Best all around gun?
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My LMT AR15 Monolithic Rail Platform. I can go from a 10.5" with a suppressor to an 18" or anything in between with the turn of two bolts. I can even change to 6.8 with the change of the barrel and bolt, although I don't, not yet at least. One rifle with multiple options by carrying 2 extra barrels.
Glock 17 - Simple to use, few moving parts, easy to clean. High Capacity magazines and 9mm round. If it comes down to it, of all the handgun ammo in the world 9mm is probably the most easy to find. If comes to scrounging, bartering and even beg, borrow and stealing your best bet will be finding 9mm.
Glock 17 - Simple to use, few moving parts, easy to clean. High Capacity magazines and 9mm round. If it comes down to it, of all the handgun ammo in the world 9mm is probably the most easy to find. If comes to scrounging, bartering and even beg, borrow and stealing your best bet will be finding 9mm.
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There is no do-all,what area do you live in and how do you expect to use it?
Do you expect to hunt only,hunt and fight?just get by?
If you want to just get by,I suggest a 45LC/410 such as the old [email protected] handygun and a 45LC revolver.
If you intend to hunt and fight,things change dramatically!I recomend an FAL and a BHP,the 7.62/.308 will drop most north American game,and is a darn fine ranged fighting weapon,the Browning hi power is for if it runs dry.
Now if you plan to retreat across country,then it changes even more to an AR-15 platform rifle preferrably in CAR or M4 configuration and a Baretta 92f.and just for all around use,add a 22lr conversion kit in your pack and a few mags for the AR.
Now then,if you're on a buget....an SKS and a Ruger MkII pistol with a brick of ammo.
Do you expect to hunt only,hunt and fight?just get by?
If you want to just get by,I suggest a 45LC/410 such as the old [email protected] handygun and a 45LC revolver.
If you intend to hunt and fight,things change dramatically!I recomend an FAL and a BHP,the 7.62/.308 will drop most north American game,and is a darn fine ranged fighting weapon,the Browning hi power is for if it runs dry.
Now if you plan to retreat across country,then it changes even more to an AR-15 platform rifle preferrably in CAR or M4 configuration and a Baretta 92f.and just for all around use,add a 22lr conversion kit in your pack and a few mags for the AR.
Now then,if you're on a buget....an SKS and a Ruger MkII pistol with a brick of ammo.
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113 Posts
I'm pretty close to that combo, with a couple of different reasons. I went with an AK47 since they're cheaper and more reliable (I actually ditched an AR for my AK). And I carry a Glock 23 (.40 cal), but I fully understand the convenience of the ammo. Good combo, though.
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Personally, I think a Ruger 10/22 is pretty hard to beat for a gun that will put the most meat on the table. If thing really do go bad, the big game populations will plummet in a matter of months. Deer and elk can only have one baby a year, so getting the herd back up in numbers is unlikely. Rabbits, squirrels, and geese (on the ground) are all easy prey with a .22 and reproduce much more rapidly. Add to that a box of 500 rounds for a .22 costs less than 20 rounds for a .308 and you're really on to something.
After that, I'd look at something that can really reach out there and touch someone at a distance. .308 or 30-06 would be my choice of calibers, as they're both commonly available and capable of taking down large game in excess of 300 yards (out to 600 yards for the highly experienced and somewhat lucky). A bolt action will get you more stealth, reliability, lower cost, and more accuracy. A semi-auto will give you a weapon that could serve two purposes, long range hunting/sniping and also serve as a volume of fire assault rifle without giving up too much accuracy. My preferences go toward the FN-FAL, M1A, and M1 Garand.
A handgun would only come after I had both a .22 and a .308. If you don't have a great deal of experience nor a lot of time to learn, then a revolver seems like a good choice. A 6" barrel .357 gives you the option of running three chambers with .357+P rounds for taking out big game out to 50 yards (with a great deal of practice and luck) and three rounds of .38 squib rounds that you could use on small game like rabbits. No semi-auto gives you options like that. There's lots of options. I'm a big fan of the Rugers, but you really can't go wrong and the pawn shops usually have plenty of options.
