Best Milsurp rifle for SHTF

SKS wouldn't be my first choice for bears though. YMMV and certainly SOME OF YOU will have considerably better luck with .303 than I do but last time I went shopping? I decided to have a quick gander in the sports section and see what types/calibers were stocked. Only a handful of boxes of .303 but CRATES of 7.62x54mm Rimmed PILED TO THE CEILING (okay not literally but for all intents and purposes..... they may as well have been) so check with what is actually available FIRST.

Easy solution - and the type of thinking you need to develop to survive - take the 303 and a large quantity of brass, use the 7.62x54r to reload the 303 cases. Ammo problem solved. Also fire starting problem solved, among others, with the remaindered powder.
 
For me, it would be a Winchester model 12 with a 20 inch modified barrel so that the fosters could reach out and touch someone, slam fire for the time that one has to get up and personal, extended mag tube because you can never have enough ammo, heat shield to protect my delicate hands, 3.5" chamber would be nice but not required because if I were to run across a box of 3.5 they will instantly became 3.5" cut shells. The pump action is very reliable, great for hunting and is devastating in a combat situation. Of all the weapons, Germany petition for the shotgun to be banded in WWI.
 
whatever bearhunter says--he'll give you an answer based on fact and experience. I am going with one of my SKS's (or carry one and bury the other) as I know them inside and out, they shoot well, never fail and are dead easy to maintain. Not hard to pilfer spare parts either as every Tom, ####, and Harry with a PAL seems to own one or two, with a crate or two, in this country. Runner up is my Norwegian K98 in 30-06 for all the same reasons.
 
Think it depends on your plan. My "Alamo" is a retired cement grain bin, two stories up, one down. I can stack everything I would ever need and then some so caliber choice is limited only by my budget.

But if I had to displace? Wife and kids are coming with and priorities are food, water and shelter, not ammunition. Besides, none of them could reliably handle a 30 caliber battle rifle.

Everyone carries rifles in the same caliber; 223 loaded with 62gn SP. Kids will carry their Remington 783s, each with two magazines and a box of 50 in the pack.

Mom and Dad carry AR15s, each with 5 loaded magazines and a box of 50 in the pack.

The 62gr will do for game animals or self defence and if you can stay out of trouble, will be more than enough to either last out a state of emergency or until there are enough pelts on the wall to start trading.

That said, there was a certain former US infantry soldier who did very well for himself in the YPG a couple years back. His choice of rifles in a land awash with M4s and AK 47s was telling; a 1940's DAK K98. According to this fellow, a torso hit with the 7.92 was pretty much a guaranteed kill. So if you have a milsurp/lone gunman thing going, you could make a worse choice.
 
Think it depends on your plan. My "Alamo" is a retired cement grain bin, two stories up, one down. I can stack everything I would ever need and then some so caliber choice is limited only by my budget.

But if I had to displace? Wife and kids are coming with and priorities are food, water and shelter, not ammunition. Besides, none of them could reliably handle a 30 caliber battle rifle.

Everyone carries rifles in the same caliber; 223 loaded with 62gn SP. Kids will carry their Remington 783s, each with two magazines and a box of 50 in the pack.

Mom and Dad carry AR15s, each with 5 loaded magazines and a box of 50 in the pack.

The 62gr will do for game animals or self defence and if you can stay out of trouble, will be more than enough to either last out a state of emergency or until there are enough pelts on the wall to start trading.

That said, there was a certain former US infantry soldier who did very well for himself in the YPG a couple years back. His choice of rifles in a land awash with M4s and AK 47s was telling; a 1940's DAK K98. According to this fellow, a torso hit with the 7.92 was pretty much a guaranteed kill. So if you have a milsurp/lone gunman thing going, you could make a worse choice.

Thought the same, that is why my bolt action is now a .223 as it shares the same ammo as my AR. :)
 
O.O Wait a minute..... if North Korea nukes us? We actually have to LIVE through Fallout? Well unless you all can afford to spring for a .50BMG? or maybe something even bigger? I say pretty much every single one of us is royally fvcked! Ain't a single one of us gonna be able to kill DEATHCLAWS! Jesus.

I killed them before with a varmint rifle but I happened to find a really good glitch under the rail road station. I've also killed them with the Chinese Assault Rifle so maybe guys with a Type 81 or similar gun will be fine. So the lesson here is we better hope there is glitches in this SHTF. Radscorpions wont stand a chance if theirs any rocks in the area to jump up onto.
 
I'm gonna say Mosin M-38/m-44 once enemies see a 3 foot long muzzle flash in the night they are less likely to mess with you .


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I'm gonna say Mosin M-38/m-44 once enemies see a 3 foot long muzzle flash in the night they are less likely to mess with you .


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No, you'll be easier to kill as they now know exactly where you are, and with your night vision gone after the first round you're a sitting duck. You shoot one guy, the rest hammer you with rounds and take your stuff.
 
No, you'll be easier to kill as they now know exactly where you are, and with your night vision gone after the first round you're a sitting duck. You shoot one guy, the rest hammer you with rounds and take your stuff.

if moving food is close enough, you can cook it at the same time you killed it. saving time!!
 
Easy solution - and the type of thinking you need to develop to survive - take the 303 and a large quantity of brass, use the 7.62x54r to reload the 303 cases. Ammo problem solved. Also fire starting problem solved, among others, with the remaindered powder.

That's good..... IF YOU HAVE A .303. It's been quite awhile since I've been in the gun stores so I will have to check BUT last time I was there? Mosin's by the crate full. LE's? Not so much. AGAIN? I have to check and confirm that theory but if this holds true? I'd be willing to gamble on a mosin. NOT hating L.E.'s but I gotta go with what I see in the store. Granted? YMMV and probably WILL vary considerably dependent on a whole host of factors.

A quick search turned up prices in the $350 USD range for a good LE no 4

A local store had mosin's in crates for $200 CAD a pop. Not a problem either way for me but that might help someone else on here who's a little short on $$$

I'm gonna say Mosin M-38/m-44 once enemies see a 3 foot long muzzle flash in the night they are less likely to mess with you .


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Yeah if they're not serious? Damn right they will haul a$$ the other way. IF however the opposite is true? You have a much better chance
 
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SKS for all around reliability

However I agree the K98 has its appeal it is easily my most accurate surplus rifle variant. This combined with its power would make it a very effective end of days rifle useful in hunting and basic defense.


I would also like access if possible to a 12ga shotgun and a 22lr rifle but my choice top down would be SKS, K98, SVT40, 12ga, 22lr, Mosin M38, M91/30, Enfield (only because of ammo scarcity)
 

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If SHTF is going to be long term I can bolt actions being far more useful than semis simply because of losing brass.
 
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