Rather than listen to many opinions, use your head and existing evidence. Think of the last ammo shortage as a blip compared to what would likely precede a SHTF incident that was protracted. 5.56 mm and .308 NATO was unobtainable, as were most every other “favored” tactical cartridge. What WAS always on the shelves? The common hunting rounds like .270 and 30/30, even .30/.06 to a point (Garands take a bite out of this though). Having at least something that shoots highly available cartridges well should be a priority. If you want your M4 or battle rifle, that’s fine, but the source will run dry quickly, and for those that think they can grab military stockpiles, it is extremely unlikely that a protracted situation could occur with that level of disorder, and if it did you would be competing against the best organized and trained who were going for the same targets.
5.56/.223 in a high quality AR.
I’m sure you have heard this plenty.
If you want to go bigger then .308/7.62
Rifle for what? The gubmint will take care of us all!
.22, .45, .308 and 12 gauge...
Pretty much takes care of everything in my abilities.
30-06 would be my preferred arm, if I had to police a parade.....from atop a building...
Thanks for a thread to cool my treads after such concentration on the news!
I like your .30-30 WIN choice with 6-7 rounds in a nice light carbine size rifle like the M94 Winchester or the Marlins.
Make mine .308 WIN for 2 different guns I would keep close by in your scenario; AR10 full float 18” bbl QD mounted 1-6X24 scope illuminated post/dot reticle with quality BUS, bolt action rifle 24” bull bbl 6-24X50 high end scope in B/C fully adjustable stock.
The AR for afoot, both for bug-in. Both very accurate and good for close or long range work. That’s if it happened today, who knows what I’ll think or have in a year, especially since I go fishing quite a bit.
I see five real needs:
Big bore rifle - anything 30-06, 30-30, .338, .308/7.62, or in that general neighborhood is fine, and the details depend more on the shooter/terrain than on differences among calibers.
Small bore rifle - roughly a .223/5.56 for personal defense at a lower weight and lower cost per round than big bore.
Rimfire pistol and/or rifle - .22LR, .22mag, .177 or some similar variant for bunnies, squirrels, and other meat for the table where there would be nothing left after a big bore shot. Also for target practice at a more manageable cost, and for starting kids on shooting.
Pistol (other than .22LR, which is already covered) - .38, .357, .45, 9mm, or something bigger than a .22LR, for those who can handle those options, just for a defensive weapon that is easy to carry at all times. A pistol was good enough for my great-grandfather, and it’s good enough for me.
.12 gauge - everyone needs a shotgun, even Joe Biden.
Beyond those options, a specialized case can be made for various calibers, but I think all real needs are covered by those five choices.
I grew up on a subsistence farm until I was five. There was no electricity in rural Florida but we managed to survive just fine.
I don’t much worry about roving bands of ferals tho a few would certainly be a possibility. Back then we knew everyone in the area for miles around. We attended church with them etc. They were not a threat, but a support system.
Still I could see someone needing a self defense rifle and a Colt H-Bar is about as good as any. Of course a .22LR rifle and pistol (or revolver) and a shotgun.
A Ruger 10/22 just because of all the accessories and parts available for it. A Remingon 870 because I personally have seen 3 of them which had to have gone over 100,000 rounds between them.
5.56, 7.62x39, .22, 30.06, 3.08, 300 winmag, 9mm, .45,... ;-)
Barrett 50
.243.....
.22-250....
.270.....
.25-06....
7 Mag.....
.220 Swift...
Whatever you should the best..is what I like.
The short of it is that all three rifle's above can use the SAME BRASS, if your a hand loader/roll your own. (But of course you have to size the brass to each caliber respectively.)
The .35 Whelen was designed by Colonel Townsend Whelen in 1922 while he was commanding officer at Frankford Arsenal, the huge US Army ammunition plant near Philadelphia, Penn. James V. Howe served as chief toolmaker and gunsmith on the project, but left the next year for New York--at the recommendation of Whelen--to partner with stockmaker Seymour Griffin in forming the famous gunsmithing firm of Griffin & Howe.
If anyone reading this has ever wondered just how many times can you reload a single brass cartridge, I would reload until there was a significant crack in the case, usually after somewhere min 20 times up to approx 25 times or more. It should be noted all of my rifles were bolt actions, and I would only "NECK-RESIZE" the cases, so as to get the longer life out of the cartridge(s.) Also by neck resize(ing)only; the brass was therefore a custom fit to each rifle.
The usual disclaimer here: "I'm not an expert, and don't advocate anything that could be perceived as DANGEROUS." Oh, and also don't try this at home, I think I'm covered.
If you are a semi-automatic rifle guy, you will have to do a full length cartridge re-size(ing), and I have no idea if this will diminish the amount of reloading a brass cartridge. My guess is, that it would diminish the amount of times, just have no personal knowledge reference reloading a single brass cartridge; full length cartridge re-size(ing.)
The .35 Whelen (Built on a Mauser(s) action) is a poor mans 375 H&H (Ballistics's are the same {approx 95 % plus} out to the first 100 yards.) .375 H&H was considered too large for most American hunting.
Some draw back(s) against the .35 Whelen, (if the SHTF) was the muzzle flash in daytime (WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE,) and I was usually the LOUDEST rifle in / at the shooting range (outside no least), everyone would turn and ask "WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU SHOOTING, A CANNON?"
Just some thoughts on the subject of when the SHTF, and just maybe a different approach to the subject matter.
And remember boy's and girl's, KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY!!!
All of them.
Why limit yourself?
I’m going to wait for dead Islamists, and pick up their fully automatic AK-47’s.
I’m thinking about building another AR in 6.5 Grendel flavors.
.22 LR - 5.56 - .223 - 30.30 Win.
Well, if I had to go up against a bunch of jihadis carrying AK-47s I’d want an AK-47. That way I could scrounge ammo off their bodies. If my enemy was using AR-pattern rifles I’d want 5.56. If I was carrying something “different” I guess I’d have to scrounge ammo AND a rifle or pull a cart full of my rifle-fodder.
My brother was given an M-16 in Vietnam and he rarely used it, preferring to use an AK that he found in a swamp. His CO bitched about it but didn’t tell him he couldn’t use it. He never wanted for lack of ammo either.
Next rifle will be a lever action in .357 as I reload for that already.
.22 LR
.22 WMR
.243 winchester
.223
7.62 X 39 51 and 54
9mm
.38/.357
.45
12 gauge
.45-70
That covers it