The Ultimate Survival Firearm Combo, Shotgun, Rifle and Handgun (pics)....

[canoeguy]

Any prepared person has put thought into what is essential for survival in case of emergencies', vehicle breakdown in remote areas, weather disasters such as hurricanes and prolonged snow emergencies, floods etc. when police may be days away. A firearm can be a useful tool when you are on your own for defense and food gathering.

I have spent a large portion of my life outdoors and enjoying the shooting sports, of late I have distilled my "Survival Battery" down to the following firearms, not necessarily the only guns I own, but the ones I load into the car first.

The fist one to grab, a 12 gauge shotgun, Remington 870 Express Magnum with 20" slug barrel, rifle sights. Will chamber any 12 gauge round from #7 shot to 3" Magnum slugs. Sling, buttstock shell carrier and bandolier with an assortment of 12 gauge rounds (birdshot, #4 Buck, OO Buck, Slugs). This shotgun can be used for defense, hunting small or large game, a very versatile firearm:

Next up, a scoped .22 rimfire rifle, any quality rimfire rifle will do, scope is important to make a useful hunting tool during low light periods such as early mornings or evening. Low noise to bring less attention to yourself. This one, a Marlin 925 bolt action with Simmons fixed 4 power scope. Iron sight in case the scope acts up, hasn't for ten years or more, but the iron sights are there if needed:

A quality scoped .30 caliber rifle, for defense and long range large game hunting. With this Ruger American Rifle in 30/'06 caliber, I can hit a bowling pin at 200 yards or more. Again, a scoped rifle is important, for use in low light and at long range. Buttstock shell carrier and sling, same as on the shotgun:

A handgun that you shoot well, chambered in a good defense caliber, .38 Special or 9MM minimum, in this case a pawn shop rescue Smith and Wesson Model 10 in .38 Special caliber. Carried in a good quality holster, with spare speedloaders or magazines if you carry a semi-auto:

None of these firearms will bring unnecessary attention to you if carried in a safe, responsible manner. All are common sporting firearms, cased and unloaded in your vehicle you can "transit" any of the most un-gun friendly states. You can even travel in Canada with the long guns. Just don't linger in New Jersey, NYC or other liberty infringing states with a handgun...

Ammunition availability for these guns is easy, 30/06, 12 gauge and .38 Special ammo is readily found at Walmart, sporting goods shops and hardware stores. .22 ammo was once as easily available, and may be coming back, but it is not hard to find if you look hard enough.

Anyway, this is not the "End All" solution the "Perfect Survival Battery", but what works for me.

What do you think? Post pics of your "Perfect Survival Battery"...

 

[Calaveras Slim]

great pix and great choices. Not sure if I would go with the Rem. shotgun tho. I have a Winchester 12 with an 18" Riot Barrel. ammo is a combo of slugs, 00 buck, #4 and #7. Just like you.

Can't complain about your choice of rifles or pistols. However, I might go with a M13 cuz I can always use 38 or 357.

AND, since I'm a 44 kinda guy, I have a Taurus M431 along with some 44 special ammo.

All in all, they say brilliant minds think alike. I think we show that's true.

 

[e3mrk]

It depends on where I'm going as to what I bring.
If I'm just going about My normal day's business I have My Ruger Sp-101 357 Magnum.
If I think I might need a long Gun I have a Henry 22 cal. Survival Rifle that fits under the fron Seat or I can stick it in My Belt by My Back under My Coat so it wont show.
In a full SHTF situation then You use what You have.
After talking with some of My Neighbors and seeing what They have shows Me that a bunch of Looters would not have a chance.

 

[X Ring Ranch]

I saw this at a gun show recently.


Chiappa Resurrects the M6 Survival Gun w/ 10+ Caliber Options - The Firearm Blog




Add an AR and a carry handgun and you should be equipped

Light load for sure.

