The only Revolver in that price range that I came across on a quick search. You would not be using the pistol as a primary in most SHTF situations anyway.
Maybe you would.
A handgun is far more concealable and also a lot easier to carry than a long gun. If you wanted to be armed while going about your normal chores - hauling water, cutting wood, gasing up the generator, etc. - it would be easier to just strap on a holster than it would be to sling an AK.
There was a guy who used to go by "FerFAL" who lived in Argentina during their economic collapse.
IIRC, He found handguns to be very useful for those reasons.
1st of all with good sabot type slugs 150 to 200 yards is not a stretch. And as for w/o a second type of ammo, well I am pretty good with my rifle, but I am not taking near the amount of flying or running game with ANY rifle that I am with a shotty. And you can use 1 gun to shoot fine shot at the rabbit you jump up, slip a couple loads of buck into the barrel to take a dear at close range, or a slug into the same barrel for shots out to better than 100yards, while only carrying a single gun...
...The key here is that a 12ga with slugs can do pretty much what a 30-30 does, plus you can slip in the buckshot or the fine shot in and take a couple of doves, rabbits, etc that you are much less likely to hit with the rifle. INSIDE 100 yards a man with a good pump gun can do anything one with a rifle can and a whole lot more. If I am in a SHTF situation I want to be carrying the best tool I can for the widest variety of uses. That IMHO is the shotty!
You raise some good points.
A shotgun can do a lot and I've found them to be easier to bring home meat with. A good rimfire can be as effective as a shotgun in getting small game like rabbits and squirrels but you have to hunt differently with a rimfire. You have to lie in wait and carefully place your shots or be an extraordinary rifle shot to do as well with a rimfire. Also, wingshooting with a rifle or handgun is an exercise in futility for most of us, myself included.
But...
- If you want to kill a grouse with a rimfire, it is possible to shoot them while they're on the ground. Not sporting, often illegal, but I'd do it to eat in a crisis.
- Some shotguns can reportedly shoot 200 yards with pretty decent accuracy. I say this from an academic point of view because I don't consider myself that knowledgeable on shotguns.
Having said that, to have that kind of range/accuracy from a shotty, don't you need a rifled barrel and sabot slugs? And if you're using a rifled barrel, don't your patterns pretty much look like maps of the constellations with regular shotshells? Plus, how much cost does that add? Maybe $150 for a decent Mossberg or Remington and another $100 or so for a rifled barrel? Versatile, I'll agree. But if you start adding stuff like extra barrels, all the sudden the shotgun isn't so cheap or so simple anymore. Also, sabot slugs seem to be running about $12+ for 5 rounds. Not cheap. And who wants to carry an extra barrel?
- Overall, I've been impressed with rifled slugs and they do add versatility to a smoothbore. But past about 60 yards or so, I personally ain't much good with one. Some guys do pretty well out to a bit over 100 yards with them. But I can nearly quadruple my effective range with just about any "real" rifle round. And I can place my shots way more accurately.
- Buckshot. IMO, it's very good for up close defense, especially indoors. But why carry it if you're outdoors if a slug will do the same number on a deer or an attacker?
- A 12 gauge slug can do most of what a 30-30 does inside 100 yards. But so can a 10/22.
I still think that a .22 handgun and a centerfire rifle gives more capabilities than a shotgun. In fact, I'm now just about convinced that I'm going to need a .22 handgun.
It's an ongoing debate.
I suggest that if we ever have to evacuate I'll team up with you.
If we need to shoot at a bird you take the shot; If we need to shoot at something farther away I'll take the shot.
