5 ideal survival guns for under $300

[Reasonable_Argument]

A few recent posters who seem new to weapons and asking for information lead me to post this. Enjoy.

[d_r]

1. I like their logic about shotguns

The one guy mentioned sawing off a shot gun, is that legal though?

I was surprised for the love of .22, but I get what they are saying.

I liked the idea of a flare gun with a .410 insert. The insert is like $60 bucks but I don't know about the flare gun.

[GreenStormCloud]

3. Not legal, but he is talking about collapse of civilization type survival.

If civilization collapses then we are back to the stone age and would not worry about legalities.

Many people, including myself, believe that civilization is too fragile to survive much longer. There are just too many things that can bring down this house of cards. A Carrington Event, such as happened in 1859 would destroy almost all electronics and the power grid. That was a super-massive solar flare in 1859 that played havoc with the telegraph lines of those days. We don't know with what frequency the sun does those. Thankfully it isn't often, but it happened once so it can happen again.

A digital virus that destroys the internet would crash modern society. In only a few year the global economy has become dependent upon the internet.

I can go with many other possible disasters but you get the idea.

[d_r]

5. I gotcha nt

[aikoaiko]

8. Legal with the proper paperwork and fees.

You can buy them already short or make it yourself.

http://www.impactguns.com/serbu-super-shorty-rem-870-9in-12ga-ser-rem870sbs.aspx

[d_r]

11. didn't know that

thanks I spent a while looking around the internet, I've got a new interest

[Travis_0004]

12. Its also legal if you saw it off, but keep the barrel at at least 18", and 26" over all length.

[d_r]

18. thanks Travis nt

I'm looking at a Mossberg thinking it doesn't cost that much...

[GreenStormCloud]

2. Mild disagreement.

He covers the .22LR rifle niche twice, once with the Marlin, then again with the breakdown .22. Never mind the Marlin and go with the breakdown .22LR to cover that niche.

I would choose a different .22 pistol. I would go with a Ruger .22 Single Six convertble with extra cylinder that would shoot both .22LR or .22Magnum. That improves the versatility and reliability.

He covers the shotgun niche twice. The folding shotgun is too specialized and is a single-shot. Go with the pump gun.

That leaves two slots open. In addition to those three I would have one .30 caliber rifle in a common cartridge. Any good bolt action, internal magazine rifle, with a scope mounted above the iron sights. 30-06 is an extremely common cartridge.

The final slot would be filled by a large caliber revolver, common caliber. My ideal would be a Ruger Blackhawk .45 convertible with extra cylinder, that would shoot both .45ACP or.45LC.

In order of preference they would be: 1) .22LR breakdown rifle 2) 12 Gauge pump 3) .22LR/Mag Revolver 4) 30-06 raised scope rifle 5) Ruger Blackhawk .45ACP/.45LC.

Notice that there is only one semi-auto and there is a pistol that will take the same ammo. In a survival gun one wants extreme
reliability.

Personally I am not worried about that kind of situation. If civilization collapses, I any my wife would not be able to get our medications and would soon die and those guns would be of little help. If the crisis is short term due to a natural disaster, then our home/personal defense guns will suffice.

[krispos42]

23. You can purchase rifle/shotgun combos

I've seen them in combinations like 12-gage/.30-06, 20-gage/.223, etc.

Forget who makes them, though. Might be Russian... Beikal? Break-action guns, over/under type.



And somebody out there make a survival .22 Hornet/.410 shotgun that folds up, also available in .22LR/.410 shotgun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M6_Aircrew_Survival_Weapon



Ruger also makes the Blackhawk in .357 Magnum/9mm Luger, which would also be convenient.

[rDigital]

4. Survival: the primary intent of the RKBA. : ) solid post.

The use guns for self defense starts with selecting the right one. Good video.

[ileus]

6. Kel-tec PF9 sub 300 SD pistol....for 99% of the survival situations

anyone is likely to encounter...

The shotguns are good SD home firearms.

[holdencaufield]

7. That awesome beard ...

... will survive long after he's met his maker.

