Repost: Looking for a 'Survival' Rifle

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Nine the Ranger

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Note: I originaly posted this in the 'Semi-auto' section. But I have gone over my thinking and am willing to consider a bolt or lever gun as my 'Survival Rifle'.

I, as previously stated, am a 'Prepper' of sorts. I'm looking for a rifle that I could use to possibly hunt, and defend myself and my family.

My priorities are:

-It must be a common caliber (.308, .223, ect.)
-The rifle must be under 10 pounds
-My budget for the gun is about $1000, but I would like to have money left over for a handgun, ammo, and other supplies.
-Easy-ish to clean and maintain
-Durable.
-This is primarily a defensive weapon. Hunting is a secondary function. That being said,
A .22 is capable of killing a human being, however, I don't have faith in my abilities to make a kill shot under the stress of comba.t. But I will not dispute the effectiveness of a .22 as a trainer or hunting rifle.

My thoughts for appropriate rifles would be:
-An AR-15 of some sort
-An AK variant
-An SKS
-Ruger American Rifle
-Ruger Mini-14, Mini-30
-Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle (These retail in my area for around $1000, but would be willing to come up with more money if the feedback is good)
-A Ruger M77 Compact (or similar rifle)
-A 20gauge shotgun for 'home' defense, not 'on the go'. I hate the excessive recoil of 12 gauges.

Any suggestions and thoughts are very much appreciated.

Thank you.
 
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If you ever use a scout style rifle you'll soon realize that they're not all they're cracked up to be. That 30-30 will work well enough out to 200yds. But if you want something new then any of the other recommendations from the last thread that made it to your list will do the job.

That 30-30 will put medium game on the table and deal with bad guys, while the 22mag will keep rabbits in the pot. I'd avoid the cruiser and go with a combo instead. The 1st time you shoot a cruiser you'll know why. They look good in the movies but suck in real life.
 
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I'd say an Arsenal AK (probably a Russian origin version).

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Rifle itself can be had for around $850
 
Buds is selling the Ruger Gunsite for $759.00 free shipping. I'm not recommending this rifle. Just giving you a heads up.
 
What is your definition of survival rifle?

A rifle for you to survive living in the wild, for shooting game and things to eat?
Or a SHTF rifle for surviving against people trying to kill you?

I imagine you are talking about a SHTF rifle.
 
If you really want a survival rifle for an SHTF scenario, although its not as cool as the ones you've mentioned, the best thing to get is a .22. A semi-auto rifle, a bolt rifle and maybe a pistol too. Then go out and buy as much ammo as you can. 22's are cheap and you can buy and store tens of thousands of rounds very inexpensively. Put these guns and this ammo away.
Go ahead and get an AK or an AR for the early days. But when the ammo supply has all dried up and the big game is all gone and there are people running around trying to collect all of what's left of the high powered stuff, you'll still have your 22's hidden away... And enough ammo to last quite a while.
If the Sh** really does hit the fan do you really think you'll be able to sustain yourself for any length of time with a high-powered weapon? No my friend. Nor will you need to. A 22 can kill just about anything that walks or crawls. In time, you'll most likely be hunting very small game like squirrels, rats and birds. 22's are also relatively quiet and will not draw unwanted attention.

In the beginning the first weapons we had, other than our bare hands, we're sticks and stones. In the end it will be the same.

... FWIW
 
Forget the SHTF stuff.

Legitimate and rational uses for a rifle include hunting and defense. Defense can be needed even in a relatively peaceful world where the fan blades are stopped.

Semi-autos with magazine capacities above ten rounds or so are awkward beasts for use in hunting. Not saying they can't be used, but a ten-round Mini-14 works better in the woods than a 30-round AK. Either will work well for defense of one's home since higher-capacity mags are available for the Mini if desired.

In general, bolt-actions make better hunting rifles. In general, semi-autos make better defense rifles.

Look around your home, your neighborhood and your local community for probable scenarios. Odds are you'll find that you'll do a lot more hunting than defending.
 
M14/m1a..... 10-25 rds of .308win, a cartrage capable for taking every large game in north America, plentiful enough to scroung for, and every capable in SD role with great range and power. The m14 is reliable, durable, and accurate. I would reccomend an 18" barrel SAIs scout squad and be had for $1500 or less. Mill surp ammo is available still. Plus its a current NATO round making scrounging possible.


