SHTF scenario - what ONE longarm would you grab?

[PALADIN85020]

Let's say the SHTF; enormous civil unrest, martial law, looting, invasion, massive earthquake, EMF explosion or sun spots; whatever. You grab your bugout bag, your wife and/or dog, those rations and water you've stored, and head for the hills.

Oh yeah, you only have time and room for ONE longarm for protection, hunting, and urban warfare. Whatcha gonna grab?

Here are some popular choices:

Tricked out M4 carbine:

Mikhail Kalashnikov's baby:

The virtually indestructible Nylon 66:

That Model 70 Winchester - reach out and touch someone!

The pride of the Israelis - the Galil:

That M6 survival weapon - good enough for the USAF:

The full-size AR-15:

An M1 carbine?

Georgie Patton's favorite - the M1 Garand:

A precision Winchester Model 75 sporter .22:

A "tactical" Ruger 10/22:

The brute force and reliability of a Remington 870:

Old reliable - the M14:

A Model 92 in .44 or .357 - good enough for Duke:

A Model 1891/30 PU? Top sniper weapon of the Red Army:

Or how about the American counterpart - the 1903A4:

How about a hi-cap 9mm? The Sterling might work:

There's always the old reliable thutty-thutty:

If scaring your opponents makes sense, this one might do:

Or maybe a more modern SMG would do the trick:

The AR-7 was made for a survival scenario:

John Browning's takedown .22 is easy to pack:

A lot of folks have one or more of the SKS rifles:

There's always the free world's right arm - the FAL:

You know, I've seen EACH ONE of these guns lauded in print as the ideal survival long arm? I'm not taking sides here, so I'll ask you - if limited to only one of any of the above (or something else I haven't covered here), which would you choose and why?

Some criteria:

Weight
Ammo
Reliability
Maintenance
Accuracy
Practicality
Intimidation factor
Size

So? Which one, my learned brothers and sisters?

John

 

[Doug627]

I would grab my SOCOM 16.

 

[Philadelphia Patriot]

AK-47. It's reliable, easy to clean, lots of ammo available for it, there's lots of parts available for it, and I can use it on 4 legged creatures, as well as 2 legged animals.

 

[Wee Hooker]

AR 15. Most versatile of the group. Accurate and capable past 200 yds, light to carry, easy to keep fed and capable of fast and sustained firepower if required. I'd also bring a supply of subsonic (.22 short powered) loads for quiet close in hunting.

 

[RonJ]

I only have 2 of the ones pictured. I'm afraid I'd have to forget the .22 semi auto and go with the .357 lever. I can carry lots of .357 in my pockets and reload on the run.
I do believe I'd be spending most of my time under cover and wouldn't be taking any shots over 100 yards. If I had to run I wouldn't be taking any 200 yard shots anyway. My only misgiving would be that my red dot sight might give me away.

 

[S&W45Colt]

I would grab my SOCOM 16.

Beat me to it

It's a .308, light enough for all day carry, accurate to six hundred yards, 1000 if converted to an EBR. The most dependable action ever made, with the possible exception of the AK.

Did I mention, it's a .308??

My wife's carrying rifle 2 in that scenario, our trusty Marlin .357. Think a woman can't shoot a rifle, stick your head out, you won't do it but once.

My daughter was able to hit a Sundrop bottle at 50 yds when she was 11 ever time she pulled the trigger, hers is a Ruger 7.62x39. Again, lightweight, heavy punch.

 

[CatSnipah]

I have the most experience with my AR, so there's my answer.

 

[coltle6920]

One Hell of a scenario you came up with.Were you in Colorado yesterday loading up on marijuana?? You seem to have left out ufos and Godzilla.

The Hell with the wife...We all know how long it takes them to get ready.I would use that time loading my beer and smokes in the truck.I would also load a bag with spices and rub in case I had to put the dog down.Sheesh,only kidding...get over it!

Actually I find it impossible to get out quickly.You have to turn off the water...unplug everything...notify the Post Office and paperboy...change the message on the answering machine.

With the neighbors I have we'd be safer in our homes.Any threat that entered one end of the block would never make it to the other end alive.That includes Godzilla. LOL!

 

[redlevel]

Either the .357/.38 Rossi 92 or the SKS. I own both of these, so limiting it to guns I actually possess.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Lots of good answers and plenty of disagreement. But we can ALL agree on what shortarm we would grab in a SHTF scenario.

 

[Alpo]

Rossi 92. Last year it would have been my 357, but I gave that to my daughter for Christmas in '12, so it would be the stainless 44/40. Not the best caliber choice, because scrounging ammo would be a pain in the butt, but anybody I hit with it would go down, and it would take anything up to wapitis and algs, up to a hunnerd yards out.

 

[Out West]

I'd most likely grab a scoped 10/22 and a duffle bag full of 25 rounders. I don't use the "tactical" stuff. Looks dopey and fragile to me.

Running second to the 10/22 would be a Mossberg 930 SPX.

Out
West

 

[redlevel]

With the neighbors I have we'd be safer in our homes.Any threat that entered one end of the block would never make it to the other end alive.That includes Godzilla. LOL!

Good answer! as Steve Harvey says.

Actually, looters and rioters might find themselves in a mess in my area. I'm thinking they would be outgunned. I believe I'm probably the only wm in the county that doesn't own an AK or AR. , and I have a few other types. I would be bugging in rather than out, unless there was some kind of health hazard.

 

[kamloops67]

my uberti 357, because i can shoot it fast and accurately .it holds 11 rounds of 38 and 10 357mag and it can be reloaded quickly .i always have hundreds of cowboy rounds on hand . not optimal i know but its what i have at the moment. if i can have time to order a rifle before godzilla comes, i would like a xcr-m or an m1.

 

[Fr1957]

M-4, or folding stock AK.

 

[thebeamanater107]

I'd choose the m1 garand

On another note, that m6 survival rifle looks highly interesting. (The impulse buyer says) I want one now

the original point and click interface, by Smith and Wesson

 

[the ringo kid]

I had some of the above but no longer. I would love having an M 14.

 

[jlrhiner]

AR-15, AKM, M1, M-14, M70, 10/22, 870, 1903, M1 Carbine.

I am very familiar with each and everyone of the above, so any would do. I would pick the AR15.

 

[gregintenn]

I hate these one gun threads! Why is everybody so set on me having only one gun?

I'm already in the hills.

 

[the ringo kid]

I hate these one gun threads! Why is everybody so set on me having only one gun?

I'm already in the hills.

They been watching too many episodes of: The Walking Dead.