shtf ammo

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dont think this has been discussed here before and if it has please lock it

ive come to the conclusion that if i were to only be able to take 1 gun with me in a shtf scenario it would be my AR simply because it is lighter, has a flashlight, laser and scope mounted on it and i have the most amount of mags and ammo for it...

so my question is what type of ammo would you carry for your gun in a shtf situation?

i have a healthy supply of ss109...maybe too healthy fo a supply of it actually
a good amount of xm193
healthy supply of new manufacture various brand 55gr fmj
and various amounts of wolf, adcom, black hills stuff lying around

does anyone suggest getting HP maybe? id like to think id be able to carry a little of each but that would be presuming i had an ideal situation where i was bugging in instead of out

i figured HP ammo would be good to have as it could be effective for hunting in an extreme situation

any suggestions? anyone know a good source for 55gr hp ammo?
 
The AK being my choice for a take a long weapon means 7.62x39 for me. When it comes to hollow point ammo I don't know if it makes any diference because the 223 and 7.62x39 are relatively small bullets compared to hollow point pistol ammo like a 40 S&W for example where it could make a difference. I don't have much knowledge on wound ballistics though so I could be wrong.
I know for hunting I wouldn't use it for the fact that small bits of razor sharp copper will be scattering through the animal's flesh. In a SHTF situation there are probably no hopsitals nearby to remove a sliver of copper jacket from your throat or even treat whatever cuts you could get from handling meat filled with it.
For hunting I would think softpoint ammo would work better because of the mushrooming. Could be that would work better for enemy stopping power as well.[thinking]
 
IMO I think it's a matter of how bad TSHF. If the situation were bad enough that they decided to stop all sales of firearms and ammunition for a long period of time, you'd be better off sticking to military spec ammo for both long guns, and pistols. I think in this type of scenerio, you will quickly see black/grey markets begin to open up, and people either selling or trading their extra or stolen firearms and ammo for food, water or whatever services they may need. I think it would be easier to find anything that is military spec show up in these types of markets, rather then a foreign grade that must be imported. I thought about this recently, after selling my 9mm pistol. I had stocked around 2000 rounds of Federal hollowpoint ammo for it. I was going to sell it to a friend, real cheap, but thought about what would happen if TSHF. I could use that ammo to trade for food, water, medicines or whatever I might need. It would make a much greater commoditie since it's a very popular size. Also, if I decided to buy another 9mm, I wouldn't have to restock my ammo supply for it. That too would save me a lot of money. Just a few ideas I've been kicking around.
 
For SHTF, I'm carrying US Military Lake City M-80 ball and perhaps a couple of boxes of Hornady hunting ammo for my M1A SOCOM.

As for 5.56mm, I would stick to military ball as well. Even though my Colt AR pretty much gobbles up anything, soft point, or hollow point ammo is a variable I wouldn't think you'd need in a large supply. I think much would depend on barrel length as well. I have a standard 20" heavy barrel and found accuracy to fall quite a bit when I added an M-4 upper. In short, stick to XM and maybe take a box or two of hunting ammo if it's acceptably reliable and accurate in you gun.
 
Stock what your barrel is designed to shoot.

Shot placement is the key. If given the chance for COM or a headshot, the head is my preference. Bullet type makes no differnece when your brains are leaking out of your skull. You are out of the fight...permanently.

Do an experiment. Shoot a gallon jug of water at 100yds with an M855 (SS109 bullet) and then another with M193(55gr bullet). I assure you that both will be effective.

Not meaning to flame you but as a general observation, people put way too much effort into ammo decisions....ie: "terminal ballistics". I personally think its a bunch of crap. I shoot what my AR guns shoot best which is M855 with the SS109 bullet. They all currently have a 1:7 twist barrel. I do keep a supply of 55gr ammo only because I have spare barrels with 1:12 twist rates and may have to change out a barrel in one of my ARs. The 62gr stuff won't fly straight out of the 1:12 barrels (I've tested it) and it keyholes from 25yds out to almost 125yds.