 

[BearBio]

Here's mine (picture speaks for itself):



I'd throw in my Garand and a 22 woodsman or Ruger revolver (22/22mag)

 

[yashua-p]

Very thoughtful list. Mine would be similar, Mossy 500, Smith M10 .38-.357, Marlin M25, Winchester 94 in .30-30. I would try to add a few other things as room permitted, AK or SKS or AR. Small pocket .22 revolver. Otherwise we are on the same page.

regards,

yashua

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

A very sensible collection. A lot of bases covered, and every gun robust and of high quality. If I was to offer one small criticism it would be your choice of optics. If it were me, I'd look to upgrade to something like a lower end Leopold scope for your Ruger and Marlin. You can pick up old Vari-X II's on eBay pretty cheap, and Leupold will still stand behind them with their no-questions-asked lifetime warranty.

 

[Ranger514]

Here's mine (picture speaks for itself):



I'd throw in my Garand and a 22 woodsman or Ruger revolver (22/22mag)

Is that a Winchester Mod. 12 Trench Gun? That makes me jellies, bigtime.

 

[Ranger514]

If it ever came to a state of disorder that would require me to do so, I'd be packing my Mossberg 590 SP with a bandolier of 12 ga. loads, along with my Glock 19 and spare mags. There's only a finite amount of gear one can carry. If I were at home, all bases would be covered.

 

[Faulkner]

I saw this at a gun show recently.


Chiappa Resurrects the M6 Survival Gun w/ 10+ Caliber Options - The Firearm Blog




Add an AR and a carry handgun and you should be equipped

Light load for sure.

I'm liking the looks of the Chiappa version of the M6 survival gun. I had several opportunities to purchase a Springfield, Inc., M6 Scout back when they were affordable but never did and regretted it. The 20guage version interests me.

 

[Jack Flash]

Can't argue about the long guns but it may make sense to replace the M10 with an adjustable sight .357.

If you like K-Frames, the M19 or M66. If you want to go to an N-Frame, it may make sense to go all the way and choose a .44 Magnum. You never know what might hit the fan. If things go badly wrong and you are reduced to hunting with your handgun, why not have one that is more suited to the task?

 

[Frank46]

Rem 870 riot gun with either 18-20" bbl, slugs,4/0 buckshot and some 71/2 or #8 birdshot
Baretta 92fs w/half a dozen mags
and as for a rifle maybe a winchester 94 carbine or colt LE6920
I still have a gun case that allows you to store the shotgun barrel in a pocket and the action and stock in another. And some caliber specific cleaning equipment. Frank

 

[Alpo]

A very sensible collection. A lot of bases covered, and every gun robust and of high quality. If I was to offer one small criticism it would be your choice of optics. If it were me, I'd look to upgrade to something like a lower end Leopold scope for your Ruger and Marlin. You can pick up old Vari-X II's on eBay pretty cheap, and Leupold will still stand behind them with their no-questions-asked lifetime warranty.

Problem with ebay is counterfeit Leupolds from China. It would really annoy me to pay 150 bucks for a used Leupold scope worth 300, and find out it's a piece of Chinese junk with a yellow ring around the end of it, that sells new for 40 bucks.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

The Chinese are faking used entry level scopes that have been out of production for ten years? Do they put fake ring marks on them too?

 

[Texas Star]

I'd definitely choose a stainless steel .357 for the handgun.

And I'd probably try to find a higher grade M-870. Those Express grade guns have some plastic parts and I hear they rust more easily than the regular Wingmaster. An older (1970-1985 or so ) M-870 can be had for a reasonable fee and will probably work better than a new one, right out of the box.

My .22 for such needs is a stainless Marlin M-795SS. I think it tends to outshoot the popular Ruger 10-22.

I have a Howa 7mm-08 with synthetic stock that would be the best in that the stock won't scratch like a wooden one, but I prefer the action on the Winchester M-70 and it's .270 ammo is more available. If I was buying a rifle for this specific need, I'd get a .30-06.

I probably wouldn't use the shotgun a lot unless shell availability was greater than for .22 ammo. A .22 is quieter and will kill most of what I'd use a shotgun for. However, unless you really are 'way back of beyond, legal issues may require using a shotgun on birds.

This is an interesting topic, and like the snake and bear threads, will be popular.

Skeeter Skelton once wrote a similar story for, "Gun World", about 1963. He favored his S&W M-27 .357 with five-inch barrel for a single survival gun, and wanted to carry a musette bag with spare ammo and reloading supplies. He took both deer and pronghorn with .357's BTW.

That was before he got used to the lighter Combat Magnum and stainless steel handguns had yet to appear.

