Not super insightful but buy whatever you like and enjoy for whatever recreational shooting you do or would like to do. In the extremely unlikely shtf scenario ever happened what is important is to have a gun and a supply of ammunition. The type of action or caliber the differences are marginal. People have jacked moose with a 22 pistol. Ethical hunting probably the first thing to go in shtf.
Best General Purpose SHTF Rifle
- Thread starter lhengen
- Start date
- Location
- Nova Scotia
My SHTF would be a No4 sporter.
You could get adapters to run 32 for small game, they're robust, work in all weather, simple.
You could get adapters to run 32 for small game, they're robust, work in all weather, simple.
I guess a case could be made for a flintlock musket being the "best" SHTF firearm in the long term....DIY powder, ball, shot and least likely to be confiscated by some future totalitarian regime....resorting to pot hunting. ravens, racoons and wild dogs being the game of last resort ...
I read years ago something wise someone wrote - that it doesn't matter what the gear is if you don't practice with it and become proficient.
I have used this example before from my own life in the corporate world. About 20 years ago, I used to organize corporate golf tournaments. Many guys (and it was mostly male dominated) would show up with their brand new Ping, Titleist and other clubs they spent $4000+ on the set (not including the driver and irons), and even though the tournament was scramble/best ball style, it was always interesting to see how these corporate sales guys would step up to the tee, brag how they just cracked open a sleeve of V1x Pro balls ($9 a ball) and then quickly proceeded to slice it into the woods.
Meanwhile there was a middle aged lady (she's gotta be a grandma by now) who had this set of wooden MacGregor CT or Woolco clubs and she only had 3i, 7i, 9i, putter and 3 wood, and carried them in this shiny red vinyl old golf bag that looked like a punching bag was from Rocky II.
She beat all of us every time, every year. It was a blessing if one ended up on her team any one year.
I see the same dynamic with firearms. Lots of people on YouTube will show their swank zombie gun, all decked out and stuff and start talking about their prep plan and stuff, but sometimes that is all it is - just talk. Meanwhile, someone with an old 10/22 who has been practising/training with it for years, going weekly to their range and practising multiple facets of target shooting discipline - with their experience, skills and their 10/22, they would probably fare better than the person who has the latest all souped up firearm with all sorts of tactical attachments, but they seldom go to to the range to practice - and some may not even have a range membership or access to crown land.
I know a fella that has a pretty cool end-times set up for his rifle, and he told me a number of years ago he stocked up on that novelty stuff...what was it called - Zombie Max or something from Hornady. He was telling when chaos descends and there is rioting everywhere he will be ready. I asked him whether he has tried the Zombie Max rounds in his gun. He said no. I said well, how do you know it feeds and ejects ok (much less whether he can achieve accuracy on it). He said the Youtube videos are favourable for reviews and besides that stuff is expensive and he doesn't want to waste it.
I am not even convinced he has even shot the rifle that is his end of the world gun (I don't even know what it is). Apparently he has 30+ magazines for it. But hey it has a tactical flashlight, a laser, an Aimpoint optic and a magnifier.
I'd rather just keep a basic 10/22, with an assortment of ammo to try to see what works and what doesn't and stock it accordingly, with regular practice/training for the same. Or carry multiple guns for different utility purposes. It's nice to have a one size fits all rifle, but some situations may call for different tools.
I have used this example before from my own life in the corporate world. About 20 years ago, I used to organize corporate golf tournaments. Many guys (and it was mostly male dominated) would show up with their brand new Ping, Titleist and other clubs they spent $4000+ on the set (not including the driver and irons), and even though the tournament was scramble/best ball style, it was always interesting to see how these corporate sales guys would step up to the tee, brag how they just cracked open a sleeve of V1x Pro balls ($9 a ball) and then quickly proceeded to slice it into the woods.
Meanwhile there was a middle aged lady (she's gotta be a grandma by now) who had this set of wooden MacGregor CT or Woolco clubs and she only had 3i, 7i, 9i, putter and 3 wood, and carried them in this shiny red vinyl old golf bag that looked like a punching bag was from Rocky II.
She beat all of us every time, every year. It was a blessing if one ended up on her team any one year.
I see the same dynamic with firearms. Lots of people on YouTube will show their swank zombie gun, all decked out and stuff and start talking about their prep plan and stuff, but sometimes that is all it is - just talk. Meanwhile, someone with an old 10/22 who has been practising/training with it for years, going weekly to their range and practising multiple facets of target shooting discipline - with their experience, skills and their 10/22, they would probably fare better than the person who has the latest all souped up firearm with all sorts of tactical attachments, but they seldom go to to the range to practice - and some may not even have a range membership or access to crown land.
