"REALESTIC" ONE firearm choice for long term SHTF reality.

[Biggkidd]

I think my 20ish year old optima is a SS muzzle loader if it's not it must be nickel. I can't remember crap these days!

I have an old 1970's BAR in .270 that's a tack driver out to 5-600 yards, I've never had opportunity to try it past that. It does have a newer Zeiss scope.

 

[Sourdough]

On the "OUTSIDE" remote chance anyone cares about the original "POINT" of this thread.

Never mind.......I guess it is not important.

At least this thread was informative for me.

 

[Biggkidd]

On the "OUTSIDE" remote chance anyone cares about the original "POINT" of this thread.

Never mind.......I guess it is not important.

At least this thread was informative for me.

Sorry Sourdough! The long and the short is I've been carrying 1911's all day everyday forever so why change?

 

[Sourdough]

Sorry Sourdough! The long and the short is I've been carrying 1911's all day everyday forever so why change?

I don't leave the cabin without either my 10MM or .45APC in my back pocket.

Our lives and a few other people's lives will change little over a long term SHTF because of how we have lived for decades.

 

[Aerindel]

On the "OUTSIDE" remote chance anyone cares about the original "POINT" of this thread.

Ask questions with an arbitrary unrealistic premise....get answers with an arbitrary unrealistic answer.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Ask questions with an arbitrary unrealistic premise....get answers with an arbitrary unrealistic answer.

Sometimes I think some OPs already know the answer s/he wants to hear when they post a questions.

 

[Haertig]

Sometimes I think some OPs already know the answer s/he wants to hear when they post a questions.

Maybe we could create a new subforum named "Rhetorical Threads"!

 

[Hardcalibres]

Sometimes I think some OPs already know the answer s/he wants to hear when they post a questions.

If we accept that the number one killer in a very severe crisis is normalcy bias, then threads that gradually change (and open up) the mindset of those that read and participate, are no bad thing.

There is a saying that goes:

Beware the man with one gun. He can probably use it.

 

[Sourdough]

Ask questions with an arbitrary unrealistic premise....get answers with an arbitrary unrealistic answer.

Please explain what is the arbitrary unrealistic premise as outlined in the original post.

I think the "KEY" that most miss is assuming that four years post SHTF (or even a month) after the SHTF their life will be like having been laid off from work, and living the same quality of daily life, only difference is using their savings and investment money.

 

[Sourdough]

Sometimes I think some OPs already know the answer s/he wants to hear when they post a questions.

"WRONG"...........The goal is to stimulate "THINKING".

Which humans loath having to do. They much prefer to look quickly at "preexisting" strongly held and cherished, yet untested assumptions.

 

[Hardcalibres]

There are people out there that do need their tree shaken on this subject.

One prominent poster on the SB had a big safe full of new handguns......but did not seem to understand the detailed features of any of them. When challenged about how much ammo he had stored and how much he had to practice with them, he went all quiet........

He was a gun hoarder who managed to make an otherwise useful pile of guns a non-asset for survivalism.

It happens.........

I like threads that ask posters to pick 4 to 6 guns that cover everything. I assess people get good value out of those discussions.

If they have to go mobile, they can use a cart or quad or even a bicycle to transport that much hardware.

Picking guns makes people think about what jobs they may have for guns.......

 

[Old Whatshisname]

I don't have a suggestion. If there was a perfect single firearm for SHTF (which IS fantasy) everyone would own one.

Assuming a person does not reload, and even if you did reload, assuming reloading supplies were non-available, my recommendation would be a rifle and/or handgun that uses ammunition that either (1) you have a lifetime supply of and/or (2) uses ammunition that the military uses.

My other recommendation is try to limit your ammunition choices to only one or two calibers. The best IMHO is a caliber that you can use in both your handgun and rifle.

That makes sense! Even though I'm not a 'gun person', I have the luxury of six different firearms, but also a pretty long logistical tail. If I were to start with the minimal armory (and if cost wasn't an issue), I suppose I'd pick a DA revolver with a 6" barrel chambered in .38spl/.357magnum and a reliable lever-action carbine in the same chambering.

Of course, I'd also like to have two of my own guns as well, a 10/22 and a Mossberg 500. But with the added weight of ammunition, cost of the same, and more different moving parts to go wrong, I'd be getting into potential Mall Ninja territory.

 

[Magus]

link please to this portion

Any DOM 400 series stainless tubing of 400 series or better with a 1/8" wall thickness.

Go nuts, I do!
https://www.zoro.com/stainless-stee...eel tube&campaignid=19976936786&productid=&v=
Forget casting slugs, get some closed-cell foam rod, and shoot 1/2" bolts!

 

[Magus]

Our lives and a few other people's lives will change little over a long term SHTF because of how we have lived for decades.

Hell yes! If you live how you prep, life will be smoother!

 

[Aerindel]

Please explain what is the arbitrary unrealistic premise as outlined in the original post.

"One Firearm" is arbitrary, and unrealistic.....it would only come about that way from some strange law or something. There is almost nothing in life that is limited by "You can only have numeral X" of a wide range of category.

If you said....you have to sell everything but $1000 worth of your guns, or you can only have 10lbs of gun.....that starts to move towards asking people to make a value judgement, which is what I think you are trying to do.

But just saying One gun......with no other parameters....its a silly question and you will get silly answers.

Like maybe I keep my most valuable gun, regardless of practicality......so I can trade it for two other guns that I actually want. The answer tells you nothing about what kind of gun I think is the most useful long term in a situation with limited resources.

