Whats the Best Survival Rifle?

T

Tenn2577

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Jun 28, 2001
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I just wanted to know if anyone had any imput on the issue of survival rifles. Ive heard alot about the AR-7 but am not aware of any others. Also, does anybody have an suggestions as to where i can buy one for a good price (either new or used is fine as my funds are limited). Thanks for the advice.
 
The standard AR-7 stock is foam filled to make the gun float. If that's important OK, but it makes the gun bulky.

The Marlin Papoose [sp?] is another light .22 rifle your can take apart.

Also consider the Snake Charmer, a small stainless steel single shot .410 shotgun.

Or buy any of the cheap single shot 12 gauge shotguns, cut the stock & barrel down to minimum legal length. Due to ammo weight, you won't want to carry around more than around 5 rounds.

So, why do you want the gun. Self defense? [get the 12 ga.] To provide all your food by hunting? [the .22, or if your a poor shot, the 12 ga with one shell for yourself]:)
 
Any compact gun in 22 magnum would seem to be a good survival gun. You could carry lots of ammo and could take deer sized animals with a little planning.Plus a magnum will give you a 100 yd rabbit gun.
 
On our trip to Idaho, RadioRay brought a new match grade Ruger .22, with scope and laser sight. He used magnum rounds in it. I think a long barreled match grade .22 pistol like this will carry way more easily than a rifle and shoot as accurately.

Best,

Brian.
 
I have the Henry variation of the AR-7 and the Springfield M6. The Henry seems more nicely put together than its competitors and shoots adequately well. You could hit small game at 50 yards.

The M6, on the other hand, is absolutely amazing. My friends and I have shot a number of 5 shot groups in the 1-2 inch range at 50 yds. At 100 yds, it will put most of them in the black. We were astonished at the performance and mailed a couple targets to Springfield. Several friends jokingly call it my "M6 match rifle."

Using the 410 shotgun barrel takes some practice. The gun is so light and thin that getting a good swing is tough. We weren't able to hit more than about 50% of the birds thrown on our first couple outings. Haven't tried it since then, but practice would undoubtedly help.

I have not tried the 3" Brenneke 410 slugs, but regular 410 slugs weren't that bad to shoot. There are also some loads with three 000 buckshot pellets. Some people think you could knock down a small deer with either of these (energy is similar to a warm .357 load) but I'd have to be in a survival situation to try it.

If I were worried about self protection (like from bears) or taking larger game, I'd bring my Mossberg 590 Marine finish. Very durable in the elements, reliable, and able to use anything from light shot to 3 inch magnum Brennekes.

DPD.
 
Although I think a .22 would make a OK survival rifle, I would look at where i would be putting myself at risk to become a survivor. And what would be the case? Natural disaster or man-made? A few days lost while camping or an unexpected long survival situation.
My survival rifle would be along the lines of a deer hunting rifle. Simple, bolt or lever action with glass on top to start but if and when that fails you still have iron sights. Common caliber round (30-30, 30-06, 308) something to take down just about anything on two or four legs. The common round is one that you find in just about every store that sells ammo. So even if your super hot wild cat round will out shoot a .308 any day, once your ammo is gone and there is no longer any way to re-load, your through. A lever action rifle in .44 or .357 would make a good choice as you could easily make a good pistol/rifle combo together of the same common round.
I can see the advantage of being able to carry 2-3 bricks of .22 ammo with no effort but thats about the only advantage, that and maybe low noise, if you don't wan't others knowing what your doing, but then i would also think a good bow and a large quiver of arrows would be a good choice of a survival weapon/tool.

www.Kobrabag.com
 
I love my 30-06, but , if I had to have just one rifle, it would be my Anshultz 22. It weights only a little over 4.75lbs with a 3 x 9 scope.

A 22 can take all types of game and you can carry so many round of ammo., you may never run out.

In a survival situation, small game is probally what a person could live off of easiest.

Just my opinion.
 
Thanks for the valuable imput...the members of this forum continue to impress me with their vast wealth of knowledge.
 
"Survival Rifle" is really somewhat misleading. If you meant a rifle picked out beforehand to meet most of your expected needs, it could be almost anyting. If, on the other hand, you meant a rifle that you could throw into your pack and have in case of a true emergency, that would be a whole different animal.

I have a Savage 24F in 30-30/12, and an M-6 Scout in .22 Hornet/.410. The 24F is more a foraging rifle, in that I would take it on a hunting/food gathering expedition. The M-6, on the other hand, is small enough that I could easily add it and a fair amount of ammo to my pack in case of emergency and not notice the extra weight. Or, if I were expecting to have to live off the land for some time, I would take my 10-22 and lots of different types of ammo, to meet different needs. Any of these would/could be a survival rifle, depending on the needs of the moment. So first YOU have to decide what you need the rifle to do, and then which rifle to pick will be obvious.

