What do you think the best survival rifle would be if it had to be used in any climate? I don't mean against animals, just people. An example is if you were in the South Pacific on some island and a bunch of natives attacked you. What rifle would you most want to have in hand. Remember, it can be of any action and any caliber but it must be lightweight, handy, and fast handling. My opinion is either a Ruger Mini-14 .223 or a lever gun of some sort. What do you think?

Probably an AK-47.

For the use/climate you indicate. Not the most accurate, but sturdy and reliable.

MM

Why not a M1 Carbine
Factory 10, 20, and 30 round carbine mags are common and inexpensive, unlike the mini where hicaps often fail, and cost a arm and leg.
The carbine is not prone to failure, where the mini fails often.
The carbine is more accurate than the mini.
Etc, etc, etc.

The AK is another good choice for all of the above reasons also.

[ 06-16-2002, 15:55: Message edited by: Tailgunner ]

The Mini-14, Stainless would be hard to beat. The Navy Seals use/used them for that reason.
No lever gun I know can match the reliability of an auto designed for battle field conditions. And the Ruger Mini is built like that. Ruger says they are designed to go 500 rds. w/o cleaning, etc. E

AK 47

Johan

Had the pleasure of using a folding stock AK a couple of times. Accuracy was good out to 300m and it didn't have to be treated delicately in the field.
I think a folding stock .308 Galil would be my choice. Uzi combined the best features of the AK and the Fal in designing it.

Seamus O'Grady,

I'm with you all lever rifles. You can't find better all weather rifles.

HI

No I'm not for the cowboy style smoke pooles.

I would pick a SIG 551 with 18 inch barrel. The quality is like the most things from Switzerland. Ask Walterhog about the "Safari truffel"

A FN FAL would be nice too. Option for SUB machinegun is MP 5, Carl Gustav 45 B or UZI. The Seals used the Swede in Vietnam. Ruger has never been my favorite brand with any kind of firearms.

"There is nothing like nice warm UZI"

/ JOHAN

Ruger 10/22
Why? Because I can kill anything with it and I can carry 500 rounds of ammo in less space and weight than the rest of the above selections can carry 100 rounds. Also makes a lot less noise.

In a real survival situation, every ounce counts and your world is what's in your backpack...if you have such a luxury.

Survival, my friends, is more than just one big glorious gunbattle. If that is the intent with this thread, then make mine a machine gun and two lovely college girls to act as my gun crew.

I'll choose a Model 92 Winchester SRC in .44-40!

AD

Howitzer, who said anything about retreat? From my impregnable hill top fortress about all the girls will have to do is sweep the spent cases out of the way and keep the fresh margaritas coming.

I figure in a couple of hours combat the island natives will be pretty much an extinct species and then the girls and I can do some serious skinny dipping on the beach.

I guess I first want to make a distinction that I tend to thank of a survival rifle as one to primarily feed yourself with in the wilderness with defensive use a secondary role. What you describe I think I would call a defensive rifle despite Col. Coopers arguement that rifles are offensive and pistols defensive tools.

Using my distinctions Pecos 45's .22 lr autoloader makes a lot of sense as a survival rifle. The defensive rifle is where I think I can be provocative. I think that for solo or small group situations the Spainiards had the right idea with their little Destroyer carbines. Yes, the Destroyer could have used better quality control and a bit more power, but a compact, light, bolt action for a compact but adequate cartridge with detachable medium capacity magazines is the solution to the durability and portability required.

Fireplug
PS: I could never trust my life to a .223 I have had them and they are not even reliable stoppers for jackrabbits and skunks much less people intent on evil.

Pecos 45

You are stealing my concept of andventure hollidays. Three girls would do nicely too.
/ JOHAN

The stainless ruger would be the way to go. As far as levers being great all weather rifles just try and feild strip your marlin or winchester. The ruger ar's and ak's ect are much easier to maintain in the feild.

