We haven't entered into the valley of the shadow of death as of yet...and I carry two guns with me all the time anyway. Why would I consider carrying less when bad times commence?
Mine are a Ruger SR9c, concealed in a Maxpedition Fatboy bag, and a Saiga 7.62 (actually, I have two of them, which are interchangeable), in a fishing rod bag, folding stock folded, 30 round mag inserted, and 3 or 4 extra 30rd mags for just in case I miss with the first 30 rounds.
Although, I'm pretty taken with my new Ruger 10/22 takedown, in the bag or case of which I have a pretty good little survival kit, two 32 round mags, and several 50 round boxes of CCI HV rounds @1640 fps. I can add to that, if need be and if I don't mind the extra weight, one of three T/C Encore pistols, in .22LR, .22-250 and .44 mag.
The problem won't be having a gun...the problem will be in deciding which one, or two, or three to carry with me.
Not living in a big city I betcha I could get by with a shotgun that has a chopped, slug, and bird barrel. That and a bolt 308 and I'll be happier than a pig in sh*t
DPMS LR-308 LRT-SASS if I had to go to the aforementioned store
But if I could go to some of the other places that's available to me, the I'd choose the HK G3, with some extra furniture (B&T forestock at the very least) and Hensoldt/SuB/AO optics on it.
...or possibly HK417...
But would like a .308/7.62mm rifle I think, if I only had to pick ONE rifle...yes, it does use heavier ammo, you get less rounds in the magazine (usually), and it is slightly more difficult to shoot well with, but...I've been using the G3 for most of my military service, from 1989 to 2005, and I know it in and out. Sturdy, very accurate (especially with optics), very reliable, capable of being used for pretty much anything, CQB, sniping, big-game hunting, even small game hunting with non-expanding ammo. I love it!
OK so here is the scenario . It's the end of the world as we know it for whatever reason government, society, manufacturing all gone tomorrow . You find your self in the worlds largest guns store with literally every gun ever made with a bazillion rds for each . However you only have 5 minutes to assemble any gun you have ever wanted and all the ammo you can carry . So what do you pick ? remember this will likely be the last gun you will ever get and you must carry it and the ammo .
In that scenario I think water and food would be first, but me personally would probably just go to the liqueur cabinet and drink till I had alcohol poisoning. Who wants to be in a "end of the world" world anyway
Call me crazy but if I am hunting its going to be with my bows. I shot my last rabbit at 20 yards in shoulder with a broad head. I also would bring traps. A dp trap and a bag on marshmallows go a long way. I wouldn't want to be found. Shooting a gun brings attention. Not everyone is playing pimp or lot lizard. People will take your stuff. That's known. They aren't going to ask first. The more noise the more people are going to investigate. To defend my self ill use my Glock 26, mini 14 and my 870. I can't justify having odd ball calibers if you have to order it off midway or roll your own due to supply. You'll run out no matter what you. Then what? Club them????
I enjoy reading these kind of thrads, but im sorry to say that i just can't buy into this kind of stuff, its alway neat to think of what you would do and how you would do it, but in reality nobody would make it. but here is what I would do. instead of going to the huge gun store which is already going to be filled with people ( obviously! if its the biggest gun store its going to be full of people!) so im going to pack up my stuff that i already have "prepped" ( not really, I mean we have a ton of food, water in containers, MREs, lots of filled up 5 and 10 gallon gas containers, ammo, and lots of guns, but all of this can be explained you see, we don't prep, we just don't like to grocery shop so we buy lots of stuff in an attempt to stay out of the stores....... we are still grocery shopping 3 plus times a week though) ...... anyway back to the story... so Im all packed up i load up my tacoma with all the gas in the bed along with my already packed bags (we go camping fairly often and keep what preppers would call a go bag, we just say a "camp ready" bag which consist of enough supplies to survive intill food can be produced ( by means of hunting/fishing/forging) and im going to drive to a hunting lease that the guy next to me owns (2,000 plus acres) and im going to try to live it out there..... away from the shooting, away from the death, just peaceful hunting, so far away from the closest street that you could shoot a .338 and nobody would hear it. I mean heck you couldn't need more than a .22, a 30-06, and a shotgun, my choice would be a single shot H&R because im already carrying alot of weight.
To me, the very best compromise (and most everything requires compromise) between being able to shoot long distance, carry lots of relatively inexpensive ammo, and use for game and so forth...
Is the .22 magnum.
If ever Ruger makes the 10/22 take down in .22 magnum, I'll have one. But until then, I'll make do with my Marlin 882SS bolt action, poly framed, stainless barreled rifle.
With an increasing choice of ammo, from relatively low velocities to upwards of 2200 fps, along with bullet weights from 30 to 45 gr (and maybe others I'm unaware of), it is the compromise gun for me in your scenario...
Am a simple person with a simple old rifle--M1A. From an ammo supply perspective an AR would be sensible but I like that old saying--turn cover into concealment. I have tried to accumulate most every caliber that is readily available and the tools to reload them. What ever( if-when) problems arise one should be able to cope with it--way ahead of the time of need. If you wait till you need something it probably will not be available.
Right now i would take my .410/.22mag break action and my mini. If the situation allowed I'd love to include my 30/06 1917 Enfield... I still haven't wanted to switch over to .308.
* my "emergency" rifle is just the mini w/ chest carrier and a loaded ITLBV.*
Actually in reality I would probably grab a Hawken .50 cal with a bag of power, lead, and caps and head for the Rockies. Oh, and probably a Sig p226 to help get me to the rockies.
Kevin
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