What is your "survival" gun?
- Thread starter KBintheSLC
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Legionnaire
Contributing Member
dispatch55126, it's a BKL unitized mount. On my rifle, the .22 mag barrel is grooved with a 3/8" dovetail for .22 rings. The BKL mount is popular with spring piston air rifle shooters because it is very secure. The scope holds zero even under the heavy recoil of the 20 gauge. Works well for me!
brasskeeper
Member
Phased plasma rifle in a 40 watt range or Uranium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator
but a 12 gauge 870 would work
but a 12 gauge 870 would work
Remingon 870 with a deer barrel on it (with screw in chokes) and a variety of shells. Even early pioneers recognized if you could only have ONE, versatility was key. You can take small game and birds with shot or load a slug to kill large game or for the dreaded 'bear defense'. The only drawback of the shotgun is the weight and bulk of the ammunition.
Ed Ames
Member
The fact that this is a winter survival scenario says i'd probably opt for a 12ga or the like in break or pump actions. Why?
Winter means I can more easily store meat longer, which means I can take larger animals. In summer I'd have to dry, smoke, salt, or otherwise preserve any large game and that can be an undertaking and a half in primative conditions.
I realize that this is the rifle forum but I've got to say that the traditional gun for this situation is a small bore revolver. You can take birds (not that there will be many, but remember that survival means "no wingshooting" ... shoot them as they perch) and other small game easily, thin skinned larger game in a pinch, and you have no excuse not to have it with you 24/7.
But, within this context, I'd probably go with a bolt or break action .223-6.5x55 range rifle or one of the aforementioned 22/20ga drillings.
Also, in a survival situation, take care of the tools that take care of you. It's the perfect time to show some forethought by keeping everything as clean as you can manage.
Winter means I can more easily store meat longer, which means I can take larger animals. In summer I'd have to dry, smoke, salt, or otherwise preserve any large game and that can be an undertaking and a half in primative conditions.
I realize that this is the rifle forum but I've got to say that the traditional gun for this situation is a small bore revolver. You can take birds (not that there will be many, but remember that survival means "no wingshooting" ... shoot them as they perch) and other small game easily, thin skinned larger game in a pinch, and you have no excuse not to have it with you 24/7.
But, within this context, I'd probably go with a bolt or break action .223-6.5x55 range rifle or one of the aforementioned 22/20ga drillings.
Also, in a survival situation, take care of the tools that take care of you. It's the perfect time to show some forethought by keeping everything as clean as you can manage.
MCgunner
Member
Totally depends on where you are, Ed. We had TWO freezes last winter. It has snowed here twice that I remember and only once that stuck. 
You should realize that, being from Texas. LOL!
Since I live next to the bay, I have plenty of salt to use.
You should realize that, being from Texas. LOL!Since I live next to the bay, I have plenty of salt to use.
JHansenAK47
Member
SHTF is my PTR91. In all other cases of survival my Remington 700 in 30/06 is all I need.
oklahoma caveman
Member
personnally i dint vote in the poll as my choice wasnt listed. id opt for a single shot break action due to the simplicity. 12 is a good choice as far as caliber
Interesting topic.
I'd venture to say that many responded without really reading the OP, and the OP'ers clarification of his intent.
Rocky Mts.
Time frame is over a winter
Feeding yourself
Defense is from being eaten, not "bad guys".
Having lived in the rockies for a fairly long time, I, so far, haven't met or heard of anyone that uses a shotgun for much besides bird hunting in season. More sport shooting than meat making. Looking at the natives and bush folks up north that make a living out in the wild places, they also don't tend to rely on shotguns much besides laying in quantities of geese and ducks. The main meat guns in the rockies and up north are center fire sporter rifles, and 22's. Most natives tend towards smaller caliber centerfires, weight being a factor, not because they carry large amounts of ammo on them, but because the cost of ammo in the far away places is related to weight to ship it in to the traders. Recoil seems to be a factor also. So far, I also haven't heard of people that use their guns as a means of making a living having large quantities of ammo. Calvin Rutstrum, who wrote many books about bush living in the Canadian wilds mentions that 1 20 rd box of 30-30 shells was plenty for a winter of living and securing meat. He mentions having a .22 also at times, and felt that 1 50 rd box was plenty for a fairly long period. He was out doing it back in the early 1900's, and would make months long canoe and/or dogsled trips WAY out in the bush. He stated that overall, after trying many different calibers and guns, the 30-30 was his opinion of the best general purpose gun, as it didn't ruin (bloodshot) large amounts of meat, and it was very handy to carry, as well as reliable under all conditions. He mainly hunted deer, moose and caribou for meat and had no issues with the 30-30 for such uses. Rutstrum continued venturing into the bush and writing into the 1980s, and his thoughts on the matter were after long use and trying a number of various guns and loads.