I'll go with Pecos; a Ruger 10/22T, lightwieght stock, maybe shorten the barrel for wieght, some 30 shot clips and a 1.5 - 6 or 3 - 9 power scope for sniping those natives. Quick detatchable mounts too. And 10,000 rounds of ammo.

hmmmm...being attacked by native on some remote S.Pacific Island...I suppose we're talking about the biggest game you're gonna find on the island is wild pig?

I'd have to with an M1919 belt fed .30 cal mounted on an M1A Abrams, the tank should take good care of them upity natives and I'll save the ammo for the pigs

My vote goes to the Feather Ind. AT22. Fired one of my pilot buddies and really loved it. Funny this thread would show up less then a week afterwards. These things are small, sto-away in there own case and well, 2000 rounds can be stored in a very small place. Made for survival type situation already.
Here is a link to there page as per request via Private Message.

http://www.featherusa.com



[ 06-17-2002, 21:20: Message edited by: JAG ]

Once the former inhabitants of our "survival Island" are laid to rest, i.e. pitched into the ocean, and I can finally turn to the serious task of surviving, I've dropped deer with one well placed shot of a .22. Naturally everything on down from that size shall be my prey as well. Granted it's not the greatest killer/stomper/dropper on the planet...but I've got nothing but time on your hand surviving. So what if I have to trail a wounded animal a bit. Makes life interesting.

Birds will be a snap. Headshoot them if you can.
Anything I shoot, I won't have to share the first bite with a big rifle that blows away a shoulder when it hits. No messy kills to frighten the girls.

Seamus, I have talked myself into going on your survival trek. Pick me up tomorrow before I go to work.

[ 06-17-2002, 06:20: Message edited by: Pecos45 ]

so many choices. reliability has to be number one. so AK 47 is a good choice. but why not a regular bolt action? you can't break them. I would be pretty happy with a M700 in 308 nato.

As there is a lot of danger in that scenario from two legged varmints, and one has to shoot game for food:

Winchester 94 , .30-30 with enough ammo, post front and Lyman all steel peep sight. Modern variant of this setup: Steyr Scout, .308, 10 round mags.

If another bolt, serious consideration should be given stripper clip charging. A 98K in .308, 8x57IS or .30-06 with a peep ( scout scope ??? ) will do.

H

Depends on the situation. If we're talking about winderness survival, then I'd want a 10/22, or better yet, and old Winchester Model 62 pump.

If we're talking about survival in a hostile environment, then I want an AK or variant, preferably a Valmet.

Michael

If the weapon was to be used strictly against people, and not needed to put meat on the table, then I want a flamethrower. Worked well enough on the Japanese in the S. Pacific.

If I needed something to hunt with too, then I think I would go with a 10/22 as well.

If is was to defend you from people at close range I would use a marlin camp rifle in 45 acp or 9mm both will get the job done.

bolt action 308, with chamber inserts to 7.62, x39, and 223... used to be a company that made these, but I don't remember the makers.
jeffe

If Pecos gets two colledge girls for a gun crew then Ill take two as well. One to pack my m-60 and one for covert operations.. We're talking "DEADLY"

Actually Id have to at least consider a crossbow. Theyll do anything a .22 will, maybe more, and arrows can be recovered or fashioned.

[ 06-27-2002, 05:27: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

Judging from your signature Id guess youd make some fine Jamie Bond fodder. Leathal them 2 point opratives are..

If strictly for use against human vermin:

AC-130 gunship

Pretty much guarantees my survival...and eliminates theirs

Native attack! Well that narrows the choice down some, since you won't be hunting animals with the gun.

A Thompson 45 should do nicely in your case! Just the sound of it going off will cause them to think twice about boiling your head in a pot.

I like my little mini 14 also with two 30 round clips put together, it sure would be a lot lighter than the heavy RAT TAT TATTOR.

Personally i would want to minimize the tendency to spray and pray. If you want real durability then go with a good SKS with a 10 shot mag and some stripper clips. I have had six of these, Russian and Chinese and NEVER had one jam from anything mechanical or ammo related except for a few bad primers. They are very simple to clean and rock solid in operation, Light enough to carry alot and accurate. Hell, You can buy six of them compared to the price of one jam-o-matic, clean or else AR-15. I also own one of those! Something to think about, Swede96.