Which Carbine Would You Carry?

[JG727]

Which carbine would you carry if you were traveling on foot?

I don't necessarily mean which manufacturer's AR carbine clone, but more which type/style.

If you can, please include what type of terrain/environment you expect to be in, and how that affects your choice.

I'd go with my M1 Carbine because I'm really familiar and comfortable with it, and I enjoy the options afforded to me by the box magazine.

I'm in Florida, and most of the terrain I'd expect to see would be flat grasslands, with lots of Saw Palmetto clumps and interspersed pine canopies, and hardwood hammocks.

In a survival situation, but one where I don't expect to be actively defending myself, I'd go with a .357/.38 special lever carbine for ammo availability and reliability.

I know it seems pretty random, but it been on my mind a lot and I want some outside input.

 

[Cosmoline]

In my experience on bear trails you want something light enough to hold for long periods but also with a sufficiently heavy barrel for steady off hand work. The firearm's profile and your own hand size makes a difference. Leverguns are probably the easiest since they have rectangular profiles and can be held a number of ways. Rounder firearms such as shotguns or military firearms tend not to have corners to hang onto which makes fatigue set in faster, at least for myself. Having a scabbard on the back to tote the thing in really helps. Another option is a belly carry with a quick release. No matter what you're carrying eventually it will start getting heavy and getting in the way. You also don't want to fall into the habit of using your firearm to clear brush ahead of you.

 

[TonyAngel]

JG727, it's funny that you brought this up. With the popularity of the black rifle, it's really not uncommon to run across guys humping around with their AR15 on a sling and some sort of pouch with spare mags, etc. I built my own humping AR a while back. It's a 14.5" build that I tried to keep on the lighter side. A pretty basic setup except for the Mini ACOG that rides on top of it. It used to be my goto rifle, when I needed something to tote with me. About six months ago, I bought a Rossi .38/.357 lever action carbine with a 16" barrel. That's what I take with me now. It's smaller, lighter, slimmer, no mags to worry about, easy to top off with ammo and the .357 packs quite a punch coming out of that 16" barrel.

 

[Badlander]

For your senario I would want my Marlin 30-30 for large game backed by my Ruger Single six .22 for small game.

 

[kwelz]

AR15 with a barrel of 14.5 inches or less.

Light easy to use, accurate and reliable. Can be used for defense and still take down Game for food.

 

[sixgunner455]

Why am I traveling on foot? If I'm hiking near my home here, in the mountains, I'll probably carry my AR, and have a five-round magazine of softpoints in it for hunting coyotes while I hike. But I don't usually just go hike with a rifle unless I'm hunting, anyway.

If I'm trying to get somewhere, because a tornado has torn apart my life, I'll take whatever I could scrounge from the wreckage.

 

[hardluk1]

I grew up in naples and spent as much time in the wild as i could growing up. Hunted hundreds of hogs over 25 years down there all with a 357 revolver. I never felt under gunned carry'n a 357 revolver. Today , maybe a 10mm glock just for heavy duty protection. Put it in a good shoulder holster and enjoy the wild. There nothing in florida it won't take care of with heavy 180 or 200gr loads. If it has to be a carbine then what ever 357, 45, 44mag you can find.

 

[USSR]

Don

 

[Zerodefect]

A FN Ps90 will fit into of any of the Gregory Expedition backpacks. You can draw it out much like a sword slung on a Knights back.

Otherwise I'd prefere a Colt 6920 carbine with a 13" Larue rail, Magpul furniture, and an Aimpoint T1 in a tall Larue mount.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

This is the perfect excuse for a scout rifle. Light, handy, poserful, accurate, and enough "firepower" for one person to take on anything less than a squad of soldiers in a direct encounter (given Sgt York's abilities, which we all should aspire to).

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

For a carbine, I would go with an FS2000 rifle, small, accurate and easy to convert to 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 rem or 6.5 MPC, having two calibers in one gun is awesome.

 

[Vaarok]

I really like my Vz-52s, they're quite accurate, moreso than a SKS, fit me better than my Vz-58, and have detachable mags and a built in bayonet.