But, if I had to go with one rifle for evermore, it would be the 10-22. With Quik-Shoks and 30 round mags, it would be a passable self-defense rifle out to 100 yards, as well as being able to take a deer at the same range. With CB Longs, it is as silent as a pellet rifle while being more potent. And plain-Jane Federal bulk-pack ammo costs amazingly little, and works well on a large variety of game. You could carry LOTS of .22 without undue encumberance, and that would mean a lot to someone living out of a pack.
 
I'll cast my vote for the Ruger 10/22 and lots of ammo, the reasons are the same as have been mentioned: Accurate, enough power to take most game (especially in a survival situation where "sportsmanship" goes out the window), low on noise and ammo is super easy to pack. If not the .22, then a 12GA shotgun for the versitlity it offers, the biggest downside is the weight and bulk of shells. The 24F looks like a sweet gun, I've wanted one for several years.
Stay Sharp,
Chad
 
Another vote for Ruger .22's. I'd use a lever or semi auto in .22 mag, rather than .22LR, because of the range and power mentioned above. As I've posted before, black bears and caribou are sometimes taken with .22LR here, but I'd prefer a little more punch. Plus, most of the time, in a survival jackpot, you'll be shooting rabit sized critters or smaller, and the bigger calibers obviously are too much.
That said, my personal favorite is still my shiny new SS Marlin 336 Lever in 30/30!!!
Most people up here carry some sort of 30/30 when hunting because they are commonly available w/16" barrels, and are easy to use and carry on snowmobiles. Most common are the Trapper 94 and Ranger 94,by Winchester, and contrary to popular belief, they do not freeze up in the cold temperatures we get.

Hope this helps,

Jet
 
I've posted this one before. Ruger MKII with a stock. Over the top, but a intergrated sound moderator is a plus.

Standard LR will take out a deer. Subsonic a brace of small game. BG hit with a .22 will run; even a large cat or bear shouldn't stay about taking multiple hits.

.22LR's are easy to shoot straight which makes a huge difference. Hits win prizes.

Larger calibres, 222's etc will turn a rabbit inside out and cook the inside leaving not a lot left. I would prefer lots of little suppers than one big banquet.

Trappers/frontiersmen would often take two rifles with them: a small calibre squirrel rifle and their moose gun.
 
This is indeed a many faceted subject. After you answer the question "what is it you want to survive" then you can begin your search to craft your perfect solution.

While the AR-7 is a neat little rifle (and I own one myself) I don't think it would be the "best" solution to the situation. While it may be possible to down large game animals with it, you are staking a lot on a very small bullet. Further, if you trap, a large or dangerous animal caught may need more than a 22 to end the struggle.

I have an NEF Survivor in 308 which I like very much. With a 32 ACP adapter it is capable of taking smaller game as well as large game. The stock houses ammo and small survival kits (fire making, fishing). It is a single shot, but I don't feel "under-gunned" with it.

One other weapon I own is probably a good compromise. It is a Savage 24C (Camper's Companion) 22/20ga. This little jewel will do yeoman work on about anything. As V Shrake pointed out it is mainly a foraging gun, but the 20 ga. slug will put down large game animals and the 22 (especially with shorts) is very quiet. I keep it as my barnyard gun for just that reason. Not to mention that it is very handy in size and will carry a small ammo supply as well. Shopping around at gun shows will net you one, or look in Gun List.

There is alot to be said for a pistol caliber rifle. It limits your range, but ususally gives you a multi-shot capability. Short pistol caliber carbines have always been popular with trappers as they are powerful and handy.

As you can see there are a lot of options available.
 
J.J. . I have to agree on the Savage 24C. I have had mine for approx 18yrs. I have a adaptor for the 20ga barrel to shoot 3in .410. I have put a lot of meat in the pot with this gun. With the different ammo that I can shoot, I generlly can find something in a country store. Of course, .22's are available everywhere.
 
I don't think you could go wrong with a 10/22 with the synthetic stock, and carbon fiber bull barrel. you would then have a very accurate rifle, that would be less prone to corrosion.
 
KC, unless you leave it too near the fire :D Sorry just couldn't resist that one.

My favourate 10/22 is a T with a integrated sound moderator built into the last 4 1/2 inches of the barrel. The T's shoot a whole lot better than the standard models and the moderator drops the weight a bit without adding any more length. The balance is a little less front heavy though I like a bit of weight for when shooting off hand/standing. The Rugers can at least be broken down.

A Contender with your favourate calibres is an option. Has anyone improved their triggers (told you I was a bit dated on the pistol scene)?
 
Unless the weight (8lbs.) is a factor, The Savage 24F-12 is hard to beat; especially in the 12 ga. and .223/5.56 offering.
 
"Survival Rifle" is a really broad term. I have a Winchester Model 70, pre-64, featherweight in 30-06 that is my all-round hunting rifle. I'd want to have it with me if I was out "surviving." But then surviving includes hunting game to me. Any quality rifle that you shoot well will do the job. I'd recommend a .243 and up for small deer and larger though. If hunting is your primary concern, check out Craig Boddington's books.

Brad
 
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