The best survival firearm - a .22LR rifle?

[cluttonfred]

There have been many threads about survival weapons here in THR, many of them oriented to both hunting for food and defending yourself against predators.

I have seen a couple of articles over the years and recently came across this FWS fact sheet (PDF file)suggesting that, statistically for bears at least, bear-type pepper spray is in fact much more effective at helping the human being avoid injury than any firearm.

So, while it may be heresy to those carrying their bear cannon revolver or other sidearm, perhaps we ought to take another look at what really makes you safer from four-legged predators (two-legged, well, that's another thread).

Don't worry, I have my fireproof underwear on.

 

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

Yeah, if out in the woods and I could only have one gun, it would be a .22lr rifle or a 12 gauge shotgun.

 

[qwert65]

I think I'd prefer a 12 gauge, less ammo but more variety

 

[7mmsavage]

I'm with you, a light .22 rifle and a brick of ammo would really go a long way.

 

[paintballdude902]

a nice simple bolt action .22lr and a .357magnum revolver on my hip

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

or an over/under .22lr and 20 gauge with some buck and/or slugs and game shot.

 

[Bailey Boat]

Give me an accurate 22 and a supply of ammo and I'll outlast the guy with a centerfire or a shotgun in a survival situation. There's no need to kill big game unless you have enough people to feed it to before it spoils. Small game already comes in "single serving" packages and there's a lot more of it available on a daily basis.
As for defense, slip a 40 grain .22 in the eye socket and the guy is going to think of other things to do before he continues stalking me..... Bears????? Where I plan to go there are no bears..... Well, just me......

 

[9mm+]

A Henry Survival 22LR.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

If I was dumped off in the woods somewhere, I would want a long-barrel .22 with a scope and thousands of rounds of ammo. Something like a Browning Buckmark Varmint:

Also a knife.

In more realistic conditions, I would bring along some more guns and ammo. Preferably in a large 4x4 vehicle. But a .22 and a knife put me at the top of the food chain.

 

[mljdeckard]

Wouldn't work out here. Jackrabbits don't actually have enough nutritional value to keep you alive very long. You need to kill something bigger.

 

[C-grunt]

As for defense, slip a 40 grain .22 in the eye socket and the guy is going to think of other things to do before he continues stalking me.....

Hell I think a hit pretty much anywhere would do that. A .22 through the lung at 100 yards would probably deter most anyone.

 

[dom1104]

In my own testing, the killing power between 22lr in a RIFLE vs in a Pistol is dramatic. so much so that using a 22lr pistol to hunt with I have no desire to do.

People always advocate a 22 pistol for hunting, I do not know why other than armchairism.

Rifles are FAR easier to get quick accurate shots in very tiny vital areas with, and hit a lot harder with the 22.

Even on penetration tests, I took some shots at airplane wing aluminum, the rifle would blast right thru it, the pistol shots even at point blank range would only dent it. same ammo. in fact, NO 22lr ammo no matter how hot it was would penetrate out of the pistol. Whereas the hot stuff from the rifle looks like it burned its way thru with a perfect hole heh.

But on chucks and rabbits, the rifle tears em up, the pistol, not as much. Enough but not as much. I prefer the rifle.

 

[9mm+]

In my own testing, the killing power between 22lr in a RIFLE vs in a Pistol is dramatic. so much so that using a 22lr pistol to hunt with I have no desire to do.

People always advocate a 22 pistol for hunting, I do not know why other than armchairism.

Rifles are FAR easier to get quick accurate shots in very tiny vital areas with, and hit a lot harder with the 22.

Even on penetration tests, I took some shots at airplane wing aluminum, the rifle would blast right thru it, the pistol shots even at point blank range would only dent it. same ammo.

But on chucks and rabbits, the rifle tears em up, the pistol, not as much. Enough but not as much. I prefer the rifle.

That's true for all calibers in either rifle and pistol. The pistol, having a much shorter barrel, cannot generate the muzzle velocity that a rifle can. Try shooting a 44 magnum pistol and rifle/carbine (like the Marlin 1894). The difference is dramatic.

 

[dom1104]

That's true for all calibers in either rifle and pistol. The pistol, having a much shorter barrel, cannot generate the muzzle velocity that a rifle can. Try shooting a 44 magnum pistol and rifle/carbine (like the Marlin 1894). The difference is dramatic.

