lemonlime571
Army Veteran
What would you say is the ideal gun for a shtf situation? Max capacity or max firepower? If you were on the move, what would you be using?
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SHTF Gun?
- Thread starter lemonlime571
- Start date
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
You forgot RELIABILITY. You want something that goes BANG every time you pull the trigger.
right now, if I had to bug out tonight, I'd grab the Garand from the safe. 1911 on my hip.
right now, if I had to bug out tonight, I'd grab the Garand from the safe. 1911 on my hip.
USMA-82
NES Member
Here's a good primer:
http://www.amazon.com/Bostons-Gun-B...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224350978&sr=8-1
The author goes into incredible detail on the pros and cons of various defensive battle rifles. Well worth the price.
http://www.amazon.com/Bostons-Gun-B...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224350978&sr=8-1
The author goes into incredible detail on the pros and cons of various defensive battle rifles. Well worth the price.
AR 15 and Sig 226.
- A proven design with chrome bore/chamber that doesn't require a lot of maintenance to be reliable.
- Something in common useage with a wide variety parts, mags, and ammo availability.
- Something accurate enough to engage targets (food or threat) at longer ranges with or without optics.
- For a rifle, mag cap 20 rds + would be preferred.
With the above, obviously there is some compromise - you can't have it all. For me it would be any of the following...
Rifle: A quality AR, 16 or 18 inch barrel, mid length gas system, quality bolt carrier group, M4 feedramps, flat top upper.
Pistol: Quality 1911 or a SIG P226/229.
- Something in common useage with a wide variety parts, mags, and ammo availability.
- Something accurate enough to engage targets (food or threat) at longer ranges with or without optics.
- For a rifle, mag cap 20 rds + would be preferred.
With the above, obviously there is some compromise - you can't have it all. For me it would be any of the following...
Rifle: A quality AR, 16 or 18 inch barrel, mid length gas system, quality bolt carrier group, M4 feedramps, flat top upper.
Pistol: Quality 1911 or a SIG P226/229.
Whatever was closest when the SHTF.
There is almost certainly no "ideal gun". More likely, there are guns which will do well and which fit you better than others. Are you going to move far and fast? Will you be carrying other gear, a lot of it? Are you going to be offensive or defensive?
My personal choices would be an AR-15 and a Colt .45ACP for most situations. But there are many other combos which would do as well and with which I would feel adequately armed.
Turbocharged
NES Member
If I could take a few I would take a Rem. 1100 12g, Glock 30, 1911, and either a 30-06 or 308. A Garand or M14 comes to mind...
If I could only take one pistol and one long arm, it would be a Glock 30 and, one of the above mentioned rifles.
If I could only take one pistol and one long arm, it would be a Glock 30 and, one of the above mentioned rifles.
I'm set up with an AR15 and Glock 17 at the moment.
All of the ones I own.
Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight 12g
P226 9mm
Ruger MkIII Hunter (for the obvious small game hunting)
Marlin Model 60 (most popular .22lr in the world so parts should be easiest to find)
Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight 12g
P226 9mm
Ruger MkIII Hunter (for the obvious small game hunting)
Marlin Model 60 (most popular .22lr in the world so parts should be easiest to find)
M-1A and my Sig-239
Ruger MKIII and 300 rounds sits in my BOB, along w/100 rounds of .40. BOB rifle bag has 100 in mags and another 200 in bando's. It is somewhat heavy. I also keep a 20 rd box of soft point hunting 308 in the BOB
Ruger MKIII and 300 rounds sits in my BOB, along w/100 rounds of .40. BOB rifle bag has 100 in mags and another 200 in bando's. It is somewhat heavy. I also keep a 20 rd box of soft point hunting 308 in the BOB
If I could only grab one long gun, a mid-length flattop AR w/ scope & BUIS would probably be my first choice... but since I don't happen to own one ATM (and my heavy service match AR is not an option), I'd probably reach for an AKM build. It loses many points for its sights, but it carries cheap & plentiful ammo, and will always go bang.
If multiple guns are an option, I'd definitely pile in some handguns in common calibers, an 18" 870, an O/U for birds, and of course a 10/22 for when the deer are hunted out.
I'd probably leave the Garand at home -- it may be The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised (TM), but as a SHTF option, my humble $0.02 says it's overweight & overkill.
If multiple guns are an option, I'd definitely pile in some handguns in common calibers, an 18" 870, an O/U for birds, and of course a 10/22 for when the deer are hunted out.
I'd probably leave the Garand at home -- it may be The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised (TM), but as a SHTF option, my humble $0.02 says it's overweight & overkill.
BFG and chainsaw obviously... Doom fans anyone, anyone....haha
I would personally be limited to what I have at the moment, so I would take my Beretta 96 with as much ammo as I had and a 12gau.
I'm in the market for an AR so that would definitely come with.. So versatile.
I'm not sure about the reliability or accuracy of this combo, but the Beretta Cx4 and Px4 (carbine and pistol) use the same interchangeable magazines and ammunition, so that could come in handy in a SHTF type situation if you need to share ammo or toss a magazine to someone on your side. Just a thought.
I would personally be limited to what I have at the moment, so I would take my Beretta 96 with as much ammo as I had and a 12gau.
I'm in the market for an AR so that would definitely come with.. So versatile.
I'm not sure about the reliability or accuracy of this combo, but the Beretta Cx4 and Px4 (carbine and pistol) use the same interchangeable magazines and ammunition, so that could come in handy in a SHTF type situation if you need to share ammo or toss a magazine to someone on your side. Just a thought.
EC1
NES Member
if the SHTF there are two modes; survival - competition with people then a AR15 and 1911;
or,
a natural disaster basic survival - then a good bolt action with variable power scope 4.5-14 or better in .223 up to 30-06 probably more toward the larger end of the spectrum and a 357 revolver 5.5-6" bbl preferable.
or,
a natural disaster basic survival - then a good bolt action with variable power scope 4.5-14 or better in .223 up to 30-06 probably more toward the larger end of the spectrum and a 357 revolver 5.5-6" bbl preferable.
My AR15A2 and 1911A1