I don't disagree with the AK-47 approach from a practical standpoint of a cheap reliable weapon with a readily available cartridge. My only qualm is that I'm not sure you can legally hunt with a 7.62x39 round, where you can with a .308 if you have a five round capacity or less (even a 20 round magazine can be made legal if you put a stopper inside the magazine to limit capacity). While that may not be a concern of yours now, if things gradually get worse economically and you are having a hard time feeding your family, wouldn't it be a nice option to go hunting without breaking the law?
After that, I'd look at something that can really reach out there and touch someone at a distance. .308 or 30-06 would be my choice of calibers, as they're both commonly available and capable of taking down large game in excess of 300 yards (out to 600 yards for the highly experienced and somewhat lucky). A bolt action will get you more stealth, reliability, lower cost, and more accuracy. A semi-auto will give you a weapon that could serve two purposes, long range hunting/sniping and also serve as a volume of fire assault rifle without giving up too much accuracy. My preferences go toward the FN-FAL, M1A, and M1 Garand.
A handgun would only come after I had both a .22 and a .308. If you don't have a great deal of experience nor a lot of time to learn, then a revolver seems like a good choice. A 6" barrel .357 gives you the option of running three chambers with .357+P rounds for taking out big game out to 50 yards (with a great deal of practice and luck) and three rounds of .38 squib rounds that you could use on small game like rabbits. No semi-auto gives you options like that. There's lots of options. I'm a big fan of the Rugers, but you really can't go wrong and the pawn shops usually have plenty of options.
I don't disagree with the AK-47 approach from a practical standpoint of a cheap reliable weapon with a readily available cartridge. My only qualm is that I'm not sure you can legally hunt with a 7.62x39 round, where you can with a .308 if you have a five round capacity or less (even a 20 round magazine can be made legal if you put a stopper inside the magazine to limit capacity). While that may not be a concern of yours now, if things gradually get worse economically and you are having a hard time feeding your family, wouldn't it be a nice option to go hunting without breaking the law?
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I forgot to mention that my AK is a .223 (WASR3) and I have 10, 20 and 30 round mags for it. I would also want a Remmington 700P (tactical) heavy barrel with a decent bipod and scope for a nice 308 package. Long range, assault and sidearm combo complete.
.357 Magnum Revolver and Lever-Rifle Combo
My most-used center-fire rifle is a Marlin 1894 in .357 Magnum. It is manageable by females and youngsters, has low recoil and is fairly quiet when used with standard velocity lead .38 Special ammo. It is a fun camp gun with good small game utility. Its potential for home defense with .357 ammunition, is nothing to sneeze at, either.
A .357 levergun is adequate for deer within 100 yards or so. Leverguns are familiar and nonthreatening in appearance, so they "don't scare the natives" as a "black rifle" often does. When firing .38 Special lead bullet ammo from a rifle, velocity remains subsonic, having a mild report little louder than a .22, which has advantages for discreet suburban garden varminting.
New leverguns cost less than so-called "black rifles." Used .357 leverguns sell for about 60% in stores of what a similar rifle costs new. The frontier concept of having a rifle and revolver both using the same common ammunition still makes sense.
While the .38 Special is no longer the duty gun of choice for police or military use, it enjoys great popularity in states where civilian concealed carry is permitted. A great variety of well developed factory personal protection loads are available, brass and bullets are common, the cartridge is one of the most widely reloaded amd is inherently accurate.
The .357 Magnum shares these attributes. While it is also true that compact revolvers are readily available chambered for in .357 Magnum, using .38 Special ammunition in them most of the time makes more sense. You will probably use your .357 rifle mostly for hunting small game. To reduce meat damage on edible game, and for ease of use, reduced recoil and lower noise you will find yourself using .38 Specials in it most of the time.
