bug out pair...9mm or .38 spl/.357 mag

[kmrcstintn]

been pondering an idea lately & thought I'd share to get some feedback...and no I'm not trolling; been contemplating on what to concentrate on for 'bug out' potential...for me it's 9mm (Beretta 92FS & Beretta Nano) or .38 spl/.357 mag (Smith & Wesson 686 PowerPort and Smith & Wesson 642); each pair has its pros & con's...

9mm ammo more readily available, mags hold more ammo; semiautomatics more fussy with ammo, 9mm more 'combat' caliber than 'survival' caliber (hunting potential limited vs .357 mag)

.38 spl is an easy shooter/.357 mag has greater ballistic potential (hunting & off grid survival), revolvers not as fussy with ammo; revolvers hold less ammo, .38 spl/.357 mag ammo not as readily available

I'm literally on the fence about this, but I have a good stash of ammo for both sides of the argument...which way would you lean?!? thanks...

[*Klutch*]

I think for a legit "bug out" I would go 9mm for the fighting aspect. At the same time I believe if the SHTF 9mm will be non existant and 38/357 would serve you better just cause it would be there.
I personally would look for a good 22 pistol with a 5-7" barrel and that's it I would hunt with it just as easy as I could with a rifle and still could be used as a SD tool. But then again what would the availability of 22 be if we can't get it now?
Prolly couldn't go wrong no matter how you went with it but I would lean towards the 9mm cause I shoot it the best.

[Pilot321]

9MM due to ammo availability. I also agree with a .22 pistol, like a Ruger MK II, and a bunch of ammo. It would be hard to decide if I had to pick between the two.

[unclejumbo]

I would say 9mm simply for a more reliable supply of ammo. Even now, .357 is very hit or miss. 9mm has been back and available for months.

In a SHTF scenario, a handgun is going to be back-up for me. A rifle is too useful to not have. I'd hate to have to take a rabbit at 30 yards or a deer at 75 yards with a handgun. The reason police departments started making rifles standard carry was being in a gunfight against someone with a rifle while only armed with a pistol was bad news.

[philadelphia patriot]

I say 9mm simply because of availability. You could also buy a .40 and stash a 9mm conversion barrel in your bag. Or you could keep the conversion barrel in your gun and keep the .40 barrel in your bag.

[jaseman]

Tough choice, but between the two, I'd go .38/.357

If it's a true SHTF situation, you're gonna want to avoid extended gun battles, so capacity isn't going to be as big of an issue as everyone want to believe. Yeah, it's nice to have 15 vs. 6, but if you really need that many, you probably need more firepower anyway.

Less chance of a revolver breaking in the field.

.357 has better hunting potential.

If you need to scrounge for ammo, you have two calibers to choose from, so your odds of finding it might be better.

You can compliment the revolvers with a .357 lever rifle for longer rang needs.




Personally, I would diversify a bit if you can, though. Like has been said, a .22 is almost a must have. You can carry a lot more ammo for the same space/weight, and it's great for basic hunting.

Just my 2 cents though

[knight0334]

Bug-out for SHTF - the Beretta 92FS without a doubt. Ammo is everywhere, and parts/spare mags can be had off of dead or friendly police or military personnel.

It is the same reason why you should have a .223/5.56 AR15 of some sort and a 12ga 870 or Mossberg 500/590. Whether or not you like those guns, in a SHTF situation ammo and parts will be available somewhere.

[jthrelf]

It's probably easier to carry lots of ammo in magazines rather than speed loaders.

The good news is that a matched rifle to either of those calibers is readily available. A .357 mag lever gun or a 9mm carbine would pair well with a handgun of the same caliber.

Both are good options and there isnt a clear winner. That said, I'd probably say 9mm though "just because".

[carwash]

If you go Beretta 92FS & Beretta Nano, you can also add a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 that can share magazines with the 92.
All 3 will easily fit in a backpack.-

[telopyros]

Bug-out for SHTF - the Beretta 92FS without a doubt. Ammo is everywhere, and parts/spare mags can be had off of dead or friendly police or military personnel.

It is the same reason why you should have a .223/5.56 AR15 of some sort and a 12ga 870 or Mossberg 500/590. Whether or not you like those guns, in a SHTF situation ammo and parts will be available somewhere.

^^^^^^^^
this is why I bought my Glock 19...and a bunch of G17 mags..they will fit all the glock 9mm guns and in a pinch you can convert a 40cal glock into 9mm.

Most LE use glocks around us, I have a coupe 870's and ar-15's