[former-republican]

9. The best survival rifle is the one you carry

You're not going to carry 4 or 5 guns .
You need food , water , etc

Even if you are in a fixed location and plan on spending a long time in a fortified location.
Those are poor choices.

[GreenStormCloud]

10. He is talking about guns to throw into the car as you leave for your hidden hideout.

If someobdy really believes that and wants to try to be ready, they need a lot more than some guns and camping equipment. They need to already move to wherever they think they can live after the crash. They need to already have seed for farming and know how to subsistance farm.

[Atypical Liberal]

15. I think "bugging out" is not a feasible idea for most people.

A lot of people seem to fantasize about "bugging out" and becoming a mountain man if some major disaster strikes.

I don't think this is plausible or even advisable for most people.

If you have emergency supplies, they are probably going to be of sufficient quantity that you cannot take them with you. Everyone ought to have at least a few weeks worth of food and water on hand. This is not something you can put in a backpack and "escape to the mountains" with, let alone one or more firearms and ammunition.

On top of this, the people who most want to "bug out to the wilderness" are people who do not currently live in the wilderness. Well if some great catastrophe happens, you will be one of the millions of people fleeing the cities. You will be caught up in the mob, and when the hungry mob sees you with your backpack stuffed full of likely useful things (food) they will relieve you of it fairly quickly. Escape by vehicle is unlikely as the roads will become choked rapidly, unless you have a truly off-road vehicle and you are willing to destroy property and fences as you plow through them trying to escape.

Your best bet is to have a cache of emergency supplies and then sit tight and defend it along with your neighbors. If you have a year's supply of non-perishable food you will be far better off trying to hide with it and protect it than trying to escape with a few days of food into "the wilderness".

Even if your home is substantially damaged (bomb blast) you will probably be ahead of the game trying to build a make-shift shelter on your own land, with access to your emergency supplies, than you will trying to get to "the wilderness" and build one there.

"Bugging out" sounds great, but most people don't have the ability to actually do it. Especially if you have a family with small children. Stay put, defend your stuff.

[GreenStormCloud]

17. You are completely correct. N/T

[krispos42]

22. I keep a bug-out bag in case there's some sort of temporary condition

Like, say, a tanker full of chemicals crashing and bursting open, requiring an immediate evacuation.

Okay, so I spend a night at the local emergency shelter. I'll have toiletries, a change of clothing, and basic food and drink.


If there's a power failure, I have light and heat.


If it's more than a day, or maybe 2, then it's time to call up a relative for a ride.

[holdencaufield]

27. One of the reasons ...

... I prepare myself -- stay at home or get out quick -- is to avoid a situation where I would be dependent on the kindness of strangers (be they private or public).

I would avoid public emergency shelters if at all possible. There are just too many unknown factors. If I show up with medicines or firearms, will they be confiscated? Who is in charge? Are they likely to be someone with knowledge and common sense or just some local appointed martinet reading from a 1950's-era manual? Will they be magnets for looters?

[virginia mountainman]

26. Did someone say "mountains"?!

This is not something you can put in a backpack and "escape to the mountains" with, let alone one or more firearms and ammunition.

Ahhhmmmm..... Some of us are already here....

Your best bet is to have a cache of emergency supplies and then sit tight and defend it along with your neighbors. If you have a year's supply of non-perishable food you will be far better off trying to hide with it and protect it than trying to escape with a few days of food into "the wilderness".

Even if your home is substantially damaged (bomb blast) you will probably be ahead of the game trying to build a make-shift shelter on your own land, with access to your emergency supplies, than you will trying to get to "the wilderness" and build one there.

"Bugging out" sounds great, but most people don't have the ability to actually do it. Especially if you have a family with small children. Stay put, defend your stuff.

Spot on correct!... Here in the mountains (as is most out of the way areas) The people all know one another, and in time of crisis, they WILL stick together. "Outsiders" fleeing the urban areas will at the very least draw suspicion if not outright open hostility. You are far better off trying to stay put in familiar surroundings, with familiar people. That being said, the first few to make to the Appalachians would be welcomed, and helped in every way, but as the trickle becomes a flood, and resources tighten up. Expect open hostility. Not just here where I am at, ANY rural area.