 

[Abel]

A Marlin 30TK in 30-30 with a Williams peep:

 

[happygeek]

I've had to hike 6 - 8 miles before with body armor, light ruck, water, M4, no ammo because it was training, in terrain that mostly consisted of rolling hills with one big, steep, nasty hill near the end. Glad I've never had to do it for real, it sucks bad enough just doing it for training. It'll make you glad you're not carrying a .308 battle rifle with around 200 rounds.

So I guess my choice would be a Colt AR15.

Don't forget about the weight of the food and water you'd be carrying as well. It always cracks me up when I see characters in a movie or TV show hiking through the wilderness and you don't see them carrying any Camelbacks or rucks.

 

[whalerman]

I'm a big fan of my new Ruger 77/44. 5.25 lbs. Weight is an important factor. I do like levers, but you're adding a couple pounds if you go that way.

 

[FMJMIKE]

Ruger stainless Mini-14 with 5 round mag and a 20 rounder close by.

 

[jackpinesavages]

My FS 2000. 30 round GI mags disappear into the bullpup. 7.5 lbs empty, ERT sling-single point.

 

[kozak6]

It depends on what I feel like that day. I expect to be traveling from the parking lot to the firing range, so weight, caliber, and capacity don't really matter. Probably the 10/22 because ammo is cheap.

If I'm hunting deer or elk, then it doesn't matter since that seems to be outside the scope of the thread. Unless they are zombie deer. Or elk. That's actually a pretty good movie idea for the SyFy channel. Hmmm.....

If it's the zombpocalypse, then traveling on foot is probably a bad idea.

If it's a survival situation, then it doesn't matter because the thread is locked.

 

[Sky]

Something with multiple rounds that can be used rather quickly to stop a mad charging turtle or some other creature of ill repute.

 

[Grousefeather]

which carbine

I like the CZ 527 carbine, in .223. Light and handy, accurate, and scopeable. Plus you can pack more ammo with its light weight.

 

[rondog]

This one.

 

[Lakedaemonian]

For the ability to move quickly and in keeping with the survival mentality. For my Carbine I choose my Henry US survival rifle (semi auto .22) it floats and with it, I can take game to survive. Up to and including white tailed deer. (Not legaly, but legitimatly at close range). For my back-up, I would bring my springfiled 1911 TRP. Its accurate, reliable and packs a punch that says "back the F up!!"

 

[Dr.Rob]

The carbine I've carried the most in Colorado was a Marlin 336 "Texan". 18 inch barrel, microgroove in .30-30 with a 2-7x variable scope.

With 170 grain bullets I could hunt anything up to elk. The terrain I was hunting was pine forest and high altitude meadows ranging from 8000-9500 feet in elevation. The Marlin was a good comprimise in power, weight and accuracy in a lightweight package. My brother carried it, then I did. Then we loaned it out numerous times to visting and novice hunters.

I even took an antelope with it just to prove it could be done.

The .30-30 is no 'long range' wonder but I've knocked down a fair number of bowling pins with it at 300 yards.

I practice with my 6920 monthly, and while I've made longer range shots with it I'm not convinced it's a better "all around" rifle than a .30-30. 5.56mm is also NOT legal for taking big game in Colorado.

One of those most popular 'carbines' I run into in CO is Marlin's 1895 Guide Gun in .45/70 that is a rifle with a LOT of whallop in a VERY light package, provided you don't pile the added weight of optics on it. People love them for elk hunting, or as a saddlegun.

 

[OhioChief]

I love my Winchester 30-30. It's a bush gun, short, and will really pack a punch. It's light, quick to use, all the advantages. However, there's currently no strap on that kind of gun. So you're actually carrying it. All day. Ok for hunting, but not for hiking. No way. I have a Colt AR carbine which would be fine. Heck, I have a couple .40 Hi-Points that I'd be happy with.

 

[Fabius]

Have to go with my Marlin 336 without a scope. No scopes, magazines, bolt handles, front sight bases, elevated rear sights or other things to get hung up on brush. Compact and light enough to carry comfortably using a sling, plus easy to hand carry in a balanced fashion. 6+1 rounds of 30-30 loaded and a 20 round ammo belt should be plenty enough firepower for protection in a wilderness situation.

In a combat situation, AR-15, hands down. I'm still amazed how light 100 rounds of 5.56 ammo is compared to most rifle rounds.