Top 5 Survival Guns
Take your pick—earthquakes, fire, severe weather, civil unrest, a terrorist act? Whatever the catastrophe, having a survival firearm should be the norm today rather than the exception.
The reasons to have a survival firearm or two are endless and unique to you and your environment. In general, it’s fairly straightforward. Self-defense and hunting are naturally the top uses for a survival gun. Since we are talking about an out-of-the-norm event, I would want to keep my selections simple.
To accomplish this, I would consider such factors as ammo availability. Within the United States, some calibers that would be much more likely to be found in stressful times are 22 long rifles, 12 gauge, 223/5.56, 9mm, and 30-06. Less prevalent are 22 magnum, 28 gauge, 222, 357 sig, and 270 Winchester Short Mag.
In other words, your survival gun should be in a caliber that you have a good supply of, or calibers that might be easier to find via scavenging or barter. Another factor I would consider is the track record of reliability with my chosen gun, whether by reputation, personal experience, or better yet, both.
Confidence in the firearms system—including accessories and ammunition, as well as my ability to use them well, is critical. Efficiency of operation, basic field maintenance, and ease of transport are also points to consider.
With the above in mind, here are some of my top picks:
I like the Henry .22 survival rifle. All the parts ft in the stock. It is light and already is in my bugout box.
30-06??? How about . . . .308???
The great thing about a shot gun for survival is you have a way better chance of taking enough game to survive. Ammo is heavier, but you’ll be less likely to miss that squirrel, or quail, or rabbit, etc. ,and taking big game will be easy.
Not exactly the guns I would have selected, but they still have plenty of utility. Essentially, it’s a good .22, a powerful hunting rifle, a MSR for defense, a good reliable shotgun like an 870 or Mossberg 500, and a handgun in 9mm or larger for those last ditch moments.
I have the Henry H0001 Lever action Carbine. It will take 22 LR, 22 Long, and 22 short. It doesn’t break down but it is only about 3 feet long, so still isn’t a problem to carry.
a savage sp 24 over/under .22 mag. 20 ga. mag would be one of my choices for a single gun.