Think of .357 magnums as "rifle ammo," not as "revolver ammo." For while a sturdy .357 revolver handles them just fine, they aren't "fun" to shoot. Reserve their use for when more power and greater range is needed. In a rifle .357 magnums shoot "on" at 100 yards when your sights are zeroed at 50 yards with 158-gr. lead bullet .38 Specials.
The non-enthusiast seeking "one handgun-bigger than a .22" should select a "police-service-type," double-action .38 Special suitable for use with +P ammunition, or a similar gun chamvbered in .357 with 4" barrel In states where concealed carry is legal a 4-inch " gun is about $100 cheaper than a 2" snubbie of similar model. But a 4" barrel can be readily concealed in a proper IWB holster, is easier to shoot accurately and gives higher velocity which ensures good expanding bullet performance. Any sound .357 Magnum revolver of these general specifications can use .38 Special ammunition, but being more durably constructed, it won't loosen up with frequent use of .38 +P loads, as a light frame .38 Special might. And a .357 revolver has the advantage of being ablt to use more powerful magnum ammo if needed.
As recently as ten years ago the market was flooded with police turn-in .38 and .357 revolvers in good condition for around $200. These days you must shop carefully to find a used "cop" revolver which isn't worn out. Expect to pay $350 for a sound, used fixed-sight S&W .38 Special Model 10, 13, or 64 and $450 for an adjustable sight S&W Model 15, 19, or 66or Ruger GP100. If you don't know revolvers take someone with you to shop who is. Avoid buying a "gunsmithing project," because fixing a broken used gun costs more than it is worth.
If you don't currently own a gun, but have been thinking about getting both a handgun and a rifle, you can't go wrong with a sturdy 4" .38 Special or .357 revolver and a Marlin 1894C carbine in .357 to go along with it.
My most-used center-fire rifle is a Marlin 1894 in .357 Magnum. It is manageable by females and youngsters, has low recoil and is fairly quiet when used with standard velocity lead .38 Special ammo. It is a fun camp gun with good small game utility. Its potential for home defense with .357 ammunition, is nothing to sneeze at, either.
A .357 levergun is adequate for deer within 100 yards or so. Leverguns are familiar and nonthreatening in appearance, so they "don't scare the natives" as a "black rifle" often does. When firing .38 Special lead bullet ammo from a rifle, velocity remains subsonic, having a mild report little louder than a .22, which has advantages for discreet suburban garden varminting.
New leverguns cost less than so-called "black rifles." Used .357 leverguns sell for about 60% in stores of what a similar rifle costs new. The frontier concept of having a rifle and revolver both using the same common ammunition still makes sense.
While the .38 Special is no longer the duty gun of choice for police or military use, it enjoys great popularity in states where civilian concealed carry is permitted. A great variety of well developed factory personal protection loads are available, brass and bullets are common, the cartridge is one of the most widely reloaded amd is inherently accurate.
The .357 Magnum shares these attributes. While it is also true that compact revolvers are readily available chambered for in .357 Magnum, using .38 Special ammunition in them most of the time makes more sense. You will probably use your .357 rifle mostly for hunting small game. To reduce meat damage on edible game, and for ease of use, reduced recoil and lower noise you will find yourself using .38 Specials in it most of the time.
Think of .357 magnums as "rifle ammo," not as "revolver ammo." For while a sturdy .357 revolver handles them just fine, they aren't "fun" to shoot. Reserve their use for when more power and greater range is needed. In a rifle .357 magnums shoot "on" at 100 yards when your sights are zeroed at 50 yards with 158-gr. lead bullet .38 Specials.
The non-enthusiast seeking "one handgun-bigger than a .22" should select a "police-service-type," double-action .38 Special suitable for use with +P ammunition, or a similar gun chamvbered in .357 with 4" barrel In states where concealed carry is legal a 4-inch " gun is about $100 cheaper than a 2" snubbie of similar model. But a 4" barrel can be readily concealed in a proper IWB holster, is easier to shoot accurately and gives higher velocity which ensures good expanding bullet performance. Any sound .357 Magnum revolver of these general specifications can use .38 Special ammunition, but being more durably constructed, it won't loosen up with frequent use of .38 +P loads, as a light frame .38 Special might. And a .357 revolver has the advantage of being ablt to use more powerful magnum ammo if needed.
