Why a 22 LR rifle is considered by many the ultimate survival firearm?

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saturno_v

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This one baffles me a bit.
Obviously I recognize the significant advantage of carrying many rounds at one time due to the cartridge small size and the relatively quiet report, however there are some serious downsides.

- The round is seriously anemic, to say the least, against human targets, even more for big game hunting...nevermind wildlife protection if you have to hide in the woods for extended periods of time.

- You cannot reload....with centerfire cartridges and reloading equipment you have much more flexibility..you could even cast your own bullets.

- The round is not used by the military....something to think about in a SHTF collapse of society scenario...supply could become problematic.

I think a more appropriate survival chambering would be the 223 Rem or the 7,62X39...these cartridges are not too big and you can carry many of them on you, used by the military (at least for the 5,56 Nato) and decent power for basically every situation (especially if you have a reliable semi-auto....10 rounds of 7,62 Soviet may stop an angry bear vs. 10 rounds of 22 LR :uhoh:.....)

If you want to increase the "carry as many rounds" factor, you may go down as little as a 9 mm Carbine....still a centerfire round, used by the military, reloadable and with significant more power than a 22.

Other good candidates could be a 30-30 lever, 357 or 44 Lever.

IMHO the ideal survival rifle is an AK with a quick detachable scope.

Opinions on the matter??


Regards

P.S.

Having said that, I still would like to buy an AR-7 (a reliable specimen) someday...even if I do not think it makes a good survival rifle....;)
 
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1- the round is seriously anemic-----perhaps so, but it will certainly disuade anyone from their current course of action and kill them if used correctly. Same for large game. First off, you would be better off in a SURVIVAL situation taking smaller game than larger as it would end up being a huge waste if you couldnt cure and store the meat. Second, head/neck shots with a .22 are plenty to bring down medium to large game IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

2) You cannot reload------ true, but then again this is a survival situation and I dont think one is taking their reloading setup with them when trying to SURVIVE... 5-10 thousand rounds of .22 on the other hand... not quite so difficult.

3) not used by the military------WRONG... maybe not in a mankiller role but .22s are used in the military for certain tasks. as for supply... I find it difficult to believe that .22 Lr is not the most abundant ammunition readily available.


I am not going to say the .22 is the only gun you should have. IMO I think you would best be served by 3 guns...
FIRST---the .22
SECOND--- a .357 revolver (not a snubbie)
THIRD---a carbine of sorts whether a .357 carbine, AR, or AK... your choice.
 
If by survival, you mean a SHTF scenario vs othe armed humans.....not good:eek::what:.

If by survival, you mean hunt things to eat, scare off those who come un invited (4 & 2 Legged):rolleyes:, un prepaired (2 legged):uhoh:, then a .22 would be great......

I think it is a great survival gun for hunting small game, big game if I were starving, and practice.
 
You cannot reload....with centerfire cartridges and reloading equipment you have much more flexibility..you could even cast your own bullets.
Click to expand...

I'd counter that w/ it's easier to carry 1 round of .22 RF for long term use than one primer.....

I'd still take other rounds w/ the .22, but the mid west does not need much for "4 legged" protection.........22 would be just fine....

Tony
 
PT1911

I think we should define "survival" here...in a SHTF situation (civil war, enemy invasion, etc...) you would still have a place where to live/nest wher eyou can have your equipment (including reloading setup)

Yes, a fighter pilot bailing out of a plane and landing in enemy territory is survival too....but totally different circumstances...in that case , yes you cannot store your meat, nevermind reloading.

The geographical area is important too....not much dangerous wildlife left, let's say, in Italy compared to, for example, Washington state or Alaska...

So I think it all depends on the survival scenario...still I would like to have something with a bit more punch than a 22...maybe I would go as little as a 9 mm carbine.
 
Pro's of the 22... its quiet, a lot of ammo does not weigh much, most guns chambered for it NEVER wear out, it will kill a man easily with a good shot...same for fairly large game (I've killed several steers with a 22 round to the head)

Cons of the 22...In a role of pure survival..I can't think of any cons.
 
how about 5-10000 rounds of 17hmr
DIDO on the cow shot to the head.
then BIG KNIFE to the neck. it is the only fun part i would like to add. The rest of it sucks till ya get to the eating part.
 
In a purely survival/SHTF situation...where you try to avoid becoming involved in glorious firefights, stormin' the gates of hell, and other heroic deeds of derring do...you'll likely have more use for a good .22 rifle than anything else...with the exception of a strong fixed-blade knife.
 
