The perfect survivalist rifle.....

[semperfi2]

The things that worry me about an AR are mostly long term viability. I was worried about what can happen to it over a period of 2-3 years. I can't take one apart and replace all those springs and pins. I was also worried about our most popular AR clips since they are aluminum and easily dented. Also worried about the feds going nuts and collecting what they call assault rifles even though it's not fully automatic and rarely used to commit crimes. The public seems turned against them due to inexpert reporting. My Sako bolt action has large four large capacity clips,although I like the way an m-4 configuration carries a bit better..

[cms81586]

I can make 300yd hits with my .22 about 70% of the time but I wouldn't rely on it for my only weapon in a survival situation. You're holding pretty high over the target and a few mildots to the left or right for windage. Ideally, a 12 ga, a rifle in either .308 or .223, and a .22 would be my choices for long guns. Add a hi-cap pistol on top of that and I'd feel much better. A .22 is fine for small to medium game and for keeping quieter when you want to but relying on a .22 for self defense is foolish. I've shot plenty of squirrels with a .22 and the bullet don't always pass through those little rodents. What good is it going to be at stopping a man. Sure he might die but not until after he beats you to death with your own rifle.

CMS

[TonyF]

10/22's are neat little rifles. I own one myself.

However, neither the magazines nor the rifle itself are built for hard use. I'm sure it would serve one well for a limited SHTF scenario (days or even weeks) but it just isn't robust enough for a serious EOTWAWKI situation.

And another thing about the gentleman in the video. He's the last person I'd ever take advice from WRT firearms. He fired two rounds from the ten round magazine, removed the magazine and then without clearing the rifle, placed it in the bed of his truck.

Redneck doofus.

[fingers80002]

10/22's are neat little rifles. I own one myself.

However, neither the magazines nor the rifle itself are built for hard use. I'm sure it would serve one well for a limited SHTF scenario (days or even weeks) but it just isn't robust enough for a serious EOTWAWKI situation.

And another thing about the gentleman in the video. He's the last person I'd ever take advice from WRT firearms. He fired two rounds from the ten round magazine, removed the magazine and then without clearing the rifle, placed it in the bed of his truck.

Redneck doofus.

More than once!!!!!!!!!

[croydonbill]

lol that guy looked and sounded like dangel from reno 911

[maz2331]

I'd say that in the Northeast, a .243 or .308 caliber AR-10-pattern rifle is about ideal. Both calibers are very versitile, and can work at up to 500 yards easily for small game, deer, and "social work". A 20 or 30 round magazine doesn't hurt either.

That said, whatever you have can work. Even a .22 LR is good with practice out to 200 - 300 yards for some jobs, and I can easily take small game with a .458 Win Mag by going for head shots or loading lead bullets over light charges of Red Dot. Of course, carrying a heavy .458 and ammo all day would not exactly be fun.

Within reason, I'd say the ideal rifle for SHTF situations is the rifle that you have.

[TonyF]

I've given this a lot of thought, and there is no perfect choice, and come up with a bolt action .223.

Small enough for small and medium game and plenty of reach for "social work" if necessary. Ammo is pretty cheap and available as well.

My thoughts exactly. I'm going to begin customizing a winchester model 70 in 5.56 in the 1st qtr of 2009. I only wish I could have found a featherweight classic with controlled round feed.

I also have a winchester M70 in .308 but with so much 5.56 ammo on hand, a 5.56 makes more sense.

I have become a firm believer in the bolt rifle as a general purpose / cross purpose firearm. You can hunt with them and there isn't much a semi-auto can do that a bolt gun can't in a fight given adequate instruction.

We've had Randy Cain to Pittsburgh several years in a row for his Practical Rifle class. Here is a brief summary of what the course entails.

Randy Cain - Practical Rifle

This was without a doubt the most fun I've ever had in a formal training course. It's organized around fighting with a bolt action rifle and thus many of the drills are similar to what you'll find in a typical carbine course. I would never have believed you could shoot on the move with a bolt gun all the while topping off the magazine and running the bolt.

There is one particular drill conducted at dusk prior to the night shoot that is very interesting in terms of the performance of optics. It will also give you an idea of the physical endurance and stamina required to be a *sniper*.

Wait until you have to keep the rifle topped off at night! Don't construe this as *it's impossible* because it isn't. The night shoot is the evening of TD2. After two fulls days of topping off the rifle you do get the hang of it.

There is one drill in particular, conducted during the night shoot, where the entire line participates. Randy's class was the first I'd ever done it. It is a non-typical drill that puts to the test your rifle loading skill learned during the first two days.

There is also a two man team drill that is WAY cool.

Lots of steel targets in this course. A scrambler drill on twin lollipops which is quite challenging once they start *bobbing* and *weaving*.

[Emptymag]

Shhhhh...

Don't let the guys in black SUVs know that we can fight with bolt guns!

[OvadekP]

I can't see relying on a 10/22 to protect myself and my family, I have .22 pistol and rifle for inexpensive shooting at the range (and the odd ground hog). But if things got to the point I needed to hunt for my sustance or fight off looters my cz453 or S&W 22lr would be the last thing I'd reach for. First my mini-14 with all my mags loaded (5 20rd.ers) then my AR with my mags ( 4 30rd.ers) then my .30cal M1 (2 spam cans) If anyone would be using the .22's that would be my wife while I was cracking open the spam cans. All else fails my Kimber .45 will still be there.

[Legion_Prime]

The things that worry me about an AR are mostly long term viability. I was worried about what can happen to it over a period of 2-3 years. I can't take one apart and replace all those springs and pins. I was also worried about our most popular AR clips since they are aluminum and easily dented.

Are you serious? I've built a lower in a half hour with a pair of pliers and a screwdriver, and the parts I needed the pliers for could be left off and still have a functioning rifle. The only other springs in the rifle are the ejector/extractor springs. All of which are extremely common due to the rifle being so popular. In my opinion while inconvenient, outside of the trigger group and buffer/retainer, one could make do without any of the springs in the lower. As for longevity, when I was in basic I saw guys with Hydromatics so old they looked like they'd been chromed. Sure they were a bit wobbly and the takedown pins were a pain but they still went bang a good 30 some odd years after they'd been made. Their magazines are intended to be disposable, there are tons of them. I have seen a 1/2 conex at a range that was filled floor to ceiling with trays of magazines. In addition to all these you also have all the SS mags like the ones made by HK & Cproducts and you have a wide range of synthetic mags ranging from POS Thermolds to reliable PMags to the new Lancer translucent mags. Since in a survival scenario one would probably be able to make do with a half dozen or fewer mags coupled with the fact that many people stockpile them by the hundreds I don't think it would be all that big an issue. I would pick an AR myself mainly because of it's flexibility (swapping everything from barrel length to optics to caliber with the press of a pair of pins) availability, and my personal familiarity with it. Plus the fact that I already have one and a wad of mags doesn't hurt either, cause if you don't have it . . . shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first as my father would say.
The group idea is ideal, while you may not be able to use everyone else's mags and ammo the versatility of access to a shotgun, AR, AK, M1 and a scoped Remington 700 without having to carry all of them is worth it. Plus you have the greater chance of being able to use whatever ammo or mags you may happen to come across.