I have exactly 20rds of lead tipped hunting ammo in .223, everything else is FMJ, either 62gr SS109 or 55gr FMJBT.
 
Along similar lines, what do people recommend for storage of SHTF ammo? Should it be stored loose in containers or loaded in mags? Thanks to ken1234 I now have a set of pre-ban mags and am curious how long they can be stored loaded?
 
Along similar lines, what do people recommend for storage of SHTF ammo? Should it be stored loose in containers or loaded in mags? Thanks to ken1234 I now have a set of pre-ban mags and am curious how long they can be stored loaded?

You can keep them loaded for nearly ever.... One example is two HK 93 40-round mags which I believed to be stolen at a shoot back in the 80's. Turns out, I tossed them into a spare bag, then tossed it in my car and subsequently into my garage. Nearly 20-years and several moves later, I found them in a bin while cleaning out a storage unit, (still topped of with 40 rounds each of USA 5.56). I took then to the range and unloaded them in shorth order, (through the gun)....No bubbles no troubles and the mags still function perfectly.

There are a lot of urban myths about keeping mags loaded and most of them are just that....Especially modern magazines are made from a higher grade of steel spring that has superb longevity.
 
Along similar lines, what do people recommend for storage of SHTF ammo? Should it be stored loose in containers or loaded in mags? Thanks to ken1234 I now have a set of pre-ban mags and am curious how long they can be stored loaded?

I recommend loose in US ammo cans. It allows more rounds per can, fewer cans, less packaging materials to deal with so its easier to grab a fistful to load a magazine.
I keep all mags loaded ALL the time. An empty magazine is absolutely useless under any circumstances.

Modern magazine springs wear from cycling not from static tension so keeping them loaded does no harm. You are more likely to lose or dent a magazine and render it inoperable than wear out a spring by keeping it loaded.
 
My SHTF ammo consists of five 30-round mags in the nylon rifle case where my AK resides, as well as a small plastic ammo can that has a few boxes of "good stuff" for my pistols...a couple boxes of +P+ 9mm, a box each of .45 and .357 hollow points, and a little .38 auto for my Seecamp. All the rest of the ammo stays in the basement.
 
i could be wrong but i heard it was best to leave the mags stored only with around 28 rounds not the full 30...

This is called "downloading" and its done for the purpose of easier posisitive locking when inserting and seating a full mag in a gun with a closed bolt. If the mag is filled to capacity and the bolt is closed on an AR, it may not lock and fall out on the ground.
Leaving out a round or two allows the mag spring to compress and lock the mag in easier.
When changing out mags before the previous one is empty,(ie under firefight conditions) a downloaded mag can be very beneficial. Its applicable to pistols too, that don't lock open on an empty mag.
 
I have Hornady TAP FPD 75 gr. for the AR plus some FGM Match 77gr Sierra SMK
OTM ammo.

For the AK I use Winchesters 7.62 x 39 JSP ammo. It's the only
loading they sell (sold under gray SXT label) in that caliber.

IMO theres no reason to be using military ball ammo unless it's
the only thing you can afford for the gun, when there are lots of other
choices that work better. I have a stockpile of XM193, Q3131, and
AK wolf JHP ammo, but that will only ever get used if I run out of the
good stuff.

-Mike
 
I have Hornady TAP FPD 75 gr. for the AR plus some FGM Match 77gr Sierra SMK
OTM ammo.

For the AK I use Winchesters 7.62 x 39 JSP ammo. It's the only
loading they sell (sold under gray SXT label) in that caliber.

IMO theres no reason to be using military ball ammo unless it's
the only thing you can afford for the gun, when there are lots of other
choices that work better. I have a stockpile of XM193, Q3131, and
AK wolf JHP ammo, but that will only ever get used if I run out of the
good stuff.

-Mike

That's great, but for most folks, buying, training with and employing Hornady TAP en masse is an unlikely scenario.
 
