The best survival rifle Cartridge

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a flare gun for signaling aircraft or other hunters, actually a whistle and a mirror would probably suffice??

Or were you talking get you to work and back safely in case you neighborhood turns to trash until you can move somewhere else??? Well we go over that everyday, personally, I carry .45 ACP.

For killing lots of small, furry critters for food?? .22lr or a shotgun depending on birds or ground critters.

I have a feeling that this discussion borders on TEOTWAWKI scenario, and from what I'm told we don't do that here.
 
I have to agree with ArfinGreebly. Most people fail to realize that surviving does not mean having enough fire power to defeat any unfavorable encounters whether it is a large population or a small encounter of 1 to 3 people. Survival instincts should keep you from confrontation buy avoiding contact if possible. Escape and Evasion courses were always to to us in the military. The number one rule was not to get caught and you do that by making yourself invisible and using the terrain or structures to your advantage.

I would choose my ruger 10/22. I have a tac-sol barrel with a hogue rubber overmold stock that weighs in at well under 6 lbs. May 6 lbs with a 10x scope. I consistantly hit clay pigeons at 240 yards with my 22 and I know for a fact that it will penetrate 5/8's inch plywood at 200 yds. The 22 will penetrate through 4 layers of denim and an average of 10 inches of gel. It may not knock you on your feet but it will slow you down when I put a couple of rounds through your heart or your lungs. I assure you that you will have convince the individual from further continuing in your direction.

Your greatest weapon is also your weakest...YOUR BRAIN. There is an old saying that goes something like this..."Great judgement comes with experience, which unfortunately comes from bad judgement."

The 22lr in a survival situation will be a better tool, not a weapon, than a high power rifle. You can shoot squirrel, possum,snake,quail, turkey, or a small doe, roadrunner, doves, and still have enough meat to boil, or cook for substance. People always think of deer or elk for food. Heck you can walk up to a cow and put a bullet behind the ear and you have enough meat for a while.

If it must be used as a weapon it can be used. If you leave in bear country than use your 22 as a back up and make a 10ft or 12ft spear to fend off the bear. Once again I say your brain is your best weapon.
 
I'm gonna pay attention to what the Alaska bush pilot has to say about a survival rifle.
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As long as you understand that survival in an area with 2000 lb predators is different than survival in an area with 80 lb predators that premise will serve you well.

In my AO a .22 lr will take down any deer you're likely to come across as well as packs of feral dogs, rabbits, squirrels, cats, rats, and purple headed wob knollers.

I'm a firm believer in the concept that a 10/22 in a folding stock with 3 30 rd mags is better than a .300 win mag bolt action with a 22 " barrel and 5 rounds of $1/rd ammo. which of those two options are you more likely to have in your trunk or ruck?

The rifle you have with you is 10 times more valuable than the rifle you left at home.
 
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The 7.62×39 commonly found in the AK-47 and Ruger Mini-30 could very well be the most popular cartridge in the world. The reliability of the AK-47 platform is world renowned and unquestionable. This cartridge however we will rule out as it does not fit our needs for hunting, yes it is capable of killing a deer or other large game however it has long been plagued with accuracy issues.
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And this is where I stopped taking him seriously. There's nothing at all inherently inaccurate about the 7.62x39 round, only many of the guns that fire it. That final statement is proof that he has no hard knowledge of the rounds, only stereotypical knowledge based on the guns that commonly fire it. The round itself, with either new commercial or high-quality surplus, is actually very accurate.

He also left out 7.62x54R, which gives you the Mosin Nagant and the PSL, and for which you can get a large stockpile of ammo cheaply. Overall, though, there's no real question that .308 is the best all-around round if you can get, say, an AR-10 or a Saiga .308.
 
I can see a few possibilities here, and all branching on scenario.

First of all - RULE OUT TEOTWAWKI. The second society breaks down, we'll have the military and martial law hauled on faster than you can get your AR's loaded. Besides, we're America. If the military doesn't step in, then every mall-ninja, gunshop-commando, paranoiac, and ghetto-soldier will be locked, loaded, and unloading on anything that moves anyways, such as each other. Have fun, I'll be in my basement with a beer, milady, and whatever shoot-em-up movies I can find. :p

So, we're left with an event putting you into the wilderness, outside of cell-range, and needing to survive. If you REALLY want to talk ANYWHERE, it's the .22LR. "Survival Rifles" all seem to use it, and they have no doubt had a LOT of time put into their development by people discussing things like this. It's light, easily-carried, not-loud to disturb other animals, and still powerful enough to take down what you'll NEED.
What you NEED, btw, are animals not much larger than Coyotes. I know, it sounds nuts, but really, having excess meat laying around your campsite from a deer or caribou is an opening for pathogens and worse - other predators your little .22LR won't really take good care of.

