SURVEY Most overated survival rifle!!!!

Probably anything larger than 30-06. It's all really subjective though, if you're just living in the woods and surviving after shit hits the fan then a 22lr is best. If you're shooting invading UN blue helmets/chinese I'd say a 50 cal will do some extreme damage at a range that greatly mitigates risk to yourself. It really all depends on the situation you find yourself in and it's a wise decision to diversify your gun collection.

Well, Louve, I am glad you brought up the bow, where any broadhead, retractable or not, will drop a deer in its tracks. However, missed shots are not forgiving. Truthfully, the reason I am so against the .22LR, is because of the saturation. Say something happens..., people panic, people loot. When given any gun store, the most prevalent caliber on the shelves is .22. I understand you may have stockpiled, but keep in mind this also has repercussions. Therefore my choice, and you are welcome to refute it, would be the 7.62 x 39, but not for Kalishnokav, but the Simonova with a low powered scope, NOT HIGH POWERED. If we had to get into specifics the ballistics considering the round size, not too big and not too small along with sufficient velocity. Also, packing weight is really not that bad, not as light as your choice however, but if it really matters I am willing to pack it. Now, I understand this doesn't cover small game, however I still can't see the .22LR being useful for very long, given the saturation and unforeseen scarcity, just like Lestersaid. Again, you are more than welcome to a rebuttal, but I am basing this not only on past experience, but potential future. Lastly, no one really knows, and we don't live forever.

Also, after this I am done. Too many of you sound like gun store owners yourselves, given that the .22LR is one the most expensive non-enthusiast rounds on the market right now, while some of you spout tech-spec knowledge as if its right out of the "Bible". .22LR advocates are a gun store owners best friend. Just a thought, no accusations.

Agreed on the SKS....all I added was a buttstock spacer to add and inch to the length....the 10rd stripper clips are speedy to load as is....many of the 30 rd banana mags are jam o matic crap....

These discussions are fun, though; aren't they?

Lots of nice and finely accurate .22 rifles; I own several.
A Ruger Single Six with 6" barrel and a magnum cylinder is pretty versatile. Rides on your belt til you need it. Keeps both hands free.

One guy showed he has brains; you don't "hunt" game, you trap it.

A rifle of some high-power and accuracy is for game getting on those occasions where a deer, elk, or moose shows itself for a minute or two and you just happen to have your .308 with 168gr zeroed at 200yds and can respond with a shot that takes the meat.

Maybe you're good enough to place a 77gr bthp in the ear at 200yds? Maybe you don't risk the shot, but know your surroundings and know where your game is likely to move if not scared into bolting away???

Hard to convince anyone who is fully-invested in a bad proposition that there are better solutions... Most Americans, men especially, have to "bond" with their gear and get all defensive when confronted with situations/scenarios they never considered.

A .35 Whelen will share bullets with your .38/.357. What is a Squib-load from a rifle at 1900fps using a 170gr silhouette bullet is way more power than any revolver can deliver. Don't like the Whelen? Maybe a .358win, .35Rem or a .356 Winchester then. Gotta love the lever actions, but the jobs with detach magazines enable you to use spitzer bullets...

Maybe you like a .444 Marlin and a .44 magnum? Works the same way. Even more versatile for defense with a heavy cast bullet at .44 Special velocities. 300gr plus bullet weights in the .444 will take any big game in North America.

Cast bullets much Better than jacketed.

Got loading components and lead? What nobody has mentioned yet is Where Do You Get any .22 ammo these days???

A .22 Hornet or Bee is even more efficient than the .223rem. Five grains of powder and a 40gr bullet at high velocity.... Maybe a Nosler Partition or Barnes XXX. Load with a primer and a round ball for something like a CB Cap, or Aguilla specialty ammo. Case can be reloaded hundreds of times using light loads.


Biggest lesson of The Survival Movement was RELOCATION Out Of The Line Of Fire... If you expect to Rambo or have to hunt your food; you have already failed...

I don't know about Wal-Mart crap, but there is a pretty good designer called Archangel out there that makes a composite stock for the Mosin that is pretty tough to beat. Gives you the option to have a 5 or 10 round magazine and allows you to free float the barrel. An extended afternoon of plinking with the original light weight stock the Mosin has may convince you of the benefit an update brings. Not a lot of weight to counter the kick.

[link to www.archangelmanufacturing.com]



Last Edited by Artanis on 04/08/2014 12:59 AM

Many years ago, we did a "Survival Guns" thread that went about 20pgs. My thread, but I was timed-out writing the OP and so it went AC authored. (another reason I no longer log-in...)

Same old crowd on that thread. My perspectives haven't changed. Guys commit to their .22lr, especially the Ruger 10/22s. Guys can't see past the cheap ammo and old-dirty functioning of their AK/SKS guns. Then there are the archery afficionados that tout crossbows.

Mel Tappan had THE IDEA when he wrote Survival Guns. Genius, he really was. Maybe a bit too freely rationalizing why the reader "needs" many centerfire rifles and handguns, but I can excuse his zealotry. Have loved guns since about age 3 when first fired my uncle's Colt 4" Woodsman Sport.

Rationalizing ballistic compromises when your life may be on the line is some pretty high-stakes gambling. Like the guys who bet the farm on their 9mm Para with miracle bullet ammo and just know that the .45acp is easily disregarded.

Ever been in a head-on collision at 55mph? Kinetic energy on impact like hitting a brick wall at 110mph... Any driver who lives through one will never drive a lightweight vehicle again. You only get lucky once, if you were driving a Subaru... Same thing for choosing a pistol round to depend on to save your life. Hope your magic bullet brings its best game to the arena for you on that day. Me? I'll have a 230gr .45acp or a heavier bullet from a magnum revolver at moderate velocity. Bullet diameter and weight is what stops game animals and men.