That's great, but for most folks, buying, training with and employing Hornady TAP en masse is an unlikely scenario.

You don't have to buy it en masse. You buy a couple hundred rounds of
it, shoot some to test function and then train with other ammo. The POI isn't
that much different between milsurp and the good stuff to make a real difference
anyways, at least not at typical SHTF ranges.

I'm not saying that milsurp won't work.. it certainly will stop BGs if you put the
shots in the right places; but there is ammo that works better for doing
that. Having ammo that is more effective is a "good thing" IMO.


-Mike
 
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I'm still stocking up. I have five hundred rounds of FMJ for my SKS in a nice ammo box that came with the ammo from Cabelas. Smme of those rounds are already stripper-clipped and in a bandolier for a hasty departure.

I have one hundred fifty rounds for both my wife's .38 Detective Special and my Rossi .357. Both have speedloaders. Handgun ammo is stored in sealed plastic bags and contained in a camera bag. That bag is divided into two compartments, with the .38 rounds in one, the .357 in the other. It's easily toted.
 
I need to aquire some SHTF ammo. I'm probably down to about 100 - 200 rounds of .30-'06 M2 Ball Mil surplus. About 50 or so of those rounds are already on stripper clips (for my M1903) and some of those are already in a bandaleer(sp?). I also have alot of cheap unrealiable .22LR and a diminishing supply of Wolf .40SW FMJ. I need a bigger ammo budget so I can go to the range more, I haven't been going much for fear of running out of ammo that I can't replace anytime soon.

Someday I will have an AR15.
 
Given only one choice it would be a 12 ga. Rem 870 super mag. Good for all environments I'll ever be in. It's a very common caliber. It's a lot more versitle than any rifle/pistol. The super mag can use all 2.75/3 & 3.5 shells. You can load up from small size pellets to slugs. Slugs good for about a hundred yards. Double or triple odd good for in close. You can use small pellets for smaller game. Don't forget you might need to hunt something down to eat. Your high 2XX - 30 cals might leave the skin. That's of course if you don't use up a lot of ammo to hit it in the first place. Pistols wouldn't be much good unless it was a match caliber for a rifle say a .44 S&W with a .44 Marlin. Just my 2¢.
 
Given only one choice it would be a 12 ga. Rem 870 super mag.

It's an interesting question, and 12ga is a good choice though any quantity of shells are pretty heavy to transport. Personally, if I didn't have to worry about defense, and this was purely a survival question, my choice would be a .Ruger 10/22 22LR rifle and a few bricks of ammo. Easy to transport and ammunition for it is everywhere. Shell for shell, a .22 is a very reliable tool to put dinner on the table, day after day. Not much use for defense, but a .22 factors significantly into my medium to long-term planning.
 
I'm still stocking up. I have five hundred rounds of FMJ for my SKS in a nice ammo box that came with the ammo from Cabelas. Smme of those rounds are already stripper-clipped and in a bandolier for a hasty departure.

I have one hundred fifty rounds for both my wife's .38 Detective Special and my Rossi .357. Both have speedloaders. Handgun ammo is stored in sealed plastic bags and contained in a camera bag. That bag is divided into two compartments, with the .38 rounds in one, the .357 in the other. It's easily toted.

Great idea for ammo in the camera bag Shadow. Like you said, easily toted and can be grabbed in a hurry in a worst case scenario.
The SKS bandolier is one of the most overlooked SHTF pieces of equipment IMO. Along with 4 AK mags I keep loaded up, I also have 2 bandoliers full of SKS stripper clips with ammo that I can easily sling over my shoulder and run with.
 
Yup - get em while you can. SKS is an excellent SHTF gun. Wouldn't want to defend against an armed horde with one, but it will do whatever you need it to. I'm not an "old hand" with one, but can feed stripper clips into one toot-sweet. I have a buddy who has only an SKS and he's like a friggin master chef with that thing. Never seems to miss a beat....
 
