One year alone in the remote wilderness...

Mouhahaha....

I would opt for a .22lr normally because you can neutralize any animal in a
perfect condition, but I think a .223 in a reliable semi auto configuration should do the job like AR-15s. The question is very vague in my opinion, because if I was only allowed 1 light weight tool that would not fail me, That would be a Big A$$ knife! But of course we are talking guns, so I would want my AR to be c-7 specs with at least 300 rnds, and most people wouldn't survive the year! Perhaps, 1000 rnds would be better but still with the weight of a .223 cartrigde x1000 wouldn't permit most people to take on gear that would really save their lives....like building tools, firestarting equipment, sleeping bags, change of clothing (stuff that got wet). We don't live on the Equator. OUR essential needs in order would be a heat source, a shelter, water, and then a hunting tool, closely afterwards would be a mate. I like the question but it is too open criticism, in all honesty I would take the tool that I own that I have with maintenance equipment,and that I could operate for a year. Animals fear fire, man, and anything that could disrupt their survival so you don't need a big gun, you justneed a gun that can fire alot of rounds.:50cal:
 
If the adventure was to be a year long trek I could be tempted to go with a .22 because of the amount of ammo that can be carried per pound, and most of the shooting would be for food. Trouble is I've been around big bears enough to know that sometimes you will encounter a problem. That said I think a .30-06 with small game loads and a few heavy loads for the day that doesn't work out so well.
 
Bronco Boy said:
If you had to spend one year in the remote wilderness of Northern BC and could take ONE gun and all the ammo you can carry what gun would you take?
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Savage 24F with a .17HMR over a 12g.
bring about 20 12g Brenneke slugs, and about a thousand rounds of .17HMR.

24f.jpg


added benefit is that a hinge action is probably the most foolproof and reliable.
 
Will I Am said:
I like the question but it is too open criticism,
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It is meant to be fun and interesting........of course it could be easily picked apart. I did not feel like typing an essay and I hoped most people would make a few correct assumptions like they had to carry other gear like a knife, small axe and a wilderness survival manual!
 
It'd have to be my go-to gun. Remmy 600 in .308. Lot's N Lot's of ammo.

180gr for the larger species and maybe some accellerators for squirrels..haha
 
Interesting senerio, Bronco Billy and Manbearpig, very nearly almost got it right with the Savage 24. I think though 22 LR/ 12 gauge is more applicable. Hear me out please.
I say this because I beleive that although the 17 Rimfire, initially sounds good, that one could easily destroy too much edible meat. Thereby certainly leaving out 22 magnum as too destructive as well.

I will say this, because I remember in once in Saskatchewan, using a rook rifle re-chambered to 38 Special and using lightly loaded 148 grain full wadcutters to dispatch a rather stunned bunch of bush bunnies at close range (10-20 yards ) Using head shots, and I use this example to point out the value of a quiet dispatcher of more plentiful small game.

I got about 5 in less than 10-15 minutes one time.
I credit this success to the light report of this rifle, while I shot each bunny, the rest kind of looked up confused as if they did not believe they heard the report of a gun.

Its only when I winged one and it cried out that the rest of the rabbits buggered off. (my bad)
Therefore what turned out to be just a really good morning hunt for me, would be a bonanza for the wilderness wanderer.

While quietly popping bunnies with an accurate 22 rimfire barrel, that 12 gauge slug could be great comfort for bears/cougars. Or the proper load for the blacktail deer, you see on the trail.

Maybe even a better choice in Savage 24,would be a 30-30 barrel and 32 ACP adapter, with the 12 bore underneath? This would be only okay IMHO, if the 32 ACP,was a dependable/ quiet and accurate load.

Plus to, one would have to have a few small calibre adapters, because have you ever screwed around with a shotgun in wintertime, while trying to reload a cold aluminmum adapter?
Believe me it was cold on the fingers.

If this was me though all year I would be saying to myself; Where's my M37 Ithaca Deerslayer? Where's my 30-30 Winchester? Where's my .458 X 2? Where's my S&W 629?
Mental hell for sure...
 
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A 30-06 with both irons and a scope. Load it with 180 gr Partitions and don't worry about anything else.

Either that or a drilling in 12x12x9.3x74.
 
I would opt for the 24 series Savage, but 22 rimfire over 12 ga. The 22 is much more versatile than the 17HMR (a good cartridge, but quite specialized)
If I could only use one rifle out of what presently resides in my gun cabinet, it would be my 700 Mountain rifle in 7x57 with full power 150/160 Partitions and some 120 grain cast loads. This rifle shoots the 150 & 160 together out to about 225, and the cast slugs are about 3" low at 100, but dead center. I would take 300 rounds of the cast and 40 of the Jacketed. Eagleye
 
Bush Survival

Survival in the bush is first, you must dry your wet clothes before you try to sleep at night and you must have a dry place to sleep. Finding water will be no probem. To provide yourself with fire and shelter you need an axe. A good axe. To shoot food a light, 22 single shot rifle is OK, and shorts are the best ammo for it. You can carry a large number of shorts, and they do far less damage to meat on squirrels, grouse, etc, than does long rifle ammo. Protection? What from? Certainly not from wolves, a wilderness black bear won't bother you and it is unlikely you would even see a grizzly, let alone one that may bother you.
In the magazine, "The Backwoodsman," there is a long article on nothern survival, in the current issue, Nov/Dec, now on the shelves of magazine stores.
 
I Winchester Model 70 CRF in 30-06 with a 2.5x Leupoldand Iron sites. 180gr Hornady SP and make sure I had really good supply of snare wire, and good axe, hatchet, knife (or two), a Trapper Nelson and hope for a warm winter. Done and done.
 
H4831 said:
Finding water will be no probem. To provide yourself with fire and shelter you need an axe. A good axe. To shoot food a light, 22 single shot rifle is OK, and shorts are the best ammo for it. You can carry a large number of shorts, and they do far less damage to meat on squirrels, grouse, etc, than does long rifle ammo. Protection?
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Most of what you say H4831, makes perfectly good sense to me. However if one had the option of a 12 or 20 bore barrel underneath (or over)the 22 LR barrel, this goes a long way for peice of mind, when you are living in an improvised shelter alone in the bush. Plus the ability to use a load of shot, instead of a single bullet, maybe the difference between eating or going without.
(your choice of 22 shorts is spot on for edibles)
 
Yes

Brutus said:
Most of what you say H4831, makes perfectly good sense to me. However if one had the option of a 12 or 20 bore barrel underneath (or over)the 22 LR barrel, this goes a long way for peice of mind, when you are living in an improvised shelter alone in the bush. Plus the ability to use a load of shot, instead of a single bullet, maybe the difference between eating or going without.
(your choice of 22 shorts is spot on for edibles)
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Yes, a 22/shotgun would be great, the lighter the better, and it may even come apart to go in your pack. I mentioned the light single shot 22, because that was what the old timers in the bush usually had.
 
Yes, its easy to forget that back in the day, people in the bush made do, because they did not enjoy the standard of living, we enjoy today.

When a dollar or two was hard worked for,especially persons close to the land. That one box of ammunition had to last, and was used sparingly.
 
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