As recently as ten years ago the market was flooded with police turn-in .38 and .357 revolvers in good condition for around $200. These days you must shop carefully to find a used "cop" revolver which isn't worn out. Expect to pay $350 for a sound, used fixed-sight S&W .38 Special Model 10, 13, or 64 and $450 for an adjustable sight S&W Model 15, 19, or 66or Ruger GP100. If you don't know revolvers take someone with you to shop who is. Avoid buying a "gunsmithing project," because fixing a broken used gun costs more than it is worth.
If you don't currently own a gun, but have been thinking about getting both a handgun and a rifle, you can't go wrong with a sturdy 4" .38 Special or .357 revolver and a Marlin 1894C carbine in .357 to go along with it.
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I don't think there is one "best" gun for anyone. If you have a range near by that rents hand guns I highly recommend starting there. Talk with the owners/instructors and get their opinions.
If you have never fired a gun before than probably a wheel gun will be the best choice as a starter gun but there are many auto-loaders out there that will get the job done.
I personally carry only 9mm pistols. My wife is partial to .38 revolvers. We also have an evil black rifle in 7.62 x 39 and a 12 gauge and a .22 rifle. We keep enough ammo on hand to feed them should the need arise.
The 9mm is a proven round in both military and police circles. If there were a SHTF scenario I could theoretically scrounge up more 9mm ammo than I could .45.
If you have never fired a gun before than probably a wheel gun will be the best choice as a starter gun but there are many auto-loaders out there that will get the job done.
I personally carry only 9mm pistols. My wife is partial to .38 revolvers. We also have an evil black rifle in 7.62 x 39 and a 12 gauge and a .22 rifle. We keep enough ammo on hand to feed them should the need arise.
The 9mm is a proven round in both military and police circles. If there were a SHTF scenario I could theoretically scrounge up more 9mm ammo than I could .45.
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I used to have a .22/20 guage over/under. That allowed one gun with two barrels to have both a .22LR round chambered and a 20 guage shotgun slug chambered with a selector switch on the hammer. It seemed like the perfect single gun, however, reloading was slow and my accuracy on moving rabbits demands a semi-auto. Also, 20 guage shells are very heavy to carry in any large quantity. Still, something to think about, as it might apply better to you and your application. There's a number of other calibers out there. A .22/.308 might be just the ticket, but I doubt it's out there.
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AK undefolder and Glock G17
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Simple and sweet!
If there was little chance of contact with unknown risk persons (rural), a bolt- or lever-action would have to get the nod. Simple, robust, accurate. .308, 7.62x54R or 8mm would be my preferences--for ammo availability in bulk at a price cheaper than most other calibers. I really like Mauser-style actions. Few commercial products offer robust iron sights. Milsurp rifles offer the best bang for the buck. Mitchell's sells new Mausers and a Tanker Mauser.
Handgun... Glocks. If I had to have a handgun, maybe a 10mm would be more useful in hawg/black bear country. I would rather trade the handgun for a .22LR rifle, tho. The CZ 452 is a fav of mine.
If I planned to wait out an event in suburbia, or if gang contact was a possibility, my choice would be a military grade semi-auto in a common chambering. Find what platform fits, make sure the specimen is reliable and become proficient at marksmanship and medical drills. Work medical issues (gunshot wounds) into the training. I prefer .30 cal, so I lean toward AKs and FALs. However, pencil barrel ARs are a lot easier for the small-stature people to handle and practice with.
