One gun, all purpose

[686 Shooter]

I picked a S&W 686 (go figure!), but there is a lot to be said for a Remington 870 and a Ruger 10/22, how could you go wrong with either, I would venture to say they are America's two favorite guns.

 

[Drakkule]

I would go with the AR simply for the ability to shoot at a longer distance, accurately.

 

[Bigtanker]

Tough choice. All have pros and cons. And you need to know the limits of each gun. You could survive with any of them BUT, none of these are worth much more than a club if you have no ammo. .22 LR is the most popular ammo in the world. That's my choice simply because of the availability.

 

[Spazzmodicus]

Here here.......I get all kinds of range with my Mossberg 500 firing slugs out of a rifled and ported barrel. I don't know anybody in a SHTF scenario that would camp in a great open space, requiring 500 yard shots. When times get bad....trees are friends. I also have a smooth-bore slug barrel and a shot barrel......with a 30mm red-dot scope....but probably wouldn't be able to buy batteries with the OP's context. Probably the ultimate SHTF weapon would be an over and under 410 and 22LR.

great thread!

I would take my mossberg 500 hands down. Heres why, the ability to shoot 00 buck, shoot bird shot for small game, and slugs for the nastys. Of course if we are talking SHTF my boys with AR's and AK's can do the long range shooting

 

[10-32]

Or how about one of these...
Stoeger Uplander Side-by-Side Shotgun, Double Shotgun: 12-Gauge, 20-Gauge, and .410 Gauge with 3” Chamber; 16-Gauge, 28-Gauge with 2-3/4” Chamber

With one of these...
Pathfinder 12 gauge to 9mm Luger with rifling

Isn't there a .223 adapter you can use in a 870 or 500? I remember talk of one a few years back but google isn't kicking back any results.

 

[solution_zero]

AR15, preferably an A1 with 16" lightweight barrel.

 

[kawtech87]

Isn't there a .223 adapter you can use in a 870 or 500? I remember talk of one a few years back but google isn't kicking back any results.

Not that I am aware of. That doesnt mean it doesnt exist though. Or you could get the .22 adapter and drill it out yourself to take .223 ammo. Whether or not it would withstand the pressure of .223 is a different story though.

I would want either the 9mm adapter or the .22 adapter or both for small game. .223 wouldnt leave much left of a rabbit or squirrel.

I actually think my first post was the better of the two options I posted. .357 rifle with CCI shotshells and .38 special for small game and .357 for bigger stuff. Probably the set up Im gonna get honestly.

 

[old man Bill]

Fer me it'd be a smoothbore long barrel charcoal burner. It'll shoot balls (mine is a 42 inch barrel, .62 cal/ 20ga) or you can make up yur own load with buck and ball or srtait buck. You could load it up with rocks ifn you had to. Modern guns require modern ammo, not so with black powder. One can even make their own powder if push comes to shove, but you caint make a modern shell from nature. We are talking survival here aint we?
Bill

 

[U.S. Patriot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZSr8um-nK0&feature=g-vrec

 

[TheTank]

AK can't be beat on durability, will fire clean or dirty, cold or hot. My .

 

[Danger Boy]

12ga... 00 Buckshot for up lose... Rock-salt to remember me by... Pumpkin balls/sabots for a little distance... White phosphorus for fireworks!

So many options one gun.

 

[GBuck]

I said pistol, and this is why. The OP said any situation. THis includes life as we are living it today. I'm not going to carry a long gun with me everywhere. However, I can use it if needed to hunt or kill zombies. But more likely than not, in this day and age, I'd need it for defense before the other reasons.

 

[Danger Boy]

My runner up is the 22... You can do so much with a 22... My 22 can be used by everyone in my family with no recoil worries. It can throw lots of lead downrange quickly... Can be used to reach out and touch something ... Small game... Old beer cans.

Versatility and economical.

 

[Danger Boy]

3rd place... AK... Reliability, reliability, reliability.

 

[Zoub]

Really? My AK is easy to clean with puddle. and the bore snake in the grip. Reliability is not a question.

I will take two guys with AK's against 5 with shotguns any day. Unless one is Zoub.

I agree and if given the chance I would want to be traded to team AK! The Shotgun is the 350lb defensive lineman of guns. In a survival situation you don't want a specialist. People say the shotgun is versatile and it is, due to the ammo, but it is still a 40 yard gun. With a rifled barrel I even call it a Poorman's 200 yard .50 cal. Ask yourself this, if you are the hostage, and I am there to save you, do you really want me taking the headshot on the bad guy with a shotgun? Even with a slug?

I would argue an AR with a drop in .22 bolt is more versatile.

The perfect scenario for this already happened when that whack job in Ohio was shooting hunters and joggers with a rifle. I can remember thinking, OK while out hunting carry some buckshot, no, not good enough. Carry some slugs, no. Carry a handgun, no. It was a gun fight you could not win, unless you are a true Pro with a handgun.

The other thing about 2 on 5, everyone thinks there is safety in numbers until a handful of navy SEALs show up, then suddenly everyone in the room wishes they too were highly trained professionals with the proper weapons. 5 SEALs walk into a room and stack 100 dead bad guys like a cord of firewood and then walk out.

I also think SHTF weapon is defined by your version of SHTF. Some of us think defense, others think hunting. I think defense of my food, not gathering it, but I also hunt with AR's so I am good to go either way. That is exactly why I started hunting with AR's 10+ years ago, now I love it.

 

[Zoub]

Isn't there a .223 adapter you can use in a 870 or 500? I remember talk of one a few years back but google isn't kicking back any results.

No, there are no adapters of any kind that work on pump or semi auto actions. They only work for break actions.

For break actions, you have a choice of gauge and caliber inserts.

 

[Zoub]

And if we are picking just one gun, then accessories DO count and you can't put a can on a shotgun. A can is must have. No I don't have any. Huge mistake on my part, rectifying that shortly.

Don't be an American't when you can be an AmeriCAN.

 

[Str8himalaya]

I would have to say my Browning A5 with my slug barrel. I can hunt with it, defend myself with it, and do about anything for survival. May not be the first choice of shotguns, but happens to be my favorite because it has been passed through the family. AK would be a good choice because of ammo availability.

 

[seldon14]

First choice would be a .357 revolver. There are better choices for a defensive or combat arm for sure, however if you pick a long gun that will leave you unarmed most of the time. That AK would be great if the zombies rise, but won't do much good if you get killed in a mugging before that happens. A .357 is a perfectly reasonable carry arm and more than serviceable for home defense as well. With the right loads you could take decent sized game, and could even scope it if needed. It's not ammo sensitive and .38 ammo can be found or loaded pretty cheaply.

 

[GIJEW]

I choose AR15 because:

I already have one

there's plenty of cheap ammo, and after SHTF when my stash is gone, there will still be more around since it's the government's round of choice.

"It'll hunt"