Handloading is really the most critical capability for any survivalist. Ability to make ammunition to perform at the levels and with the accuracy you need is what brings your weapons into a life of their own.

Think I will bump up that old thread.
Lots of fun on that one too.

A head on at 55mph is like hitting a brick wall at 55mph, if the size and weight of the cars is the same.

Last Edited by Copperhead on 04/08/2014 01:12 AM

^^ Truth!

Trouble is Lester and friends that most people live in the major cities and there ain't no deer or moose to hunt there.

Even in the more rural areas the game would be hunted out in a week or less.

Time for a plan B.

Umm, maybe because they do not have an external saftey (required by US Mil)
And you thought the gun was stupid... LOL!!

We find common ground after all. I am a huge fan of the SKS and have one from each country of origin. I am actually picking up the Yugo this Friday. None of mine carry a scope though as I prefer to keep all my military stuff original. I do agree with your comment...and if I was depending on it for survival, I would choose the same optics as you.

Saturation of .22's is actually another plus though. You could likely scrounge up more ammo and even more .22 firearms rather easily if need be. Personally, I am not an ammo hoarder, I have some ammo of every caliber of rifle I own, but little of each to be honest. As much as I talk about firearms, I am not a prepper much beyond having supplies around the house in case of an emergency. If I have to, I know what to do and will be just fine with what I have.

Archery equipment yes, would be an awesome survival gear...except you're eventually going to lose and break arrows. You could, I guess, begin to fabricate your own arrows from natural materials, but they aren't going to be capable of handling today's modern equipment. It's a short term weapon, in my opinion, a cumbersome in the meantime (and I am huge archer fan :) )




Yes

This ...end of thread

Ruger 10/22

That horrid bolt lock-back/release mechanism, flimsy molded stock, and useless-without-locktite scope base. Honestly don't know why it gets so much love.

Best survival gun for non-zombie scenarios is a Single-action .22 since you can shoot caps, shorts, longs, and long rifles through it and the action will be flawless with so few moving parts.

Last Edited by ErinTarn on 04/08/2014 08:26 AM

Everything built on the Colt AR pattern.
It was conceived faulty and jammy and
they are all the same.

All rifles. The best, most universal survival firearm is a 12ga. Shotgun with a smooth bore, medium choke and a slug barrel for versatility.

Great for self defense, small game, larger game, AND birds on the wing. If you can choose only one...it's pretty tough to beat it for all-around usability and ease of finding ammo.

Do you even have a clue how many thousands of dear have been downed right where they stand with one shot from a 22? A poacher can have a truckload full every nite with nothing but his truck, a flashlight and a 22. If you can hit a target, like a shiny eye reflection, it will never take another step. I feel bad for all the book learned survivalists out there. Find a friend in the country and get some hands on, what you know is totally wrong.

So Joe Biden was right.

Pretty much.

And still do..

Exploding Tupperware belongs in the microwave.

The ONLY over rated survival rifle is the one that won't hit what its aimed at! Bent barrels and bad sights are about the only thing that would make ANY "survival rifle" useless/over rated.



OK maybe a really really bad trigger would do it too.

All you need to survive is a bag of bird seed and a bb gun.

Your protein will come to you everyday.

.22LR is certainly not 'the ultimate', a nice .50 cal would be. But, the little .22 will get many and most jobs done - putting food on the table to taking out some unwanted thugs.

fuck 22Lr

ammo is NON EXISTENT
or priced OUT OF THIS WORLD

If by "survival" you mean being able to adequately hunt and kill a threat, I would bet that the BEST rifle to have would be a 30-30 (weight/accuracy/size ratio), and the WORST would be any .22 caliber.

But then again, if I was on the receiving end, I would want my enemy to have a .22 plinker/child's rifle. The 22LR is way over-rated along with its cross-eyed whore sister -> the uzy.

fact is , just about everyone who hunts knows at least half a dozen people who could get five game animals a day every day of the year if it was legal.

I reckon it will be about 2 months tops of anything goes hunting , jack lighting, drives , dogs , traps etc. Afore damn near everything that flys , swims or grazes is canned , dried , smoked or eaten in this country.

Try some histry readin fools , james audobon killed like 30000 animals in 30 years of hunting with a single shot black powder rifle. Even his stupid ass knew what he was doing was unsustainable.
Picture 30000 hunters like that with modern rifles n ammo WTSHTF.

I try to keep ammo on hand for my .22wmr revolver and lever action rifle. Now, the .22 magnum bullets are gone from the shelves, too.
The only type available seems to be those useless rat shots.

Some of the .22 LR guys should try the magnums. Twice the velocity, 3 times the kinetic energy, and twice the effective range. It's ok if they don't listen, more ammo for me.

So true, I have taken out ducks with a medium power .177 pellet rifle from 75 or so yards. No need for overkill.

It appears that a lot of youse here don't KNOW your weapons very well. The AR-15 has basically been taking it on the chin overall. Your first mistake many of you make is that an AR-15 can range from .22LR all the way up to a .50 cal Alexander Beowulf.
So, shooting rabbits and squirrels is okay. And also stopping Mack trucks, helicopters, zombies, and tishbaby is okay. OTAAAYY????!!!!

Exactly. For some reason people think there is going to be a shootout every day in a SHTF scenario. Too much movies and TV. I guarantee you'll use the .22 for 99.99% of the time. My AK is for that .01%