Bug out gun

[Sasquatchhunter]

Joe, thank you for your reply. It sounds like you have a plan. I hear many people on this and other boards say they'd choose a .22 for SHTF and then they spend the rest of their post talking about how deadly a .22 is in a firefight and how they could mess someone up with a .22. Its like they are instantly rationalizing and defending their choice yet they stick with the .22 because they can carry 5000 rounds of ammo.

I am glad you have no similar illusions, yet have stuck to your guns (pun intended) for well thought out reasons. Good on ya.

Russ

Well since you pretty much called me out, I'll say that I have pretty much the same strategy as Joe. I'm gonna try my hardest not to be seen and heard unless its on my terms. IF i have to fight my way out of something, then yeah, I feel alright with a .22 and a reliable pistol. Shot placement shot placement shot placement. I also said in my post " my marlin 60 and Keltec P11 WILL HAVE TO DO." Thats my best option for what I have available. I have a Mosin, but only about 100 rounds, and I doubt I willl find much 7.62x54 in SHTF. I have a mossy 500, but I'm not sure about humping around heavy shotgun ammo. So it makes sense for me to choose the gun that I have the most trigger time with and have thousands of rounds for....maybe the tax refund will permit an AK !!!!

 

[irishfan]

I have said for a while that my M1A would be my go to rifle and would be in a bug in situation but for a bug out and stay gone type situation I would have to say the 10/22 is looking very appealing. I was thinking about it before but after reading these posts and thinking on it....I need to flip a coin. LOL

 

[dieselman]

Another factor I look at is durability... I fully trust that my AK can withstand the rigors of carrying with me as I hike and do whatever else bugging out may entail... My .22 on the other hand is just the cheapest semi auto savage I could find so I'm not sure I would trust it being my only rifle

 

[originalhonkey]

hoosier8 my suggestion is a glock 19or17 and a keltec sub 2000.my thinking behind this is simple. 1 there both 9mm.they both take the same mag. they both are at a reasonable price.the sub 2000 can be broke down and straped to your pack for a compact carry. the sub is small and light which would work well for a cqb or mout style work but still has enough a$$ behind it for deer or smaller game hunting.with the one cal.for the both and the capabilities of both using the same magazine it also allows for the increase in the amount of mags and ammo you can carry without the loss of knockdown power.(like you would have in moving down to a 22)also for a few extra bucks a mag the 30+ round glock mags are great. i started buying them and they work great and allow me less mag changes which means i can keep the fire superiority in a nasty situation. i have 2-31+ round and 5-15 round in my truck bag i carry everyday.so if you include the mag in my glock thats around 150 rounds of ammo. this all fits in the side pouch of my 100oz camelbak which leaves me a lot of room in all the other pouches for other gear. i think that if you look at this combo you will find that the +s out weigh the -s. i will not go as far as saying this is the best combo but i feel it is a solid one for anyone at any level. i have a few different setups and bags for defferent situations but for a bug out i think this make since + im basing this off the idea that if your bug'n out and if you make contact with some bad guys that you would only want to fight long enough to break contact and get back to a safer route.(not stand and fight a 5 year war at 500 meters) just my 2 dimes hope it helps!

 

[Calvin]

AKs in 5.45x39. They are ultimately reliable, plenty accurate, and put nasty holes through things. An added bonus is that women and children could easily shoot them. 1911 pistols in .45 ACP because as an item of last resort they can be relied upon to work at short range in every way.

I too will aim simply to haul *** to my BOL. There is where all survival equipment etc is to be stockpiled. My only worry is evil people attempting to stop me and my family from reaching said location. Once there, I have little to worry about in terms of what equipment I choose to use for what purpose and whether there is ammo for it.

My kit and where it is staged is customized to my personal situation and SHTF scenario. I would expect that of others in other situations to be very different.

 

[Joe Williams]

Joe, thank you for your reply. It sounds like you have a plan. snip

We have several For this thread, I assumed a worse case scenario... total breakdown/widespread disaster, no hope of return to normalcy in the foreseeable future, unable to take vehicle, perhaps even unable to take our cart and wagon to hall extra goodies on, and forced to go on the run to one to a BOL not nearby.