You could even frame it as "You have to sell off all your guns one by one to buy supplies...what is the last gun you sell and get something.

But of course, I don't really know what you are after with this question.

 

[Sourdough]

But just saying One gun......with no other parameters..

But I have stated parameters........"CLEARLY".

Never said you can't own hundreds of firearms.

 

[Aerindel]

But I have stated parameters........"CLEARLY".

Never said you can't own hundreds of firearms.

I must have missed that part.....I guess I have no idea what this thread is actually about.

 

[Hardcalibres]

I must have missed that part.....I guess I have no idea what this thread is actually about.

I have no idea what half the threads I read are really about.

 

[Sourdough]

I must have missed that part.....I guess I have no idea what this thread is actually about.

I asked that people chose the one firearm that will be the most "Often" utilized in a very long post SHTF operational reality.

What I did not realize is that only a tiny few understand or are actually living that reality currently or have in recent memory.

If people expect their life will be little changed during a very long arduous post SHTF event, then the answers people made here are logical & prudent.

I assert their firearm choice would change after only a week and maybe a day of living the new reality.

I think it has been a good thread. The bottom-line is people expect their life will be little or totally unchanged.

 

[Sourdough]

It would be interesting to see what life was/is "REALLY" like for a city of only three million people (Gaza City) when their water was turned off. Their electric and all communications shut down. They are told to "URGENTLY" migrate to South Gaza strip.

There are rockets and artillery raining down on them. They are carrying children and possessions. I wonder if they would choose a high-capacity handgun or a shotgun or rifle. I suspect no firearm.

 

[Hardcalibres]

It would be interesting to see what life was/is "REALLY" like for a city of only three million people (Gaza City) when their water was turned off. Their electric and all communications shut down. They are told to "URGENTLY" migrate to South Gaza strip.

There are rockets and artillery raining down on them. They are carrying children and possessions. I wonder if they would choose a high-capacity handgun or a shotgun or rifle. I suspect no firearm.

None of those threats are the sort of thing the average Palestinian can shoot back at.

 

[Magus]

WOW! We've jacked and jerked this thread worse than usual! All we need is a pasta recipe and kitten photos! LOL

BOT:
As to my earlier statement about a shoulder-stocked Super Red Hawk. I can stuff it with 300 Grain bear droppers and hunt pretty much any game in the area Or drop my load, put in a gas check and sabot a 32 ball for small stuff, use snake shot for pot luck, or take a head off at 100 feet! A pocket full of speed loaders ensures my ammo supply.

 

[Aerindel]

I asked that people chose the one firearm that will be the most "Often" utilized in a very long post SHTF operational reality.

Great question. I didn't see you ask it until now.

Okay,

My short barreled 7.62x39 AR.
Compact, fits in the basket of my mini-bike, or easily slung. Would take any of the deer that I may see on the homestead in my day to day chores or deal with any threats. Doesn't need a holster or belt so I can throw it on over anything I may be wearing in any season.

 

[Magus]

With a good woodworker, this could be a thing.

 

[Haertig]

With a good woodworker, this could be a thing.

That's pretty cool looking!

I have an air gun that is similar to that in configuration (or can be converted into this configuration - changeable stock, changeable barrel, etc.) The problem with it, for us older people with declining eyesight - are the sights. These stocks have a very short length of pull. For me, that puts the rear sight, and the front sight for that matter, into an almost unfocusable position. There is no way I can maneuver my bifocals, or switch to my piano/computer glasses, and be able to use the sights. On my air gun, when you convert it to a carbine, the rear sight is moved forward, and that does help somewhat. A red dot sight or a laser sight would fix the sight problem right up though. Mounting such a thing might be problematic on a revolver though.

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/diana-chaser-co2-air-rifle-kit?m=4613
No, I'm not showing this air gun as a suggestion for a SHTF weapon. Only to further illustrate the sight issues of a shoulder_stock/pistol configuration for us old people. Open sights suck, open sights very close to your face double-suck. I have not actually shot this thing with the long barrel in place, although I have shouldered it configured like that. I tried the pistol-with-stock configuration and didn't like it because of the sights. I now only shoot it in plain pistol configuration. I'm pretty good at that, but the sights are not perfect. But my arms are long enough in pistol configuration to get the sights far enough away from my eyes so that they are marginally useful. Kind of.

 

[backlash]

With a good woodworker, this could be a thing.
View attachment 118933

The wood grain is running in the wrong direction. It would break at the thin place.

Here is an interesting read about survival post SHTF.
SHTF: Survival Tips and Stories from Bosnian War Survivors

 

[Magus]

The wood grain is running in the wrong direction. It would break at the thin place.

Good eye! I probably would have realized that too if I wasn't half asleep. LOL
Look at this bad boy! Same idea, all legal, shoots 45LC and 410.

 

[Haertig]

Look at this bad boy! Same idea, all legal, shoots 45LC and 410.

Is the barrel rifled? Shooting 45 colt in it might leave a carbon ring halfway down the cylinder. Is that easy to clean out? Stainless or nickel plated?

 

[Magus]

Is the barrel rifled? Shooting 45 colt in it might leave a carbon ring halfway down the cylinder. Is that easy to clean out? Stainless or nickel plated?

yes rifled, yes stainless, easy to clean as any revolver. Noted on the 45 LC, its why I don't use it in my judge, just slugs and buck. I put a raised mark over the chamber where I put the heavy loads so I can dial it in the dark.

 

[ssonb]

Sorry sour but I have yet to see the operative word "often" that you claim is in the OP.