I own a Savage 24 VA that is .222 over 20 gauge. With the recent hype about the SHTF and the need for a bug out bag, I purchased one of the Savage 42's in .22 over .410.

I had looked at the Springfield M6 Scout but the prices were over the top. The Savage was about half.

Wondering what folks think about the various survival gun options available and would love to hear if anyone owns one of the original WWII survival guns.

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James Redfield
LM #497

IMHO, if your referring to true survival conditions, in which your are looking to kill small game as a source of food, the guns that you have are pretty good. However, if your talking about a true SHTF situation and are considering the need to defend and protect yourself and loved ones, the guns you have are all but useless!

I have a Savage 24 (22mag over 20 g) I can't bare to even look t the M 42

As to survival, I believe no matter what rifle one has it still isn't gonna matter. If thinks are that bad, it will take more than a rifle,

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Still Running Against the Wind

I guess for a survival gun it would work if you could only have one to eat by.
I got my 24 in 30-30/20ga. ever since Virginia overlapped turkey and deer season. I was caught in a tree stand with a 94 and no deer but several turkeys passing by.
I haven't been able to prove its worth yet, but I'll be ready if it happens again.

Not sure in what category to put a "survival" gun... if we talk about highly populated cities than I'd want to have a fully automatic SBR. If we talk about bugging out into the woods and live off the land than I'd rather have my Marlin 336BL in .30-30.



The only thing that would make sense in either scenario is the addition of a suppressor.

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Jorge

I agree if we are talking zombies or aliens or total world collapse then I would probably take my AR 15 with the Savage 42 in the back pack. Wouldn't want to hunt small game with the AR tho so I think that the .22/.410 combination works well.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Just got a new Truck/utility/survival rifle....... Ruger American Compact in .22 magnum.......................18" barrel/ 35" OAL, 9rd rotary magazine (got 3)..... added a 1-4x20 Leupold scope..........and a paracord sling.............................

jack of all trades ....... master of none................................

enough stopping power to take anything up to Pa. whitetail deer..... muzzle energy of a 9mm..... 9 round mag.......low profile .....100 rds of 22 magnum weight in at approx. 1lb........................

not the best for anything but... OK to good..... for a lot!

Great kow profile long gun to back up my hi-cap 9mm or 3" .357 Model 66

A buddy of mine and I have been lusting after the Chiappa little rhino as a backpacking small game rifle. If nothing else they are cheap beaters worth a little dreaming and fun.

Any of the AK series of rifles works for me.

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Whenever a thread like this comes up, no one ever mentions the gun that's my choice, the Thompson Center Contender.

With the choices in caliber, stock configuration, and barrel length, I'm always amazed that it's rarely, if ever, mentioned. And talk about handy!

Of course, mine's just a companion to this:

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For a survival rifle that fits in a (deep) backpack, a Thompson Contender carbine with a rimfire, centerfire and shotgun barrel would cover all the bases. I'd rather have a 20ga over a 410ga, even though shells weigh more or you carry less for the same weight.

For a social uprising gun, well, the Roof Koreans made good use of semi-autos and bolt actions in Los Angeles, Ferguson and other riot torn cities. Didn't even have to use them. Just having them and the social misfits knowing they had them solved the immediate problem.

There have been several videos lately where social misfits are urging other social misfits to go to the suburbs, run amok, and burn the suburbs down. Apparently they must think most suburbanites are not armed, unlike Roof Koreans. if they can manage to get to the suburbs in numbers large enough to cause problems, they'll likely be in for a big surprise.

The real problem is going to be with small but armed gangs (blunt instruments, knives, or guns) raiding individual homes in a social breakdown. Time and again we've seen flood victims on the east coast spray paint on plywood or garage doors that looters will be shot on sight. Those areas seem to have calmed down quite a bit after notice was served. Saw a lot of shotguns and .30-30's being carried. A scoped .30-30 makes a devastatingly effective anti-personal weapon, yet is "politically correct". Sure, the magazine on most holds 5 or 6 rounds, yet most overlook that those versions with loading gates can be topped off at will. I've used lever guns in tactical matches just to prove a point and topped them off between firing points. It's not the gun, it is determination and practice.

I bought a M-6 when they were first out, the Hornet barrel was
useless. So I figured I got a bad one, traded it off and bought
another new one. This one came with a coupon for a scope,which
I promptly bought, and ended up with another equally useless
Hornet. So I gave up on them. I have a old Savage 24, 22/20g
that is accurate and dependable. I've had a few of them and find
that the old models of the 24, with rigid barrels and side select
are the best ones. Bought a gently used 43, got rid of it after
on short session, don't want another one. I also had a Garcia
Bronco that was a little skeletonized 22/410, which was a fairly
good shooter. What I have always wanted was a Marbel Game
Getter, but have never had the chance to get a nice one. These
type guns are good to forage for game, but wouldn't be much
in a gun fight.