Some will say to buy cheap and stack deep, but my extended survival plan involves mobility not barracading my self. I'm in close proximity to the third largest city in the US, and I don't plan on hanging around my condo any longer than it takes to arm up. Then its GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE TIME! So any more than say 1000 rounds becomes cumbersome.


That's my take.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2
 
SKS is a sturdy and dependable rifle. Soviet ammo is cheap but not impressive with accurasy. In contrast, Winchester Power Point ammo is quite good.

Jack
 
Kinda goes toward the "Scout" rifle concept. Problem with .308 semi's is they are bigger and heavier. That brings me back towards an AR with heavier bullets and up to 20-rnd mags.
 
Not many AR's around for under a grand once you get optics, ammo and extra mags. I have one and it is fun to shoot, but you find yourself shooting a LOT of ammo every range trip.
Probably one of the most over looked rifles is a Savage with the Accu-trigger with a detachable mag. They are scary accurate, inexpensive, can be gotten in light weight platforms and can be had in a variety of calibers. Hard to beat a good bolt for your application.
 
You already have a very capable defensive rifle, the Marlin .30-30. If you haven't already, top it with a good peep sight or a low range variable power scope (1-4X or 2-7X maximum). With 150 grains bullets zeroed at 150 yards it's about 2" high at 100 and 4.5" low at 200. How far do you realistically expect to shoot in defense of your family? The lever action .30-30 isn't sexy, it won't impress the warriors but it has been and remains a capable rifle.

Now take that $1000.00 you have to spend, buy a decent handgun, a 20 gauge pump, ammo and spend some time at the range mastering your skills.
 
I personally would go with a 10/22. Simple, reliable, ability to store or carry 10x the ammo of 5.56x45 or 7.62x39, and you won't turn your small game into splatter. Loaded with the right ammo, a 10/22 can hurl those little 40 grain rounds at (1,500 @ muzzle) around 1,300 fps 50 yards downrange. That's about 150 ft lb.

If you're worried about your ability to reach out, get a 700 in .308.

Another option would be to get an AR in the typical 5.56 and get a conversion upper in .22LR. That way you have the best of both worlds.
 
Nine the Ranger:
You are probably aware that an SKS with a Tech Sight (the fully-adjust. version) is a much more accurate rifle than with the basic sights.
Other types of Tech Sights fit the AK clone, Ruger 10/22, Marlin 60 and about two other rifles.

As an alternative to the glamorous Ruger G. Scout Rifle, have you ever handled a Spanish FR8 (NOT the FR7)? Much of what you read about these on the 'Net is hearsay.
They safely shoot both NATO 7.62 and commercial .308, having the large-ring 8mm Mauser action.
 
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I am partial to handgun/carbine combinations. My favorite is a Marlin 1894C, or 1894SS in .357 magnum, or .44 magnum paired with a Desert Eagle XIX that can be converted into either .357 magnum, or .44 magnum. I am content with either of these pairings in either a survival, or defense situation. I also like the M1 Carbine in .30 Carbine, but not too keen on the Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine.
 
Rossi circuit judge revolver rifle - has a five round capacity and shoots 45 long colt and or 410 shotgun slugs or shot. Nothing has to be changed out to accomodate either the 410 or 45 long colt. It has an 18.5" barrel and only weighs about 5+ pounds. Could be used for hunting and home defense. Pretty accurate and they function very well - and they run about $500 ><. Not a long range hunter, but more than effective inside 100 yards.
 
Woops, forgot "must be a common cartridge - .223, .308"
The Double Star .223/5.56x45 is $659 at budsgunshop.com shipped free to ffl dealer. Double Star gas great reviews. With ffl transfer fee, usually about $25. You'd have a fine "common" cartridge SHTF rifle that could be used for many scenarios. I have no personal experience with Double Star, but have heard and read great things about the quality of their guns.
 
My pick would be a lever action or pump rifle, in a commonly available caliber.
Both are quite fast to operate, with some practice.
Neither is ammo sensitive, a definite plus when we're reduced to scrounging our ammo.
And either is less attention getting than most others.
If you encountered another armed person in the woods, claiming to be just out hunting, who would be more believable - a guy with a levergun or one with an AR?
 
I know this will sound strange on an all out survival Rifle Post, but in adition to what ever firearm you choose, a set of traps, and a Compound Bow of some type would be good to add to your survival gear. To eat you may need small game that you could catch with the traps, Quietly, and ofcourse the Bow would serve many purposes. You probably wont alwayse want to make a loud boom to let everyone know where you are.
 
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