Other writers that have made the plunge into the subsistance lifestyle, and made observations on others doing the same, tend towards the same general conclusuions, tho some prefer a scoped bolt gun in 30-06 or similar caliber, depending on the openess of the country.
I personally like to use a 30-30 with very light loads for grouse and small game, or a .22 pistol or rifle. When actually "hunting" (rather than an everyday carry gun) a scoped 30-06 does about anything you realistically need doing in the rockies. Either would do, tho I like a 45-70 for a carry gun when not "hunting" because we have a fair population of grizzlies here. I probably wouldn't choose the 45-70 if I had to go far on foot tho. People defense isn't a big issue in the wild and silent places, tho in that setting, any gun is enough for that purpose. Realistically, we are talking chance encounters with extremely rare nut cases, not the common street thugs. Street thugs don't hang out in wild places. Nowhere in the OP was end of civilization or social breakdown etc mentioned, or even hinted at. Even were such the case, out in the mountains is about the last place you would run into anyone you would need to be concerned about unsocial behaviour. Those sort of people wouldn't likely last long in the mountains, no matter what guns or how much ammo they managed to drag out there with them.
I've had less funtion problems with Winchester levers (mine are pre-64 and pre-war) than with Springfield and Mauser bolts. I've also seen several various makes of AK's fail to function for various reasons.
I've had less trouble with Smith DA's than Ruger SA's also.
YMMV
I'd venture to say that many responded without really reading the OP, and the OP'ers clarification of his intent.
Rocky Mts.
Time frame is over a winter
Feeding yourself
Defense is from being eaten, not "bad guys".
Having lived in the rockies for a fairly long time, I, so far, haven't met or heard of anyone that uses a shotgun for much besides bird hunting in season. More sport shooting than meat making. Looking at the natives and bush folks up north that make a living out in the wild places, they also don't tend to rely on shotguns much besides laying in quantities of geese and ducks. The main meat guns in the rockies and up north are center fire sporter rifles, and 22's. Most natives tend towards smaller caliber centerfires, weight being a factor, not because they carry large amounts of ammo on them, but because the cost of ammo in the far away places is related to weight to ship it in to the traders. Recoil seems to be a factor also. So far, I also haven't heard of people that use their guns as a means of making a living having large quantities of ammo. Calvin Rutstrum, who wrote many books about bush living in the Canadian wilds mentions that 1 20 rd box of 30-30 shells was plenty for a winter of living and securing meat. He mentions having a .22 also at times, and felt that 1 50 rd box was plenty for a fairly long period. He was out doing it back in the early 1900's, and would make months long canoe and/or dogsled trips WAY out in the bush. He stated that overall, after trying many different calibers and guns, the 30-30 was his opinion of the best general purpose gun, as it didn't ruin (bloodshot) large amounts of meat, and it was very handy to carry, as well as reliable under all conditions. He mainly hunted deer, moose and caribou for meat and had no issues with the 30-30 for such uses. Rutstrum continued venturing into the bush and writing into the 1980s, and his thoughts on the matter were after long use and trying a number of various guns and loads.
Other writers that have made the plunge into the subsistance lifestyle, and made observations on others doing the same, tend towards the same general conclusuions, tho some prefer a scoped bolt gun in 30-06 or similar caliber, depending on the openess of the country.
I personally like to use a 30-30 with very light loads for grouse and small game, or a .22 pistol or rifle. When actually "hunting" (rather than an everyday carry gun) a scoped 30-06 does about anything you realistically need doing in the rockies. Either would do, tho I like a 45-70 for a carry gun when not "hunting" because we have a fair population of grizzlies here. I probably wouldn't choose the 45-70 if I had to go far on foot tho. People defense isn't a big issue in the wild and silent places, tho in that setting, any gun is enough for that purpose. Realistically, we are talking chance encounters with extremely rare nut cases, not the common street thugs. Street thugs don't hang out in wild places. Nowhere in the OP was end of civilization or social breakdown etc mentioned, or even hinted at. Even were such the case, out in the mountains is about the last place you would run into anyone you would need to be concerned about unsocial behaviour. Those sort of people wouldn't likely last long in the mountains, no matter what guns or how much ammo they managed to drag out there with them.