It's an interesting question, and 12ga is a good choice though any quantity of shells are pretty heavy to transport. Personally, if I didn't have to worry about defense, and this was purely a survival question, my choice would be a .Ruger 10/22 22LR rifle and a few bricks of ammo. Easy to transport and ammunition for it is everywhere. Shell for shell, a .22 is a very reliable tool to put dinner on the table, day after day. Not much use for defense, but a .22 factors significantly into my medium to long-term planning.

And there lies the rub. How I'm reading this is an open ending what if or the one firearm that's good enough for anything that may arise. Your pick is a good one but it's good only for a limited type of scenerio. If you gave me a specific situation then I could probably select from my stash a more defined firearm but like I said, the 12 is good for anything that I think I'll ever run into and it is probably just as easy to find extra ammo for as a 22. For instance even though you thought you we're never going to have use for defence but now you have to: Say 3 bad guys are now thrown into the scenerio with the intent of taking your freshly shot game, and your 10/22, as a matter of fact, everything you have, remember, this is a shit happens thread. Now all of a sudden your choice just shrank from the one all to "crap, wish I had my ------ (fill in the blank)". That's the level of differences of preparedness and that's again, how I'm reading the question. Also, a 12 is a lot less likely to draw the attention of any local PD and or National Guard that may be afoot. I would just look like any other slob trying to hold his own in bad times with a 60 year old design, just like grandpa used to own, and not a problem child racing around with one of my ARs, AK or deadly Zumbo sniper rifles (I 'm still pickin on that bone). For the keep it military crowd (and those that are just "tacticool"), do you really think that you will be involved in a Red Dawn situation and picking the dead clean of their ammo, c'mon. If anything, be prepared for natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes more than armed invasion to get you and yours from point A to point B. Unless of course you live in Waco. And be prepared to lose your stuff to whatever enforcement agency is in charge when you get there. I'd be more inclined to give them a $250 pump then say an $1800 Bushy .308. I know, I know "from my cold dead hands", right. The goal here is survival. Also, the 10/22 is a poor choice for a 22 get out of Dodge rifle. I have nothing against it, I have the Deluxe Sporter edition. But you may be better off with a Marlin 39A in my opinion. You can get proficent enough with it where your speed is just as fast as a semi for follow ups. It can also use 22 Long and 22 shorts. It can be broken down in 2 halves for transport. Again, it's look is one that it won't draw excessive attention. Back it up with a S&W 617 4" which can also use 22 LR, L & short and your good to go. If the "go" is just for procurement that is. Just one more thing. I can pop a nice plump duck on the wing or partake of a venison steak even if the first shot is off a bit and breaks his ass bone with the 12, maintain that thought while your enjoying your chipmonk kabobs.
 
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And there lies the rub. How I'm reading this is an open ending what if or the one firearm that's good enough for anything that may arise.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting the .22 as the ultimate SHTF weapon. I have, however, found the round to be a proven provider of food. As sport hunters, it's okay to go out for duck, or deer, or whatever, and come home empty-handed. In a survival situation, not so. Bigger game is preferred, of course, but rabbits and other small game make pretty good (and tasty!) meals. Your duck, for example, may take from one to three of your 12 ga. rounds (depending on your accuracy), and provide food for one or two meals. Now, in a survival situation, that means that you'll need enough shells to do that, day in and day out, for what could be a lengthy time.

Not to mention that every time you fire one of those 12 ga. rounds you are announcing to everyone in earshot that you now have food with you (not to mention a nice weapon). This considerably raises that possibility that you might have to defend that duck you just bagged.

Even among those who assume that larger game can be brought home as a possibility, such as deer, few seem to consider the issue of preservation without refrigeration. A deer goes bad fast if it isn't preserved somehow, salt being the simplest and easily stocked way to do that. Larger rounds also have the same problem of attracting attention, though not so much as the shotgun.

Which brings me back to the .22. Not for defense, of course. For food, yes. Not as the only round for food, but what may end up being the most effective in the long run, and one that is quiet. By the way, I have taken duck with a .22. Not in flight, of course, but they are vulnerable when swimming or walking on the shore.