"Two is one, one is none." If you can afford one rifle, you can eventually afford another. It is important to have a backup firearm in the same caliber. It doesn't have to be the same mil-grade type... maybe a .308 bolt gun to go with the FAL. A semi-auto .22 to go with the .22 bolt gun, etc. Get it now. Bury it if you can't carry it or just can't stand to look at it, for now.
I like the idea of pistol/carbine commonality, but pistol caliber penetration performance is limited. Penetration is key. That's how firearms work.
Consider practical use. Have you ever tried to work a lever gun or load a wheel gun inside a moving vehicle or while driving? What if someone uses simple cover that defeats pistol rounds? How about having to perform a task with one hand while having to fire with the other (grabbing your screaming kid, opening doors or windows, etc.)? Most people who have been in these situations do not consider otherwise "good enough" weapons to be adequate. They have been through the wringer once. They have the power to choose, and they choose high-capacity semi-autos you can reasonably control with one hand.
Handgun... Glocks. If I had to have a handgun, maybe a 10mm would be more useful in hawg/black bear country. I would rather trade the handgun for a .22LR rifle, tho. The CZ 452 is a fav of mine.
If I planned to wait out an event in suburbia, or if gang contact was a possibility, my choice would be a military grade semi-auto in a common chambering. Find what platform fits, make sure the specimen is reliable and become proficient at marksmanship and medical drills. Work medical issues (gunshot wounds) into the training. I prefer .30 cal, so I lean toward AKs and FALs. However, pencil barrel ARs are a lot easier for the small-stature people to handle and practice with.
"Two is one, one is none." If you can afford one rifle, you can eventually afford another. It is important to have a backup firearm in the same caliber. It doesn't have to be the same mil-grade type... maybe a .308 bolt gun to go with the FAL. A semi-auto .22 to go with the .22 bolt gun, etc. Get it now. Bury it if you can't carry it or just can't stand to look at it, for now.
I like the idea of pistol/carbine commonality, but pistol caliber penetration performance is limited. Penetration is key. That's how firearms work.
Consider practical use. Have you ever tried to work a lever gun or load a wheel gun inside a moving vehicle or while driving? What if someone uses simple cover that defeats pistol rounds? How about having to perform a task with one hand while having to fire with the other (grabbing your screaming kid, opening doors or windows, etc.)? Most people who have been in these situations do not consider otherwise "good enough" weapons to be adequate. They have been through the wringer once. They have the power to choose, and they choose high-capacity semi-autos you can reasonably control with one hand.
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On this note, I was just at a gunshow today and saw several .303 Enfields going for $120-180 that were in great shape for being almost a century old now. The Military Channel had a show on these guns and rated them as the #3 best military gun of all time. The sights were amazing and adjusted out to 1,000 yards. Sure, it's an unusual cartridge in the states, but it's still readily available and reasonably cheap for .30 caliber ammunition.
It is indeed a good rifle design. A buddy and his girlfriend love them, but he complains there's not much quality surplus ammo available.
I owned an Ishapore Enfield .308. Good rifle, poor parts availability.
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my two would have to be a savage mod 10 fp .308 with a tasco super sniper straight 16 power scope with mil dots( and learn how to use them if no body knows how to). also, my sidearm would have to be a glock. these guns are light and will shoot when nuthin else will. i own a beretta 92 fs and i like the gun but i don't rely on it too much like i do my glock 22 .40 s&w.
now for semi-auto i am gonna have to go with denny on the ak. either 7.62 by 39 or .223. both are good calibers but 7.62 ammo is a little cheaper at some sites i have been looking at.
now for semi-auto i am gonna have to go with denny on the ak. either 7.62 by 39 or .223. both are good calibers but 7.62 ammo is a little cheaper at some sites i have been looking at.
Keep a few spare extractors for the Savage. They are bronze or something similar, and they wear easily. I went through two in my 16FSS before I sold it.
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fn/form i have a savage 111 benchgun in 6mmbr that i have put over 300+ rounds and before it was a 7mm mag i put around another 300 down the tube, about how many rounds did u have before u had to change extractors?
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