Agreed 9mm, what I am saying is on a round that is underpowered in the extreme as the 22lr is... it pays to squeeze as much out of it as possible.

One could argue that the 44 has plenty of killing power out of either weapon.


It is called the 22 Long Rifle after all as opposed to "short pistol?" totally goofin on this, but yeah.

 

[griz]

I took some shots at airplane wing aluminum, the rifle would blast right thru it, the pistol shots even at point blank range would only dent it.

They may have a lot of nutritional value but they are a bear to clean

(I know what you meant, I just couldn't resist)

 

[9mm+]

LOL, Dom!

Plinking things with a 44 mag pistol certainly takes it toll on the target; plinking the same with a 44 mag rifle practically obliterates them. If you've fired a lever-action in 44 mag, you know what I mean...

So, yes, definitely choose a rifle for a relatively underpowered round like the 22LR...

 

[sixgun_grunt]

i agree that a 22 rifle would be much better in a survival situation, although i have done alot of small game hunting with my single six, i dont use the mag cylinder much but it is always a plus to have the option, and i would'nt feel ill prepared if i had to use the trusty single six to feed myself for a few days or weeks in the woods, plus a pistol will almost always be on your hip, you may have to put the rifle down while doing other things ( building shelter etc ) and that could lead to missed oppurtunities for shooting some food, On the other hand a rifle will be easier to aim and hold steady if im cold hungry and shivering in a survival situation, so either choice would be fine but each one has its trade offs i suppose, also a pistol would not be a good idea if you dont get much practice with it.

 

[rcmodel]

A Henry Survival 22LR.

I'd want something that works most of the time!

rc

 

[theotherwaldo]

The best survival firearm is the one that you actually have with you, along with a supply of ammunition!

Survival situations rarely occur on schedule. You don't get an email that says, "Pack your gun and ammo today, as an emergency will occur today at 4:45pm".

So what gun and ammo will you have access to if the S H T F in ten minutes? -Or in six hours? -Or Monday next?

That is your best survival firearm.

Personally, my preferred survival firearm is a bolt-action .22 rifle. The one I'm more likely to be able to reach, though, is a Glock 27 with four full mags. Darn it.

 

[9mm+]

I'd want something that works most of the time!

rc

Oh, c'mon -- is there no affinity for the ol' AR-7? I usually shoot my EBR'd Ruger 10/22, but the AR-7 is a trusty shooter (with the right ammo, though...it's a bit finicky on what it eats).

Ok, I'll have to admit that my fondness of the AR-7 goes back to when I was a kid and seeing the pilots issued this for survival purposes. I grew up around aviation (my dad was a Marine Aviator and I was a Naval Aviator), and even though firearms issued to combat fliers when I was active duty were 9mm, the notion of a "survival" 22LR for yesterday's fliers was pretty cool stuff...

 

[Bobarino]

i agree. i'd probably take my scoped Marlin 981T and a brick of Yellow Jackets. not much for defense against bears and the like but it'll do fine for survival, IMO.

Bobby

 

[hso]

Shotgun

 

[Cosmoline]

Their conclusion that half of those defending themselves with firearms sustained injury makes me question their data. There are a great many DLP shootings up here, but maulings connected with those shootings are exceptionally rare. The only ones I can think of off hand involved hunters who were distracted dealing with their own kills. The feds just want to discourage sheep from going armed.

 

[rcmodel]

the AR-7 goes back to when I was a kid and seeing the pilots issued this for survival purposes.

The problem with that is, the Armalite AR-7 was never accepted or issued to any pilot in any branch of the military.

It was never a GI issue survival rifle.

rc

 

[dom1104]

for me my "survival rifle" is an ar-15 with a cmmg conversion.

comes apart in two peices to fit in a pack when a low profile is needed, is light, with the change of a bolt can fire .223 or 22lr ammo.

a few mags of 69 grain HPBTs dont weigh much, neither does a 22 bolt, mag and ammo.

Right now my ammo bag has 1000 22lr rounds in it, 300 SP 55grain remingtons, and 200 69 grainers all loaded up in mags. the 223 that is, not the 22lr.

For me at least, I think its perfect. a bolt change takes seconds literally.