The 10/22 was just an example. I'm sure every type of .22 has it's proponents who would argue for it.

When it comes to defense and larger game hunting, I'm tending toward a lever action 30-30. Light, mechanically simple, and a good hard-hitting round that's available everywhere. Moreover, since it's not a military round or civilian equivalent, it may be scooped up more slowly than the .223 or 7.62.

For handguns, I have standardized on .357 magnum and .45 acp. both widely available, and the .357's can shoot .38's. While I like the .45 acp (mine's a S&W), I wonder how it would hold up in the long run. I have more faith in revolvers for reliability. I can't imagine hunting with a .22 without a .357 at my side, for exactly the reasons you state.

So that would be my set of calibers. As to quantity, though, which is the topic of this thread, I would still favor far more in bricks of .22 than anything else.
 
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Zen: The question gives you the selection of one. Not a mobile armory. Not a pick for a specific situation. One go to for all. Just one. Pick-it. 12's are the most versitile and yet visually unassuming that it's anything but for a bad situation. If you can pick anything else for the N.E. geography that fills the bill better, then I'm all ears. As I matter of fact, I'll change my log in to Yoda. By the by, 22's are not quite, subsonics arn't bad, but if baddies are anywhere close, you'll be telegraphing the noise to them. Also, as I stated 12's can run the gambit from smallest to the biggest game on the continent. And do you really think I would be preforming fair chase rules in survival mode. Mr. ducky would get flattened on the water. Bambi would get it over a salt lick. (You must have been there because I know you know it's not kosher otherwise, hint: open forum). Riddle me this one batman: Do you know how to keep the meat fresh without refrigeration? Only wound the animal and just cut off the non life sustaining parts until the end (you missed the part about an ass shot, didn't ya). And how you keep it from bleeding out is with fire to seal the wound. I'm not just a sicko. I've seen this practiced in Africa. As far as lugging around the hundred pounds of salt to cure my deer, I'd rather lug the three pounds in extra slugs instead. Here's another for you. What do you think happens to all the faimly fidos after about 3 weeks without you feeding them? Do you want to be out there with a mixed pack of rotties, shepards and pits scrounging up a bite with just a 22? Oh, my mistake, did you think baddies were only of the 2 footed variety? No, let me guess, your going to pick off the Alpha male and they are going mau down on him instead of your couch commando butt. Quick thinking there sparky.
Editing to add: If you mean a 7.62 X 51 (308 or the longer 30-06) then that is an excelent all around 30 cal pick, if you mean a 7.62 X 39 (soviet) then ballistically it is the same as a 30-30 as you already selected and a bit under powered for long range. There is nothing wrong with a 10/22 except that it is limited to 22 Long Rifle (you seem to stress that with the 38/357) and I do not own Marlin stocks, it is just a better pick because of the variety of 22's it uses. If you think a super mag is a fine firearm (notice I say firearm, not weapon hint: always say firearm on an open forum) then get one, their on par price wise with a decent (not the bottom feeder with the barell band) 10/22. Also, you may think again on your comment about revolvers being more reliable than the 45. The 45 is pretty much sealed up from the elements except from the spout. Revolvers are open on the sides forward of the cylinder or is there no mud in your scenerio? And one last thing, what the hell are you hunting with a 22 long rifle as your main bagger and needing a 357 as back-up? Sounds like an apple with the skin on the inside. Sorry, didn't mean to slap the steak sandwich out of your hand but what are you, like fifteen or something? Just food for thought. Speaking of that, how was the chipmonk?
 
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I think that the 12 ga is one of the worst choices one can make for a just have one gun. It is very limited in range, ammo is heavy and bulky and it is slow to reload. It is a necessary part of any good survival battery but it would be my last choice for my only weapon.

