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.
30-—
You mean 20
Correct?
1) Any gun is better than no gun.
2) A gun that is reliable is better than a gun that is not.
3) A hole in the right place is better than a hole in the wrong place.
4) A bigger hole is a better hole.
Remember the five rules of a gun fight:
1) gun beats no gun
The gun you left at home because it was too big, printed too much, hurt your wrist or cost too much to shoot is “no gun”. Remember this when you decide between your hand cannon and your pea shooter.
2) fast beats slow
The first to get their gun into the fight usually wins as it causes the other to take cover. Remember this when you decide how to carry as the extra second it take to get the gun into the fight might cause you to lose the fight.
3) a hit beats a miss
A .22 that hits beats a .44 mag that misses. Carry what you can shoot accurately and under stress.
4) big holes beat small holes
After taking all the above into consideration, making a big hole will often cause the opponent to bleed out faster. Remember this when choosing caliber and ammunition.
5) two holes beat one hole
Always double tap. If the situation is bad enough that one hole is needed, the second hole can only improve your odds of wining the gun fight. Remember this when considering ammo capacity and carrying extra rounds.
Also, this is very subjective. What works for you, might not work for someone else. Back in the ‘80s, I was a range officer and had a little old lady show up with her .22 revolver. That was back in my “big gun only” days but that grandma shot the eyes out of the target at 25 feet. Scary thing to witness.
All modern designs have the feed ramp integral to the barrel and a coil spring extractor.
This is why I choose the HP over the 1911, it corrects these design flaws.
When you're right, you're right: compared to the "modern" 1920's & 1930's (when the Hi-Power was designed and released), the previous 20 years were positively 'stone age'.
/sarc
FWIW, if anyone feels a need for a "feed ramp on the barrel", or an external extractor, I believe there are 1911 variants that include those features...
;>)
Amen to that!
;>)
If you like a high cap 9, fine, but the 1911 will serve you well. I like the 1911 but carry a small 9 most times.
I just looked at a GunBlast video of the Rossi 22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfgE2Lqk6HM
and as a left handed shooter I really like the way the reciprocating charging handle slaps the empty cases forward and away from the shooter.
RIP Jeff Quinn.
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