Firearms for Survival

[user120312]

Whenever I see this title pop up I think Kyle Rittenhouse - one AR-style rifle and one magazine; survival plus two KIA and one wounded in run and gun. Very efficient.

Note, I own no AR-style rifles. I merely acknowledge the reality of that kind of efficiency. Part of the reason I moved where I did was to expand the variety of firearms available.

Still, I remember the late wild west as smokeless powder became more commonplace and what people who commonly did use firearms for self-defense relied upon, and successfully.

Technology has marched on and we can expect enemies to make use of it and hence seek to keep things equal or gain an advantage in that realm. I'd much prefer humans get along and greed and avarice not rule us but accept reality for what it is.

[gabe123]

It depends on what scenario you are prepping for.

If you are the hunter, single shot shotgun is fine. I say its more than enough. Very versatile. But, if you are to be the hunted, then forget it. I say AR15 if hunted by man, and semi auto shotgun if by beast.

[SonofWWIIDI]

Hello Calguns Community

I am interested in possibly purchasing a single shot shotgun 12 gauge to add to my firearms. Would this be a good survival firearm? If I get one, I may also get adapter cylinders to shoot 9mm and 22lr and 223 out of it, etc.

I went to the gun store today and saw a used Ithica Model 66 for about $250.00 (I guess firearms are more expensive in my area). Would this be a good firearm purchase for this purpose? Thanks!



Note: I have other firearms in 9mm and 22lr, but I do not currently have anything in 12 gauge.

- EJRL

**** UPDATE **** Post number 28

FIFY

[the86d]

Since selling about half our guns to keep them in the hands of Californians due to the roster before moving to Texas, as soon as I got a TX ID, I went straight to Cabela's and got a Sig P365 carry 9mm, and a Remington 870 and walked out the door with them.

I am not a shotgun enthusiast, but knowing the wallop a 12-gauge delivers, I feel safer with a 12-gauge w/in reach of answering the front door.

I sold an H&R Pardner pump in Cali to a range buddy at a very good price, as when I got to TX I wanted a Remington 870 Tactical variant. One thing I didn't consider was the mag-caps, and this was a 5+1, but at least I had the 870 Express 18.5"...

Recently got a dimple remover, which worked SUPER-WELL, and just now purchased an extender (takes it to 8 in the tube for about $62+tx), which will extend past the barrel, but if someone grabs it in a defensive situation, it'll be an unhealthy... bye-bye grabbing hand upon trigger-pull.

[nitroxdiver]

http://tpsarms.com/m6takedown.aspx

[norcalAF]

I always wanted one of those combo guns with the 20 gauge over like a .22 WMR or something.

My uncle has a 22lr over a .410. makes a perfect rabbit gun

[OCGunFan]

For $250 why are you wasting time with a single shot 12G ? Buy a Rem 870, Mossberg 500 or Win 1200 / 1300. If you want a 22, buy a 10/22, an older 22 bolt action tube or mag fed and for hunting larger game buy an inexpensive PSA or milspec AR in 223 / 5.56. If you think you're gonna survive in any type of serious emergency or SHTF event with a single shot anything,
you're deluding yourself.

[Prepped and ready]

Semi auto handgun and semi auto rifle. Find one of each that you like.

Anything single shot is not something for survival.

[user120312]

Though I live in the forest I haven't spent nearly as much time in the wilderness as some CGN'ers have. Where I live, wildlife is very shy and TBH I rarely encounter any, mostly deer and squirrels.

I can't recall ever being threatened by wildlife, going way back to Scouting in the 60's. It does happen though, so protecting oneself depending on one's location and the wildlife threat matrix is prudent.

In life, any threats and adversaries have overwhelmingly been humans, so that's what I prepare for.

While I would never purposely put myself in such a position as Kyle did protecting the property of strangers, I could see the effectiveness of his choices. However, there's little chance someone four times his age could run and gun the way he did. Practically zero chance.

What sticks out in my mind was how, even after shots fired, they kept coming. Relentless. That's instructive. We can expect that in adverse action, offensive or defensive. Prepare accordingly.

Locally we have a mixed defense since the population varies in proficiency, age and health. I'm a lousy shot so I do other things. Others have the gift.

What's sad is that we even have to consider such measures in an advanced culture. We still haven't moved past greed, avarice, mendacity and violence. Sad.

[Squidward]

Before the question can be properly answered, we need to know the Op's meaning of "survival"... Chances are, the OP already has a proper "firearm for survival".

[FeuerFrei]

Before the question can be properly answered, we need to know the Op's meaning of "survival"... Chances are, the OP already has a proper "firearm for survival".

...either that or the overwhelming amount of info aimed at him caused him to walk off.

Lets hope he gets a repeater of some sort.

[Rob454]

Wouldn't a single shot shotgun be very reliable? Less moving parts and less likely to break down/ware out?

Also if someone was hypothetically bugging out or something, wouldnt the versatility of carrying multiple adapters be useful for a single shot? If you run out of 12 gauge ammo but you are able to get your hands on 9mm you still have something to shoot?

No guarantee. Personally I never had a gun break on me. I had some that were just crappy guns (manufacture, quality etc) but they were bad guns from the start.

Good quality guns are designed to shoot thousands of rounds reliably. I have a old P90 Ruger and I’ve shot thousands of rounds through it. I have yet to do anything to it other than cleaning it after shooting it. I’ve had people say it was a crappy gun abd not reliable but that hasn’t been my experience.

[brassburnz]

I think the OP is giving too much credit to 12 gauge adapter cartridges. Also, the only firearm I ever broke during use was an H&R Topper single-shot shotgun. If OP needs to have a shotgun, a Benelli semi-auto is tough to beat. M1 Super 90, 20 inch barrel. 9 rounds of double-ought buck will put more lead in the air than a full-auto MP5. Just sayin'.