The Ultimate Survival Gun
- Thread starter Mr. T
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AStone
Member
I'll take a Marlin 336 with an 18" barrel (cut down) in .30-30.
Can be (hand)loaded with every thing from rnd ball (see this post and subsequent posts for shooting 0 buck) or light weight bullets (e.g., 110 gr) over a few grains of powder (for small game) to 190 gr.
Bear? No, not big ones (e.g., griz) with .30, but I'll take my chances.
Can be (hand)loaded with every thing from rnd ball (see this post and subsequent posts for shooting 0 buck) or light weight bullets (e.g., 110 gr) over a few grains of powder (for small game) to 190 gr.
Bear? No, not big ones (e.g., griz) with .30, but I'll take my chances.
HarleyFixer
Member
I did not vote because the poll is flawed. THE BEST survival gun is a Savage Model 24 over/under. It comes in probably 30 different caliber/guage combinations. Pick the one you like.
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
A Colt Woodsman. The 6" 1st series.
FLNT4EVR
Member
The important word here is survival.My gun of choice would be a short barreled 12ga pump.
ezypikns
Member
A Trip Down Memory Lane.
Years ago (many) there was an article in Sports Afield (or maybe Field & Stream) magazine by Erle Stanley Gardner (the author of the Perry Mason mysteries.....the books, not the TV show).
This must have been in the late 50's or very early 60's when people were truly scared to death of a nuclear war. Gardner was considered an accomplished outdooorsman and something of a firearms expert.
He actually went into the California desert and survived for a short period by killing and eating rabbits (Jack and Cottontail).
His weapon was a .22 revolver with a 6" barrel. His thoughts were that rabbits are common game everywhere, and relatively easy to hunt and shoot with a .22. He figured the revolver was more portable than a rifle, and with a 6" barrel, almost as accurate. Plus you can carry a lot of ammo for a .22.
That, however, may have been a kinder and gentler time. In this day I'd hate to be at the mercy of varmints (the two legged kind) with only a .22 to defend myself. Of course if you're in a wilderness area you wouldn't want to go up against a bear or mountain lion with a .22 either.
A shotgun would be the ideal weapon, but the ammo is just too bulky and heavy. Maybe the same thing could be said of a centerfire rifle.
I think maybe the best compromise might be a long barreled revolver in .38 Special. The portability of a handgun. Pretty accurate with a 6" barrel. Ammo not too bulky. Not such a large caliber that you couldn't take small game. Big enough that you COULD kill a deer. Stout enough that it would discourage most varmints (both two legged and four legged).
And then, maybe the best is what YOU'RE most comfortable with.
Years ago (many) there was an article in Sports Afield (or maybe Field & Stream) magazine by Erle Stanley Gardner (the author of the Perry Mason mysteries.....the books, not the TV show).
This must have been in the late 50's or very early 60's when people were truly scared to death of a nuclear war. Gardner was considered an accomplished outdooorsman and something of a firearms expert.
He actually went into the California desert and survived for a short period by killing and eating rabbits (Jack and Cottontail).
His weapon was a .22 revolver with a 6" barrel. His thoughts were that rabbits are common game everywhere, and relatively easy to hunt and shoot with a .22. He figured the revolver was more portable than a rifle, and with a 6" barrel, almost as accurate. Plus you can carry a lot of ammo for a .22.
That, however, may have been a kinder and gentler time. In this day I'd hate to be at the mercy of varmints (the two legged kind) with only a .22 to defend myself. Of course if you're in a wilderness area you wouldn't want to go up against a bear or mountain lion with a .22 either.
A shotgun would be the ideal weapon, but the ammo is just too bulky and heavy. Maybe the same thing could be said of a centerfire rifle.
I think maybe the best compromise might be a long barreled revolver in .38 Special. The portability of a handgun. Pretty accurate with a 6" barrel. Ammo not too bulky. Not such a large caliber that you couldn't take small game. Big enough that you COULD kill a deer. Stout enough that it would discourage most varmints (both two legged and four legged).
And then, maybe the best is what YOU'RE most comfortable with.
fireman 9731
Member
I guess I'll be the deviant here and cast my vote for an AK-47.
Extremely reliable, ammo isn't too bulky or heavy, a few rounds would hopefully stop a grizzly, and shouldn't tear up too much meat on small game, Its great for medium sized game and I would much rather feast on a deer for a week than a rabbit for a day.
Extremely reliable, ammo isn't too bulky or heavy, a few rounds would hopefully stop a grizzly, and shouldn't tear up too much meat on small game, Its great for medium sized game and I would much rather feast on a deer for a week than a rabbit for a day.
If I have just been stranded I imagine I would have to hike out. And I would want something in .22lr and lots of ammo. Having something big enough to take a deer would be nice but I'm not camping out, I'm walking out. I don't want to hump a weeks worth of meat around with me. I'll take little critters and birds for my meals and move on. Despite the frequency of bear threads on THR, I'm not as worried about bears, I'll just let them know I'm coming or go around them if I can.
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TheBookGuy
Member
How about one of those over/under shotgun/rifle combos?
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I believe I mentioned that in post #3!
rc
rc
Vern Humphrey
Member
Pretty close to ideal. The Savage Model 24 can be found in a variety of combinations. .22LR and 20 gauge seems about the best balanced.
Nate1778
Member
Chuck Norris's arms......
searcher451
Member
It's tough to walk away from a shotgun blast. You don't see many Caliber Wars started on that stage.
