Posted on 07/31/2021 5:05:43 PM PDT by COBOL2Java
I don’t call the pandemic or an ammo shortage an emergency. My emergencies have been personal, not civil, but just the same, memorable.
Folks who have never skinned a deer or used a gambrel have some idea they will live off the land. They may end up dumpster diving.
Canines are stringy, so let’s hope the impending doom doesn’t come anytime soon or some of the folks may be eating dog.
A popular TV show has generated a little different type of collecting.
Several of my friends, normally well balanced, have a small collection of ‘Walking Dead’ guns.
These are firearms that have been sought out because they are ordinary, well-used, rugged firearms that would serve in an emergency.
They look like some of what the good and bad guys and girls on TWD show have dug up. Well, me too. It is a fun thing to collect these old guns.
With that in mind, I took a hard look at a few of the best apocalypse guns.
Whether the emergency is a civil disturbance or a calamity caused by dangerous weather, a sturdy firearm is good to have.
Feral men and animals invading territory they do not normally inhabit is the primary fear.
Zombies are about in the same strata as aliens on my emergency list, so I tend to think more realistically.
That is an old double-barrel at top. The Savage pump-action .22, lower, is almost 100 years old and still functions well.
That’s ok, but you can only carry so much. A simple functional firearm that isn’t likely to go out of whack is important.
You don’t need a trunk full of firearms, you need a versatile few that will accomplish several chores reasonably.
Let’s look at a few good choices beginning with .22 LR rifles. The Ruger 10/22 is just about everyone’s favorite semi-auto .22.
Reliable, accurate and easily upgraded, the Ruger is an affordable, but high-quality, rifle.
The new Winchester Wildcat rifle is an advanced and useful rifle well worth its price.
The Rossi RS22 is more than affordable, it is downright cheap. Yet, it is reliable and useful.
There is nothing wrong with a manually operated .22. The Henry and Rossi lever-action rifles are good choices.
If you own grandpa’s old pump .22, then it may be a lifesaver.
The .22 is useful for small game and even for defense if the bullet is delivered accurately enough.
The author added a Galco sling and ammunition carrier to the Savage .308 rifle.
The lever-action is reliable, accurate enough, and may be chambered in pistol calibers. A self-loader offers an instant backup shot.
I would stress that you do not choose an odd or hard-to-find caliber.
The .204 Ruger is a nice round, but the .223 Remington is far more widely distributed. My personal SHTF rifle is a Savage Scout.
With 10 rounds of powerful .308 on hand, it will solve many problems. A 200-pound animal at 200 yards is its capability.
It will cut through several car doors or light cover like a knife through butter. What it hits stays hit.
If the problem leans more toward gangs and a takeover robbery, there is nothing like the AR.
With a good ammunition reserve and fast handling, the AR is America’s rifle.
These are older shotguns from Savage and Remington. They are worn, but not worn out.
The shotgun may be loaded with birdshot and used to take tiny game weighing a few ounces, such as birds, squirrels and rabbits.
With heavier loads, turkey and duck may be taken.
With slugs and buckshot, the shotgun is remarkably effective against men and beasts at modest range.
Any reliable shotgun, even an old double-barrel, is a great gun for personal defense. A reliable pump-action shotgun is a good bet.
The .38 Special revolver is a reasonable choice for emergency situations.
The situation may be reversed and the pistol becomes the backup in a SHTF scenario.
My choice is a .45 ACP pistol, either a good quality 1911 or the SIG P220.
A .357 Mangum revolver is versatile and useful for those who can fire the Magnum accurately.
For the shooter who doesn’t have time to practice as often as they would like, a .38 Special revolver makes sense.
If you have more than one handgun they should be in the same caliber, just in case.
The author’s double double-barrel shotgun features a ‘custom’ bead front sight.
In an urban environment, a short, light, fast-handling 20-gauge shotgun might be ideal.
A rural area with abundant small game may beg that a quality .22 rifle be chosen.
With longer ranges in an urban environment, the situation would favor a trained marksman.
An urban fight may be unexpected and sometimes against heavy odds. You may need greater ammunition reserve.
A good AR may be the best choice, and the AR with a quality scope isn’t a bad choice in the outback either.
Don’t feel under-gunned if your rifle or shotgun is inexpensive.
If you can use them quickly and safely and hit your target, you are way ahead of most shooters.
The shotgun shell holder, left, and Bianchi UM84, right, are important survival gear.
A good quality belt that holds shotgun shells is something you should own.
My own emergency belt holds 25 Remington 12-gauge shells. That is a good reserve of ammunition.
The Bianchi UM84 holster may be worn on the belt or in a shoulder harness and offers good utility.
Its sturdy fabric construction is nearly immune to the elements. Take a hard look at your ready gear and narrow down the choices.
Hopefully, it won’t be needed in an emergency, but the times do get interesting.
.308, any damn .308
That’s why I have double stack 1911s.
Steel rust polymer doesn’t.
9mm has recently become widely available. Our shop was small shop offered up to 14 one thousand round cases and we are selling them 100 rounds per customer per day.
I read the article. Looks like I am good to go.
VR60 or VR80 for scattergun should handle most anything close range.
My preference, personal to me, for home protection (retired military) is my interchangeable barrel 12ga autoloader. I keep it in short barrel form around the house daily. I change it for the long barrel when hunting and I have many boxes of various shot on hand. Including Deer Slugs.
For personal protection I carry a S&W 9mm semiauto. My wife carries a S&W revolver. 38 Plus P. She’s just more comfortable with a revolver as she doesn’t have to worry about the complexity of a semi-auto handgun.
Between what I had and what I made we never ran low on .45.
Lord willing we never will.
L
I reload 12 and 20 gage, so I have a wide range of projectile capabilities.
CLICKBAIT. Worthless site.
They may not be someone’s preference and they’re not for everyone, but anyone that talks smack about a 1911 has issues
And unless you have decent sized hands a 10mm Glock isn’t easy to hold for most folks. It’s a big gun. I have the G21 and big hands. It’s a big boy gun.
My 80 year old mom can shoot my 1911s
Nailed it.
My 1911 4 inch barrel is the smoothest firearm I own. Compact, but it will stop whatever is coming at you in the lower 48.
The 1911 still has the best trigger. And love the single action pull.
When the SHTF you won't be able to buy any ammo. But right now, there is a lot more 9mm in the hands of the American people than there is .45 ACP.
Especially a .308 variant that takes 20-25 round magazines.
Yep, stealth is going to be a huge factor. During WWII, the British drew up specifications for a firearm to be used by Auxiliary Home Guard units against German sentries, guard dogs, etc. They settled on a .22LR rifle with a threaded muzzle, fitted with a suppressor. I don't recall whether they bought the rifles from us or received them via Lend-Lease, but the Winchester 74 semi-auto was the rifle of choice.
They never needed to use them, but I don't think we'll be as fortunate.
I’m in line except the .308, I have the 5.56, also a Ruger .45. I do need to get a shotgun shell holder though.
Funny you should mention moms. A few years ago my wife, mother and I were out shooting hand guns. Mom took my Commander and promptly outshot the heck out of me with it. She could hardly hit anything with her Charter .38 but she was Dead Eye Dick with my Colt.
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