lever gun.

For open range or desert SHTF I would use a .30-06 or .308 bolt action rifle.

For a basic lost in the mountians survival gun I would choose a T/C Contender 16" in .22lr
 
Aguila Super Colibri are extremely quiet out of a long gun. Reasonably accurate too. They would be my choice for very low impact small game hunting in a situation where noise was an issue.
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+1, they are pretty good and pack a decent punch (will exit a jug of water) for the amount of powder they use. :D
Urban or Jungle SHTF I would want something small that fired a big bullet
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A lot of jungle in Ohio? :neener:
 
Beggars can't be choosers, in a SHTF scenario I'd be happy with either an AR variant or an AK variant. I'd probably lean a bit toward the AR side as I've had years of using AR variants under my belt (since I joined the military at 17) with only a few times having handled or used an AK (usually when I visit my parents back home, we have an AK there).
 
I know we have been over this, but life is very different in terms of 1.) STATIONARY survial vs. 2.) "BUGGING OUT" Survival.
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You really forgot the typical situation that most any of us would likely end up in
3.) Lost in the woods hunting and you need to get to civilization.


I would take my 1894C Marlin.



I forgot #4
4.) Lost in the wires of the Internet. 4" diagonal wire cutters made by Klein with the red dipped plastisol handles. ;)
bw
 
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