Varmint
NES Member
That's way to go if there's a squirrel zombie apocalypse.
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Survival rifle choice, 308 bolt versus Ar
- Thread starter wdemr67
- Start date
That's way to go if there's a squirrel zombie apocalypse.
If living off the land neither 308 or 5.56 ar.
12 or 20 gauge shotgun. A shotgun will take any game......ANY game.......in new England simply by changing the shell. I keep my "backstock" full of slugs (deer and large game), buckshot (deer and 2 legged vermin), multiple sizes of birdshot for small game like squirrel and rabbit and of course birds. If you can only take one gun with you.......its a shotty with a bag full of different types of shells. Period. pump shotgun is the swiss army knife of fire arms and I preach to all prospective new gun owners when they ask me what to get first......get a shotgun and learn to use it.,....shoot some trap and skeet.......zero it with slugs......put buckshot through it at the club quickly and practice reloading quickly. Another bonus.......ammo is dirt cheap. Game loads are $5-$7 a box of 25. Buckshot a little more at $12 a box and slugs about the same. Cheap to build up a stockpile and for some reason even after obamascare 1 and 2 and even sandy hook shotgun ammo seemed plentiful when everything else was sold out.
Now.......in the burbs or the city and wrol.......ar, ak, sks etc.......
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ding ding ding......for living off the land you have to go with the shotty. I would go with a pump gun but that is my preference over a side by side.
12 or 20 gauge shotgun. A shotgun will take any game......ANY game.......in new England simply by changing the shell. I keep my "backstock" full of slugs (deer and large game), buckshot (deer and 2 legged vermin), multiple sizes of birdshot for small game like squirrel and rabbit and of course birds. If you can only take one gun with you.......its a shotty with a bag full of different types of shells. Period. pump shotgun is the swiss army knife of fire arms and I preach to all prospective new gun owners when they ask me what to get first......get a shotgun and learn to use it.,....shoot some trap and skeet.......zero it with slugs......put buckshot through it at the club quickly and practice reloading quickly. Another bonus.......ammo is dirt cheap. Game loads are $5-$7 a box of 25. Buckshot a little more at $12 a box and slugs about the same. Cheap to build up a stockpile and for some reason even after obamascare 1 and 2 and even sandy hook shotgun ammo seemed plentiful when everything else was sold out.
Now.......in the burbs or the city and wrol.......ar, ak, sks etc.......
- - - Updated - - -
ding ding ding......for living off the land you have to go with the shotty. I would go with a pump gun but that is my preference over a side by side.
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Just found an interesting rifle I was not aware of and it seems like the perfect choice. A Ruger 77/357. Can shoot 38 or 357, bolt action, stainless with a synthetic stock. Could reload to tailor the need, light 38's for small game or 357 magnums for big game ( 2 or 4 legged). Put a nice 1x4 scope on this and it would be a pretty handy rifle.
fencer
NES Member
In the OP's scenario - I would opt for an AR.
But if it really were EOTWAWKI - and resupply was unlikely or impossible, I would want an AK-47. I don't own one, I don't want one, but there is no denying their reliability. They are accurate enough and will run under any condition and require virtually no care.
But if it really were EOTWAWKI - and resupply was unlikely or impossible, I would want an AK-47. I don't own one, I don't want one, but there is no denying their reliability. They are accurate enough and will run under any condition and require virtually no care.
I am still a fan of the mixed Caliber over under guns. I miss the one that Four Seasons had the Year too bad that was a 30-06 and 12 gauge break open. Same concept as the little Savage gun that is in 22 and 410 just in Big Boy calibers
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Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
I've seen the savage models up at Kittery Trading Post when I am up there.......22 over 410 like you said. Damn they are ugly looking guns though and could not bring myself to buy one! I know I know......who cares what it looks like......but damn!!!!
cockpitbob
NES Member
I know this is outside how the OP asked the question, but if the goal is mainly hunting for meat and home defense, a 12ga pump. A shotgun, like no other gun, can be used for squirrel, turkey, geese, deer and everything in between. It's also an outstanding home defense gun. No, it's not the best if you are in an urban combat squad, but realistically, how likely is that to happen.
ChevyGuy91
NES Member
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I'd like one of those to shoot heavy .38's through a can. Gotta be cat sneeze quiet.
The shotty is quite versatile, but a short scout-type .308 bolt-gun is as well. The bolt-gun is less ammunition sensitive than a semi, and will accept a wide variety of cast bullets. I found that .32 cast round balls over a light charge work well at 25yds, and would be useful as a small game round, as would be the Lee soup-can 113 gr cast bullet. Larger cast bullets can be used on larger game.
The .308 is a reloadable cartridge, as opposed to the .22 for all practical purposes. I have seen ads for a .22 reload kit, but have yet to see any stellar reviews that would make me want to try it. A Lee Classic Reloader in .308 Win can be had for under $30.
True , the bolt-gun does fall short in the area of follow-up shots, but the .308 would obviously has a greater effective reach than a .223 or the shot-gun. Plus for anything larger than a deer, I would prefer something than thumps a bit harder than the .223. Granted a .50 Beowolf upper would do a lot of that, but that's more parts to have, to maintain, or to have left a home when you really need it.
IMHO -- a few magazines, each full of cartridges with different configurations and purposes, would be a lot easier to carry and swap out, rather than a couple extra uppers
To be fair, and outside the question of the OP, IMHO the gun of last resort would be a smooth-bore flintlock, in a large (like .69 or .75) caliber, using black powder and giving its owner a whole bunch of possibilities for projectiles..
FWIW and IMHO- trapping and trot-line fishing work 24/7 and would be a more effective means of making meat than hunting in a true SHTF or survival situation..
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Shark_Cage
NES Member
My first choice would probably be my 10 MM AR. Then my rifle's ammo would match my glocks. I did buy an AR-10T with SHTF in mind. I do need to get a takedown 22.
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