As to "you have to have an AR" IMHO disagree. If you need a firearm that needs to survive a beating you don't want one with a gas tube that can corrode, its not like you are going to be able to go to Midway USA and buy parts. A bolt action is the way I would go. It is going to be used for self defense but more importantly hunting to feed yourself.
Yes 308 is heavier to carry than 556 but if you have a stash or multiple stashes you would be OK. Also the tried and true 30-06 is also a good round.
I have the Ruger scout and its a great rifle, short, light weight compared to other rifles. Also lever guns are also a good choice. if you want firepower try a Henry lever gun chambered in 45/70. It will knock down a frigging elephant. I also have savage rifles, they are a great buy and a well made rifle.
As to the 556 round remember if your hunting and hit the animal at close range and not in a critical area chances are the projectile will pass thru the game and you will be looking at the back side of your food run off. Don't get me wrong the AR is a great weapon, but if you need something which has been proven to take a beating and keep shooting, a bolt action is the way to go.
update;
From a survival blog:
30-30 Winchester – Is It The Best Survival Gun?
It seems no matter what you read, there’s some “guru” telling you what is and is not the perfect survival gun. Well, I might as well put my two cents in to this debate as well. My pick is the 30-30 Winchester cartridge and the rifle I choose is the Marlin lever action. Now that I’ve said that, I’ll tell you that the perfect survival gun is the one you happen to have in your hand when a survival situation occurs.
If you happen to be a person who plans on having an emergency, then there are many fine firearms to have in such a situation. A strong argument could be made for the 12 gauge shotgun as being the best survival gun. I would agree with that statement if you’re the type of person who does not practice with your firearm enough to be proficient.
The reasons I like the Marlin 30-30 are many. Here is a list of my reasons why the Marlin gets my nod as the best survival gun.
They’re cheap. I see them in the local classifieds for under $200
They’re reliable and durable. The lever action is a strong and reliable mechanism
They’re easy to use. Just about anyone can be shown how to load and shoot one. This will be helpful if you ever find yourself in a survival situation with people who are not firearms savvy
They can put a fair amount of lead down range in a short amount of time. Most rifles hold 6 rounds and these can be cycled and fired rather quickly with just a little amount of practice.
The ammo is readily available. Next to the 22 long rifle, I’d say that the 30-30 is the ammo you’ll find the most of when you really need it.
The ammo is inexpensive. Recently, I just bought 20 boxes of ammo from Cabela’s during one of their sales for $14.99 a box
The 30-30 can be very accurate. Much more accurate than the AK-47 and SKS type of semi-auto’s (as well as many AR’s). Also, the round delivers more of a punch than the .223′s and the AK rounds.
And those are the ones that come off the top of my head.
Now if you’re a die hard firearms person, one who practices on a regular basis, then you probably have a lot of guns to choose from. But for the Average Joe, the Marlin 30-30 is hard to be for your one gun arsenal. (okay, you should have a shotgun and a .22 also!)
The 30-30 has enough energy to take any Big Game animal walking North America.
Coyote33 to answer your question: Henry does not make a 444 lever gun. Marlin does. We have one in our shop. No it does not use a 44 mag round. it is a much longer larger case. It would put a good whoop ass on what ever you were shooting at however
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