If you're going to be going off-the-grid to a cabin, and are leaving modern society, then pack a reload kit, save up ALOT of .264, and run a bolt-action 6.5x55SE. It's got low recoil, FLAT shooting (better guarantee of a hit, thus better use of ammo), and will take down anything from coyote to caribou. I went with Low recoil so that if you injure a shoulder or pull your back (VERY high chance injuries living in the open like that), it can still be fired. Also a point with the .22LR.

In terms of Varmints/squirrels/small stuff with a 6.5 - Well, if you're established, you should have containment for food, and thus, why are you worried about little stuff? The varmints shouldn't have rounds wasted on them, they should have traps set out. They're curious, but dim.
 
isc said:
As long as you understand that survival in an area with 2000 lb predators is different than survival in an area with 80 lb predators that premise will serve you well.

In my AO a .22 lr will take down any deer you're likely to come across as well as packs of feral dogs, rabbits, squirrels, cats, rats, and purple headed wob knollers.

I'm a firm believer in the concept that a 10/22 in a folding stock with 3 30 rd mags is better than a .300 win mag bolt action with a 22 " barrel and 5 rounds of $1/rd ammo. which of those two options are you more likely to have in your trunk or ruck?

The rifle you have with you is 10 times more valuable than the rifle you left at home.
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Where are you going to find a 2000lb predator? I don't think any cartridge is going to do you much good in the ocean. Do you know of any buoyant ones?
 
Where are you going to find a 2000lb predator?
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I don't know how much an Alaskan Grizzly or Kodiak weighs, but my point was that if you have to be concerned about one of them you have a much different threat than here in Fl where our most dangerous 4 legged predator is a gator or coyote.
 
My father died when I was 13. My step-mother didn't want the "Burden" of my brother & I. My family on my Fathers side were "Older" so my brother & I were put in a boys home. We were there 4yrs. Every year we went on a Survival Hike. 2wks in the mountains with nothing but the clothes on our backs & a knife. We lived off the land. Now of course the Staff members that were in charge of each group had packs with first-aid kits etc in case of emergencies. Now adults, my brother & I for two weeks a year take off into the woods & live off the land in the same way. We do bring packs for emergencies only first-aid kits, mirrors, whistles etc. We don't take food, tents, sleeping bags, etc. We each do bring a Ruger six, a Henry Survival rifle & 500rds of shells.
 
Here in Alaska I would not even begin to consider anything less than a .338 I don't care what anyone else says..Until you play tag with a Coastal bear you would not understand..I would not have a .223 or .308 in this area and no one I know personally would either..So when it comes to us folks here in this part of Alaska we must bow out of this topic because we do not qualify.. :D
 
I would take a brick of 22LR and my Colt Woodsman, along with a deck of cards. I would plink away the rick of 22s and then start a game of solitaire, 1 or 2 games into it, Someone would be looking over my shoulder saying put the 4 of hearts on the 5 of clubs and I would not be lost any more.
 
I'll put in another vote for 22LR, HV round nose solids.

It is perfect for small game.

Great for self defense in the wilderness. (stopping power doesn't matter as much when you have big distances, right?)

Great for all types of hunting. If I'm in survival mode, I don't necessarily feel the need to carry a big cartridge for a clean, one-shot kill. If I can't get a head shot for the one-shot kill, I'll settle for an eventually lethal wound.

Ability to carry and stock lots of types and quantity of ammo far outweighs the chance that I'll have to defend myself at point blank with it.

Again, if I'm in survival mode, I'm not going to let a bear get close to me. I'll shoot him in the head at 50 yards.

Speaking again of bears, as I understand it, they are more foragers and scavengers than hunters. If I kill a deer and start cleaning it up, I'm in more danger from a bear than if I'm just out walking around. (again, small game is better here, as I can eat it all in one sitting, and leave the guts and bones for the bears, hehehe) He smells the kill and WANTS SOME. I'll just be ready to eat my fill and abandon it if needed. Then, when I get a safe distance away, I can drill the bear too. :D

I will make one nod to the odd tactical situation: It'll be a semi-auto 22 with box magazines. Probably a 10/22. I'd probably have a small 4X scope on it.
 
I think my post caused an alarming amount of discussion which is great. So who cares. quit being whiny
 
For me , the youth size rossi 4 barrel combo. It all goes in a little bag that will fit in your backpack. You can get the barrels on numerous calibers.
 
Another way to look at this: survival rifle cartridge? How about .44 Magnum? Big enough for the bears that we are all so scared of. Good out to 125 yds. Not as bulky as 338 Win Mag. Can be carried in a smallish, handy, lever action rifle OR a revolver. (depending on whether you're in an urban or suburban location)

Anywhere bears aren't a factor though, I'll stick with the 22LR. I bet even a moose would be in mortal danger from me with a 22 rifle.
 