That being said, I could load up in my 4x4, drive 3 miles from my house, and be completely lost to the world for a very, very, very long time. I, like most mountain folk, was taught at a very young age to hunt, fish, what is good to eat in the woods, how to garden,how to work with simple tools, and enjoy just simply being outdoors in very remote places. My great great GREAT Grandfather's house waaaaayyyyy up in the mountains is still standing, with a good clean spring house and sluice box over running with clean spring water, good wood stoves, outhouse and other turn of the 18th century appliances all still in great working order. This house has never had power ran too it. Their still is an apple orchard on the property as well.

We currently use it as a hunting lodge, or as a weekend getaway.

It would be not too bad on me(a bit harder for the wife and kids, but still not extremely difficult) for us to survive indefinitely up their. Heck that house is much larger than the house we live in now.

Also their are countless houses like it all nestled away in the very protective bosom of my mountains. Throughout our history here, in times of trouble or strife. The mountain has been both provider, and protector. You just got to know how to treat her with understanding and respect.

[jpak]

13. Survivalist kookery

yup

[Reasonable_Argument]

14. What exactally is wrong

With prepairing for something? I have a bug out bag and a get home bag in my car. Is that survival kookery?

[holdencaufield]

16. Depends on what is in your bag ...

... if it's tin-food and water, no.

If it's a stack of classic "Hustler" and three pounds of expired fruit roll ups, probably.

[Glaug-Eldare]

20. I can trade those magazines for cigarettes and stamps

don't tell me my Hustlers ain't survival equipment

[holdencaufield]

21. Well played, Sir

[Reasonable_Argument]

24. Well

This isn't everything in my bug out bag, but it's what I could get in the pic. It's always a work in progress, but I can grab this bag and go and survive for 3 days more or less anywhere. Surviving 72 hours in total isolation was the goal.

http://imgur.com/9Q6u6

[holdencaufield]

25. Similar to mine ...

... same exact Eton crank radio. I use a Trangia Stove because they will run on practically any fuel from petrol to vodka. I also use lifeboat rations because they are light, high calorie and last for years. They also have the added benefit of being easily digestible without water. Also, a 1KG bag of vacuum sealed brown rice, for the same reason

I have a second bag for a rather comprehensive first aid kit (I'm an RN) -- and a 3rd bag just for water bottles. The drug kit is stored in the fridge and can be shoved into the first aid bag in seconds. Everyone in the family can grab one bag and be out the door in moments.

[4th law of robotics]

31. Fruit roll ups never expire

that would imply there's actual fruit in there.

[4th law of robotics]

19. That's true. At no point in our long and peaceful history

has humanity ever been expected to survive rough conditions in the absence of an 21st century economy and a law based government.

Not a once has that happened. So anyone who thinks otherwise must be crazy.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

30. those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. yup.

[Trunk Monkey]

28. Bugging out

In most situations I don’t think “bugging out” is really a viable option. Most disasters are localized even Katrina most of those folks would have been better off driving away from the storm and getting a hotel.

It would have to be Red Dawn before I even thought about bugging out and by that I mean a situation where there is literally nowhere else to go.

So, with no where else to go even if you bug out into the mountains you are going to have to be able to get farther away than a whole bunch of folks who are trying to do the same thing and most of them won’t be as prepared as you so they’re going to be trying to steal your stuff. Has anyone reading this post ever done the Appalachian trail with no overnights in civilization and eating only what you’ve carried in or off the land? That’s the kind of hiking you’re going to have to be able to do.
Even the infantry gets helicopter resupply every so often.

Once you’re out there you’re going to have to start gathering food for the winter immediately (IOW you are now tied down to one place) and those of us that live in Colorado Springs got a really good object lesson why you’d better be real careful in the woods this time of year on June 26th what are you going to do when you see a hundred foot high wall of fire two miles wide heading at you at you in front of 65 MPH winds?

IMO anyone who is serious about “Bugging out” should already be living out there now.

[oneshooter]

29. Hot dogs and Smores?