TheBookGuy
Member
Sorry bout that RC, i was engaging my brain to think of the name of it.
Sorry about the double post!
Sorry about the double post!
HeavenlySword
Member
If you can find deer. Rabbits outnumber deer by like, hundreds to 1.
Bear? With an AK? Maybe if im on a tree and hes trying to climb up.
The AK round isn't bulky? Its twice the bulk of 5.56NATO. True, its not 12ga or 10ga, but it doesn't have the same effect either.
ThomasT
Member
I just bought a new magazine called "Backwoodsman". It had an article about a fellow that found a CVA fullstock with a 410 shotgun barrel on it. That sounds like a pretty versital gun for survival. It can be loaded with shot or solid balls. Since it is a muzzle loader the load can be changed right in the field without carrying a large assortment of loads with you.
I guess getting in big gunfights doesn't factor in to my "Survival Gun" scenarios. I figure most any gun will work for defense. Some just work better for defense against attack better than others.
I would have to go with a 22/20 guage combo gun if one could be found.
I guess getting in big gunfights doesn't factor in to my "Survival Gun" scenarios. I figure most any gun will work for defense. Some just work better for defense against attack better than others.
I would have to go with a 22/20 guage combo gun if one could be found.
Vern Humphrey
Member
http://www.gunsamerica.com/Search/Category/609/2/Guns/Rifles/Savage-Rifles/Other.htm
I'd rather have it in .22 LR/20 gauge, but if you keep watching that site, one will eventually show up.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
theotherwaldo
Member
Has anyone here read Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky?
Interesting answers to the above question... .
Interesting answers to the above question... .
theotherwaldo
Member
BTW, I voted for the .22 Rifle.
No gun at all would be in second place, except for how useful guns are for signaling.
In survival situations you're more likely to get in trouble by being a brave gun-carrier than a cautious unarmed person.
No gun at all would be in second place, except for how useful guns are for signaling.
In survival situations you're more likely to get in trouble by being a brave gun-carrier than a cautious unarmed person.
HoosierQ
Member
I am 100% with HarleyFixer up there. Savage 24...22lr over 12 ga. Carry a mix of everything from #7 1/2 shot, #4 shot, #4 buck, 00 buck, and slugs. Everything from bunny rabbits to bears and just about everything in between with one gun.
I have kind of an odd version of that which pre-dates serial numbers...a 22 magnum over a 20 ga. I think it is a 24j maybe. First gun we ever bought (my dad that is). The barrels lie one right on top of the other and are brazed together rather than the later models that have a barrel band.
A few years ago I did a cross county driving trip and was a little squimish about taking a handgun so I figured this gun in the trunk, locked and unloaded, would do all I wanted in a pinch and not get any body worked up if there was an issue. Of course nothing of any sort came up but when I was driving through New Mexico and night in the desert, I was glad it was back there.
I have kind of an odd version of that which pre-dates serial numbers...a 22 magnum over a 20 ga. I think it is a 24j maybe. First gun we ever bought (my dad that is). The barrels lie one right on top of the other and are brazed together rather than the later models that have a barrel band.
A few years ago I did a cross county driving trip and was a little squimish about taking a handgun so I figured this gun in the trunk, locked and unloaded, would do all I wanted in a pinch and not get any body worked up if there was an issue. Of course nothing of any sort came up but when I was driving through New Mexico and night in the desert, I was glad it was back there.
OregonJohnny
Member
If I knew I were going to be dropped in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, and could only bring 1 firearm plus all the extra ammo I could carry, I'd choose my Remington 870 Marine Magnum. It's nickel finish and synthetic furniture would resist corrosion from the harsh, wet, salty air. I would keep it loaded with Brenneke hardcast slugs for bear defense and/or close range deer/elk/caribou/moose hunting opportunities. I'd bring along as much birdshot, buckshot, and extra slugs I could lug around. I would essentially be able to hunt every animal from squirrels to birds to moose within 50 yards, plus have a bear defense tool.
fireman 9731
Member
A thirty round AK mag isn't that much bigger than a 30 round AR mag, plus its pushing 2 and a half times more bullet than a 5.56.(124 grains vs. 55 grains)
I worry more about reliability in a survival situation than caliber anyway. A combo gun is ideal in a situation where you need food, but a combo gun that wont shoot might make a good boat oar, and you might get lucky enough to sneak up on a rabbit and club it to death. I love my 22lr/.410 Savage, but the little selector lever on the hammer doesn't exactly give me warm fuzzies when I think about reliability.
If you can find a gun that rivals an AK on reliability and versatility, I'm all ears.
I vote .22 rimfire.
Very versatile and you can carry a lot of ammo.
Survival is going to be more about food then defending against bear or
person attacks. Getting small game is much more likely then
running across a deer (even then you could probably take one with a head
shot).
Shotguns are great but packing the shells is not.
Centerfire rifles are great but there will be nothing
left of your rabbit in many cases. Plus packing
500 rounds of .22 LR is easy compared to
packing 500 rounds of .308.
Very versatile and you can carry a lot of ammo.
Survival is going to be more about food then defending against bear or
person attacks. Getting small game is much more likely then
running across a deer (even then you could probably take one with a head
shot).
Shotguns are great but packing the shells is not.
Centerfire rifles are great but there will be nothing
left of your rabbit in many cases. Plus packing
500 rounds of .22 LR is easy compared to
packing 500 rounds of .308.
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