An old, old, old debate. If you think you are going to be getting into gunfights, you are going to lose, so it doesn't make any difference what gun you will be packing. For survival purposes (which includes making every effort to avoid gunfights) for guns I would chose a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun (whatever type you want) and a Ruger .22 pistol, along with a variety of shotshell loads (bird, buck, and slugs) and about all the .22 LR ammo I could carry. That would handle any survival needs you have, and shotshells and .22 LR will be more readily available if needed.

There was a time when these Savage rifle/shotguns were very popular as a first gun for kids. They probably contributed to kids who fell out of love with hunting.

A friend gave his son one years ago. I took them pheasant hunting. The kid was so discouraged, he wanted to quit. I lent him an Ithica SKB double 20. He got 2 birds and wanted to know when he could go hunting again. His Dad got rid of the Stevens shortly thereafter.

They aren't very good rifles and are worse shotguns.

They are too slow to get into action to hit a bird on the wing: cocking the thing takes forever. Then you have to lower the hammer. I've seen more than one person have the hammer slip from under the thumb, discharging the thing. I guess it's a good test to see if the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction.

That leaves the shotgun good for shooting doves on a wire.

The rifle is also too slow for anything but an animal that will hold still long enough to get the rifle tnto action. Occasionally happens, but not often enough to feed yourself. Remember, survival hunting situations are very different from sitting in a deer stand on your hunting lease.

Sights designed for a rifle don't work well on a shotgun.

So you have a very slow single shot that really doesn't do anything well.

The only saving graces are modest price and the fact that, if purchased as a survival gun, it's unlikely to be used except once or twice at the range.

12 gauge pump gun, most any brand, would be my choice for survival. Wide range of readily available ammunition, from low base dust to solid or sabot slug. Hunting, SD, even flares if wanted. Dependable repeating action, designed to work in wet and cold. Fast pointing, big hole for a BG to look down.

The "roof" Koreans actually dropped a lot of bodies it's just that the news didn't report it

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Well there are something like 350 million people in the US so comete avoidance is impossible or darn near. And if there is a gunfight why do I have to loose? Why not practice and train not to loose

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I like the Savage , just because...although I have never had one.

We here seem to have very similar types of firearms.

Way Back in 1981 in San Diego County alone, there were over 30,000 identified gang members. I would hate to think how many there are now. Then, multiply that by all the large towns, cities, counties and it makes the zombie Apocalypse look tame.

I would hate very much to lose electricity and water and gas and etc. and have to revert to dog eat dog. I believe the dirty dogs have the advantage.

Escape and evade.

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A Snider squibbed n the Jungle

Huh. Glad you didn't tell me all this some 59 years ago. I bought my (still have it) 22/410 Mdl 24 right out of the Stoeger's catalog and jumped into rural Illinois as soon as I got it. Shot dump rats and squirrels (if I missed with the .22, the 410 usually worked), and my first paying "shooting job" was to kill rabbits in our neighbors' gardens ( .22 shorts only). When the fall hunting seasons opened, my 24 knocked down lots of rabbits...****nning or otherwise. Never once worried about the gun having a hammer.

Good thing I didn't find out until years later that the .410 was too small for pheasant. We dined on them for years, as well as those rabbits, squirrels and a few quail. Tried hunting crows (not for food!) with decoys/calls, but crows really are smarter than me.

Mostly because it was the only gun I had, and because of lots of opportunities at the time, I'd guess my Mdl 24 has killed more game than any but my 12 and 16 gauge doubles (including a couple of (correct spelling) Ithaca) with which, later in life, I hunted various game birds.

I suggest that ill-advised/biased "gun experts" are often more deleterious to young shooters' interests than any firearm inadequacies. Give a kid a gun s/he likes, instruct them on safety and use, then turn them loose in a farm, field or woods. They'll learn on their own without all that well-meaning advice.

So far, the Marlin has my vote. Sometimes stealth will be your best survival tool. Emptying a 30 round magazine into the forest wouldn't be very stealthy.

Might not be the best choice.......but this would be one of the guns to go with me. It has excellent capacity, shoots further out than a pistol, but mainly because of size and weight. It weighs less than 5 pounds, takes 33 round magazines, and folds to 16.25 inches in length:

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

For me, in a SHTF scenario, I would want a Springfield SOCOM 16.
That would cover a lot of bases.

My Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle is light enough, powerful enough, accurate enough and 11 rounds of 308 and spare mags should keep me and mine alive for a bit!

I have to agree with boykinlp (above with picture of KelTek) that the KelTek Sub 2000 in 9mm (or 40) paired with a Glock 9mm using the same magazines and ammo is a pretty good option for survival or bug out pair. The Sub 2000 is surprisingly accurate out to 100 yards. Adding a Red Dot or other sight enhancement only makes it more accurate. Light weight, fits in a backpack, simple blowback operation, priced under $500, Picatinny rails, threaded barrel, and can be brought into action rapidly.