Another school of thought is that, assumign a place where to live where you can have your own tools/setup, the best survival/all around firearm is a shotgun...you are good to go from the smallest animal to the biggest, baddest predator.
 
nice hand gun 9mm or bigger with couple 100+rounds & 3-10000 rounds in rim fire. i feel pretty good about my chances of serving what ever out side. yep 1 of each rimfire, hand,gun & shot gun. im going to need a pretty big cave. if only 1 its still RIMFIRE
 
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I have a couple of BP .22 Cap & Ball mini revolvers. I got them just before Y2K I have enjoyed shooting them and they are surprisingly acurate. I have often wished for a "cattlemans carbine" version of this. That would be a .22 mag 5 shot rifle that would shoot 20 grains of FFFFg per cylinder. Was kinda wondering if anybody else thought that would be a good SHTF gun
 
I think we should define "survival" here...in a SHTF situation (civil war, enemy invasion, etc...) you would still have a place where to live/nest wher eyou can have your equipment (including reloading setup)
Click to expand...

You see, this is the problem. When you simply say "survival," it conjures different images for different people. Some think SHTF with probable encounters with armed adversaries, while others think of the less threatening "surviving in the woods" and carrying all your gear.

For me, that's two totally different answers.

Since it's your thread and you have now defined "survival" for us, most people would not still select a .22 if the chance for an armed encounter was high. Also, if you were inside your own house and needed to repell looters, again, few would opt for the .22

As for reloading, if you already have the components on hand, why havne't you assembled them into usable ammo yet ?
 
i have a lot of black powders. because i am convinced some day they are going to take AMMO away. & i can make every thing you need to shoot black powder. primers R the hardest put can be done. but i have 1000s so no worry
 
The principle rules for survival in a "feed the family" situation require that you travel light, but well prepared.

Multiple guns - for me, 2...maybe (the other would be a handgun...most likely a 45acp or colt)
 
Why a 22 LR rifle is considered by many the ultimate survival firearm?
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Who said that?

If you are going to make Rat Stew, a 22LR will leave more of the rat than a 30-06.

After the world ends, there will be lots of Rats and Cockroaches.

bon appetit cherie!
 
Easy to answer this one

.22 is ultimate because of its flexibilty to satisfy both ends of a very wide spectrum with just one rifle.

The ultimate pure survival rifle IMHO is a .223/5.56 black rifle (preferably the Colt 6920LE ;) ) and a .22 conversion bolt. Changing out the bolt takes 10 secs max and you now have a .22 small game hunter. The .223/5.56 is good for most any 4 legged game you will hunt in the woods hiding from zombies.

When I am forced into the hills I can carry just one long gun and take care of any need I will have, within reason. It is light, accurate, and dependable. Its a military weapon that is meant for extended carry and for killing bad guys. It is currently deployed to the armed forces of my nation so the big ammo should be easy to find. And the .22 ammo is light and plentiful....I can eat real well taking small game with the .22 and not make a lot of noise doing so.

My .02
 
I think theres only 2 choices...a Ciener or a CMMG. I have the Ciener but the CMMG wasnt out yet. Mine works fine. My buddy has a Ciener too, shoots a lot more than me, and has replaced the firing pin already (maybe 600 rnds maybe). Not sure if that wouldnt have happened with the CMMG one. Very easy fix btw...was not a problem. Pins are cheap and easy to replace.

I think the CMMG is a copy of the Ciener in SS. Id research the 2 and pick the better one.
 
Those of you who are touting the 223, do you feel in a SHTF situation the gov't will be handing out ammo?

If you are talking survival situations, have all you need on hand.
 
In a purely survival/SHTF situation...where you try to avoid becoming involved in glorious firefights, stormin' the gates of hell, and other heroic deeds of derring do...you'll likely have more use for a good .22 rifle than anything else...with the exception of a strong fixed-blade knife
Click to expand...
.

This is right on. You ever read "Tunnel in the Sky?" In it the "hero" is sent of to another planet for a survival test that turns into being stranded there. Great book BTW.

When he goes to his sister, a "space marine" or something along those lines and asks what gun to take, she tells him to take no gun, just a good strong knife.

Her logic? You were supposed to survive, not fight. Having a big powerful gun along tends to make people sloppy. They substitute firepower for stealth. That gets people killed. By being basically unarmed, you would think of staying hidden, out of sight, and quiet.

A 22 is one step above a knife. Have a good knife too.
 
You ever watch Survival Man? The majority will starve to death or die from exposure in the woods with or without a 22 rifle or handgun. But it's a great fantasy.
 
"The majority will starve to death or die from exposure in the woods with or without a 22 rifle or handgun. But it's a great fantasy."

So you're saying nobody should bother taking a gun because a majority will starve anyway? Survival is no fantasy, it's hard work.

The majority owe big bucks on their credit card, but that's no reason for me to stop paying mine off every month.

Be prepared. ;)

John
 
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