I've had less funtion problems with Winchester levers (mine are pre-64 and pre-war) than with Springfield and Mauser bolts. I've also seen several various makes of AK's fail to function for various reasons.
I've had less trouble with Smith DA's than Ruger SA's also.
YMMV
Evocatii
Member
My choice would be one I already own. Rem 700 BDL in .270 win. I would consider it to be fairly versatile. Now, if there was a riot or civil unrest, I would have to go with a lever in .357 mag to match my revolvers.
Marlin 1895 in .45-70. Give it a one-piece firing pin, big loop lever (Rocky Mountains + Winter = Gloves), Bearproof extractor and trigger happy kit (this also happens to be the configuration my 1895 is already in).
Although this is the rifle forum, I'll add that I'd also carry my Ruger Single Six in .22 WMR, before someone points out that .45-70s don't mix well with small game.
A couple boxes of .45-70 and a couple hundred .22 WMR would be more than enough for even an active winter. In fact, those numbers could probably be cut in half.
The concept of a survival gun, is a very touchy subject. The gun you use for foraging/ hunting is a very different gun than what your going to want for protection in the even of mass civil disorder or some sort of riot, or other TEOTWAWKI. For hunting, a single shot shotgun or a .22 would surfice. For the latter, a battle rifle would surfice. Guns that would do both good, are a real compromise, and I really can't think of any off the top of my head.
My survival rifle is a Marlin 1894 .357, teamed up with a 6" S&W 686 and a Winchester 1300 Defender 12ga. Throw in a good dog and a great woman, (who can shoot), and I am ready to "Repel Boarders" and/or collect venison for stew. If that doesn't save my bacon, not likely an AR or AK would help me out either.
hans1911
(formerly GHILLIE)
hans1911
(formerly GHILLIE)
Oohrah
Member
Scoped 03 Springfield. Never had one break and shoots many
different loads. A very good read is by a man who wrote for
Guns and Ammo as well as a couple on books on the subject.
Mel Tappan wrote "Survival Guns" and one other book besides
before passing. One of his thoughts was to have a battery of
firearms for specialties and family to run various platforms.
different loads. A very good read is by a man who wrote for
Guns and Ammo as well as a couple on books on the subject.
Mel Tappan wrote "Survival Guns" and one other book besides
before passing. One of his thoughts was to have a battery of
firearms for specialties and family to run various platforms.
I have Tappans books. Good read, if much of it is dated.
His thoughts regarding the difference between "working" guns and "fighting" guns is pertinant to this topic. Seems many have answered assuming it is a "fighting" question, tho I haven't discerned any implication of that in the OP or his later post clarifying his intent.
Or maybe I live in a vacuum, and don't realize that every gun related question is really a combat question.
His thoughts regarding the difference between "working" guns and "fighting" guns is pertinant to this topic. Seems many have answered assuming it is a "fighting" question, tho I haven't discerned any implication of that in the OP or his later post clarifying his intent.
Or maybe I live in a vacuum, and don't realize that every gun related question is really a combat question.
".......before someone points out that .45-70s don't mix well with small game."
Actually, the 45-70 mixes fine with small game. I've shot grouse, bunnies and rattlesnakes with .457" round balls over about 6 1/2 grs Unique. Rather quiet load, and little meat damage. The old Collar Button bullets are good for that sort of thing too.
I've made shot loads for 45-70, and shot .410 shells in them, but the shot pattern spreads very quickly, and develops a hole in the center of the pattern from the rifling spin. Shot loads are good to about 15 feet, (that's about the length of a compact car). Round ball loads are much more practical for anything in my experience.
.410 shells don't extract very well sometimes, being undersized.
Actually, the 45-70 mixes fine with small game. I've shot grouse, bunnies and rattlesnakes with .457" round balls over about 6 1/2 grs Unique. Rather quiet load, and little meat damage. The old Collar Button bullets are good for that sort of thing too.
I've made shot loads for 45-70, and shot .410 shells in them, but the shot pattern spreads very quickly, and develops a hole in the center of the pattern from the rifling spin. Shot loads are good to about 15 feet, (that's about the length of a compact car). Round ball loads are much more practical for anything in my experience.
.410 shells don't extract very well sometimes, being undersized.
paintballdude902
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when the shtf im gonna grab my ishy 2a enfield
or my lever .30-30
or my lever .30-30
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