I know a fella that has a pretty cool end-times set up for his rifle, and he told me a number of years ago he stocked up on that novelty stuff...what was it called - Zombie Max or something from Hornady. He was telling when chaos descends and there is rioting everywhere he will be ready. I asked him whether he has tried the Zombie Max rounds in his gun. He said no. I said well, how do you know it feeds and ejects ok (much less whether he can achieve accuracy on it). He said the Youtube videos are favourable for reviews and besides that stuff is expensive and he doesn't want to waste it.
I am not even convinced he has even shot the rifle that is his end of the world gun (I don't even know what it is). Apparently he has 30+ magazines for it. But hey it has a tactical flashlight, a laser, an Aimpoint optic and a magnifier.
I'd rather just keep a basic 10/22, with an assortment of ammo to try to see what works and what doesn't and stock it accordingly, with regular practice/training for the same. Or carry multiple guns for different utility purposes. It's nice to have a one size fits all rifle, but some situations may call for different tools.
A couple of years ago, Federal released a .22LR version of their self-defense round, "Punch". I bought some but thought it was maybe more gimmicky than anything else, but since there, there have been some pretty positive reviews on the product with ballistic penetration and expansion tests being fairly impressive, given the limitations of the round.
CZ Shooter
CGN frequent flyer
The 22lr defensive rounds are usually designed to expand...but given the balistic limitations of this round, I would personally chose penetration over expansion, as acheiving both of those with a 22lr is likely not something you can count on.
When SHTF, your average CCI Mini-Mag is likely your best ticket, as the 40 grain round nose flying at 1235 fps (I think) seems to be the goldie lock type of a 22lr round for this scenario, not to mention it might feed more reliably, than the hollow points if using a semi, such as the 10/22.
I'm a big believer in "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" type of an approach and the 40 grain round nose is just that...perfect.
drunkenmaster
New member
- Location
- nova scotia
I would have to say need a shotgun, center fire rifle and rimfire with lots of ammo. Doesn't have to be expensive firearms either just reliable. There is lots of options out there, examples would be pretty much any pump action shotgun, for rifles SKS are reliable mosin is reliable, and a 22lr. lots of info online about all every firearm you would be looking at buying.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
WROL (Without Rule of Law)
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The expression for 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in then West Germany was theirs would be a 'come as you are war'. Fight with what you've got, not what you dream about. Leopard 1s, M109s, Lynx recce vehicles, M113s and very ordinary trucks - and no plausible logistics tail. No wonder the Canadian government refused to deploy 4CMBG to the Gulf War.
Extend that forward to this conversation. Everyone has their go-to guns, and that is probably a very good start. Joe Blow Six-Pack the camo belly will have his deer rifle and duck gun. Johnny Punk might have his G-Lock with a fullauto switch. Bill Grayman the Prepper will have a gun in every backpack and bugout truck pocket. The smart guy will have what he knows and likes. Nothing gaudy or likely to attract attention. He'll just go about the gritty business of keeping his head down and the vermin at arms length.
A couple of my neighbours know about my guns. Most do not. I try to keep it that way. The ones who know actually are trained shooters, just not as well equipped as me! For a thousand reasons, I have to bug in, not bug out. So any engagement ranges will be close. Grim to say, but we'll just have to see what WROL gives us.
Extend that forward to this conversation. Everyone has their go-to guns, and that is probably a very good start. Joe Blow Six-Pack the camo belly will have his deer rifle and duck gun. Johnny Punk might have his G-Lock with a fullauto switch. Bill Grayman the Prepper will have a gun in every backpack and bugout truck pocket. The smart guy will have what he knows and likes. Nothing gaudy or likely to attract attention. He'll just go about the gritty business of keeping his head down and the vermin at arms length.
A couple of my neighbours know about my guns. Most do not. I try to keep it that way. The ones who know actually are trained shooters, just not as well equipped as me! For a thousand reasons, I have to bug in, not bug out. So any engagement ranges will be close. Grim to say, but we'll just have to see what WROL gives us.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Penetration. Aguilla SSS 60 grain.
CCI Mini Mags seem to function well and group well in all of my .22s, even the finicky ones. It's the recommended cartridge for my AA .22 LR conversion kit fir my GLOCK 17 and it runs perfectly.
But one rifle for bad times? It's a compromise rifle but I'd choose my 18 5" Rem 7600 in .308 Win. 1x8 illuminated LPVO in QD rings with a BDC reticle. Iron sights zeroed at 25 yards fir 150 gr ball.
Pic rail at 9 o'clock on the forend for a light.
It's versatile, ammo is common and it can handle small and big game up close or far away.
Definitely agree with cz shooter here. Plus using a 22lr defensively I think would probably be an application of quantity over quality. That is, pepper the threat with ten rounds rapidly at minimum rather than hoping for a whizz bang novelty one hit stop.
"Without rule of law"