In New England and the Northeast you would be much better suited with a .30 cal for an all around. On the low budget end an SKS or a .30-30 would do fine. Accurate out to a couple of hundred yards, ammo is available, and it will stop anything in the Northeast. For most game it is easier, quieter and more efficient to trap or snare. You are going to burn up a lot of calories hunting. Far better to have snare that get checked on a regular basis.

How long do can you keep an animal alive be cutting off its none vital parts and cauterizing the wounds? Never heard of this and I am curious as to why this is better than salting or canning the meat for preservation.

Ease up on the comments also. That is the kind of stuff that drives pople away from forums. Idea is for all of us to learn a little and share our knowledge with others. We are all entitled to our own opinion.
 
Well, Taipan01, if I'm picking just one, it would be the 30-30, for the reasons stated above. A 12 ga would be way down on the list, but to each their own. There's really no way to test this stuff out until the SHTF and then we'll just see how it works out.

My discussion was derived, at least in part, from an adventure of my own. In the mid-1980's, I lived for four months alone in a cabin without power, toilets or running water in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. For weapons, I took with me a Remington 700 30-06 rifle, a Winchester 320 .22 bolt action rifle, and a Ruger .357 single action. In that time, the .22 put more food on the table consistently than either of the other two. Of course, the only thing I had to defend myself from was a couple of local mountain lions.

As to your meat preservation ideas, interesting, but I'll stick to what has worked historically in this country and in Europe before the advent of refrigeration. Salt, drying and canning are all effective and don't involve torturing the animal.

Nearly all of my SHTF planning is based on history. People, including relatives of mine, lived for months and years in wild and dangerous places and many of them not only survived but prospered. We've forgotten too much about how to do that.
 
Let me See. I'll pick toasti. Cronological order on all that. Your saying a 30-30 or SKS, you did read the part where I said they are balistically identical right? I'd take the 30-30 over an SKS though. Also, an SKS is really a pass out piece. They are OK for what they are and if that's what you got then that's what you got. It's better than a rock. One train of thought is that you can buy 10 of them for short money and pass them out to friends and faimly that have nothing, personally, I'd rather spend on 5 AK's then 10 SKS. But I digress, that's not the question. You have limited youself to a rather heavy bullet for more than likley, small game. Also, your picking a kind of under powered 30 cal. Again, if I had to pick a 30, it would be in the 308-30.06 class. If I did grab for a 30, I would have a definite destination to go to and know what was ahead of me before hand of which I don't think I'd know except to go and find out. By the way, thanks for the snare input, been there, done that, you left out the sling shot part. I could also mention hand crank radios for outside information, gps handhelds, topo maps and walkie talkies unless you intend to yoodle out messages to your group but the question was ammo, not survival, of which I'd be here for a while, and that's where I'm heading. You havn't convinced me on your pick, I'd still rather a 12. Which leads me to Zen. Don't get me wrong Zen, I can appreciate your adventure but your still walking around with an amory. The question is which is your one pick. If you want a 22 then that's fine. I'd still take a 12. That's my pick for just about any situation that I can think of. I edited this to lose story time.
 
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taipan...why would you take the 30-30 over the sks???

in a shtf situation id rather have an autoloader over a lever action any day of the week

whats wrong with the 7.62x39 round? as far as i know its a great round to hunt all kinds of game...2 legged or 4...

30.06??? while i wont deny the capabilities and stopping power of the round i dont know if its what i'd want to carry...would you carry it in a bolt gun? only way id carry 06 was if i had a garand

12 guage is a definite fight stopper...but id something with a lil more diversity

i have about 5 different kinds of .223 ammo loaded in my mags for a shtf situation...all that can go into the same rifle...but do different things

if i could take 2 guns...a 12 gauge would definately be the second...but i dunno if it would be my go to gun
 