 

[Z350Godfather]

Originalhonkey's suggestion is about as accurate as you can get. When there's a way that you can share ammo, mags and still have the option to use them in either a hand gun or rifle, it only makes the most sense. I'm looking into both options as we speak now. Thanks to both of you for bringing this up.

p.s. if any of you watched Obama last night, what a joke he is... even more so I guess.

 

[Cat-Herder]

Other than insurrection or invasion, those are probably the most likely unless you really consider Zombies.

i dunno, i'm pretty sure i saw a lot of zombies cheering the POTUS last night!

 

[pinshooter45]

Something to consider

Been reading the posts, and I see some back and forth on the .22 And personally I'll side with the .22 guys. But it got me thinking My original choices were AR 15, Marlin 60, and my p95 9mm, however I also thought, what about my single six, and the .22 magnum cylinder? While single actions aren't the greatest SD guns. 22 magnums are lighter than 9mm weight wise. So would it be a better option than the 9? I sure could carry more 22 magnums than 9's and it also would give more room in my bug out bag for other survival stuff! Buy they are slow to reload...

 

[JBusch8899]

.

 

[22lr]

My 10/22 with a soon to be mine suppressor and 500 rounds. Wouldn't even consider anything else unless I had a car/truck available and usable.

Edit: and ya this is strictly a personal choice, I could justify almost anything else listed just personally would take my 10/22.

 

[redneckpastor]

Have a wife to split up the load, so I would take what i have and that is only an AK-47, my G23, and .357 snub. dont have a lot of .357 ammo but it is a back up and small titanium light weight. Ak mags in web gear to even out the weight and then throw the pack on. Wife will have to split some of the load but 5 AK mags = 100 rounds and the G23 with (only) 4 mags = 52 rounds on my is not bad weight at all including survival gear. I have about a 500 mile hike or even 350 miles in a car, then 150 mile hike till i get to where i would consider a BOL. Living on the land/wild would be rough and at 20 miles a day = 25 days for the 500mile trip and only a week for the other. I am sure i will make it to where i am going in that amount of time with supplies. It is the 2 legged varmints that concern me. .02

 

[cosermann]

Good question. Storm outage where you will probably want to be prepared at home. Earthquake, where your home may become uninhabitable, but if prepared you could still stay on your property. Food shortages, possibly from natural disaster or massive pandemic, where if you were stocked up at home, could weather. Natural disaster where the water supply is disrupted. Other than insurrection or invasion, those are probably the most likely unless you really consider Zombies.

We have not had a true SHTF scenario in this country. Not even Katrina. Nobody was living off the land down there, however, Blackwater WAS brought in to provide security and the local cops confiscated guns. Security was an issue, food was less so. Hmmm.

One point in all of this, I’d suggest, is that in none of the above situations was a “battle rifle” necessary. There was no complete breakdown of social order such that you wouldn’t be held accountable for taking a shot as long as even 100 yards. Handguns and shotguns served well. So, if those are your assumptions . . . .

Another point, is that questions regarding things like "the best bug out gun" always have to be within some context/scenario, or we make different assumptions and the resulting suggestions are all over the map. I really appreciate it when someone includes their assumptions and reasoning in their reply.

Economic collapse (and the associated social changes, rising crime, etc.), like the recent one in Argentina (with ongoing consequences) is yet another possibility that hasn’t been suggested (and is well within the realm of possibility under our current administration).

Check out "Part III: Guns, Ammo and Other Gear" on this page (which details the perspective of someone who is living through the economic situation in Argentina):

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2008/10/thoughts-on-urban-survival-2005.html <<== linky

Based on the topic of this thread, we are bugging out. Regardless of its likelihood that's what this thread is about.

Ah, yes, but "bugging out", or being forced to leave your home, can occur under by widely different circumstances (which have associated probabilities) ranging from an orderly evacuation to a complete break down of all civil order/authority.

Not to criticize anyone’s choice of a firearm in this thread. Just saying that the most important thing you can do, should such a situation arise, is accurately assess the situation. Once that’s done, if you have any kind of knowledge of firearms at all, and an adequate battery of arms from which to draw, you’ll be able to choose the most appropriate for the situation at hand when the time comes.

