whats a great all around caliber that will be in stock when the SHTF

True enough. I mainly suggest it in the scenario of SHTF. It doesn't turn out to be very convenient in the real world.

Still if a guy wanted just to get a rifle and had the $$ to lay down, a Savage Competition Action and a custom barrel is one heck of a solution. Don't settle for what the manufacturers think you should want. Design and build your own. Do it right and you can even invent your own wildcat cartridge for very little (or no) extra.
 
1) Number one reason the I didn't like the switch barrel is that I rarely had the barrel on the action that I wanted to shoot. Which required me swapping out the barrels
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I get your very good point . how ever the idea of changing barrels , at least for me . Would be the ability to change from my favorite caliber that is no longer available to something I can find in stock when times get tuff . Not so much to just change the barrels out every other weekend to accommodate my shooting needs .This is why I would want another rifle as well .

I started this thread cus I decided a little while ago to consolidate and only buy certain calibers . I did what sounded good at the time and went with the most common rounds thinking it would be easy to find ammo for them .223/5.56 , 308 , 9mm , 12ga and 22lr . These are the only firearms I have bought as of late . As it turns out when the SHTF ammo for these are the first to go . It got me thinking that I should have at least one rifle that I would be able to find ammo for . I have all kinds of guns but If I can't get ammo for them they're just really cool paper wieghts .
 
I get your very good point . how ever the idea of changing barrels , at least for me . Would be the ability to change from my favorite caliber that is no longer available to something I can find in stock when times get tuff .
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Well then the only barrel you'll need is a .243 Win barrel. I looked at what Brian mentioned and can't tell you the last time I saw any .358 Win in stock at any gun store. I guess there always is online but even then it will be cost prohibitive to purchase you'd be better off stocking up reloading components for what you currently have. .338 Federal, 7mm-08, and .260 have been scarce as well during this drought and usually not found outside the internet ammunition suppliers. Sorry while cool the .243 AI and .25 Souper are reloader cartridges only, but at least you can get away with shooting regular .243 in the AI chamber.

If you do a Savage short action and spare barrel you might want to pick up the parts to swap to a WSM cartridge. I haven't seen any shortage of .270, .300, or .325 WSM at stores like Gander or SW, probably won't find the .325 at Wally World though. .270 and .25-06 have been usually in stock more so than .30-06 on occasion. Varmint rifles I've seen quite a bit of .222 on the shelves as of late.
 
In my part of the Rockies, 270, 30-30 and 30-06 have been fairly easy to find in stock most places.

As was mentioned, having some ammo on hand is the best idea, and reloading is also good, though waiting til the last minute to buy more components isn't a good idea. I still keep an eye on whats around though.
 
IMO if SHTF no ammo will be in stock. Thats why people are buying it all up now.

The fan is running....just no pooping yet.:p
 
If you do a Savage short action and spare barrel you might want to pick up the parts to swap to a WSM cartridge.
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Only trouble there is you'd have to make sure you had a large shank action. Getting .243 barrels made with a large shank is easy enough but the stock barrels in WSM are all large shank and the stock actions that start life as .243 are all small shank, AFAIK.
 
When Savage first made their rifles in the WSM cartridge they were all small shank. Shilen I know will chamber a prefit barrel on a small shank for a WSM. All you need is the parts to swap out the magazine and bolt face and you can run a WSM on any small shank short action.
 
Oh yes, that's true. I forgot about that.

Easy enough to get either barrel made with a small shank. The originals are probably like collecting hen's teeth though.
 
I agree that nothing will be "in stock", except what you have in stock in your ammo stash. From there, it will be whatever rounds and weapons you will find.
Right now, the best purchase would be a Mosin Nagant and several cans of ammo.
 
Probably depends on your definition of "SHTF". Civil war, martial law, anarchy, there will be no ammo for sale at walmart. But there will be lots of bullets.

