If you could only have one gun for survival what would it be, and why

[richoffpicks21]

a hi point

 

[HighlandLofts]

One gun for hunting and self defense, over course a 12 gauge pump.
It will kill a humming bird, a grizzly bear and every thing in between.
With a pistol, a 22lr rifle, a high power rifle and black powder gun you are at a disadvantage in my personal opinion.

 

[The Heretic]

One gun for hunting and self defense, over course a 12 gauge pump.
It will kill a humming bird, a grizzly bear and every thing in between.
With a pistol, a 22lr rifle, a high power rifle and black powder gun you are at a disadvantage in my personal opinion.

A 12 ga shotgun is a bit better than a .22 rimfire rifle in versatility - especially if you can use adapters for smaller gauge shotshells - like .410 - for small game.

However, any shotgun is severely limited in range compared to a centerfire rifle. Also, ammo is heavy and bulky, so that is a downside for those who see themselves traveling a distance on foot (not me, I can't go much of anywhere on foot, even without extra stuff weighing me down).

A shotgun is part of a good 4 gun survival "arsenal" (centerfire defensive rifle & sidearm, a shotgun and .22 rimfire firearm, as the minimum, anything less is limiting).

I do not ascribe to single firearm or knife or anything idea as a valid "what if" scenario.

In a SHTF scenario, I would have at least two firearms on/near my person at all times - defensive rifle/pistol combo, and preferably a .22 rimfire revolver (for taking small game) or my one pound single shot .22 rimfire rifle if I am hunting. I almost always have a knife on my person, if hunting I would have at least two, maybe three knives and a hatchet (for breaking the pelvis bone of a deer/elk).

 

[ilikegunspdx]

A 12 ga shotgun is a bit better than a .22 rimfire rifle in versatility - especially if you can use adapters for smaller gauge shotshells - like .410 - for small game.

However, any shotgun is severely limited in range compared to a centerfire rifle. Also, ammo is heavy and bulky, so that is a downside for those who see themselves traveling a distance on foot (not me, I can't go much of anywhere on foot, even without extra stuff weighing me down).

A shotgun is part of a good 4 gun survival "arsenal" (centerfire defensive rifle & sidearm, a shotgun and .22 rimfire firearm, as the minimum, anything less is limiting).

I do not ascribe to single firearm or knife or anything idea as a valid "what if" scenario.

In a SHTF scenario, I would have at least two firearms on/near my person at all times - defensive rifle/pistol combo, and preferably a .22 rimfire revolver (for taking small game) or my one pound single shot .22 rimfire rifle if I am hunting. I almost always have a knife on my person, if hunting I would have at least two, maybe three knives and a hatchet (for breaking the pelvis bone of a deer/elk).

Exactly. This is the problem with all the "if you only had ONE" threads. There was a thread for one cartridge for hunting. Makes no sense. If I could have only one hunting gun it would be a drilling with 2 12 gauge barrels and one rifle caliber on bottom. Thats in a gun around 6 lbs. The "one only" is not realistic in real life at all.

Another "Fe" I could have a .308 sub machine gun, a 300BLK or 223 small bufferless AR, a 9mm subgun, a suppressed .22 subgun (preferably select fire or full auto capable), various pistols and revolvers (all concealed at the same time) and other people would never even know it. Why in the world would someone have only one gun in a survival situation? It's not realistic at all. Not that I would carry all that at the same time just due to weight but you could as an extreme example I mean.

 

[The Heretic]

Exactly. This is the problem with all the "if you only had ONE" threads. There was a thread for one cartridge for hunting. Makes no sense. If I could have only one hunting gun it would be a drilling with 2 12 gauge barrels and one rifle caliber on bottom. Thats in a gun around 6 lbs. The "one only" is not realistic in real life at all.

Another "Fe" I could have a .308 sub machine gun, a 300BLK or 223 small bufferless AR, a 9mm subgun, a suppressed .22 subgun (preferably select fire or full auto capable), various pistols and revolvers (all concealed at the same time) and other people would never even know it. Why in the world would someone have only one gun in a survival situation? It's not realistic at all. Not that I would carry all that at the same time just due to weight but you could as an extreme example I mean.

A defensive rifle could also serve as a hunting gun. Any of the common defensive rifle calibers is sufficient - in a pinch. You can get 5.56 ammo that will take a deer - in a pinch - and 7.62x39 or 7.62x51 is fine for deer, the latter is fine for elk or moose too. I could hunt with an FN-FAL, as long as I knew the range and kept within its limits of accuracy (less than most bolt actions in the same caliber).

But unless I was going someplace like Canada or NZ or Ozland where I would probably be lucky to just be allowed to have a bolt or lever action carbine for hunting, then the idea of a single gun is not a valid scenario - not in the USA anyway.

I do have an array of different firearms for SHTF. A PS90/Five Seven combo for "get home" and around home guns for when I am out doing chores. Heavier more powerful semis for static defense and ammo availability. Hunting rifles. A combo shotgun/rifle (.223 over 20 ga), a lot of rimfires, defensive sidearms, revolvers, a defensive shotgun and so on. I don't limit myself to one gun or even one "arsenal".

I know I can't carry all of those on foot - but like I said, I can't go much of anywhere on foot anyway, with or without guns. No longer something I consider as possible.