 

[IBTL]

Since, this is a BOB. I think weight of weapon and amount of ammo to carry is important. AK's are awesome, but I'm surprised that noone said this:

Kel-Tec SU-16C or PLR-16. Both fire 5.56mm/.223. Weigh about 5 lbs. and 3lbs., respectively. Both are compact, while the SU-16C can unfold its stock. Both are more accurate than a .22, when out-of-the-box. Both are pretty noisy though. Lots of options for suppressors, if you are worried about discreteness.

Also, yes another Kel-Tec:
SU-22 and PLR-22. I suggest these, if you think .22 will suit you better.

 

[Hoosier8]

OK, you guys have convinced me. I am taking a 22 pistol.

First I will fill my cart and BOB with liquor. When all of that is gone, I will use the 22 on myself.

Kidding of course.

 

[VERT]

Not to criticize anyone’s choice of a firearm in this thread. Just saying that the most important thing you can do, should such a situation arise, is accurately assess the situation. Once that’s done, if you have any kind of knowledge of firearms at all, and an adequate battery of arms from which to draw, you’ll be able to choose the most appropriate for the situation at hand when the time comes.

I could not agree more.

Honestly the situation would have to be horrific for me to leave my home. I have a 5 year old and 8 day old at home so moving the family any distance would be almost impossible on foot. Wife can shoot but would not be able to carry weapons due to children.

Now, if I had move into the unknown weight and versatility will be key. I would choose my Marlin 1894c and sidearms for both the wife and myself. Why the Marlin? 1) it is not "scary looking" 2) pistol ammunition is relatively light 3) it is capable of taking game 4) decent capacity with ability to top off the magazine 5) fairly easy to clean and service 6) the gun itself is fast & lightweight

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Not being a d!ck, I want to know what the rationale is for choosing a .22 or pistol carbine as a fighting rifle. If there is a good reason, I would want to know, Maybe I haven't considered it.

Great question. The 22 offers the ability to carry thousands of rounds of ammunition. It requires you to perfect shot placement, as dropping anything larger than a gnat is not guaranteed. It is quiet. Low recoil allows my grandkids to shoot it. Followup shots are on target quicker. You can practice all day long for $15.

With the proper cover / concealment, a good shooter can be competitive against most threats. In a gunfight, most people can't hit the broad side of a barn with any rifle past 100 yards. Are you going to win in a gunfight against an AR15 in the hands of a trained operator at 500 yards? No. Will you win the same gunfight if equipped with an AR or some other weapon? No. Can you penetrate body armor? No, but who wears body armor over their eyeballs? At 75 - 100 yards with the right weapon, practice and skill development you should be able to pick which eye you're going to shoot out.

Can you protect yourself against a bear attack? Probably not. That's what a 357 (magnum or sig), 45 or other pistol is for.

You can shoot small game. With great shot placement you can drop a deer in its tracks. You can shoot an aggressive dog, or person. At 75 yards you can face off with anyone with a pistol. At 150 yards you can throw enough lead fast enough to make a bad guy think about moving on to an easier target.

My plan includes multiple SHTF weapons, including 22s. The 22 is one of the oldest calibers. There's a reason.

 

[grunt soldier]

a solid ruger 10-22 is a very great bug out gun. it gives you the ability to carry tons of ammo and you can take any size game with it if you take your time and do it right. as far as it goes it definitely is a great bug out or bug in gun. also you can afford to practice with it constantly as you can get 550 rounds for 15 bucks.

 

[dcary7]

AK 47 is by far the best SHTF gun. Having a small survival .22 would be great for food necessities. But nothing screams zombie killa like an AK . Although they are heavier both in gun and ammo, they are built to last and endure some abuse. So if you were looking to bunker in somewhere.. I would say this is a staple. Besides, you don't have to worry about a scope at all really. Depending upon your eyesight you can reach out 150yards accurately with iron sights with no problems. If you are having to pack it around everywhere It could be less practical. I'd rather have too much gun than not enough anyday!

 

[Sailor]

If the weight difference between a 22 and a battle rifle is your deciding factor then I suggest more exercise. Regardless if you choose to carry it, you should be able to.