I bought a .22 rifle and a .30 - 06 rifle, both bolt action back when I was considering off the grid style of living. I wanted utilitarian style guns with wide ranges of use and reliability.

I realize my picks are not the best, but they are reasonable for my current needs. I am curious as to what others have (my brother is a serious collector) and what people consider the tope thre survival guns and why?

(08-16-2015, 09:31 PM)BengalRugby Wrote: I bought a .22 rifle and a .30 - 06 rifle, both bolt action back when I was considering off the grid style of living. I wanted utilitarian style guns with wide ranges of use and reliability.

I realize my picks are not the best, but they are reasonable for my current needs. I am curious as to what others have (my brother is a serious collector) and what people consider the tope thre survival guns and why?

Heck, all I own are a .22 semi auto, a .30-06 bolt, and a .12 ga pump.  Pretty much, if I could only pick one, I would go with the .22.  I have found that I have used it infinitely more often than the other two.

.22 without question. If you know how to use it you can kill anything size wise up to and including people. You can carry much more ammo if you need to go mobile and ammo is pretty cheap.

If it wasn't for the size of ammo 12g would be the best as you can kill pretty much anything in the USA with it. Unfortunately you can carry 500 .22 rounds for the same size and weight as 25 12g shells.

RE: Best survial gun

The one that works.

Get yourself a Remmington 870 pump. It comes with two barrels, one for a slug and the other for shot and they are easy to swap. These shotguns are durable and have never let me down. It's two guns in one, how can you go wrong?

Good for defense and hunting, just don't use the slug for defense, if you hit your target, the slug will go through him, the wall, your neighbors wall and the little girl sleeping in your neighbors house, but I'm sure you know that.

Point this at anything, and you'll "survive."

Can't go wrong with an AK-47 if you can get your hands on one.

In my opinion, the best survival gun is 3. Your choice of makes, everybody has their preferences, a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun. I'd also recommend a large survival knife or machete.

What's a survial gun?

Barret M107 50 cal sniper rifle.

Will take out someone trying to steal your food stash from over a mile away....plus looks really good when hot girls shoot it:



Even better when the hot girl is a Bengals fan:

I would take with my Marlin 30/30



And my Kimber .45.

I'm going to get my handgun license this fall/winter. any suggestions for my first handgun? I plan on shooting at a range and not off my balcony at squirrels. I'm hearing the glock 17 is a solid all around gun. shouldn't i be picking something where bullets are readily available and are fairly inexpensive?

(08-18-2015, 09:33 AM)bengal_fan_in_toronto Wrote: I'm going to get my handgun license this fall/winter.  any suggestions for my first handgun?  I plan on shooting at a range and not off my balcony at squirrels.   I'm hearing the glock 17 is a solid all around gun.  shouldn't i be picking something where bullets are readily available and are fairly inexpensive?

There are two reasons Glocks became popular, imo. 1. they are inexpensive and 2. as a result of #1 police departments started issuing them. They have their devotees but personally I would never want to carry one. I think they feel really awkward in your hand and the mag release on them sucks. Just my opinion, but I handled quite a few other pistols and semi-auto pistols and I never found one that I wouldn't prefer over a Glock. Rather than judging by what they look like or who carries them (which seem to be important to a lot of people when choosing a lot of products, not just guns) I would suggest going to shop and just handling several guns, swapping the mag in and out, racking and dry firing and choosing the one that feels most comfortable to you when you handle it. I guess before you do that you could look at price, knock down power, quality evaluations (some manufacturers are more prone to accidental discharge and misfires, and yeah Glock for all the raving about its "engineering" breakthroughs has some quality issues) and have a list of candidates to manipulate. To me though the most important thing for a pistol is your comfort in handling and using it.

(08-18-2015, 09:33 AM)bengal_fan_in_toronto Wrote: I'm going to get my handgun license this fall/winter.  any suggestions for my first handgun?  I plan on shooting at a range and not off my balcony at squirrels.   I'm hearing the glock 17 is a solid all around gun.  shouldn't i be picking something where bullets are readily available and are fairly inexpensive?

Most shooting ranges have guns that you can rent. I recommend you go try out a few (just bring your own ammo). This is the route we took when getting my wife's handgun. She decided on the Smith and Wesson SD40 VE. Inexpensive reliable, and just enough stopping power for self defense.

(08-18-2015, 01:11 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Most shooting ranges have guns that you can rent. I recommend you go try out a few (just bring your own ammo). This is the route we took when getting my wife's handgun. She decided on the Smith and Wesson SD40 VE. Inexpensive reliable, and just enough stopping power for self defense.

Great gun for self defense of a home.  How does she handle it, bit more kick than a 9.

(08-18-2015, 01:14 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Great gun for self defense of a home.  How does she handle it, bit more kick than a 9.

The kick was never an issue for here. Her biggest issue was being able to rack in while maintaining muzzle control. It is not the easiest

(08-18-2015, 09:33 AM)bengal_fan_in_toronto Wrote: I'm going to get my handgun license this fall/winter.  any suggestions for my first handgun?  I plan on shooting at a range and not off my balcony at squirrels.   I'm hearing the glock 17 is a solid all around gun.  shouldn't i be picking something where bullets are readily available and are fairly inexpensive?

If you're just target shooting, Ruger MK II or III. It's hard to beat for just target shooting. Cheapest ammo you're going to get (.22), very accurate, low maintenance. I got a Mark II when I was around 10. Shoots just as good 16 years later.

If you're wanting something with more heft but still with affordable ammo, Ruger also has a SR9 or, if you're carrying concealed their LC9.

For something even easier maintenance and if you're going to be carrying it, you might try a S&W .38. Easier to clean and take care of, never jams, ammo is affordable, pretty accurate.

Personally, I'm not a fan of Glocks. Their action can lead to accidental discharges, not something you want at the range or in a concealed carry. I get why law enforcement agencies like their faster fire approach, but it's danger doesn't seem good in a standard use setting.

What ever gun you can still find bullets for....

(08-18-2015, 01:20 PM)Benton Wrote: Personally, I'm not a fan of Glocks. Their action can lead to accidental discharges, not something you want at the range or in a concealed carry. I get why law enforcement agencies like their faster fire approach, but it's danger doesn't seem good in a standard use setting.

Are you talking about their wonky safety?

(08-17-2015, 11:40 PM)Beaker Wrote:

I like this position. She can shoot... and I can shoot at the same time!

(08-18-2015, 03:00 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Are you talking about their wonky safety?

Safe Action system. Which is to say, the only safety is to use the action (fire it).

If you're regularly in situations where you're having to discharge your weapon on a regular basis — warzones, zombie apocalypse, have a teenage daughter — then it's not a big deal. But for the majority of people who don't fire their gun every time they touch it, I don't like it. Too easy to have an accident.