Bloodhound: An SKS is not what I'd call an auto "loader" out of the box . If you mean a semi over a lever for follow ups that depends on your position say in the prone and/or the shooter (also if you forget to close that dumb ass gas valve, then your down to bolt action). You can become very proficent with a lever. I also find that I can get 30-30 just about anyplace that sells. 7.62 X 39 soviet comes and goes. Lately it hasn't been exactly dependable by way of being in stock and I'm not partial to the HPs, much rather the FMJ which always sells first. My personal pick in a 30 would be in .308 which is about a 1/2 shorter than the 30-06. Here's where the fun starts. The 308 runs neck and neck with the 30-06 till about 600-700 yards, then the extra 1/2 inch of powder room takes over but hell, it won't make a bit of difference to me after that. The 308 is more accurate then the 30-06, sorry but true. Notice a key point here, the 308 & 30-06 are spoken of in words out to a thousand yards, not a couple of hundred. Also, they are not only found in bolts. If they were than sombody lied to me by engraving 308 into the side of one of my AR's. Marlin also just released a lever in 30 cal called the Marlin 308. It's not a 308 Win, but it has supposidly the same ballistics as one. Also for the lever is the new leverloution (sp?) ammo, I havn't tried it yet but its supposed to really amp up the performance so the old 30-30 may leave the SKS in the dust. Speaking out of turn here for now. By way of versitility, no, sorry, the .223 isn't. Small game really gets torn up by it and I wouldn't want to attempt to fight off a polar bear with one either, probably just piss it off. I've tried to simply state that my first ammo pick would be a 12, still is, but I keep getting drawn into this stuff. As I stated earlier, a 12 super mag is really the best pick for any occasion from small game to defence because you can load them up from small 2.75" #8's to 3.5" slugs and everything in between. Then there is the whole line up of non-lethals from rubber bullets to flares. Want to talk polar bears? There are a number of zoos around here. And of course for interest they store a varity of exotic animals for you to gawk at. Since we are overdue for a large earthquake in N.E. do you think that the woods might fill up with a few large preditors not normally found here? Now, if the lion, tiger or bears (oh no) do mind that I run home to get say a 350 rem mag for such a unique offering and will accept only my one and only pick, then it would be a 12. Your intial question is the one all ammo for SHTF period. If you wish to be more specific about a certain set of circumstances to pick ammo for then by all means state them. I'm assuming one for anything and considering the topo of the N.E. area.
 
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SKS gas valve? Mine doesnt have one nor do most of the ones I have had. I believe the Yugo is one that does. Leave it open and forget about it. With an SKS you get the advantage over the AK of no magazine to lose and I have found my SKS to be more accurate than the AKs. 7.62 x 39 is limited mostly but the weight of bullets available. Most all of them are 125 gr or so. There is good SP available for hunting. As an entry level rifle on a budget you would be hard pressed to beat the SKS.

The 30-30 can be downloaded or uploaded quite a bit if it is used in a good modern action. While FPs are necessary in the mag you can single load a number of pointed bullets for hunting. I can check as to what I used to carry in mine. It has been a while but I had a load that was pointed and I hunted with one in the chamber and one in the tube. I figured that I wasnt going to get anymore than 2 shots at anything I was hunting if I missed with the first. For small game you can download to 100 gr plinkers and even 85s if you choose to go that low. Tried the Leverution (or whatever) ammo and didnt like it. Was not very accurate. Found the 170gr Win FP to be more accurate.

As for the .223 Blood Hound it is also a fairly versatile cartridge. There are a number of folks downloading this using 35 and 40 gr bullets over Blue Dot and other pistol powders. I have done it with my .222 Rem with good results. It wont cycle an AR but if you are hunting small game than why is that needed? For deer you can use any soft points over about 65 grains. Would it be my first choice no but a lot of deer get killed with the .223. As for lions, tigers and bears well that really isnt an issue for me.

The beauty of having a choice is we can pick what we like best and are most comfortable with. For me it is an AR or my FAL typically leaning toward the latter. Would I feel undergunned with a .30-30 or an SKS no. As I said the 12 ga would be my last choice for one gun but that is me. We are blessed to have experts such as our friend here to point out all our faults but we all know what opinions, including my own, are like.
 
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