Bradford Angier thought the Winchester M-70 in .30-06 was the best deal, as rifle ammo will weigh less than shotgun shells and reaches out further to kill big animals. He lived in Canada, so mentioned no handgun. I think Angier assumed that one would dry or smoke meat from a large kill, like an elk or moose.

I'd include some basic fishing gear. We can start a different thread for survival knives.

It'll be interesting to see what gets posted.

 

[X Ring Ranch]

The Chinese are faking used entry level scopes that have been out of production for ten years? Do they put fake ring marks on them too?

A little off subject but to help you out.

True Leupold scopes have serial numbers on them. I understand the Chinese fakes do not. This is according to a friend who bought a fake all wrapped up and in the box at a gun show. It was defective and he sent it back to Leupold and that is what they advised him. His did not have a serial number.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Rossi offers a variety of switch barrel single shots, they even come with a baggy to hold the set broken down. The one I have is a 12 gauge/.308, though some variants also include a .22lr bbl. A variety of rifled inserts in .22lr are available to drop easily into a 12 gauge single shot. Cost is reasonable, about what a Chinese pump shotgun sells for. Not a match rifle, but it will work.

Probably most useful if one travels to or flies over remote areas.

For a dedicated .22 rifle, I like the diminutive Cricket. It is sold as a child's first rifle. The one I have is stainless with a good little peep sight and a camo stainless stock. The recent Shotgun News has an article on customizing one with a PVC pipe and dowel take down stock, but even as is, it is very light, compact and simple rifle.

Honestly though, for small animals, I would suggest some snare wire and a sling shot. The Spanish made Aitor Jungle King I and II have functional slingshots built in, but less than $10 should get a slingshot at Walmart. If you run out of steel bearings, marbles, or lead buckshot pellets (all good slingshot ammo) , rocks work fine. These are quiet. A small fishing kit, either a mil surplus pilot survival one or a Bestglide commercial kit is also helpful.

Handguns...I like the inexpensive but works .22 autos sold by Phoenix and Jimenez. They run perhaps $150. Small, surprisingly accurate, and they go bang. The JA22 may need a fluff and buff. The HP22 benefits from removal of the magazine safety. If I needed a survival type pistol, I would make a habit of carrying one, either on me or in a vehicle.

All three of the above can be had brand new for less total cost than a single G19.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

I saw this at a gun show recently.


Chiappa Resurrects the M6 Survival Gun w/ 10+ Caliber Options - The Firearm Blog




Add an AR and a carry handgun and you should be equipped

Light load for sure.

I saw this at a gun show not too long ago. I was impressed and figured FINALLY someone got the survival gun right. If I was limited to just ONE firearm, this would be it...hands down. Isn't too much that it will not cover.

 

[GatorFarmer]

If you think long term, a 20 gauge flintlock tradegun is worth having made. You can chip your own flints, make powder from your own waste, and cast your own projectiles...or use rocks. They cost more than a good AR to have built though

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've been carrying a Savage 24 Camper, 20" length 20 gauge under 22 LR, it has an ammo trap in the butt stock. I also have a high grade 24 in 357 over 20 gauge and a lower grade 30/30 over 20 gouge, these both have 26" barrels. With the camper I carry a 100 pack of CCI Stingers and 2 20 round plastic cases for 600 Nitro, in the ammo cases are 5-7.4 dove loads, 5-#4 small game loads, 5- No.4 Copper plated Buck, 5-Berinike slugs. The top barrel is grooved for a 3/8" scope base, so I have a 2x Shotgun scope pre-zeroed to 50 yards, a cleaning kit and a shoulder sling. This has been my constant companion for about 30 years. It has taken small and medium game and when we could use copper plated shot on water fowl a number of geese. Knowing Savage didn't design the 24 for heavier rounds I wouldn't mind having a 223 or 30/30 insert. I have 410 (Four-Tenner) inserts but think 20 is better and easier to find. this gun fits nicely under a rain poncho unlike so many semi-auto and bolt guns. It may not be a Cool Zombie gun, but it has been highly useful. Ivan

PS I saw a Savage 24, in 223 over 20 somebody painted camo for $299 3 weeks ago but it was gone the next week. ( If I had 300 buck I would have bought it!) Ivan