Something fun for a change.

Let us assume we are all insane and a "Mad Max" type future scenario is not a "inadequacy heroic delusion".

In "Mad Max" ("The Road Warrior" - for our US friends) society and civilisation has collapsed. People take what they can, and what they have they have to defend. Supplies are difficult to come by.

What sort of firearm or weapon would you choose to have as your means of offence or defence?

Note you are only allowed one weapon.

Would you choose a crappy sawn off double barrel shotgun with crumbling shotshells like "MM", or a wrist mounted cross-bow? Something else perhaps? Please enjoy.

Awww - just one weapon??

No fair - we would almost all look toward a long gun for 'offense/defense' but inline with your scenario, there comes a time when bullet gives way to arrow or bolt.

If only because there comes a time when supplies run out and the difficulties of manufacture have to be considered.

Rgds Ian

If we restrict it to a single weapon we already have, it would be my Savage 24 combo, 22lr over 20G. I'd be getting away from where the people were anyway! Leave em alone for 12 months to kill each other. And .22lr will kill most "animals" if you're close enough.
But I'd make sure I "picked up" a knife on the way, preferably a Puma White Hunter, if I couldn't take my own.
Nice idea for discussion NitroX
Cheers
TOM

I'd use a metal boomerang and live with a colony of dingoes.

I've considered this scenario myself, from time to time (yes, I'm a looney sort of person) and I always thought that a good single shot .45/70 (perhaps a Ruger No1 or No3) would be the way to go. Being a sort of 'closet' survivalist, I would have hoarded lots of loaded ammo and lots of reloading components including casting gear - even if you run out of ammo, you can still make blackpowder (in a pinch) and the main limitation would be primers (easy to stockpile).

I guess if you took this line of thinking further, then you would end up with a flintlock of around .45 or .50 calibre.

The alternative would be the Remington pump .223 (that I have ordered as my IPSC rifle) and stockpile mountains and mountains of .223 ammo - cheap and doesn't take up much room!!!!

My idea would be a drilling in side by side 12 gauge and a larger bore rifle calibre. Probably 9.3x74R. With a detachable scope in claw mounts.

Why?

Supplies would be limited. Assuming you have an initial supply of brass cases and shotshells.

Primers could be re-used.

Shotshells could be re-used and once the plastic shells are gone, cardboard shotshells made in the brass heads.

Shot can be made easily enough. With all the cars and tyres out of action lead is easy to find.

The rifle once ammo is no longer available would use cast lead bullets. Therefore a larger calibre.

Powder. If modern propellant could not be devised, black powder could be manufactured.

Rifle cases. If using black powder they would last for a long time.

The three barrelled drilling would allow three quick shots up close with the power of a shotgun and slugs and/or buckshot or smaller shot for food gathering. The rifle with scope could be used for sniping at longer ranges for game or defence/offense.

Accompanied with a big knife.

(OK that's two weapons but a knife is a given)

.22 would head the list,lots of cheap ammo to stock up on.
Anything in the calibres of the enemy-9mm and .223. Platform to fire these calibres does'nt matter,so long as it goes bang.
i.e.Pipe with a rusty nail powered with rubber bands etc,then someone would have a nice Steyr to play with.

SMLE or No 4 Lee Enfield in .303

Get a few hundred pounds of ammonium nitrate and sulphur from a fertiliser depot, plus charcoal you make yourself, and cast bullets outta wheelweights, tin based solder, and scuba belt weights (pure 100% lead) and you'll never run out of ammo, and take care of your brass and they'll last a long time... it's primers that will be difficult, but I know how to make mercury fulmindie so with a lot of care I could re-furbish primers :P

quote:

Originally posted by 303Kiwi:
SMLE or No 4 Lee Enfield in .303

Get a few hundred pounds of ammonium nitrate and sulphur from a fertiliser depot, plus charcoal you make yourself, and cast bullets outta wheelweights, tin based solder, and scuba belt weights (pure 100% lead) and you'll never run out of ammo, and take care of your brass and they'll last a long time... it's primers that will be difficult, but I know how to make mercury fulmindie so with a lot of care I could re-furbish primers :P

Good choice. Proven black powder cartridge as well as cordite and nitro loads plus loads of magazine capacity too.

NitroX,
This is a more fun club.
A little easier than politics and less participation required by managers too


As to the subject I see 2 levels of weapon depending on how far people are taking the example

Knife of course.
and
For real breakdown of technology a bow, since it requires tehcnique not technology(pooling of services) to build and have unilimited ammo for.

For the original Mad max type scenario, which is basically any third world country at war, the primary choice of delusional imaginary heros etc. is generally a light easily fed high capacity auto rifle, in a mil calibre.
If we assume supplies and infrastructure still exists to some degree but in the hands of very few etc.

More choices will abound for hunting rifles here naturally as people have probably given this sort of thing some thought. On the other thread I said about 90% of hunters probably fantasize they were 'back in the day' and 'unlimited hunting'- and the replies indicate they have this sort of thing in mind more than a basic collapsed state.


Karl.

Yeah,

I like idea of a 45/70 or maybe a dirty old stainless ruger in 30/06 with a tough leupold 2.5x scope.

.22lr is good as it's easy to carry thousands of rounds of ammo if need be.

I always have a handgun, for a rifle I would choose an H&K 91 in 308. They are rugged, reliable, accurate, and provide rapid fire if that becomes necessary. Their QD scope mounts go back to zero.
The 308 has enough power to take big game for the pot. The H&K feeds soft point hunting bullets fine.

I guess a bow or a crossbow for when ammunition supplies dry up.

A scoped AR15 with a lot of mags.

Some good choices.

But with these ARs, H&Ks and M16s how would they go when you would be forced to manufacture your own ammo? Not just reload shells but make your own bullets, powder, re-use primers etc?

For a .223, bullets could be made from lead and old .22 shells. Haven't done it myself but know it can be done.

What about propellant? I imagine black powder wouldn't work too well in one.

As for stockpiling ammo, first thing is have you? I would think ammo supplies would dry up quickly if "hell arrived" as people do stockpile.

Actually I have several thousand 7.62x39's left over from the last stealback of firearms here. They would be a good source if only I had a rifle for it. Must do something about that oneday.


Semi-autos also have a lot of moving parts. What happens when they break and need replacing? How easy would they be to machine, assuming there is electricity sufficient to do so?


Just some thoughts. Welcome more discussion if interested.

a no5 jungle carbine if thinkgs looked bad you would have to stock pile as much reloading gear as you could lay your hands on a no5 would have such a great intimidation factor they look mean (if you look at the wrong end) and a no5 bayonet would make a passable knife as well as a weapon