Like most of us I like seeing these survival gun/shtf threads. I know that we are not going to have to survive weeks in the wilderness after an Alaska plane crash or fight off horders of gang members, zombies or wild dogs.
The thing is that people are at least thinking and talking about being somewhat self sufficient and not relying on the government to be their mother, father and Santa Claus all rolled into one. I see this as a good thing. Hopefully one day it will spread far enough that the average plan for a disaster is not sitting on a roof with a please rescue me sign and a bad attitude for having to wait.
 
Just to stir the pot a little let me throw this one out there. 410 shotgun. Light shot can take all small game and 00 buck or slug for the larger stuff. And before someone brings it up, yes 00 buck out of a 410 is the exact same as 00 buck out of a 12 gauge. The pellets are the same size and travel at the same velocity with the same energy. There are just fewer of them.

I've actually given some thought that the new "Judge" revolving rifle might be a reasonable survival gun. I don't see the point in the pistols but the rifle could be quite functional. Hot loaded 45 LC is nothing to sneeze at and having the option of using the variety of 410 loads available in the same long gun would make for a nice combo.

Ultimately I think the 22 would more commonly be a better choice. But I think a judge rifle or even a simple 410 would be a reasonable choice as well.
 
a whiny perspective ;) take it easy debate is good, state your idea without bashing someone else
 
(0ne survival gun

iNTERESTING THAT NO ONE OPTED FOR A SAVAGE 24 OR ONE OF THE TIKA OVER AND UNDER COMBINATION RIFLE SHOTGUN GUNS. I THINK THE TOP END SAVAGE WAS A .222 OVER A .20 GAUGE. HOWEVER, SEEMS LIKE TIKA HAD A MORE POWERFUL SET UP LIKE A .308 OVER A .12 GAUGE. i THINK THAT IS WHAT I WOULD WANT. THE .222 IS WELL CAPABLE OF KILLING DEER AND IS A VERY ACCURATE CARTRIDGE. I HAVE KILLED Mallard ducks with a nonmagnum .20. etc., etc., etc.
 
To me, "survival gun" means I'm mostly hunting small game; predators aren't a concern in my AO. If I had to choose only one gun for survival it would be a .22 rifle, primarily for the amount of ammo that can be easily carried. It is ideal for small game for the pot, and can be used for deer-sized game close in if the opportunity presents itself.

Close second choice from what I own would be a .357 lever rifle, with .38spl for small game and .357mag for larger game and self-defense if necessary. It loses out to the .22 because of ammo weight.
 
I want two guns, period. I'll take something short and handy in any centerfire caliber for big game and thugs, and a Browning Buckmark for small game.

The problem with thinking you're going to live on deer and elk is that after a couple of days you won't be able to eat that deer or elk, because it's spoiled. The reality is that it's pretty easy to pot rabbits and squirrels or shoot ducks on the water with a .22 on a day to day basis. It's also pretty easy to forage for food - river clams, cattail roots, berries, mushrooms, pine nuts, acorns (have to be cooked to be edible), fish, frogs, song birds - the reality is that there is food all around you and you don't need a heavy rifle for food.
You'd really only need the centerfire rifle for defense. You can shoot a deer if you want, but you're only going to eat about ten pounds before it spoils on you. It might make more sense in the winter when you can preserve the meat, but even then it would be easier to take small game than big game.
 
If you're talking SURVIVAL as in my plane went down; was camping and got stranded; got lost; etc... then it would be whatever you happen to be carrying with you. Maybe you bring a rifle with you went you go hiking. Most people don't.

If you're talking SURVIVAL as in "End of society as we know it"; "Red-Dawn" type of crap. Then the ONLY rifle i want with my is a 22LR. The LAST thing you want to happen in a breakdown of society type of survival situation is for ANYONE ELSE to hear you and know you're there. I don't want my .223, 308, 30-06, ak, or any other such rifle. Give me my Winchester 190 with a box of 500 ammo. "Preferably Sub-Sonic". Easy to carry. Enough ammo for more than a year. Will easily be found some place if you need more. And can kill any animal you NEED it to kill. You don't need to be shooting anything bigger than a normal size deer. You're not going to be able to carry any leftover meat with you. Shoot as you go and shoot what you can eat or carry.

As for defense; even bear; I have a pistol for that. But defense wasn't the question. But if a true survival environment happened because of society; there's no way in the world do I want anyone seeing or hearing me shoot animals. It might be their dog or an animal I'm after. For the urban dwellers, it could be a squirrel in you back yard, neighbor's dog, etc...For survival; the 22LR is the best and personally, the only choice.
 
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