We did not suggest that a person should own every gun on the list. It was our proposition that the essentials were a large caliber rifle, a handgun, a shotgun, and a .22 as a minimum. Nearly 150 people responded with comments and their own good ideas.
But, lets take this a step further, and make selection a little bit more difficult.
Assuming you have plenty of ammunition, or have everything needed to reload for the one gun,
what would be the one and only firearm you would want to have, if for some reason, you only had access to one?
Selection of a of gun will require considering different types of scenarios, locations used, and situations where it would be used.
Consider that it is the only firearm you can get your hands on in the following scenarios.
Remember, that this firearm and ammunition will be with you at all times, 24/7, like a fifth appendage.
You will be required to hunt large, medium, small game, anything else edible, and use it for self defense.
These should be common firearms that you could grab from what you already have or or acquire on the day you need it.
What would be your one choice in each of these areas if you were in an:
1. Urban area (Downtown Chicago or Detroit style), or;
2. High desert, or;
3. Dense woodland, or;
4. Mountains or hill country?
Since several scenarios are considered, and if I had to make a selection for one gun for each different area, I would have the following.
I believe I would choose the AK47 for Urban areas. If I were stuck in an urban area like Detroit, and I could not leave, I would prefer to have a large capacity carbine size rifle for an urban landscape.
If I were in dense Woodland, I would also select the AK47. The typical shot in dense woods will be at 100, 200, or less yards. I guess a band of "Wolverines" can't be wrong. This easy to handle, lightweight, compact rifle and intermediate rifle cartridges will penetrate a lot of trees that a smaller caliber will not. Its also as acceptable as a 30-30 for deer hunting,
I believe I would select a rifle caliber for High Desert, and Mountain and Hill country, instead of a specific gun. That is because many shots would probably be at a distance. That caliber is the 7.62X51 or .308. A good choice would be the M1A or the trusty Model 70 Winchester in .308.
These selections are not to meant to slight pistol or revolver aficianados.
5 comments:
My choice would have to be my M1A. The only negative here would be weight of the ammo that I would need to carry around with me. But the ability to "reach out" with this gun along with the penetration/knock down ability put it above my AR and other rifles.
Urban and woods: AK-47 or any 5.56, not .223.
All other: my M-14
If there was only one I would choose a good 12 ga. with removeable chokes. Good for hunting birds, small game, or with slugs large game.
In an urban enviroment 8 rounds of .00 buck or alternate buck and ball. Awesome self defense. With a slug barrel 100 yds is fine 150 yds possible.
Well, not trying to be obnoxious or anything but in regards to hunting AKs make me want to puke. If you have to use a Soviet weapon try an SKS, regarding accuracy they are almost on par with the Enfields and Springfields - AKs are more akin to throwing rocks with your eyes shut.
I like the idea of a shotgun as
mentioned, but not for large game in open terrain. I'd probably opt for an older Savage in something around 7mm. Oh, wait! Can I have a Weatherby, please!!!
On-Foot, long-distance travelling, concealment not much of an issue (law enforcement officers absent), weight/convenience important: Kel-Tec SU-16 with side-folding AR-15 pistol grip stock, EOtech sight. Do I get to add $4K nv and a solar battery charger? The USArmy has picked a good compromise in stopping power/weight/range in the .223, making carrying 5+1 charged thirty round magazines practical for a non-superman.
SU-16 uses AR-15 magazines, which are inexpensive and common now among civilians, ubiquitous among GI's, and uses the common GI 5.56 ammo. Gas piston system and trigger are functionally similar to AK-47 and has had similar reliability when not-cleaned. I've had no malfunctions with the plastic wonder except those related to bad magazines, perhaps due to treating it like a finicky direct-impingement rifle (clean rifle/clean ammo/clean magazines/clean cleaning kit/clean covers, etc.).
SU-16 is freakishly lightweight, reminding me of the first time I picked up a Glock17 after packing an all-steel pistol for some time. The only thing more I could wish for would be an all-stainless steel model.
As far as critter harvesting goes, a well-placed close-shot .22LR works fine on up to 150# 'ers, so a 5.56/.223 with a single hand-loaded soft-point is more than enough gun. Maybe not legal in many States currently, but functional when it might matter.
I can't imagine having just one gun. That is some kind of apocalypse.
What if you had just one "bullet", like Barney Fife?
Cheers.
Post a Comment