Most places that experience SHTF low paid police and military help themselves to armories to supplement their low paycheck. I am sure you could buy a crate of 7.62x39 in Syria or Somalia but 7mm might be tough to find.
 
This is what the OP meant by SHTF:
I've been thinking I would like a good all around rifle that I would be able to get ammo for when panic buying is in full swing .
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The other stuff like:
Civil war, martial law, anarchy
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These are topics that aren't discussed for very long before a moderator closes the post because if you read the FAQ these topics aren't allowed. So while the OP used the term SHTF he didn't talk about anything other than the current situation in terms of buying ammunition and that is what has allowed the thread to stay open. If we digress into other things this will thread will be killed PDQ.
 
Yes, it will. We don't do SHTF/TEOTWAWKI/ETC threads. However, as long as the topic sticks to the firearms or firearm accessories at issue, it can stay open.

To my mind, an immensely popular caliber (like 9mm) means that in times of plenty, there will be just that: plenty. However, in times of high demand, you have to remember that there will be lots of folks clamoring for 9mm ammo.
 
So while the OP used the term SHTF he didn't talk about anything other than the current situation in terms of buying ammunition and that is what has allowed the thread to stay open. If we digress into other things this will thread will be killed PDQ.
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Bad on me for half reading his post and jumping in.

I don't like to have odd calibers, so for me, I have to prepare for when ammo supplies get tight by buying beforehand or suffer through the hard times.

243, 260, 270, 30-30, 30 06, 7mm 08 and 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R have been available locally here.
 
These are topics that aren't discussed for very long before a moderator closes the post because if you read the FAQ these topics aren't allowed. So while the OP used the term SHTF he didn't talk about anything other than the current situation in terms of buying ammunition and that is what has allowed the thread to stay open. If we digress into other things this will thread will be killed PDQ.
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My bad, I guess I didn't read close enough and didn't realize that "SHTF" can also refer to empty shelves at Walmart.
 
In a TRUE economic crisis/catastrophe, the currency will be either devalued to the point of worthlessness or so rare as to be nearly unobtainable and hoarded. What might happen then is the emergence of a barter/gray market economy, where more or less fungible commidities (such as ammunition) might become the currency of the day. The latter scenario isn't as far-fetched as some might think - until the rise of national banking - this is exactly how a great amount of rural economic systems worked.

Thus, your ammo hoard will have value to the extent that others are looking for it. It would stand to reason that in such a situation you'd want to have largish stocks of the most commonly chambered and useful cartridges - things like .22LR, .308, 30-30, 30-06 and the like.
 
Well I had to work late today and was all ready to post what I've thought about today . Then I saw the last few post so maybe I address those first .

Probably depends on your definition of "SHTF". Civil war, martial law, anarchy, there will be no ammo
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Yes the SHTF may have not been the best thing to put in the title and for that I'm sorry . That being said I believe this thread and what it's about has been very clear from the start .

Now to what I've been wanting to saw to you all . This thread has been so informative and thought provoking . I want to thank you all

Especially :

steveNChunter: for the thought of staying in the same cartridge family and necking up and down .

Brian Pfleuger and Taylorce1 for the whole changing barrels and all that entailed . Very good stuff .

Lets not forget the Mods that let this thread continue

So this is where I'm at in my whole thought process now . I'm going to stay in the 308 family cus I already have two rifles chambered in 308 . I will most likely pick up another rifle chambered in 243 SS finish and a extra barrel . Not sure of the caliber for the extra barrel but leaning towards 7mm-08 . This should give me a clear direction for reloading equipment and supply's . I will probably start buying 243 and 7mm bullets before I even have either of the two rifles .

Any and all comments pro or con on the direction I'm going , are still welcome .

Thanks again
Metal
 
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Glad this thread is still in track.

For me, I'm sticking to 7.62x39, 54R, and 12ga for times like these when ammo is in short supply. Those calibers are all very cable of SD and hunting, and still rather cheap and available right now. Not the best for reloading of course, but thats what stockpiling/hoarding is for :D
 
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