[Yosemitest]

Also any other suggestions would be appreciated.
But keep in mind, the goal is a usable rifle that is light weight, breaks down easily, and offer a variety of choices of ammo for anything from quail to bear, for anything a solitary hiker might want to eat on the trail, or defend himself from, in case of danger.

[central_va]

This should get the job done.

[EGPWS]

[Chode]

love my Springfield M-6 scout... .22 over a .410, hinged in the middle to fit into a pack and break apart too!!!

[USNBandit]

One the east coast you could get away with a large handgun. No real four legged predator threat.

Out west, go with one of the short barreled Marlin lever actions in 45-70.

[tacticalogic]

How about one of these:

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=003B&cid=034&tid=015&bg=x

[HiJinx]

What you want to do with that gun is replace the wood stock with a folding stock. It’s gonna be lighter that way, and will collapse to just about the right length for stuffing in a backpack.

The trick now will be to find someone who can do that.

[umgud]

The old Savage 24 combo models had many shotgun/rifle caliber choices, but they were pretty heavy and didn’t breakdown. There were many other combo guns, some light, most heavy available.

You might want to consider a big bore handgun. A Super Redhawk .454 Casull will take anything you want. You could launch .45 wadcutters and take small game with little damage. You could scope it or not. You just wouldn’t have a shotgun abaility. And it weighs about 52 oz and will fit in your pack.

[saganite]

One thing you could do to improve. .22 performance a bit is shoot stinger ammo. It’s not going to do anythng about a bear though, except maybe scare him. Bear spray would be more effective. Maybe a combination of the two?

[Cyber Liberty]

Didn’t know Rossi makes Judges....I have a Taurus handgun version, they make Circuit Judges too.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Above is an interesting Rossi with a .243 rifle and 20-guage shotgun barrel for $265.

Click on the image to go to Bud's Gun Shop.

[Errant]

Slugs for bear country, 00 buckshot for deer country, and #4 for everything else.

[Chainmail]

I would stick with the AR-7 if you are planning any long distance stuff: 1. 22LR is amazingly accurate and efficient. I carried an Armalite AR-7 as my main pack gun when I used to go on long distance hikes and used to carry it assembled, using a bootlace as a sling and carrying fishing line, bandaids, spare ammo and a compass in the butt. I could shoot any and all rattlesnakes and if I outran my food supply, quail and occasionally trout near the surface supplied the protein. 2. You can carry a huge amount of .22 ammo! 3. The AR-7 is dependable, very light, and semiauto - and there is a decent Ramline magazine out there that carries 15 or so rounds.

Now, if you absolutely have to have something heavier, there's always the Savage Model 24 .22LR over .410 or .22LR over 20 gauge Magnum or .222 over 20 gauge and a couple of other variations.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Here is another Rossi in .223/12-gauge for $281.

[PAR35]

How are you going to defend yourself with it if it’s broken down in your backpack? Hit him over the head with your backpack?

[Kirkwood]

I have the SS Circuit Judge and it is a terrific little gun. Light weight and versatile. I refinished the wood on mine and the stock comes off easily. It would be easy to modify it into a quick breakdown gun or put on a folding stock. I even thought about doing that, but I have too many other projects to do first.

[Blood of Tyrants]

M1 carbine?

[Chainmail]

Just saw a Savage Model 24 for sale on Gunbroker in .22 Hornet over 12 gauge - now that's a beast!

Looking at the Circuit Judge, it doesn't strike me as very difficult to change the grip screw to a thumbscrew (like the Ar-7) and make the stock rapidly removeable for a packable package. I would more than likely remove that ugly cheekpiece to save weight too..

[Cyber Liberty]

Unrelated question: Are you even allowed to carry a firearm across all those state lines, even if it is a long gun?

[kitchen]

Look at the Savage 24c, Camper's Companion. .22 over 20 gauge, take-down, light weight with ammo storage in the buttstock.

[x1stcav]

Stick with the AR7. If you’re truly in a survival mode you don’t want a big noise signature.

Even in the AR7, the .22 is good out to 50 yards.