Yes indeed. That's a fine rifle in a fine caliber.

When I was a teen I had a Savage 24D, .22/20ga Dad had bought for me, I loved that gun. It was perfect for rabbits, squirrels and small game birds. If the ground game were sitting still pop em with the .22, if on the run or birds on the wing use the shotgun barrel. I took a ton of small game with that gun, I looked for many years for another but all I found were ridiculously priced or they were beat all to hell. A few years ago I found the newer version, a 24F priced right and used little, she is in the same .22/20. Sadly the workmanship is no where like the older Savage's but I worked out all the kinks and now she's a good shooter. Unfortunately I also lost my leg from an accident the same year and I have yet to hunt since. I'm hoping to get out in the woods this year, look forward to carrying the 24 in the field and bring back some great memories.

I think this one would work for me.
Dick

These threads are as much fun as Bear threads and bug out bags

Survival? As in hunting for game? Ya sure . Unless you are already experienced hunter and the only "survivor" looking for food" what are you going to shoot. A diseased squirrel or rabbit?
Or are you defending against Zombies?

What caused the need to survive?
Nuclear
Biologic
Economic Collapse
Asteroid collision with Earth??

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Still Running Against the Wind

In 1965, my older brother got a Savage 24 22LR/410 for Christmas. We had just moved to a farm, and he spent hours, then days, then weeks in the field and woods exterminating wild life( and having the time of his life!) My first firearm was in 1970 and was a used 22 single shot bolt action, so I spent my youth shooting things as far away as I could, because everything that would get close was dead!

About 30 years ago I picked up 4 Savage 24's in 22mag /20; A camper model 22RF/20; 357/20 and 30-30/20. The 22 mag was the only Savage I ever owned that wouldn't shoot well, so I sold it. The 24C has 20" barrels instead of the normal 26", The 20 gauge barrels are all fixed choke- Modified.

The 24C has been my faithful companion and truck gun for almost all of these 30 years, and has a carrying case that I adapted to it that holds all the accessories I could in 2 to 3 weeks of survival (wilderness style). I have 2 plastic 20 round boxes made for 600 Nitro Express. In these are 5 rounds of slugs, 5 rounds of #4 Buck shot, 5 rounds #4 bird shot, and 5 rounds of #7.5 bird shot. There is also 2, 100 round boxes of CCI Mini-Mags, as well as a sling, a scope, and a cleaning kit. I could switch to the 357/20, to better match my carry revolver, but the 22/20 hasn't let me down yet!

Ivan

The M6 survival gun is a pretty crude piece but the air force pilot weapon specs required a thin gun to fold up to 15 inches and weigh under 4.7 pounds. There aren't too many long guns I can think of that meet that requirement, but I would probably still rather have a Ruger Challenger with 30 round mag and a folding stock.

I never herd anyone badmouth the old Savage 24. The old models are sought after in this area. I don't know how it would
be any different to cock than any other hammer gun. I do believe
a 410 isn't much for a beginner to hunt with. Low brass 20g will
not have any more recoil, and will have a lot better killing pattern. Possibly kid was to small to operate the gun. It used to
be kids were taught on single barrel, hammer shotguns. I have
had them since I was a kid. We always carried them during the
periods small game seasons overlapped. No one I know had any
trouble cocking or operating their gun. I have never seen a old
model, that wouldn't shot with any single barrel shotgun or
22. Might not be the gun for people not used to a Hammer gun.
Once your use to it, it is no harder to use than any other gun.

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This would be another one of my top choices. 16 rounds at the ready, in 12 gauge...slugs or buckshot. It's expensive though but a brilliant design for sure.

I have two Ruger take down Charger. One with a 3 power Burris scope and the other with a red dot and metal sights from Ruger web sight. I have them each taken apart in their own Ruger soft pistol case In the two side pocket one pocket holds three BX15 magazines plus one 10 round mag in the gun. In the other pocket I have three 100 round boxes of CCI mini mags. Up to 50 yards I feel pretty confident taken a squirrel or rabbit or what ever. And they have 10 22 reliability can't ask for more.

My first long gun was a Stevens bolt action .410 at age 13, first handgun was a Ruger MKII, still have both of them. Those and a Glenfield-Marlin lever action .30-30 should cover most of my game hunting needs.

For fun and other needs I have an 870 Police Magnum, a Del-Ton AR, and a range of handguns in .380, .38 Spl. 9mm, and .40 cal. Need to get .45 just to round things out. I'm reasonably certain that any of them could be pressed into double duty if the need arises though.

Except for a Beretta 92 and a Remington Nylon 66, I still own every gun I've ever bought. To this day I still kick myself over getting rid of that Remington, I was young and needed to make a car note...at the age of 18, cars and girls were more important than squirrel hunting.